A student lobbyist announced his resignation and an official appointed to fill a senate vacancy was not approved because the majority of senators abstained from the vote during action at last night’s student government senate meeting,.

One month after being fired and re-hired from his position, Arizona Students’ Association Director Andrew Record said he would be stepping down.

Record said he was resigning because of “”very personal health issues”” and thanked the senators for their work over the year.

Senators were also unable to garner enough votes to approve Appropriations Board Director Tyler Reece as a senator during the Associated Students of the University of Arizona meeting.

The 10th senatorial seat has been open since former Sen. Matt Loehman resigned in January for health reasons.

President Cade Bernsen nominated Reece as Loehman’s replacement, but the senate delayed the appointment at each senate meeting over the last three weeks.

A three-fourths majority vote is required to approve Reece’s appointment, meaning no more than two senators could disapprove or abstain.

Four of the nine senators approved the appointment, but five abstained from the vote.

“”It seemed very abrupt,”” Reece said of the vote. “”I didn’t expect it to happen like that.””

Before the vote, Sen. Heather Spicer asked that the appointment be tabled for another week, saying it would be unfair to put Reece through the ongoing impeachment investigation concerning Bernsen.

Spicer, who abstained, asked the other senators not to vote yesterday because after the investigation Reece would most likely have been approved. Reece cannot be re-appointed to the position.

“”The reason I abstained had no relation to the character of Tyler Reece,”” Spicer said. “”It would not be fair for us to put someone in the middle of something so heavy. It had nothing to do with his ability.””

Reece said he understood the senators’ concerns, but that he would have dealt with the investigation “”fairly and justly.””

Reece, who is running for administrative vice president in the upcoming ASUA elections, said he was willing to take on the further senatorial duties in addition to the campaign he’s running.

“”It’s in the interest of the student body to fill this seat,”” Reece said.

Sen. Jami Reinsch, who voted in favor of the appointment, said she was “”very upset”” about the way things turned out for Reece.

“”It makes me sad that he can’t ever be

considered for the position again,”” she said. “”He was the obvious first choice.””

Senators were also set to vote on the date for a proposed $20-per-semester student union fee to become a student referendum.

Some senators pushed for the vote to be held as a special election that would take place after general elections March 7 and 8.

“”A special election would let students have more time to become informed about the fee,”” said Sen. Matthew Boepple.

Bridgette Gallagher, president of the University Activities Board, said she is confident 10 percent of the student body would sign a petition to allow the fee to be included on the general elections ballot, with or without senate approval.

“”A special election won’t get the higher number of student turnout that the general elections will,”” said Michael Dunk, a political science senior who is working with Gallagher.

If the fee is passed by students, it still faces approval by the Arizona Board of Regents before going into effect.