SGA’s legal back-and-forth does little for the student body

PantherNOW Editorial Board

In a stunning turn of events, this week two senators were removed by the judicial branch, and just as quickly put back in office by student government executives.

We’ll cut to the chase: this entire episode has been a fiasco. 

Our board has nothing against either Daniel Salup-Cid or Kassandra Toussaint: in fact, many of our members find their outspoken politics, candor and hard work a refreshing change of pace from the character of previous senates.

That’s what made Thursday’s news all the more disappointing. As much as the two had a lot of potential, their actions were a huge abuse of the public trust, the office of the senate and student morale. 

Instead of playing the elections board back in February, leaning on technicalities and information not yet known, they should have been fully forthcoming with the board.

Better yet, they should have followed the election code. 

Though their honesty would have resulted in disqualification, it would have been at an appropriate time instead of the even more embarrassing affair from earlier this week. It would have at least indicated honesty and integrity from the two. 

The legal murk involved here is pretty thick. Both the Supreme Court and the Executive Board make fairly convincing legal arguments about how to handle the issues with Toussaint and Salup-Cid, as well as who has jurisdiction over the cases. 

Both panels are due the recognition and applause for the impressive and speedy work. The opinions in each case were eloquent and well-argued. 

It’s what makes this so difficult to judge outside of student government. The rules and regulations are obviously complicated, and both teams put in great effort to interpret them in a just way. 

However, the issue wades into the weeds of the rules and neglects the actual substance of the problem. 

To put two senators back in place scot-free after obvious instances of dishonesty with their constituents and fellow SGA officials reflects poorly on the entire student government. 

Again, it’s tough – for many of us on the PantherNOW editorial board, it feels like the justices produced an appropriate outcome given the senators’ misconduct, but the Executive Branch also makes a convincing argument. 

Ultimately, justice in the process without justice in the product feels hollow. The executives may have had the authority to take a case and made persuasive legal arguments, but unless there is follow-up for Salup-Cid and Toussaint’s dishonesty, our student government hasn’t done much for their constituents. 

Now, we would be remiss if we did not also mention other players in this game. Members of College Republicans should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for their own political angling.

It has been entirely apparent that YDSA-adjacent senators have been the sole targets of writs and complaints, all from FIU GOP. It’s embarrassing, childish and painful to watch.

None of it has been in good faith.

If all you have as an organization is attacking other students, you don’t have much – especially when they are more engaged with the student body and SGA than your members. 

This week has not demonstrated the best of student government. The dishonesty on the part of Toussaint and Salup-Cid is sad because it almost meant the dismissal of two otherwise qualified and passionate senators. 

The back-and-forth between executives and justices may have put an end to the issue, but it leaves us uneasy as students. Solving legal questions is not the same as holding leaders accountable. 

And College Republicans – get it together. 

Recognition of this decision lies in the hands of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs. As much as the students in this episode have had some highs and lows, we hope the administration respects the autonomy and authority of our student leaders to make their own decisions. 

Our student body deserves better than what this week has given them. It deserves honesty, integrity and good faith efforts to truly improve FIU, not petty political games and airy legal debates.