More than 75 students voiced their concerns to Associated Student Government senators tonight in the Memorial Union Ballroom, after the president and vice president sent out an email canceling the meeting due to safety concerns. Despite this, students waited in the ballroom until senators arrived and held an impromptu meeting.
The students were divided into groups according to their college so senators could listen to their constituents. They had 30 minutes to discuss with their senators and everyone was required to leave at the meeting’s conclusion.
All students were limited to two minutes each during the discussion, to give everyone a chance to speak.
Their concerns were in response to a Facebook post made by Michaela Todd, vice president of ASG and senior communication and political science major, that used the term “illegal alien.”
The post, which endorsed Kris Kobach for governor, said that he would “put Kansans first, not illegal aliens.” It was initially a public post, made on Todd’s personal Facebook account. Todd later deleted the post.
Before the meeting officially began, students started a recall petition for Todd. If the petition is signed by 20 percent of the student body and is certified by the Senate Operations Committee, she will be removed from office and an election will occur within three weeks, according to the ASG Constitution.
By the end of the meeting, the petition had 106 signatures.
Todd and Michael Webb, ASG President and senior management major, did not attend the meeting.
There were six administrators in attendance, including Jim Williams, vice president of student affairs, Gwen Larson, assistant director of media relations, and Deanna Williams, director of diversity programs. In addition to administrators, faculty members attended to assist with the meeting.
Two uniformed ESU Police and Safety officers were there, along with Chris Hoover, police and safety captain, wearing plainclothes.
Community members also came, recording the meeting and the senators speaking with constituents. There were also several members of Todd’s family at the meeting, to show their support for her.
The event was covered by KWCH, a news station located in Wichita, Kansas.
Currently, the official senate meeting has been postponed until 5:15 p.m. Nov. 29.
Additional information regarding the rescheduling will be sent out at a later time, according to Webb’s email to the student body.
