An overwhelming majority of the Student Government Association Senate voted no confidence in Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Academic Life Michael Gargano during last night's meeting.
The majority of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the current controversial situation regarding e-mails exchanged between Gargano and former Speaker of the SGA Patrick Higgins. Student Trustee Matthew Murphy told the senate body that Gargano was simply not fit to do his job or work with students and SGA members.
"This is really not a personal issue," he said, "it is essential for [Gargano and the SGA] to cooperate but at the same time if someone is not doing his job, that person needs to know."
Murphy also said that the main concern with the e-mails is the content not the anonymous source who exposed them. In an interview with the Massachusetts Daily Collegian on Tuesday, Gargano expressed great concern about the person who brought the e-mails forth.
Murphy also cited several instances backing up his allegations that Gargano was not the appropriate person to carry out the vice chancellor duties.
"I was standing there as a witness when Gargano said, 'We need more Abercrombie and Fitch and less GAP on this campus' and again to a student of color who said that he couldn't afford UMass tuition that 'then that is what community colleges are for'. I even bought this new voice recorder so that I can record everything that is said," Murphy mentioned to an applauding Senate body.
He also stated that Gargano was angry with the 'Know your rights' door fliers passed around the dormitories on campus.
"The Vice Chancellor didn't like the idea of students knowing their rights," he said.
Additionally President of the SGA Eduardo Bustamante expressed great concern with the ability for Gargano to do his job effectively and timely. He said he fears that things will not get accomplished through his office.
"[Gargano] is trying to undermine us," Bustamante said, "the first false premise is that this is all about a personality issue and it is most certainly not. Some one once told me to 'treat every day in office like it's your last day' and how are we supposed to get anything accomplished like this?"
Bustamante mentioned that there are routes to take to work with other vice chancellors on campus to achieve goals.
"[Other vice chancellors] are getting things done," he said, "and helping us to achieve our mandate; we need to produce and that is why I ask you to vote no confidence."
After the motion was read and amended upon, there was opportunity for debate for and against the vote of no confidence. Senator Brian Long spoke on behalf of his choice not to vote no confidence.
"I have worked with [Gargano] since the day he stepped in office," Long said, "it is inappropriate and unneeded to do this."
Long alluded to the SGA's incapacity to write a letter to the student body during the ALCS and World Series games enforcing that students have fun but in a respectable manner.
"The Vice Chancellor wouldn't have much regard for the SGA because he asked them to write this letter and it never happened."
Long also said that according to the aforementioned e-mails, there was no documentation from General Council Terrence O'Malley stating that the ALANA [African Latino Asian Native American] Caucus seats were legal or illegal.
"[Terrence O'Malley] said that the Caucus was legal, but that is different from the seats and until we see that letter from the General Council, that is hearsay," Long said.
Long also did not blame the Student Activities Center or Gargano for not verifying the e-mails. He said that OIT employees should be the people who verify e-mail accounts, not the administration.
Senator Shaquille Onikors spoke to the Senate, urging senators to vote no confidence.
"There is a bigger point here, our president came here last week saying that he will no longer work with the Vice Chancellor and I support his actions because if he feels that he cannot get anything done via the Vice Chancellor then it's time to take the other route [and work with other administrators]."
Senator Pavel Payano expressed disagreement with the direction of the e-mail verification process and said that he was angry that Gargano alluded to the fact that the content of the e-mails was trivial in comparison to who found them.
"That right there is enough for me to vote no confidence," he said, "if you did it then own up to it."
The vote passed overwhelmingly. 40 voted no confidence with six voting against and one abstention.
The vote of no confidence will be sent to Chancellor Lombardi, President Jack Wilson, Faculty Senate members, and all of the vice chancellors. The Chancellor can then appoint specific guidance to advise the SGA or he may chose to deal with the SGA directly. According to Long, the Dean of Students Joanne Vanin was voted no confidence in the late 199Os, however, she is currently Dean of Students.
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