ASUCR president Roxanna Sanchez was censured at a budget meeting last Wednesday, June 3, 2009, which she did not attend and reportedly encouraged at least one other senator to not attend in order
to sabotage the passing of a budget for ASUCR for the 2009-2010 school year.
Sanchez sent a text to at least one ASUCR senator, encouraging the senator to not attend the meeting. The text read: "Hey if u can DONT go to senate meeting tonight...juanita [Price] wants to close the xchange and do
some other shady stuff...but if there is no quorum= no voting!! so shhh"
The meeting was called for the purpose of approving a working budget for ASUCR next year. As of last week, the senate only had $11,000 in their contingency fund, and several cuts had been proposed.
ASUCR voted to hold a final meeting after reviewing the proposed cuts more thoroughly. However, the senate barely made quorum. Senate chair and president-elect Jessica Maldonado and several other
senators began calling absent people, asking them to come. Approximately 90 minutes after the meeting was scheduled, enough senate members arrived for ASUCR to achieve quorum and vote.
A number of executive cabinet officers and senators were missing. Missing officers included Sanchez, VP Finance Vicki Dasakis, Vice Chair Joon Nam, and VP Campus Internal Affairs Derrick Hong.
The VP Finance-elect, Johnny Ren, was present.
A number of senators were also not present, including Rodman Ngo, Dalia Eldessouky, Ryan Briones, and Danielle Tessier.
In an open session, with an open vote, ASUCR voted without opposition or discussion to censure Sanchez.
The censure means that Sanchez can no longer carry out her presidential duties, and will no longer receive compensation. Maldonado served out the remainder of Sanchez's
term.
Sanchez did not respond to emails and phone calls requesting comment. Dasakis did not return phone messages left last week.
The senate also voted to freeze the stipend of one of Sanchez's interns, Maria Belen Farinas, who traveled with Sanchez to Washington, D.C. for Lobby Conference.
Added to the agenda for the meeting was discussion of the ASUCR Exchange, the ASUCR-funded store that sells Greek supplies, graduate supplies, discount amusement park and movie theater tickets. It also provides
mail and fax services and photo processing. The senate debated whether or not to close the business.
CHASS Senator Juanita Price argued that the Exchange had been losing money for several years, and to use student money to fund it when it continued to not turn a profit was "bad business."
ASUCR Executive Director Laurie Sinclair and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Sandoval both urged the senate to carefully consider the closure of the Exchange, though neither said they would give an opinion
as to whether the Exchange should be closed.
Sinclair pointed out that the senate had not only invested a substantial amount of money in the Exchange when they voted by email to approve thousands of dollars for its move to the new location on the first
floor of the HUB, the Exchange had only been in its new location for a few months. "Give it a chance," she said.
Calling the Exchange a "campus institution", Sandoval said the senate needed to consider what the impact of closing it would be.
The Exchange is currently managed by Mickey de Leon, an ASUCR staff member.
The senate said it was interesting in hearing student input on whether to close the Exchange.
During the meeting, Iris Rodriguez was also removed from her office as senator.
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