Doubt hovers over SGA as president’s resignation nears

Gerard Albert III/PantherNOW

Gerard Albert III/Assistant News Director

As the Internal Affairs committee continues to release new evidence regarding Jose Sirven, president of the Student Government Council at the Modesto Maidique campus, some senators still fear he will retract his resignation before the new president is sworn in Monday, Oct. 1, at 4 p.m.

The Internal Affairs committee said they have no plans to stop their investigation because of these looming doubts.

They have found around 15-20 violations of SGC-MMC statutes against him and created three charging documents and collected five pieces of evidence, according to an email sent to Student Media from Internal Affairs. Sirven declined to comment on these allegations, as of press time. 

When it was made public that Sirven violated ethics codes and subsequently resigned through an email sent to Student Media on Sunday, Sept. 16, the Internal Affairs committee continued gathering evidence including text message conversations between Sirven and current SGC-MMC Vice President Sabrina Leeloo Rosell, who will become president if Sirven resigns.

The conversation centered around a contract granting Sirven an advisor position to Rosell after she became president, among other conditions. It is unclear what she would receive in return.

Pictured below is a transcribed version of a text from Sirven to Rosell. After listing his terms, including the creation of a new cabinet and assisting her in selecting a new vice president, Rosell referred Sirven to Internal Affairs and SGA’s advisors. Sirven eventually agreed it would be best.

Above is a transcribed version of a text message Sirven sent to his vice president detailing his involvement in SGA after his resignation. Screenshot from an email sent to Student Media from Internal Affairs.

Adding to this cloud of doubt hanging over the student government, current SGC-MMC comptroller Carolina Gonzalez, who signed the initial contract guaranteeing herself and others paid positions in student government, is still in office. That means she is still on payroll.

Matthew Beck, Housing senator and chair of the Internal Affairs Committee, said Gonzalez has been “hiding” and avoiding her mandatory offices hours in the SGA office.

Peter Hernandez, Nursing and Health Sciences senator and head of the Rules, Legislation and Judiciary committee, summoned Gonzalez to appear before senate on Monday, Oct. 1. Hernandez said that he could no longer wait for her accountability to occur.

It remains unclear whether Gonzalez will resign but she will be intensely questioned by the senate if she appears Monday, according to senate members. If she does not appear she will be punished with a nonfeasance, an impeachable offense according to the SGC-MMC statutes.

Feature image by: Gerard Albert III/PantherNOW

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