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Logan Dobson

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 7:26 p.m.

SA senator files the year’s third Student Court complaint

by Emily Cahn

Student Association Sen. Logan Dobson (CCAS-U) filed a complaint with the Student Court Wednesday, alleging that a bill regarding SA finances is unconstitutional and should be declared null and void.

SA President Vishal Aswani signed the bill in question into law Tuesday night.

Dobson, a sophomore claims the piece of legislation — which guarantees that a student organization representing a college within GW is guaranteed a minimum of $2,000 in the SA’s initial allocations period and allows them to make any decision with that money that they please — goes against the SA’s constitution.

“The constitution tells the SA that they have to keep tabs on the money that the SA gives out and this bill takes money where it can’t be seen, infringing on that responsibility,” Dobson said. “It authorizes student orgs to take their SA money and put it into private accounts.”

During his tenure as an SA senator, Dobson has made financial transparency one of his main priorities.

Last semester, Dobson successfully sponsored a bill which opened up SA financial records to any student wishing to see them. This bill, Dobson said, goes against the nature of his financial transparency bill passed last fall.

“I’m of the opinion that financial allocations are, in the end, the only really important thing that the Senate does,” Dobson said. “So transparency must be of the utmost importance.”

If the Court agrees to hear Dobson’s case, it will be the third case in one year.

A copy of Dobson’s complaint can be found here.

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Monday, March 30, 2009 6:01 p.m.

Anonymous student creates campaign to abolish the SA

by Emily Cahn

An anonymous student has embarked on a campaign to abolish the SA claiming that the SA “has not represented the interests of students” this year.

SA Sen. Logan Dobson first reported the existence of the Web site on Monday.

In place of an SA, the Web site’s creator proposed creating “directories” which would “fully understand and articulate the objectives of the student body.” The site said that each directory would have an executive that would “organize and conduct meetings with their individual Directory.”

The Web site also includes quotes from past Hatchet articles which the author said cites “examples of the Student Association’s incompetence over the years.”

The domain name was registered on March 25, the first day of the runoff election, according to domain registration records.

Some current members of the SA have expressed support of the initiative.

Executive Vice President Kyle Boyer, who was kicked out of the SA elections this year for acquiring too many violation points, said he supports the mission.

“I understand why so many students are angry, they have a right to be,” said Boyer, a junior. “I have yet to get to the bottom of who is behind the movement, but if they find me and give me a petition, I will most likely sign it.”

Dobson said he is also in favor of abolishing the SA.

“For the record, I’m 100 percent in favor of dissolving the SA,” he said on his blog.

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Tuesday, March 10, 2009 12:54 p.m.

SA senators introduce legislation to postpone runoff election

by Emily Cahn

The Student Court decided not to hear a case filed last night to postpone the runoff election scheduled to take place tomorrow and Thursday.

After the complaint was denied, SA Sens. Logan Dobson (CCAS-U), Steve Glatter (Law) and Mohammed Ali (SMHS-G) drafted legislation which if passed would also move the date of the runoff election to after spring break.

The bill would give the Joint Elections Committee — the independent body that oversees SA elections — time to decide who will be on the ballot.

Members of the SA have been pushing to move the date of the runoff election after presidential candidate Kyle Boyer was accused of failing to report items on his expenditure report. SA candidates are required to report the fair market value of all items used for their campaign. The total of these items cannot exceed $1,000 for each presidential candidate.

Boyer did not list on his expenditure report Facebook ads, the use of a friend’s car parked on H Street and a parking ticket placed on the car. The JEC found probable cause for those charges at a meeting Monday night.

Boyer’s trial will be held Wednesday night, the first night of the scheduled runoff election. If Boyer is assessed penalties for at least three of the four charges he is indicted on, he will be removed from the race, automatically making Julie Bindelglass president.

Because Boyer’s case falls on the first day of the runoff election, the bill’s sponsors want to move the date of the election to ensure that the JEC can make a calculated decision and to ensure that students can ultimately choose their own SA president. If the election is moved and Boyer is removed from the ballot, Bindelglass will face off against Nick Polk in the runoff.

The senate meets at 10 p.m. tonight.

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Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008 5:01 p.m.

Student Association senate sends financial transparency bill back to committee

by Emily Cahn

Sen. Logan Dobson with his placard at the SA meeting on Tuesday night.

Sen. Logan Dobson with his placard at the SA meeting on Tuesday night.

A bill designed to increase transparency in the student organization financial process was sent back to committee at the Student Association senate meeting Tuesday night after the advisor to the SA encouraged senators to allow the University General Counsel to review the bill.

Tim Miller, executive director of the Student Activities Center, said he did not urge senators to vote against the bill, but rather for them to allow the counsel to say whether or not they were comfortable with allowing University financial records to become public.

SA Sen. Logan Dobson (CCAS-U), a sponsor of the bill, said he does not think it was necessary for the senate to delay passage of the bill.

“We don’t need anyone’s authority to change the bylaws,” Dobson said at the meeting. “The SA constitution is signed by the Board of Trustees and that would outrank the General Counsel. We don’t need to ask (the General Counsel) if we wish to amend our bylaws.”

Despite Dobson’s position, other senators said they did not feel comfortable passing the bill without the consent of the Counsel.

“This is the first year that we are receiving increased money from the University to allocate to student orgs,” said SA Sen. Ricardo Pineres (G-at-Large). “I think it is a prudent decision to ensure that the University is content with way we are handling this process.”

SA Sen. Michelle Tanney (CPS-G) said she felt the SA behaved maturely for waiting to pass the bill.

“I think (allowing the General Counsel to review the bill) would set good precedent with administration that we are working with them and not against them, especially with money which is controversial at this University,” said Tanney, a graduate student.

Dobson said he does not think the General Counsel will have a problem with the bill and he is confident the bill will pass when it goes before the senate again on Oct. 21.

“I’m still extremely disappointed in the senate’s decision,” said Dobson, a sophomore. “I feel that the senate took the phantom objections of a GW administration figure over the desires of the students for a more open financial process.”

SA Sen. Rob Lockwood (U-at-Large) co-sponsored the bill, while SA President Vishal Aswani and Executive Vice President Kyle Boyer also voiced their support for the bill.

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