USG Senate president nearly ousted

By HOPE CALDWELL
Collegian Staff Writer

The March madness of politicking began late last night in the Undergraduate Student Government. Two senators challenged Senate President Josh Bokee's leadership methods, resulting in a secret ballot vote amongst the senators with the outcome a 14-4-0 decision to keep Bokee.

"I never thought I'd find myself in this position before you tonight," Bokee said before the Senate.

The motion to call for a vote of a new Senate president was made by Government Relations Chairman Mike Burcik. A letter was addressed to USG and University undergraduate students and submitted by Burcik and Town Senator Chris Tobin. The letter questioned "the reality of the gross dereliction of duty and leadership inflicted upon us by our Senate president," citing 12 reasons for this type of action.

Originally, because of Senate bylaws, the motion was not to be voted on until the next Senate meeting, scheduled after spring break. But the Senate moved to suspend the bylaws and vote on the issue right away. The Senate nominated three experienced senators -- Steve Wakefield, Dan Butterworth, and Bill Rothwell -- who all declined to run against Bokee. Joshua S. Pechter, who has been a senator for three weeks, accepted.

"I'm only running because there are students that care about government -- I'm speaking out for the voters," Pechter said after giving a speech to the Senate.

Discussion occurred after each speech among the senators. Tobin explained in more detail the necessity of the vote.

"In projects that I've been involved in and 18,000 students that live off campus I have had a problem with leadership," he said. Tobin added that he had been keeping track of Bokee's weekly reports.

A few of the reasons in the letter concerned Bokee's attitude toward borough housing issues and his absence at certain meetings required of a town senator. The one major point of questioning Bokee's accountability was about the Association of Big Ten Students Conference held in State College this past weekend.

The point was brought up earlier in the meeting, and was debated later when the letter was formally presented. The letter stated "Why out of the past three ABTS Conferences, of which, the Senate president is required to participate, has he only been to one?"

Bokee responded that he was ill and had Senate Appointments and Review Board Chairwoman Heather Wesley and Town Senator Mark Sosnowsky fill his legislative vacancy at the conference.

Collegian Staff Writer Beth Young contributed to this report.