Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate Vice President Takkeem Morgan was censored for his remaining day in office after Academic Assembly members approved legislation 8-1-3.
Assembly President D. Joshua Troxell said issues had surrounded Morgan for the whole semester because of the number of Senate meetings he missed, as well as his recent controversial comment to a crowd before USG election results were announced.
Brad Hoagland, assembly vice president of programming, said this should set an example to future student leaders.
"We want him to realize what he did was wrong and future leaders to know they can't get away with it," he said. "It's important to set an example, no matter how short the example is."
The legislation passed without discussion, which upset Schreyer Honors College Rep. Kevin Shah.
"Takkeem stood up and said what a majority of students think," he said. "Without debate [on the legislation], this is an absolute disservice to students."
USG President Ian Rosenberger said it was the body's decision.
"Our term is over in less than 24 hours," he said. "As far as its usefulness, I'm not too sure. If it's symbolic, that's fine. Their opinion is known. I think it speaks for itself."
Morgan called the legislation "silly and ridiculous."
"I think that a lot of student leaders are offended personally at what I said," Morgan said. "But at least from reactions of the student body, a lot of people understand where I'm coming from and where the frustration lies. This has everything to do with personal biases and ideologies."
Assembly members also passed legislation that will allow a third-party textbook exchange service to be placed on the USG Web site today.
Hoagland said the Web site would work like a virtual bulletin board.
Students can post books, prices and contact information. Then, students could search for the book by author, title or ISBN number.
He said students would be under their own discretion to facilitate the swap, and USG would have no liability.
"All we're doing is housing a medium," he said. "We don't expect this to be a solution to all textbook problems."
