By Adam LoBelia and Beth Goodbaum

Despite the rigid rules of debate and decorum, an intense arugment erupted at a meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA) on Tuesday over election rules and the possible impeachment of a Senator.

The most controversial moment of the meeting came when impeachment proceedings were brought up against Senator and Parliamentarian Bradley Smallberg. The impromptu impeachment was halted by a remark that bringing up the accusations was inappropriate for the meeting.

The situation became so intense that Senator Fatima Hassan was nearly brought to tears and the next day, President Heather Gibbons, requested Public Safety patrol the area around SGA’s office every half hour.

“I am disgusted to have ever been in this organization,” Hassan said.

She defended Smallberg.

“Who knows the constitution back and forth? Who else knows Robert’s Rules back and forth?” she said.

Instead of impeaching Smallberg at the meeting, the issue was referred to the Rules Commission, which will investigate the charges.

Adam Doyno, the chair of ethics and conduct committee, said he feels several people on the senate have been tied up in personal vendettas against one another, which has caused the senate to lose focus on student and University issues.

“It needs to be known that people have been using their personal agendas to conduct these meetings,” Doyno said.

Gibbons was not present at the meeting but said she has also noticed a change in the way the senate meetings have been run. She said that some people have made the senate meetings into a personal related agenda.

“I believe that SGA senators need to be held responsible to fulfill the interests of the students and right now, it would be in the best interest of the students not to be getting off track of important matters,” she said.

Another major issue covered concerned the current election rules. A resolution was proposed that would end election campaigning as soon as the debate was over.

Senator Kathleen Hunker was opposed to the amendment, saying ending campaigning that early would prevent many students from remembering to vote on Election Day.

“One percent of the student body votes as it is,” she said, adding anything that could improve turnout should be kept in the election laws.

Senator Rachael MacIsaac had a different point of view.

“Ending campaigns after the debate could spur students to attend the debate,” she said, which would in turn make them more interested in the election itself.

In the end, the amendment was defeated, but the issue of election laws was not put to rest.

The next issue brought to the table was whether students running for positions as justices could endorse candidates in the legislative and executive races.

Senator Adam Doyno vehemently opposed this, saying it would be a “conflict of interest” that would increase underhandedness in the government.

“Current Justices campaigning for representatives or for president are entering into those matters,” he said.

He was worried in return for endorsements, justices would receive preferential treatment by those they endorsed.

Senator Lisa Guinta said justices cannot affect executive functions, and therefore would not be in a position to act on any favors they were promised.

“There’s going to be a lot of bitterness anyway,” Hunker said. “Let’s put everything out into the open.”

Furthermore, she said she hopes the justices have the moral character to not sabotage the government.

In the end, the amendment to allow justices to endorse other candidates passed and the meeting tackled whether clubs should have to issue an official document of endorsement for candidates and whether rules forbidding unsolicited campaign e-mails should be repealed.

The final issue of the night was brought up by Doyno who said he is against changing the name of the Student Activities Fund, to the University Activities Fund. The change was made by the administration without consulting or informing SGA.

“I don’t see any logistical reason to change it,” he said, arguing that aside from changing the name in such a way to undermine the SGA, it also gave a negative connotation to the fund.

“It makes it appear that the money is going to the University and not to the students,” Doyno said.

SGA said a committee will examine the issue and other University policies and report on any perceived abuses of the students by the administration.