The Oregon Student Association Board of Directors will discuss recalling chairwoman Rachel Pilliod from her leadership position at their monthly meeting Saturday, but questions still remain unanswered.
Pilliod, who is also the ASUO President, came under fire this week when Oregon State University student body president and board member Bridget Burns accused her of breaking OSA bylaws and acting in an “incredibly partisan manner.” Many of the OSA’s 16 members said they’re not sure what to do with the charges or whether Pilliod is likely to be removed from her seat.
The group meets Saturday at Southern Oregon University for a public meeting to discuss a number of issues, and Burns is expected to bring the recall issue to the floor. For a recall to take place, every board member, including Pilliod, must be notified in writing. The issue would then be brought to a vote one month later, and it would take two-thirds of the board members to remove Pilliod.
However, almost anything could happen Saturday. The board is likely to go into executive session, a private meeting which allows public bodies to discuss personnel issues as long as no votes are taken and no decisions are made. Several members have also heard rumors that certain parties may push for Pilliod’s complete ouster from the board in the form of an impeachment, or suspend the OSA’s bylaws and demand an immediate vote on the chairwoman’s recall.
It’s also possible that board members will levy additional charges against Pilliod on Saturday, but representatives remain silent on the matter — at least publicly.
Finally, if Pilliod were recalled, there remains no clear leader who would step up and take her place. And although Burns has spearheaded the recall effort so far, she said she has no ambitions for Pilliod’s job. Furthermore, she cannot take the job because the OSA board vice chairman, Andy Saultz, is also from Oregon State. OSA rules prevent any one school from occupying the top two positions.
Pilliod said no matter what happens Saturday, she’ll continue to fight hard for Oregon.
“It doesn’t take a title to lobby for students,” she said.

— Brook Reinhard