A Student-Run Television grievance filed against the A.S. Council will be heard at an undetermined time next year by the A.S. all-campus Judicial Board, according to a statement issued by the board.
The grievance focuses on an A.S. resolution approved following the February airing of pornographic material on the SRTV program “Koala TV,” prompting multiple student complaints to the station.
SRTV officials claim that the A.S. resolution violated the television station’s charter.
“Koala TV” is a spin-off of the campus publication the Koala, which has printed sexually explicit and racial material in the past. The A.S. Council responded to the airing with a resolution, which was passed in March, condemning the “broadcast of inappropriate material on SRTV.”
The judicial board initially dismissed SRTV’s grievances, which also claimed that the resolution violated a UC Office of the President policy requiring neutrality in media content on the part of the A.S. Council.
However, following a meeting with staff from SRTV and the Koala on May 23, the board decided to hear the grievance case based on the alleged violation of the SRTV charter.
“I think that all parties were really helpful in contributing ideas on what they wanted to see,” Judicial Board Chair Diana Hung said.
The judicial board did, however, dismiss both SRTV’s and the Koala’s respective accusations regarding UCOP policy because they were outside of the board’s jurisdiction, Hung said. The judicial board recommended that SRTV and the Koala take their case to the UCOP grievance body.
SRTV and the Koala filed multiple grievances, including those against A.S. Adviser Lauren Weiner, former A.S. Commissioner of Student Services Kian Maleki and the council.
Weiner was accused of “failing to advise A.S. properly” and “not exercising neutrality” in her position as adviser, according to Andrew Tess, an SRTV station manager next year.
However, the judicial board dismissed the case because the board ruled that it only has jurisdiction over elected officials, and not over A.S. employees such as Weiner.
SRTV and the Koala also filed a grievance against Maleki for “failing to accurately represent the interests of SRTV” when he proposed the A.S. resolution that condemned the broadcast of pornography on SRTV, Tess said. SRTV also asked for an official apology from Maleki, according to the judicial board’s statement.
Because Maleki is no longer an A.S. officer, he is also outside of the judicial board’s jurisdiction, Hung said.
Maleki said his position this past year warranted his decisions.
“I acted appropriately and within the realm of my office,” Maleki said. “The [members of the] Koala should learn to live within the consequences of their actions.”
Koala editor and John Muir College senior Steve York disagreed with the judicial board’s decision to dismiss some of the grievances.
“I certainly feel that our little freshman judicial board had no idea what they were doing,” York said. “I’m disappointed [with the decision].”
The hearing of the grievances against the A.S. Council will most likely take place at the beginning of the fall quarter, according to Hung.
“I was satisfied with the proceedings,” Hung said. “I hope that everyone will be able to accept the decision and pursue their own goals.”
Readers can contact Madeline Phillips at [email protected].
