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Student leaders . unqualified A. Jeter The METROPOLITAN ~-
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Three student government members, including President Stephanie Stevenson, were removed from office last week after they were deemed academically ineligible, said Student Activities Director Zav Dadabhoy. Stephanie Besides Stevenson, two Stevenson appointed members of l!tudent government were dismissed Oct. 24 John Olivett, vice president of personnel and finance, and Tracey Monteiro, vice president of student services. The officers' ineligibility came to light after the Office of Student Activities launched an investigation to determine who on the eightmember government fulfilled the grade point average and six-credit minimum requirements to be a member. It was discovered that Monteiro, Olivett and Stevenson did not meet those criteria. Stevenson became ineligible when she did not have a minimum of six credits during the Spring 1996 semester, said student government Chief Justice Pete Rutt. Stevenson would only offer one Tracey Monteiro comment Wednesday in her defense. "I am very confident with regards to my qualifications and that this will be remedied." Vice President of Academic Affairs John Saiz will serve as acting president in Stevenson's place. To be in accordance with the student government constitution, the remaining members were required to vote in a new president Thursday. The vice president positions are open to appointments by that new president and the remainder of student government. Both Monteiro and Olivett failed to keep a 2.0 GPA for the entirety of their terms in office. While Monteiro is currently above that mark and has been since the end of the summer, she had slipped below the minimum during the summer when she was appointed, Rutt said. He was
En garde CCD students Dana Davi and Maureen Farrel face off during their fencing class in the Auraria Events Center.
John McDonough! The METROPOLITAN
dismayed by the number of members found ineligible. "These are student leaders. They should at least be qualified to hold office," Rutt said. However, he did say that this may be a good oppor.tunity for student government to ease some of the dissension that has been present since the term began. "This is a good opportunity to move ahead and put all this bull crap behind them," he said. An appeals process allows seven school days from the date of notification for dismissed members to appeal the decisions. Stephenson and Monteiro have until Monday to appeal, and Olivett has to enter an appeal by Thursday.
The eligibility investigation came in response to Metro student Tara Levstek's letter requesting student government's eligibility status. Levstek said she had received information that some of the members may not be eligible, although she would not reveal the source of this information. She said this case should be an easy one to settle. "Eligibility is pretty cut and dry. There's no question. If you' re ineligible, you're ineligible. There 's no fuzzy line there," she said. Levstek, former vice president of student fees, said she did not feel as though Stevenson was an effective stuSee SGA page 5
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