President McDavis,
I am writing this letter asking that you demand the resignation of Megan Marzec as Student Senate president. The reason I am asking for her resignation is because she violated the ethics of her office when she used the challenge you set forth to her to raise awareness for ALS and instead used it as a way to further her own political agenda. She abused a power of office and for that she should be held accountable, but instead she still remains president of a student body, a leadership role that requires the leader to be a person who is fair and tolerant of all students, but Megan has shown she is not free of open bias against the state of Israel and the students and alumni who believe and support Israel.
Mr. President, why are her actions not being challenged? Why is she allowed to make a statement as president of the student body in blood demanding Ohio University divest its ties with Israel and face no consequence?
This is not an issue of free speech or suppressing a student’s right to protest, it is about allowing a president of the student body to violate her office and face no penalty. Being a president of OU must be very difficult and I am sure you never imagined that your challenge would result in this, but it did. As a president, it is your responsibility to make sure all students are being represented and that actions have consequences. I understand you are trying hard to resolve this matter and that you have the welfare of all your students in mind, but Mr. President, you also have a job to teach your students that, although protest and free speech should never be suppressed, what Megan Marzec did was not about free speech and everything about abusing an opportunity and breaking her ethical code of president.
President McDavis, until the pouring of blood, I have always been proud and supported my school, but until the time that you, as leader of OU, request for the resignation of Megan Marzec, I am asking for every alumni and donor to stop funding OU. I call for alumni and visitors to cancel their trips and parents consider not sending their children to a school which promotes a message that rules don’t apply to all and anti-Semitism is an accepted practice. I call for the boycott of OU, absolutely and completely. Not a patron or penny should be given to a university which allows intolerance to spread and students in high positions of office to abuse their authority.
Jacqueline Sicherman is an Ohio University alumnus.
