A grievance filed during Wednesday night’s ASUO Senate meeting accuses Senate vice president Emma Kallaway of seven violations of ASUO rules and seeks to remove her from office.
The grievance was filed by University sophomore Caroline Beranek, who last year filed two grievances against then-ASUO President Emily McLain. Beranek has never held a position in the ASUO and ASUO senators said they had never met her and were unable to recognize her when she entered the room to file the grievance. ASUO Sen. Tyler Scandalios called Beranek “a tool,” but said he didn’t know whose tool she was.
Kallaway stands accused of violating eight ASUO rules relating to her communication, relations with other senators and her viewpoint neutrality. Kallaway is accused of not submitting press releases for Senate events, and failing to update the Senate Web site or contribute to the ASUO Programs guide.
Beranek entered the meeting while Kallaway was delivering a speech on the Department Finance Committee’s budget and handed a paper copy of the grievance to the senator without a word. Though she briefly interrupted her speech to thank Beranek, Kallaway said she had never met her accuser and didn’t know what she looked like.
“I just thought she was handing me an announcement. I didn’t even get to see her face,” Kallaway said.
When Kallaway delivered her vice-presidential update, she announced the grievance to the Senate. When she revealed that Beranek was the author, the Senate erupted in chatter and laughter. The senators who spoke said they had never met Beranek and questioned the manner of the grievance.
“In my view, it’s the most sly way to do it within the parameters of the law,” Senate President Alex McCafferty said.
Senate Treasurer Nathan Perley, who was the target of a grievance earlier in the year, told Kallaway, “Don’t pour your entire life into this response, because it will eat you alive.”
The Senate also confirmed senior Mikey Broetzmann to the vacant Programs Finance Committee seat, to replace Jordan Schenck, while sophomore Demic Tipitino was appointed to the vacant DFC seat to replace Kate Jones. Both already held leadership positions within their respective committees, Broetzmann as PFC Vice Chair and Tipitino as DFC Chair.
The Senate also approved the DFC’s $954,488 budget for departments next year. Some senators had strong objections to the proposal because the committee overshot the 3.38 percent decrease it projected earlier in the year to fund more than $130,000 in increases for the Mills International Center and Campus Recycling. The committee instead increased its budget by seven percent.
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