After two Elections Board (ELBO) officials resigned in the wake of last Friday's bungled freshmen Senate elections, the fate of the third and only remaining ELBO officer, Valentino Caruso, remains undecided.
Caruso, who refused to accept the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and Judiciary's request that he resign, will have a hearing before the Committee on Student Life (CSL) on Friday. The CSL will decide if Caruso should be expelled from student government.
Miscommunication with Iballot.com, a private company that coordinates online elections, led to the postponement of the scheduled freshman and TCU Judiciary (TCUJ) election.
The Senate and Judiciary requested the resignation of all ELBO members following the botched election. Members Shane Mason and Adam Mueller resigned Saturday afternoon. Earlier this week, Mason assumed all blame for the failed election and said his co-workers were asked to resign because they served on his administration. "It was all my fault," Mason said.
Following Caruso's refusal to resign, the six members of the executive board of the Senate and two members of the TCUJ filed a complaint with the CSL. The CSL, a student-faculty committee and the highest court at Tufts, hears appeals of Judiciary decisions and adjudicates disputes related student life.
"The complaint was against ELBO as a whole, and every composite member thereof," CSL member senior Sam Dangremond said. "Val being the sole member of the elections board, the complaint is now against him."
The CSL could have heard the case on Monday, at its first meeting of the semester, but Caruso said he did not have enough time to prepare his defense.
CSL members say the extra time will give both sides a chance to clarify their arguments. "Time is of the essence, but it was felt that more time was needed for both [Caruso] and the Senate to fairly present the case," Dangremond said.
Caruso, however, will not have to face all eight complainants. Only one complainant from the Senate and one from the TCUJ will be present at the hearing. "That really makes me feel comfortable because if all eight complainants were there that would be kind of scary," Caruso said.
Caruso is organizing statements from students and administrators on his behalf and learning CSL procedure. The day before the hearing, Caruso, who now the ELBO chairman, will run the freshmen elections. Paper-ballot elections will be held in the campus center.
"I committed myself and I feel that its my responsibility to fulfill that commitment," Caruso said. "I found that my teachers and friends have been really supportive of my position."
ELBO's progress is being monitored by Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley and will be aided by student volunteers to ensure a fair election. To allay fears that students will not know about the new election, ELBO will hold a "Meet the Candidates" night in the Dewick-Macphie lobby, send out a mass e-mail through the Dean of Students Office, advertise in the Daily, and place table tents in the dining halls.
Student leaders, however, are concerned that the freshmen perception of student government is tainted in light of the early mishaps. "One of my hallmates is one of the freshmen candidates, he's a little perplexed by this mess," Dangremond said. "He had assumptions that this was run smoothly, and those assumptions are being dispelled."
