Two Associated Students impeached during meeting on Nov. 14
Clarification: This story was updated on Nov. 19 at 5:57 p.m., to clarify the impeachment process.
On Nov. 14, at 2 p.m., two members of Associated Students (A.S.) were impeached by the Associated Students Board of Directors during their bi-weekly board meeting.
During the new business, the A.S. Board of Directors reviewed and voted upon the impeachment of Anna Martinez, the Officer of Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion and Mary Angelie Mangubat, the Officer of External Affairs.
Executive Vice President, Ayan Cabot led the is in charge of the impeachment process after with the support of 1/3 of the A.S. board called for the impeachments. Cabot states that the impeachment went forward due to a breach in A.S. policies by the two officers.
The claimed policy violation involved a point system, which is listed in the policy manual document, A.S. Board Members Accountability and Stipend Deduction Policy. The policy’s purpose is to maintain professional accountability and provide financial consequences if duty is neglected.
All board members start a term with 20 accountability points, but infractions result in point deductions with different violations carrying higher deductions, and members are expected to maintain their points. Board Members can regain a maximum of 8 points by voluntarily assuming additional A.S. or University committee responsibilities. Both impeached members had gone below zero points and claimed they were not notified of their status.
These make-up services must be documented, verified and approved by the Executive Vice President and completed within 30 days of the infraction for it to be officially credited. At the end of each month, the Executive Vice President reviews the Board Member’s accountability point balance. Stipend deductions occur when points are lost, and the percentage of the stipend deducted increases with the more point infractures. The stipend deducted is retained in the A.S. Government Budget and can be reallocated by the A.S. Subcommittee on Finance.
Mangubat and Martinez argued that their impeachment was in retaliation against speaking out about pay for subcommittee members, who consist of different organizations on campus that represent student bodies and equal pay for all board members, who are not paid hourly for their work, but by a predetermined stipend. Mangubat and Martinez claim that the unpaid work of the subcommittees violates the A.S. mission and purpose to create equity, empowerment and the well-being of student needs, according to the A.S. mission statement.
This is a developing story.
