The Student Senate passed another resolution in response to the Red Sox riot on Sunday, Dec. 2, which calls for the formation of a taskforce to examine the root of riotous behavior at PSU.
The resolution came forth after the Dec. 1 deadline the Senate set for itself in the original resolution that was passed on Oct. 29. It allowed the Senate to recommend the administration charge the student body as a whole for the damages done, however it was resolved at the Dec. 2 meeting that this would not be necessary. According to the new resolution: “At this time, the Senate sees it imprudent to charge the student body as a whole, but supports the charging of those who can be directly found responsible.”
It was stated at the Campus Community Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 4, that one student had already been arrested for damages done the night of the Red Sox victory, and two others were under investigation. These are the students that would most likely be charged for their actions. However, according to Officer Clark, it was later confirmed that no arrests have been made.
While this new resolution as a whole was passed by the Senate, the Senators were asked to raise their hands informally to show if they believed in charging the student body as a whole for the remainder of the damages, even if it was not the action their constituency desired them to take. Six out of the nine voting members present raised their hands. Senator Harrington was not present.
“In voting for something like this,” Student Body President, Trevor Chandler said, “Rather than voting in a way you know there will be a happy turnout as far as your constituents are concerned, I would suggest instead that you rely on your principal as far as what you believe would be the right thing to do, and if it’s for this then vote for it, and if it’s against it then, by all means, vote against it. But, I encourage you to all vote on your principal as far as you believe, no matter what you know is going to happen.”
Chandler was referring to President Steen and the administration never intending on charging the student body, but letting the last resolution pass to allow for dialog and to honor Senate’s initiative and process.
“When you did the initial resolution,” President Steen said, “You started a process for yourselves of information gathering and thinking and discussion. We [the administration] started something similar.”
President Steen discussed the recommendations she had received from faculty and students that outlined plans for action in response to the riots. These range from drugs and alcohol programs, weekend programs and disciplinary programs. She brought these before the administration and Student Senate Executive Board at a joint cabinet meeting that was held on Nov. 20.
“At that point it seemed to me that everybody was in a better situation to begin to move forward, now, I recognize for some of [the Senators] that seemed upsetting,” Steen said, “…At this point, I think what we want to think about is how we move forward.”
The new resolution, which was introduced by Speaker Peter Laufenberg and USSB Rep. Gene Martin, called for the creation of the Riotous Behavior Task Force, which would be charged with, according to the resolution, “Investigating, reporting and implementing policies on campus that address the root issues and prevention of riotous behavior at Plymouth State.” The resolution was passed with eight votes for the resolution, zero against it and two abstentions.
“I feel that the resolution that was passed on Sunday meets the requirements that we had established in the first resolution,” said Laufenberg, “An all-encompassing task force is the best solution at this time to assess the current situation as well as addressing future riotous behavior issues on campus. Some may say that this is a lackluster response by the Senate but I would say that this is the product of a month of dialog and congruent thinking.”