The Associated Student Government (ASG) is the student-led organization that works on several issues that affect all students, whether they’re obvious or not. For example, the smoking policy that Colorado Mesa University has, was decided by ASG. ASG is the first line to get things done for our school and to set up all students for the best chance of success.
However, the people in such organizations can be found inadequate for their position, and this possibility is currently occurring more than 300 miles away, at the well-known Colorado State University. CSU’s student body president, Josh Silva, is under impeachment trial and the university is at a crucial time of politics and news amidst the accusations and trial.
Silva is on trial for failing to inform the senate body of a Wall Street Journal contract, failing to create a job description for himself and for attempting to obstruct impeachment procedures by deleting and concealing emails.
These charges are all included in the third impeachment petition as the other two were canceled for various reasons. However, the second petition included charges of disrespect and discrimination against fellow members of the government. These are allegations of the Silva and as of now, nothing has been proven and the impeachment is still in trial.
Things have heated up since the impeachment has taken place. There are now students coming out and saying the petition for impeachment was being forced upon the fellow members, and that they were being pressured to sign; not only that but they also accuse that the student government is too tied up in impeachments to actually serve the student body as they are supposed to.
Of course, the senators trying to impeach Silva say that this is nonsense and detracts from what they are trying to accomplish with the consequential overturn of service if the impeachment is processed, so as to let a more qualified person become president.
CMU has had its own share of politics and unpleasant proceedings in the past. Just last year the ASG president resigned among impeachment trials, leaving Ben Linzey in charge, as our president, and he has been working hard to keep ASG pro-student and functioning efficiently.
Since Linzey has experienced a similar procedure first hand, he knows how hard this can be on a government and has nothing but support for those going through the process currently.
“It’s kind of hard to watch because we went through the same thing last year, so it’s hard to watch another school go through it,” Linzey said.
Linzey and the ASG are willing to offer some advice to CSU in any way to help, but there isn’t much that they can do besides console since they are so far away.
Overall the events occurring over at CSU offer a reminder to us all to not fall into the same pitfalls, that they fell into, as well to remember our own past and learn from those mistakes, to foster a more efficient and helpful ASG.
“The best way to avoid [infighting] is to stay focused on the goal at large, which is to serve the students and to represent them. Stay away from the drama,” Linzey advised .
No matter how far one goes to avoid drama, it is nearly impossible to avoid, as seen within the actual US government, but it is up to those in power to ignore the petty side and serve their respective people.
This is the goal for CMU’s ASG and all hope that the CSU government can get past this turbulent part in their timeline and work on achieving that original goal. So best wishes to CSU, and props to CMU for making it through their own hardships and onto brighter horizons.
If you want a more detailed description, including plenty of political jargon, head over to the Collegian where news director of the Rocky Mountain Collegian, Haley Candelario, has been covering the process over several weeks, and has a more personal and firsthand experience with the proceedings.
