An impeachment petition against Treasurer Jim Collins was submitted to the Graduate and Professional Student Council on Nov. 21.
The petition claims, “Jim [Collins] has demonstrated a willingness to simply violate GPSC rules that he disagrees with.”
The petition cites Collins’ decisions to make details of an election appeal meeting public and defying the position of the executive board that such information should be kept confidential on the basis of personal belief.
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“It is alarming to see this quality present in a Treasurer, and Jim’s actions give GPSC members reason to fear retaliation from him,” according to the pettition.
The GPSC Consitution states, “any GPSC Representative or Officer may initiate impeachment of a GPSC Representative or Officer by presenting the GPSC with a petition to impeach the Representative or Officer signed by one-third of the voting membership of the GPSC.”
According to the GPSC Constitution, the assembly chair will conduct an impeachment vote at the next regular GPSC meeting following the presentation of the impeachment petition. The subject of impeachment must be informed in writing seven days prior to the general council meeting.
The next GPSC meeting is on Nov. 28, seven days after the Daily Wildcat was notified of the impeachment.
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The representative subject to impeachment may speak in response to all allegations contained in the petition.
The GPSC Constitution states a quorum must be present at the meeting. Impeachment requires an affirmative vote of three-fourths of GPSC members present at the meeting.
According to the GPSC Constitution, violations of the UA GPSC Constitution or bylaws, university policies, the Student Code of Conduct and malfeasance or nonfeasance may constitute grounds for impeachment.
The GPSC Constitution or bylaws do not explicitly allow for impeachment proceedings to be conducted in executive session. Therefore, the general council will likely discuss and vote during an open meeting.
If Collins is impeached, he’ll be unable to serve, in any form, as a member of GPSC indefinitely.
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