In 2014, we saw University of Texas Student Government marred with controversy after controversy. While it’s not unusual for UTSG to see its share of negative headlines, 2014 has definitely stood out. Check out this list of the biggest controversies to hit UTSG in 2014.
1) SG Chief of Staff Chris Jordan Nearly Being Removed from Office
In November, anonymous members of the Student Government General Assembly drafted a list of grievances against SG Chief of Staff Chris Jordan, seeking his removal from office. The members chose not to sign their names to the document, which included allegations that Jordan had pushed a representative during debate at a prior meeting and had been physically and mentally aggressive with members of SG throughout his time in office. The Horn Editorial Board went on to call for his resignation or impeachment from office.
However, at the November SG meeting following the creation of the document, it was announced that a zero-strike system had been put in place for Jordan.
2) SG Appointments for Internal and External Positions Being Delayed All Summer
The Student Government Judicial Court ruled in April that all Student Government appointments for internal and external positions would be put on hold as the court evaluated a complaint filed against Student Body President Kori Rady by student Andrew Wilson, alleging that Rady had corrupted his nominations for the positions.
The court ended up ruling that members of the Student Government General Assembly were entitled to the interview notes from the Executive Board’s interviews with applicants for the positions. The interviews, notes from them and the release of those notes were required under the SG governing documents. The notes were never fully released, with Rady citing FERPA concerns, though nominations for most of the positions were later confirmed in the fall. The SG General Assembly doesn't meet regularly over the summer and was required to confirm them. Rady put all his nominations into the positions as interim appointments during the period between the hold and the fall appointments.
3) Rady’s Release of Confidential Student Information
News broke in November that Student Body President Kori Rady had released the personal information, including GPAs, of roughly 140 UT students, going against university interpretation of federal law.
The release came when Rady made public the resumes of students that had applied for internal and external Student Government positions. Rady attributed the leak to “a misinterpretation of the rules.” Several students whose information was released expressed dismay to The Horn about the situation.
4) Tejas Appointments for Executive Board
Some members of Student Government raised concerns in April following the announcement that four of Student Body President Kori Rady’s five nominations for Executive Board positions were men and three were members of Tejas, a relatively small UT student organization that Rady is a part of.
The nominations were all eventually approved, though some with a slight margin — especially Student Government Chief of Staff Chris Jordan.
5) Election Supervisory Board Chair Ryan Lutz failing to Release Election Complaint Filed by Losing Executive Council
News broke in September that Election Supervisory Board Chair Ryan Lutz failed to release a complaint filed by the Wilson-Carter Executive Council, which lost to the Rady-Strickland team in the 2014 election for student body president and vice president. The complaint called for more voting time due to voting website issues.
The complaints from the election cycle were requested by The Horn back in March. The Horn obtained the complaint from an anonymous third party and has yet to get any of the documents from Lutz, even though some are required to be released under a February ruling from the Student Government Judicial Court, and all are required to be released under university policy.
It was announced in December that Lutz was appointed to be part of the ESB for 2015.
