The Student Government Association met Tuesday in Kingsport to discuss issues from last week’s meeting, and articles of impeachment brought against a senator.

At their Sept. 13 meeting, the SGA voted against the confirmation of Maggie Darden as secretary of external affairs, even though she had been serving in this position. At the meeting, she said, “I have seen many things happen here, but none as shameful as what happened to me last week.”

Last week, Sen. Jared Leftrick brought up the issue of her job performance during a BUC Fund meeting, and the Senate voted against her confirmation.

Darden said she felt attacked and blindsided as to the issues that the Senate had with her and the job she was doing as secretary of external affairs. “No one came to talk to me about the work I had done,” she said. “No one came to talk to me about a problem they had with me and the job I was doing. Not one person. People made a judgment and decision based on incorrect assumptions and without doing any personal research. That is my qualm, that nobody did any research.”

SGA President Dalton Collins said that he hopes to right the wrongs and encourage everyone to move forward. “We all must be able to forgive, but we all must be able not to forget,” he said. “The issues we faced last week have brought this organization to its knees, and the issues we face this week could cut the legs out from under us.

“After receiving the articles of impeachment I did some soul searching. I did not know what to do,” he said. “I was encouraged to speak from the heart and stand up for what is right in all matters. I failed to do that last Monday evening and Tuesday on the confirmation of Maggie. I will not fail to do that today.”

Leftrick was then given an opportunity to speak on his behalf before a discussion about the articles of the impeachment proposed against him.

“A lot of what has happened is due to me,” said Leftrick, “The tone was inappropriate and inconsiderate and for that I am deeply sorry. I hope we can overcome this and regain trust, respect and friendship.”

After a long debate about the appropriateness of texts and emails sent around to just a select few SGA members, and discussion of the previous week’s vote against Darden, Sen. Shae Keane retracted  the articles of impeachment brought against Leftrick.

“I did not withdraw the impeachment because I thought it was an exaggerated response or because I thought it was inappropriate,” said Keane. “I still think what happened in this room was terrible, and I don’t want the message to be given to you or the community that I’m taking it back because it wasn’t that bad. What happened to Maggie will not be in vain, because I’m going to stand by my ground and protect that.”     

At the meeting, the SGA also moved to extend a vote on the movie vending machines, because the legislation seemed vague and it would have limited use to late-night users, because of the location of the machines.

Finally, the Senate voted to endorse the removal of the 120-hour credit cap on the HOPE scholarship. “The HOPE scholarship has been losing about $3 million a year,” said Vice President Zack Walden. “The state is spending out more in scholarships than they are bringing in through lottery tickets.”

“This would hurt our graduation rate because students would lose scholarship money their last semester or two, given if they had changed their major,” said Walden, “and the state now funds ETSU on our graduation rate.”  

The vote to not have the 120-hour credit cap passed 20-0-0.

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