Pres. of graduate senate to keep post
Graduate and Professional Student Senate voted to keep president in light of his misuse of funds.
Natalie Jarvey
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News
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Graduate and Professional Student Senate voted Monday to keep its president, Albert Lai, in office for the remainder of the academic year, despite confirmation that he used GPSS gift certificates to purchase a personal laptop computer at the Pertusati University Bookstore.
"The Senate has already reconfirmed my presidency and GPSS considers this a resolved issue," he said.
Heather Larabee, assistant dean of students and director of campus activities, said that while Lai did wrong, he has the continued support of the administration.
"Albert made a bad decision and no one condones what he did. He has been adjudicated through SJACS and had to confront his peers with his wrong doing," she said in an e-mail. "The Full Board and Executive Board are in support of his continued presidency and so am I."
The Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards adjudicated Lai in mid-September, GPSS Vice President Mathias Knape said.
Officers in GPSS did not find out about Lai's adjudication until Nov. 12, when Student Affairs notified them that one of the GPSS Executive Board members had been put on trial, Knape said.
While the details of SJACSs' proceedings are confidential, GPSS Finance Chair Emmet O'Hanlon said he determined how much money was taken and who was responsible by looking through GPSS records.
"As soon as Student Affairs told us about the adjudication, we were able to look at the records and find out who it was," O'Hanlon said. "We keep such accurate records that it was patently obvious who it was."
Lai requested $700 in USC Bookstore gift certificates for the GPSS Alumni Relations Committee last January, and of the money he was given, he used $560 to buy himself a computer at the bookstore over the summer, O'Hanlon said.
Lai subsequently notified the GPSS Executive Board about the trial.
The GPSS Constitution states that Executive Board members who abuse their office can be removed by a two-thirds vote from the Senate.
"The Senate has already reconfirmed my presidency and GPSS considers this a resolved issue," he said.
Heather Larabee, assistant dean of students and director of campus activities, said that while Lai did wrong, he has the continued support of the administration.
"Albert made a bad decision and no one condones what he did. He has been adjudicated through SJACS and had to confront his peers with his wrong doing," she said in an e-mail. "The Full Board and Executive Board are in support of his continued presidency and so am I."
The Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards adjudicated Lai in mid-September, GPSS Vice President Mathias Knape said.
Officers in GPSS did not find out about Lai's adjudication until Nov. 12, when Student Affairs notified them that one of the GPSS Executive Board members had been put on trial, Knape said.
While the details of SJACSs' proceedings are confidential, GPSS Finance Chair Emmet O'Hanlon said he determined how much money was taken and who was responsible by looking through GPSS records.
"As soon as Student Affairs told us about the adjudication, we were able to look at the records and find out who it was," O'Hanlon said. "We keep such accurate records that it was patently obvious who it was."
Lai requested $700 in USC Bookstore gift certificates for the GPSS Alumni Relations Committee last January, and of the money he was given, he used $560 to buy himself a computer at the bookstore over the summer, O'Hanlon said.
Lai subsequently notified the GPSS Executive Board about the trial.
The GPSS Constitution states that Executive Board members who abuse their office can be removed by a two-thirds vote from the Senate.
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