In the interest of transparency and clarity, the Student Government Council at Biscayne Bay Campus must articulate why the impeachment of President Denise Halpin was motioned to be added to the agenda — and why it was so quickly removed only a week later. The Beacon thinks it is imperative that SGC-BBC explain the reasoning behind both decisions.
The motion to impeach Halpin was added to the agenda last week on Oct. 17. Graduate Senator and Rules, Legislation and Judiciary Chair, Sagine Delly, initiated the motion to add Halpin’s impeachment to the agenda and on Oct. 24, Sagine motioned to have it removed from the agenda.
The College of Arts and Sciences Senator and Internal Affairs Chair Farah Yamini, seconded the motion to add the impeachment to the agenda, resigned as of Oct. 24. The Beacon was told the resignation was for personal reasons.
Throwing a motion to impeach on the table only to remove it days later, after the Internal Affairs Chair’s sudden resignation, makes SGC-BBC look unorganized and incapable of making decisions on important political matters.
Despite the fact that Pablo Haspel, speaker of the Senate, stated he invited Halpin to the meeting, she was absent for all but 30 seconds of it. Halpin showed up to the meeting at 4:42 p.m., exactly one hour and 12 minutes after the meeting began. She whispered something in the speaker’s ear and abruptly left. The Beacon thinks showing up to the meeting discussing her potential impeachment one hour and 12 minutes late and then leaving is unprofessional.
When The Beacon questioned Delly on the matter and her decision to add the impeachment of Halpin to the agenda and then remove it from the agenda, she repeatedly said she did not want to comment on the matter. When reminded that SGC-BBC and its motions must exist with the utmost transparency, Delly responded, “There are allegations and concerns and they were sent to President Halpin and I had a meeting with her before. And the process of impeachment was brought up so we could discuss it as senators.”
When The Beacon pointed out that no public discussion was had, she responded, “We didn’t discuss it because we had a meeting.” When pushed to talk about this informal meeting that there is no official record of, she stated, “it went well.” This response is insufficient. This meeting, that was unofficial, and for all history purposes, non-existent, does not provide the reasons why impeachment was brought to the table in the first place. As of press time, no list of concerns or violations had been released.
The Beacon also thinks that SGC-BBC did not offer an atmosphere that promoted any discussion about the potential impeachment of Halpin at the senate meeting on Oct. 24.
Journalism & Mass Communications Senator Kevin Houston, announced during the meeting, “I saw an article discussing her impeachment, so let’s really think about whether or not you want to go through with it, because it was made a big deal out of.”
Hushing up a much-needed conversation about Halpin’s performance, showcases a lack of commitment to competency because of a fear of a media blitz.
The Beacon thinks SGC-BBC should be more concerned with answering questions about this impeachment than with a potentially criticizing news story.
In an interview with The Beacon, Houston said he thought the decision was “a little brash.” He went on to state, “When it was moved by Sagine [Delly], it was her idea alone. Now we came to the meeting to see what she [Halpin] had to say about it, so she could defend herself but she [Delly] motioned to retract it, so there’s not going to be a discussion.”
The Beacon would like to remind SGC-BBC that they exist in the public sector, meaning they have to answer to the public. There should not be unofficial meetings that determine important decisions like the potential impeachment of the president.
The Beacon thinks that SGC-BBC should release a public statement to the University explaining its actions, or lack thereof.
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