Student Senate President Megan Handle read a statement to announce the reinstatement of Isaac Davis as vice president during Wednesday’s meeting.
Handle said the reinstatement is due to some irregularities surrounding the vote of no confidence that removed Davis from the vice president position during Senate's last meeting.
“It has recently come to our attention that the vote did not reflect the wishes of the body,” Handle said. “Our judicial panel is doing their due diligence and investigating any irregularities that surrounded this vote.”
Following the statement, several students – within and outside the Student Senate – spoke out to share their opinions about the reinstatement and the events following Davis’ removal.
The first to speak was Environmental Affairs Commissioner Caden Hibbs. He apologized for his actions following the last Senate meeting and his actions toward Davis.
Hibbs said after Davis’ removal, Davis demanded the Environmental Affairs Commission return metal sticks the commission planned on using for a climate change protest last Friday. Hibbs said how he responded to Davis was rude and inappropriate.
“My immediate response (to) former VP Davis did not live up to the responsibilities that are a standard for someone in my role within the Student Senate,” Hibbs said.
Two Senate members, including Rees Morris, senator for accessibility and accommodation, and LGBTQIA+ Affairs Commissioner Willow Downard, said Davis should not be reinstated because of his inability to fulfill his role to the student body. Downard said the decision to reinstate Davis goes against the will of the council and should not be enforced.
Davis spoke out during this time to defend his actions and explain some events from his perspective. He also said he was mistreated and virtually harassed following his removal.
Davis said following his removal, his futon, which was in his Senate office, was discarded in a random hallway in Baker Center. He also said people in leadership positions made jokes surrounding autism.
He called out Treasurer Reagan Farmer specifically. He said Farmer pretended to be his ally and confidant but used her power in private rooms to tell false stories that inspired the vote of no confidence.
Farmer did not directly respond to most of Davis’ claims about her but apologized if she made anyone uncomfortable with jokes about autism. She said she was recently diagnosed with autism and jokes were a way of coping with her struggles with the diagnosis.
Governmental Affairs Vice Commissioner Johnny Susany said the allegations made by Davis against Farmer reflect poorly on the Senate, and he encouraged Davis to bring the issues in front of Senate for everyone to better understand the situation.
“Since my removal, many senators have come forward and shared the ways in which executive members have anonymously and maliciously been spreading defamatory statements about me the entire academic year thus far,” Davis said.
Students not involved in Senate also addressed their concerns about being represented by a Senate that lacks transparency with its constituents.
Another student mentioned issues arising in the Senate in previous years and how they hope the Senate does not continue to involve itself in scandals.
The last to speak out on Davis’ reinstatement was the Senate’s Chief of Staff, Carson Sarver, who mentioned witnessing Davis not being fully committed to Student Senate. Sarver said she allegedly saw Davis at a Phi Psi formal date party Oct. 25, which was on the same day as a Senate meeting, as she was walking home from the meeting.
She said because Davis has a commitment to Senate, he should “not be leaving a general body meeting to get drunk.”
“I would also like to make sure to reiterate that we know that Vice President Davis gets paid to be within his position,” Sarver said. “I believe that if you are paid to be in a position of power, your expectations and your responsibilities should be fulfilled to the best of your ability.”
After listening to those concerns, the Senate proceeded with a presentation from editors of two on-campus student-run publications. The Senate heard from Henry Jost, Jack Slemenda and Claire Del Vita from The New Political, and Katie Millard from The Post.
