The Chancellor’s Challenge 5K Run/Walk for Scholars was the recurring discussion topic at a council meeting very reminiscent of elementary school hijinks — councilmembers joked about A.S. President Harry Khanna’s deal with Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, where he would wash her car if a sufficient number of students did not register for the walk.
“I will be wearing a bathing suit,” Khanna offered.
During the reports segment, Eleanor Roosevelt College Senior Senator Erik Rodriguez-Palacios vocalized his opposition to building a bookstore annex on the north side of campus for Eleanor Roosevelt College and future transfer housing residents.
“I think that space could be used for better purposes,” Rodriguez-Palacios said.
However, chitchat quickly bogged down the discussion.
“Can we keep the side chatter to a minimum?” said Vice President Internal Janine Dellomes for the fourth time.
As newly appointed vice president external, Long Pham faced questions from Rodriguez-Palacios due to the previous scandals concerning the former vice president externals’ alleged misuse of student funds.
“One of the former vice president externals purchased something for themselves and the other one bought stuff for his girlfriend,” said Rodriguez-Palacios. “How will this [vice president external] show that he is not going to abuse student fees?”
Pham stood and solemnly responded to Rodriguez-Palacios without hesitation.
“This time all of our expenses are transparent and we are turning in all of our receipts,” Pham said.
Dellomes reaffirmed her motherly council position with a reprimand of proper etiquette during the question segment.
“I ask the council to use discretion when asking questions because certain things like this are inappropriate,” said Dellomes.
Though no one said it outright, Dellomes’ comments were poignant in light of a public input visit from former Vice President External Kevin Mann, who resigned from Pham’s same office last year.
“I respectfully disagree, but take your comments into consideration,” Rodriguez-Palacios said.
Thurgood Marshall Junior Senator Kyle Samia was quick to change the topic and mood of the council discussion, bringing up last week’s introduction of the fairly trivial “question time.”
“I like question time,” Samia said. “But no one’s taking it seriously.”
Another councilmember directed a question toward Khanna in reference to his deal with the chancellor, asking where the funds would come from to buy the car wash supplies.
“The chancellor would provide the car wash supplies,” Khanna said. “The bathing suit would be self-provided.”
With that double-edged sword (and mental image) in the council’s minds, the meeting was adjourned.
