On Wednesday night, the ASUO Senate denied former Senate President Athan Papailiou’s appointment to the body after a rancorous meeting that brought one senator to tears and left others expressing fear they could lose their positions.
Papailiou’s appointment was voted down amidst allegations that he had “blackmailed” Sen. Nick Gower, concerns about the process by which he was chosen and the tension many senators said he might have brought to the body.
Many senators blamed Papailiou for the hostility in the EMU Board Room during the hearing on his confirmation. Sen. Carina Miller, in a speech delivered through sobs, accused Papailiou of creating similar tensions during his time in the Senate.
“There are other people who don’t feel like it’s a safe place when there are senators like Athan at the table,” Miller said.
Others criticized Papailiou’s political style, accusing him of causing former Senate Vice President Donnie Kim to resign, though Papailiou denied the charge. Papailiou’s past political positions also fell under scrutiny. Former ASUO Multicultural Advocate Kari Herinckx criticized Papailiou’s push to not increase student program budgets two years ago.
Papailiou’s allies called the questioning of his policies inappropriate and accused senators of attacking him personally, rather than considering his qualifications.
“I don’t think Athan is really considering this a safe spot right now,” Sen. Derek Nix said.
Nix and others defended Papailiou’s record in the senate, which included restructuring the ASUO’s budget committees. Senators Jordan Schenck, Tyler Scandalios and Nathan Perley called Papailiou a mentor.
“I can’t think of any student on campus who would be as qualified as Athan,” Department Finance Committee member Brendan Good said.
Sen. Gower brought Papailiou’s qualifications into further dispute by accusing him of blackmail at the beginning of the hearing. During a chance encounter on E. 13th Avenue on Wednesday afternoon, Gower claimed, Papailiou threatened to file grievances against the entire Senate if he was voted down.
Papailiou denied Gower’s accusation, and he was supported by ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz, who said he heard the conversation between Gower and Papailiou on his cell phone.
“It makes me sick that you would make that up as a complete lie,” Papailiou told Gower.
The alleged threat was made in response to the Senate’s concerns about the manner in which Dotters-Katz had chosen Papailiou. Dotters-Katz said Sunday that Papailiou had been chosen by a selection committee of ASUO Vice President Johnny Delashaw and ASUO Controller Ricardo Cebrecos. At Wednesday’s meeting, however, he said that he and Delashaw had selected Papailiou after interviewing three applicants, then conferred with Cebrecos. ASUO rules require that programs must accept applications for five days after announcing an open position. Jones resigned at 3:36 p.m. on Jan. 5. Dotters-Katz announced Papailiou’s appointment at 12:39 p.m. on Jan. 9. ASUO Sens. Nick Schultz and Noor Rajabzadeh said they each had been approached by two students who were interested in applying for the Senate seat before Friday. When they approached Dotters-Katz, however, he told them he had already made a decision, they said.
ASUO rules, however, give sole authority to invalidating hiring procedures to Dotters-Katz’s office. Dotters-Katz argued that because he would not declare his own selection procedures invalid, the appointment of Papailiou had followed ASUO rules.
“That is a huge error in the process and I will never support that,” Schultz said, and encouraged other senators with misgivings to vote against the appointment.
“I feel this can tear apart the Senate,” said Sen. Sandy Weintraub.
Senate rejects Papailiou
Daily Emerald
January 14, 2009
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