Nearly three weeks later than its expected date, the
undergraduate student government judicial board released its
official opinion regarding an incident of vandalism that allegedly
involved two councilmembers during the run-off elections in
spring.
The opinion was released by the Undergraduate Students
Association Judicial Board July 12 and states that a stay is still
in place on the councilmembers until the Undergraduate Students
Association Council’s Elections Board releases the findings
to the J-board.
As a result of a hearing June 9, a stay was placed on General
Representatives Anneli Villarin and Tommy Tseng, in order for an
investigation to take place regarding the vandalism of a student
group’s sandwich board. Council overruled J-board’s
decision after it failed to meet its two week deadline to release
its opinion.
In his July 12 e-mail containing the opinion, Mark Belgen, the
chief justice of the board, stated that he had sent the document to
the parties involved but that they had not received it as a result
of an assumed computer glitch.
Belgen said he had not resend the information, since he was on
vacation.
The statement made in the e-mail contradicts Belgen’s
previous comments to the Daily Bruin on July 5.
Belgen had said he is still waiting for the E-board to file the
documentation and he would have lifted the stay had he been
provided with sufficient evidence.
The E-board was to further investigate the alleged vandalism and
report its findings to the J-board in order for a final opinion to
be released within two weeks of the hearing.
Previously, the E-board has said it does not have the
authorization to file appropriate documentation. But E-board
officials have also said investigations by the UCPD and the Student
Conduct Committee found insufficient evidence against Villarin and
Tseng.
As time passed, the council got impatient and lifted the stay on
June 29, when the council overruled the J-board by a vote of
7-2.
Tseng, who resumed work in his position after the
council’s overruling, is pleased with the outcome and
questioned J-board’s authority.
“I don’t think that J-board has the authority to
change the bylaws on their own and say that stay is still in
place,” Tseng said.
Tseng was not alone in his feelings of confusion regarding the
opinion.
USAC President Allende Palma/Saracho said the opinion stating
the stay is still in place will not have an effect on the council
and the two general representatives.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” he said,
“It’s already been overturned … the council had the
final say.”
He added that he has tried to reach the J-board to ask about
specifics of the opinion, but has had no success.
Palma/Saracho explained that knowing more about the case is
important since it could change the future of how the E-board
operates. But for now, there will be no impact on the way the
E-board works.
Belgen said the opinion is worded that way since it was written
before the council’s decision to overturn the J-board.