The Student Judicial Board voted 4-3 Thursday to accept the agreement put forth by both parties involved in the office space allocation case to withdraw the petition.
Judicial Board Chairman Aaron Israel said that after meeting with both parties in closed session to discuss the agreement, the board found the agreement to be sufficient.
The case had been put forth by outgoing Cultural Affairs Commissioner Bernice Shaw and former Internal Vice President Gregory Cendana. Shaw and Cendana alleged that outgoing President Gabe Rose, Facilities Commissioner Sherlyn Mossahebfar and Office Space Allocation Committee Chairwoman Neilda Pacquing had held an office space allocation meeting and had failed to notify all councilmembers of it.
The agreement, which was co-written by both parties, stated that no one involved made a “concerted effort to exclude the rest of council from allocation deliberations.”
The agreement also states that e-mails have been made public that show that Rose had intended to have all councilmembers be present at the April 25 Office Space Allocation Committee meeting and showed he did not have malicious intent.
Pacquing also received input from all councilmembers before finalizing the committee’s recommendation for office space allocation, according to the agreement, which both sides agreed makes the process fairer.
Israel said the injunction previously placed on the current Undergraduate Students Association Council members by the Judicial Board would be lifted immediately following the meeting’s closure.
The injunction had prevented any discussion of office space allocations by the current USAC members. The board’s decision to accept the agreement now opens the way for the office space allocation committee to resume its discussion in time to meet the end of summer deadline for allocation.
Both sides of the case expressed relief at having had the case come to a close.
“I’m glad we were able to be adults and come to a decision without having a whole hearing,” Rose said.
Cendana, one of the petitioners in the case, also expressed relief at having been able to come to an agreement between all parties. He said the case shed light on the need for a more transparent office space allocation process in USAC.
“What we can learn is to ensure that the process is transparent and fair. I hope the current USAC works with (the committee) to move forward and come up with something before the end of the year,” Cendana said.