[The following is my personal opinion and not that of the Student Senate.]

I am sorry President Panciotti thinks I am a “pain in the ass”. Fact: President Panciotti and the senate are not conducting many aspects of business according to UMass Boston’s Bylaws, Constitution, and Robert’s Rule of Order Newly Revised (RONR).

Who is the CCA Chair? According to Director of Student Life, Joyce Morgan (Senate Notes: CCA Election Called Into Question, Declared “Null and Void”, G. Dumcius), Senator Laraway is still the Acting Chair of CCA. On November 06, during the full Senate meeting, “President Panciotti declared that the election (held on October 30} for the CCA Chair is null and void,” yet he states that the Vice Chair election is binding and legal. How can one be legal yet the other not, if they are both under the same policy and procedures of UMass Boston’s Bylaws and Constitution?

On November 06, how could President Panciotti recognize Senator Hyppolite as the new CCA Chair without Senate approval? I was not allowed to read the “Activities Report” for the CCA committee because President Panciotti did not recognize me as the Acting Chair of CCA.The Chair recognized another senator as the Chair for CCA without senates approval. Is this a violation of our bylaws?

“Two items about the bylaws.” (http://www.robertsrules.com/cgi-bin/mb/treplies.asp?message=16799, Bob)

“If the bylaws say the chair needs the senate’s approval to appoint another senator as the chair of the CCA, then he/she should follow the bylaws.” (http://www.robertsrules.com/cgi-bin/mb/treplies.asp?message=16799, Bob)

“If the bylaws are not clear about how this is handled, the senate itself will have to interpret the bylaws. That process can be initiated by raising the point of order noted above and, if you don’t get the ruling you want, appeal to the entire group.” (http://www.robertsrules.com/cgi-bin/mb/treplies.asp?message=16799, Bob)

On November 12, the Steering Committee met at 1:30 PM. How is it that Steering Committee did not recognize me as the Acting Chair of CCA and did not register my vote?

Was the executive-ordered Steering Committee meeting, held on November 12, after the first Steering Committee meeting, a “special meeting”? (As defined by RONR, Chapter IV, subsection 9, lines 15 – 20 and UMass Boston’s Bylaws, Chapter Five, Section A, subsection 2)

Referencing President Panciotti’s quote while holding the gavel, neither I nor anyone else present took it as a joke. His demeanor and posture were threatening.

Why didn’t the Student Senate Advisor hightlight the problem(s) (illegal elections, notice of meetings) when the first divergence to our bylaws, constitution, and RONR occurred? We don’t even know if the question was ever brought up by a student because the minutes of all meetings, which have been taped for years, have never been transcribed and made available to students or the student government. This is a violation of the UMass Boston Bylaws, Chapter Five, Section B, subsection 1, 2, and 3.