I am once again incensed by the Senate leadership.I am also displeased with the fact that this information, which is protected by Executive Session, was apparently leaked to the press.

I confronted both Senator Pham and Senator (President) Joseph Panciotti. Senator Panciotti stated it was unfortunate that this information was in the paper and perhaps someone from the Senate had left the papers behind on the tables.Senator Panciotti also wondered aloud ifThe Mass Media pilfered the extra copies lying around the lounge.

Senator Pham caught up with me and explained his side of the story.Senator Pham, in the end, stated, “I will see what I can do to change the vote (of no confidence).I do not believe you should be voted out of Senate.”Later he stated, “Perhaps you should run for president (of SGA) in May.”I immediately did a double take on his statement and asked him to reiterate what he had stated.Senator Pham and I shook hands and departed.

On Monday, January 27, 2003, I gave notice to the senate about my resignation.My primary reason is my class schedule does not allow me to participate in senate meetings.

Senator Barnes shouldn’t be so quick to judge me since he has never heard my side of the story.If he has such displeasure with me perhaps he should have addressed me.Why would the Student Senate vote for Senator Barnes to be the new Faculty Council Rep?As a Senator that does not look at all the facts from both points of view and does not know the basics of the UMass Boston bylaws and constitution, why vote him into this leadership position?

Senator Panciotti is not a leader.He continually conjures excuses for his errors, uses his ADHD condition as a crutch, uses profanity in the Senate office to other Senators, manipulates the bylaws and/or constitution to justify his personal viewpoint, is ignorant of basic business applications, has been rude toward Director Morgan, unable to solve matters using conflict resolution, etc.Is this the best and brightest student that UMass can provide?

President Panciotti plans to run for Student Trustee next semester.Do you want President Panciotti to be the next student trustee, who uses ADHD as a crutch, to manage your student activities trust fund (SATF) or to be in a leadership role?

Director Morgan and Interim Dean Lopes are severely lacking when it comes to knowledge of parliamentary procedures.I firmly believe that UMass Boston should either invest in hiring a parliamentarian or send both Director Morgan and Interim Dean Lopes to become CERTIFIED (caps added for emphasis) in parliamentary practices.This lack of administrative support results in students, namely, the senators, haplessly defending themselves against a dictator.

Interim Dean Lopes stated that what is said in her office stays in her office and would be a violation of federal, state, and local laws should they be breached.Be careful what you say to the Interim Dean.Perhaps one should have the Interim Dean sign a contract to prohibit her from using confidential material against you for your protection.

As for the Student Trustee, why hasn’t the Student Senate formed a formal investigation committee to collect the facts about the Student Trustee’s ‘alleged’ misconduct?It seems UMass Boston has gone far outside normal protocol to protect the female Student Trustee.The stories and evidence against her appear overwhelming, yet the University continues to side with her, with the Interim Dean actually lying in a court deposition.

The Student Trustee denies saying, in her deposition, “I’d like to punch him in the face.” Apparently this is not the first time (“Ms. Dawood”) has made this remark. In the article, “Student Trustee Misconduct” by Gin Dumcius, issue December 12, 2002, paragraph 9, “Trustee Dawood told a student, who had also witnessed the exchange in her office moments before, as well as the alleged sexual harassment two days before that, that she wanted to punch Garner in the face… .”She also “denies that she has in any way been bullying me, or that she has been harassing me.” Dawood Aff.7In fact, the student trustee (“Ms. Dawood”) states, emphatically, “I feel that Mr. Laraway has been trying to provoke fights with me and has been behaving toward me in an uncivil manner.” Dawood Aff.7Her perceptions of me may be able to swindle the views of other senators, the Interim Dean of Students, the UMass legal council, and the eyes of the courts, but Ms. Caroline Coscia, Ms. Dawood, and I know the real truth.

The University has already allocated a lot of its resources to defending the Student Trusteeand, in my opinion, has done a horrible job in addressing the actual ‘problem’.Had a man (as the student trustee) allegedly sexually harassed and allegedly sexually assaulted a woman, he would have been placed on suspension from the University and the Student Senate until the case was resolved.If this is the University’s way of protecting the ‘innocent’, a huge injustice is occurring.

“A lie has speed, but truth has endurance.”By Edgar J. Mohn

-J. Stone Laraway