The two sides of the undergraduate student government Judicial Board case put forth an agreement Wednesday to end the case regarding office space allocations, pending the board’s approval.
The board did not find the agreement satisfactory but allowed the council to revise the agreement prior to the resumed hearing today.
A revised proposal will not guarantee a Judicial Board dismissal of the case, but the board may consider the agreement.
If the Judicial Board denies the revision, the board will ask the litigants to move forward with the case.
The seven student justices met Wednesday evening to hear the case, which was filed by outgoing Cultural Affairs Commissioner Bernice Shaw and former Internal Vice President Gregory Cendana against outgoing President Gabe Rose, Facilities Commissioner Sherlyn Mossahebfar and Office Space Allocation Committee Chairwoman Neilda Pacquing.
Shaw and Cendana alleged in their petition that Rose, Mossahebfar and Pacquing held a meeting with Bruins United-affiliated councilmembers regarding office space allocations and left out independent and Students First!-affiliated councilmembers.
Cendana said the two sides decided to create an agreement to withdraw the petition and all claims regarding the office space allocation process in order for the current council to move forward on the office space allocations, which must be completed by the end of this summer.
“We wanted to allow enough time for the (new) council to work with the current office space committee,” Cendana said.
In a closed session with the Judicial Board, the involved parties presented a cowritten proposal to withdraw the petition.
In the agreement, the defendants agreed to the withdrawal of the charges and also acknowledged their error in judgment regarding the lack of notifying all councilmembers about the office space allocation meeting in late April.
The open meeting resumed, and the board discussed the merit of the proposed agreement. Judicial Board Chairman Aaron Israel said the two parties’ resolution needed further clarification and verification. The board said it will allow a recess for the two parties to revise the proposal and include the five stipulations Israel said could make the agreement satisfactory.
Rose said he hopes to put the case behind him so the new council can begin their work on the allocation process.
“I would like to see the council take the recommendations of the (Office Space Allocation Committee) seriously,” Rose said. “They must pass non-partisan allocations and figure all this office space out before summer.”
Cendana said he hopes the office space allocation process will move forward quickly.
“We want to ensure that the process and the office space applications are fair,” Cendana said.
A revised version of the proposal may be submitted by 3 p.m. today, and the Judicial Board will consider the revision at a 5 p.m. meeting in Kerckhoff 419.