Ohio University's Student Senate entered into executive session last night to debate whether to accept former Off-Campus Life Senator Matthew Wallace's resignation or to allow the senate's Conduct and Discipline Committee's report to be presented, possibly leading to sanctions against the former senator.
After a vote, Wallace's resignation was accepted.
President Jesse Neader said Wallace tendered his resignation yesterday morning after being reported to Conduct and Discipline on Friday.
There were reports that Matthew Wallace had a beverage inside the Governance Room
he said.
Neader would not elaborate on the nature of the beverage.
There was sufficient enough evidence for (Conduct and Discipline) Neader said.
Conduct and Discipline Committee meetings are closed to the public and the committee's reports are not released without the permission of the subject of the investigation, Chairman John Calhoun said.
Although a resignation would normally end Conduct and Discipline proceedings, some senators felt they should reverse the decision to accept the resignation, Neader said.
If a member of senate is removed from office, he or she is not allowed to run for senate again. However, a member is allowed to run again after resigning, according to senate's rules and procedures.
Wednesday's executive session was the second called this year for senate. During executive sessions, all nonvoting members are asked to leave the room and proceedings are not included in the meeting's minutes. Last quarter, former at-large Senator Adetunji Adedipe was removed from office during executive session for his attendance record, Neader said, but this does not appear in the minutes.
The president must write a brief report on what happened and include it in the meeting's minutes. However, Neader did not publish a report online for Adedipe's removal.
If that did not happen it's because we didn't know we were supposed to
Calhoun said.
Neader said executive sessions are closed because hearsay is admissible (in Conduct and Discipline) evidence ... that doesn't need to go on the record.
Executive session gives us the ability to look at all the facts and debate
he said.
Wallace did not respond to multiple calls seeking comment.
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