Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Senate postpones elections
Delay gives opportunity to review disqualified slate’s petition for reinstatement
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Tuesday March 1,1994 Vol. CXXII, No. 32
Weather
Today, there will be bright sunshine with a slight increase in clouds throughout the day. The temperature will reach a high in the 70s and low in the 50s in the evening.
Inside
No need to dust off this ‘Cowboy’
It's been 25 years since the original release of the Os-car-winning "Midnight Cowboy," but its principals agree with critics that the film is no less relevant today.
Diversions, page 5
USC baseball, volleyball on road
The Trojan baseball team heads to Loyola Mary-mount this afternoon for a game at 2:30 against the Lions. The No. 2 volleyball team is at No. 6 Pepperdine tonight at 7.
Sports, page 12
Bickering mars senate elections
The senate election that should have been held today has been postponed due to fighting over a Judicial Council ruling on the constitution the candidates are vying to uphold.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Diversity Month events planned
Cardinal Gardens is beginning a "Diversity Month" to understand individual differences, emphasize commonalities, educate and improve resident relations.
There will be a Diversity Kickoff at GroundZero on Tuesday, March 1, from 8 to 9 p.m. Events will include a showing of "Schindler's List," a discussion of gay, lesbian and bisexual issues and a food fair.
Diversity Month is sponsored by URSC, Rep Board and Cardinal Gardens Government. For more information, call Heather Ross at (213) 743-5035 or Dawn Moore at (213) 743-9225.
By Kim Smith
Staff Writer
The Student Senate has postponed senate elections for one week to allow the senate to consider a petition to have the Clean Slate reinstated as candidates for senate.
Todd Carper, senate vice-president and director of the elections committee, said the senate decision to postpone the elections originally scheduled to begin today was made "to make sure that we are being fair to the Clean Slate and to the Judicial Council."
This is the latest development after several days of hearings concerning the status of the Clean Slate, a slate of residential hall candidates who distributed unstamped fliers in restricted areas of campus early last week and then was barred from participating in the election.
The slate's petition requests full reinstatement on the grounds that their trial before the council was unfairly conducted. The Clean Slate's petition contends that:
•	The Judicial Council ruling against them aided the Strengthen the Senate slate, whose members are also members of College Republicans.
(Three Judicial Council members are also College Republicans.)
•	Lewis introduced evidence and a witness improperly at the hearing.
•	They were rushed and unprepared for the hearing.
•	The ruling was too harsh and goes against precedent.
The slate was prevented from participating in campaign week by the Senate Election Committee, but that decision was appealed and brought before the Judicial Council, who voted to disqualify the slate entirely.
The election commission then chose to allow those slate members to participate as write-in candidates, despite a Judicial Council recommendation to the contrary submitted Monday morning. But the Clean Slate filed a petition before the senate requesting reinstatement and met with university administrators to have the elections postponed.
David Crandall, director of Student Activities, met with the slate Monday to determine if the administration should postpone the election, as they are authorized to do in cases of student misconduct. However, the senate resolved the problem internally.
"The senate is managing its own affairs and we're delighted," Crandall said. "We think they have done the right thing and we are glad the administration doesn't have to get involved."
Carper said the senate will meet on Wednesday night and will recommend that the Judicial Council re-evaluate the case.
"We're not going to vote on overturning the case, but look into seeing if we can," Carper said.
He said the senate has not determined whether current senate members Karreem Washington and James Emerson
will be permitted to vote on the case, as they are members of the slate in question.
"I can't believe this is happening," said Jim Lewis, Judicial Council clerk. "The official judiciary council of the university made a decision and it should stand.
"It is absurd that the elections should be postponed for a full week for four people who have been disqualified," he said.
"I think it's hard on the other constituencies who are ready to go/' said Sean Hansen, a current senator up for re-election in the student community. "It's not appropriate for this to be put off to the last minute like this."
"I'm happy that the facts of this case were looked at in an impartial light,'' said Mike Newhouse, a member of the Clean Slate. "I think (the postponement) was necessary to give this case the proper scrutiny it deserves.
"I'm hopeful that upon further review, the situation will remedy itself and we can allow the students to decide who they want to represent them," he said.
The decision to postpone the elections came after a day of (See Petition, page 3)
Public affairs director could lose position
Shamim’s criticism of Kemp angers Hansen
By Nik Trendowski
Staff Writer
Flowers are cheaper
John Collin / Dally Tro|*n
Although a traditional bouquet Is a more cost-effective method of conveying love, a skywrltten heart Is a sure way to capture the attention of that special someone.
The Student Senate's executive committee will deliberate tonight on the issue of whether to keep Public Relations Director Brandon Shamim in his position.
Senate President Don Hansen said last Wednesday that he would be speaking with Shamim concerning his status.
Hansen was angered by the disparaging remarks Shamim made about Jack Kemp before his senate-sponsored speech last Wednesday.
"If it was worth it, I would fire Brandon," Hansen said. "As our public relations director, he has failed miserably.
"One of the largest senate events of the year has been bagged on by the PR director," Hansen said.
Hansen called Shamim's comments "nothing but a case of sour grapes."
"Not once have I had a helping hand from that man," Hansen said. "I thought he could cut it, I thought that he was a professional, I thought he could set aside personal vendettas. The one person that's leaking rumors about impropriety and boring speakers is Brandon Shamim, and I can't understand it."
Shamim contested the charges and suggested that he be judged on the imago of the senate, which he feels has improved.
"I have always adhered to the philosophy that you need to be a person of value, not a person of success," Shamim said. "If Don feels I've been less than successful he can ask senators and other people why there's
an increased interest in events on campus and Student Senate.
"If those groups respond negatively, only then do I feel my performance is bad," Shamim said.
Shamim said yesterday that he was aware of the plans to unseat him, and that he has already been asked by Hansen to either resign or go through a hearing. Shamim said he would not resign.
A senator's duties, as defined in the senate constitution, include attending meetings of the senate and constituent groups, holding regular office hours and actively participating in the senate's legislative process though each office, such as public relations
director, carries other duties as well.
The senate constitution requires that any student who feels a senator has neglected his duties can file a complaint against that senator in writing.
Then, following a hearing, the senate's executive committee may remove the senator from office, dismiss the charges or take any other disciplinary action. If the decision is appealed, the matter goes to a hearing of the Judicial Council, which was what happened in the matter of the senate candidates on the Clean Slate.
As of Thursday, a copy of the formal complaint was not available.