Senate Executive resigns due to ‘conflict of interest’

In a private conversation moments before the start of Senate’s Executive Board meeting Monday, Senate President Jacob Rissler, and Vice President Nate Jones, called for the resignation of Ashley Swanson, Senate Treasurer.

Swanson, who also serves as the Managing Editor for The Eagle, was waiting in the Senate Office for the start of the Monday’s 4:30 p.m. executive meeting.

In an interview Tuesday afternoon, she said Rissler and Jones summoned her from the senate office to join them in the adjacent lobby. Once there, Swanson said, Rissler told her, “’We need you to resign because of bias between being the managing editor and being a part of student senate.’”

Swanson said she responded, “okay,” saying she was afraid of what might happen if she said no. She added that Rissler told her she could resign openly in Senate after she made her financial report.

On Wednesday, Rissler said he had “no comment” about Swanson’s claim the she resigned under duress.

Rissler acknowledged he had no constitutional right to call for a resignation, but said, “That’s how I’m choosing to run Senate.”

He added that he did not consult advisers before confronting Swanson, but said he informed adviser Dr. Susan Shaeffer after the fact between the end of the Executive Board Meeting and the 5 p.m. start of the regular Senate meeting.

In her role as Co-Chair of the Activity Fee Board, Swanson had no voting power.

However, Rissler said that everyone’s definition of conflict of interest is going to be different.

 

“My definition of conflict of interest is going to be different than the colleges or the administrations, however I made a decision,” Rissler said.

“We had this discussion with Ashley several times last semester when she was the News Editor, but she assured us that her position would not conflict with her duties on Senate.

“However, due to her position as the Managing Editor, I saw the potential for conflict of interest,” Rissler said.

Rissler also said he did not think Senators who hold positions in other campus organizations would be asked to resign, despite the fact they have voting power.

However, he added, “Members who are selected to serve on the Activity Fee Board will not be allowed to vote on the budgets of clubs that they are in.”