The UW-Milwaukee administration has launched a large-scale investigation into the Student Association election after receiving numerous complaints, including complaints of discrimination.
According to an email from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Michael Laliberte to SA President Tereza Pelicaric, the investigation includes:
-all of the precesses involved with the preparation for the election
-all those individuals involved in the election process
-the actual voting process
-other activities that have taken place during the election
Student Affairs administrators at UW-Whitewater will help with the investigation, according to the email. Laliberte wrote that their “broad understanding of the UW system and student elections make them an ideal team to act as independent investigators in this situation.”
The Whitewater officials are reviewing the complaints and other supporting documents. Laliberte wrote that he expected full cooperation from Pelicaric and her staff, as well as members of the Independent Election Commission and all elected and appointed SA members.
In a lengthy email response Pelicaric wrote that she is “extraordinarily disappointed” and accuses Laliberte of “eroding” student rights and “exploiting” the shared governance process.
“Your covert manipulation and inconsistent leadership have caused systemic issues within your division that have undermined and eroded both internal and external relations within,” Pelicaric wrote in the email.
Results of the investigation are scheduled for release within the next week.
—
The “Allied Student Voice” party won the 2013 Student Association election, according to an email sent by Anthony DeWees, the acting chair of SA’s Independent Elections Commission.
The turnout was 12.9% of the student body. Next year’s president Nathan Uibel and Vice President Vince Rolbiecki ran on the ASV ticket, as did the majority of the senators.
Harold Luther and Dakota Hall and ran under a second party “People of Change,” but were forced to drop the party status. Their names were not on the ballot, and had to be written in.
Students received an online ballot through university email.