Things are getting messy in the 2007 Student Government Association campaign for vice-president.
Though SGA members continually called for a clean campaign, the last meeting of the 57th general assembly was full of controversy - centering on vice-presidential candidate James Callicott.
"I find it kind of weird that once somebody announced that they're running for vice-president, all of it suddenly hit the fan," said President-elect Gionni Carr at the SGA meeting Thursday.
During the semester, Callicott missed an undetermined amount of meetings.
The actual number is in dispute, but Thursday senators tossed out numbers from three to five - a high number considering SGA meets about six times per semester.
"I'm not totally sure," Callicott said about the exact number. "I'd hate to throw a number out there and get misquoted."
Whatever the number, it is higher than the two allotted before a senator is reviewed by the legislative council, according to the SGA By-Laws.
The council can remove a senator and only a presidential pardon can bring the senator back, which all allegedly happened to Callicott.
"Supposedly he was kicked off a month ago but I was notified two weeks ago," said David Jones, speaker of the senate. "The only reason I say this is political is because it's a week before the elections."
Jones said Callicott, who is with the SGAgency party, e-mailed him before each meeting to let him know why he would miss.
The M.A.D. (Making a Difference) party, who supports Callicott's opponent, Vasheta Smith, said the problem is about whether students should know about Callicott's absences.
"As far as I'm concerned he's still on the senate," said Kenneth Taylor, speaker pro-temp and M.A.D. candidate. "The problem that's coming in now, many people are feeling as though that people on the other side should not be able to show that."
Senators passed an amendment to their By-Laws Thursday that would automatically expel a senator after their third absence.
Under that amendment, presented by M.A.D. candidate Rynae Curry, Callicott said he would probably not be a senator, and though he admits to being absent, he said he does not remember all of the reasons he missed.
"This is not political," Callicott said. "I had some things come up this semester, maybe I should have communicated better with Kenneth."
Two of the times Callicott does remember missing were for his fraternity.
He is currently the president of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) chapter at The University of Memphis.
As for senators, they seem to be divided about the issue, even blurring party lines.
It was Crystal Hoonhorst, M.A.D. candidate for arts and sciences senator, who first suggested the senate deal with the "elephant in the room."
"I know there are other members here who have missed as many if not more meetings than James has," said Seth Guess, M.A.D. candidate for senator-at-large.
Other senators said the problem rests not in the difference between the SGAgency and M.A.D. parties, but in a failure of the senate to do its job.
"The entire issue just seems to be a failure of the senate to follow through on various people's accounts," said Tamika Jackson, M.A.D. candidate for senator-at-large. "It just seems like communication was faulty."
As the only graduating senior on the SGA executive board, current vice-president Kim Jones echoed that sentiment during her final comments to the senate.
"Remember your duty as senators," she said. "Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind your duty."
