Six Student Services Finance Committee representatives faced impeachment Thursday, leaving some frustrated that the committee failed to amend its attendance policy in a hearing last month.
None of those representatives, who had missed meetings for reasons ranging from exam conflicts to family deaths, were removed from the committee.
SSFC recently voted to maintain its attendance policy in favor of different legislation that would have allowed representatives unlimited absences as long as they were excused.
Under the current policy, representatives may miss 25 percent of SSFC meetings in a given month, for any reason. Representatives who exceed that limit risk impeachment. In March, there were only three meetings — so representatives who missed one or more were brought to hearing.
“This is a good reason we should have changed things,” Rep. Jake Victor said. “It’s a waste of student money to have to debate this.”
Representatives argued that their absences were justified.
Rep. Henry Galles, who missed a March meeting for an exam, said during his hearing that he felt he had used his time appropriately.
When asked why he had not taken his exam and attended the meeting simultaneously, Galles replied that his test and the SSFC meeting had been held in different locations.
“I was unable to be in both locations at the same time,” Galles said. “I do not believe that is possible, but I’ve never taken a physics class in my life. Maybe it is, but it’s not in my capabilities.”
Some also argued that the attendance policy and impeachment process are ineffective and waste of committee resources.
“I would say that the attendance policy was flawed,” Rep. Anika Chatterjee said during her hearing.
The committee has struggled with attendance problems for over a year, and Victor, who brought the legislation forward, said it was an attempt to minimize the enforcement measures that some representatives have called “wasteful” and “unnecessary.”
“I didn’t think it would be a very long debate to update our attendance policies, but I need to stop guessing how things are going to go,” Rep. Dylan Resch told The Daily Cardinal.
Lusia de Vogel contributed to this report.
