The Undergraduate Student Government Senate voted, 8-10-3, against exonerating South Halls Sen. Andy Banducci at last night's meeting two months after a resolution to commit him to trial failed, 5-7-2.

Although Banducci said it would have been nice to have the majority of Senate's support, he said he feels as though it is not necessary because the result is meaningless.

"It's not like I'm not going to be able to chair [operations committee], it's not like I'm not going to be able to vote or sponsor legislation," Banducci said.

Banducci is one of three senators called into question after attending a controversial Halloween party during which members of the Penn State College Republicans dressed in costumes that many found offensive.

After forming a committee to investigate the character of the three senators, the Senate voted to exonerate East Halls Sen. Matt Ritsko at its Jan. 20 meeting, reaffirming his status as a member in good standing.

Former Pollock/Nittany Sen. Vicky Cangelosi, who also attended the party, resigned because of the controversy.

The Senate debated the resolution in a closed executive session prior to the vote.

USG Vice President Takkeem Morgan has said no sanctions are imposed upon senators who are not in good standing. Banducci's standing would not affect his ability to run for another term.

"I don't know how upset I can be about not having this superfluous vote come through," Banducci said. "When it counted, I got the votes I needed," he said in reference to the Senate's more important decision in January to not send him to trial.

Senate Vice President Galen Foulke has said the Senate does not need to reach a decision before its term ends.

Banducci said the addition of appointed senators since the Senate voted not to commit him to trial affected the outcome.

He added he believes the senators should still be able to vote on resolutions about him.

"I think that Senate is deeply divided over what it's response needed to be," Banducci said. "Branch leaders tried to show a united front, but at least half of Senate disagreed with that."

Banducci said the Senate would probably not introduce another resolution concerning his status as a member.

Jamie Ziegenfuss, USG's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs director, addressed the Senate during an open student forum about the resolution to exonerate Banducci.

"I am here to express my disgust at the idea that a body meant to represent all students in the university is considering exonerating the inactions of this representative," he said.

Ziegenfuss said he wanted to remind the Senate of the images Banducci found "amusing," referring to photographs from the party posted on former Town Sen. Brian Battaglia's Web site.

"Images of blackface, images that reduce a large part of my identity to a disgusting trickle of blood dripping from the leg of a frat pledge," he said.

Before the body voted against exoneration, USG President Ian Rosenberger said he would like to see the Senate reach a decision about Banducci.