Graduate Student Senate President Carl Edward Smith III disagrees that university officials notified him of the Budget Planning Council meeting change in a sufficient amount of time.
Presidents of Ohio University’s Student Senate and Graduate Student Senate refute claims that officials sufficiently notified them about scheduling conflicts for a budget meeting that occurred Dec. 8.
At the meeting, the Budget Planning Council voted to raise tuition and room and board rates for the 2015-16 academic year.
The Dec. 8 meeting — which took place during finals week — reportedly conflicted with both Graduate Student Senate President Carl Edward Smith III and Student Senate President Megan Marzec’s schedules.
Representatives from Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen Golding and Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit’s offices say they contacted student leaders prior to the meeting and asked if they had a conflict with the time, said Katie Quaranta, an OU spokeswoman.
“None of the student leaders expressed a conflict or concern,” Quaranta said in an email.
Marzec and Smith were reportedly notified of the conflict “hours before it was held,” Smith said in a letter to The Post.
“I openly challenge administration to show any commination record notifying me of the final rescheduling,” he said in the letter.
The meeting was originally scheduled for Dec. 5, but Golding and Benoit were reportedly at a conference and a medical appointment in Columbus, respectively, Quaranta said.
Marzec said she attempted to appoint a proxy for the Dec 8 meeting, but her request was denied.
“There is nothing irresponsible about reviewing the BPC meeting minutes online and then sending a proxy in her place to vote on her behalf,” Smith said in his letter.
Smith said he is concerned that no student representatives were present at the meeting.
“A neutral, objective and procedural administration prioritized the attendance of administrators at these important votes over the attendance of student representatives,” Smith said.
Marzec could not be reached by press time.
@megankhenry
