Wednesday, August 29, 2007
When full Senate meets tonight for the first time this academic year, a re-vote to approve Rachel Barnes to the position of Community Affairs Director of the Student Legislative Awareness Board will be at the top of the agenda.
Barnes, Hutchinson senior and junior/senior College of Liberal Arts and Sciences senator, was presented for appointment to the position last spring, but the appointment was not passed because of speculation that Barnes was involved with breaking election rules during student senate elections.
Hannah Love, Dodge City senior and student body president, was eventually able to appoint Barnes to the position on an interim basis for the summer. Tonight, Student Senate will vote on whether she should be kept on for the academic year.
Kathy Talbot, student success advisor for the elections commission, said Barnes’ name was mentioned in connection with Patrick McGowan, who was dismissed from student elections last spring after the Election Commission found that he faislfied signatures on the petition needed to apply to run for a Student Senate seat. Talbot said election commission members contacted people on McGowan’s petition who claimed they never signed their names.
pullquote
The Commission did notice correlation between the two petitions. I don’t think there was enough evidence. It was coincidental evidence.
-Kathy Talbot, student success advisor for the elections commission
Talbot said that there were discussions that Barnes had committed similar offenses, but no formal complaints were filed with the Commission.
“The Commission did notice correlation between the two petitions,” Talbot said. “I don’t think there was enough evidence. It was coincidental evidence.”
Barnes said that she did not break election rules last spring.
“I knew the rules, and I didn’t break any. Nothing was ever filed against me,” Barnes said. “Those are rumors that were flying around amongst other people. I don’t think it should be called into question.”
Alex Treaster, legislative director for SLAB, said that Barnes worked this summer on registering voters, planning Civic Engagement Week and working with the Lawrence City Commission.
Barnes will present the work she’s done this summer before Love presents her for reappointment.
Jack Connor, Overland Park senior and student senator, initially voted against Barnes’ appointment because of the misconduct conversations. Connor said he would consider both Barnes’ recent work and last spring’s election when he casted his vote tonight.
“I’ll weigh them against whatever she’s done,” Connor said. “If she’s done a good job, I will vote to reinstate her.”
Barnes said she hoped senators would leave party politics behind when they decide whether to vote for her tonight.
“When senators come on Wednesday night to approve me, they should look at all I’ve done this summer,” Barnes said. “I’m the most qualified for this position.”
Treaster said he trusted Rachel and didn’t think she was involved in unethical campaigning last spring.
“I think that she’s qualified for the job and it would be a setback to the organization if she wasn’t reappointed,” Treaster said.
Love said that she was unsure what would happen if Barnes’ appointment did not pass.
“We’ll see what happens then,” Love said. “You have to have a community affairs director.”
Student Senate meets tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Kansas Room at the Kansas Union.
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Comments
Re-approval on agenda for Student Senate
Given the elections climate last year, I'm really not surprised at these sleazy rumors. I doubt that Rachel actually did anything wrong.
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