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Former RyeSAC director accuses board of laziness

By Lori Fazari

Jennifer Long has resigned her positions on RyeSAC’s board, firing a scathing letter at her former colleagues accusing some of them of being uncommitted and doing little more beyond showing up for monthly meetings.

Long, who was RyeSAC’s events commissioner, course union director and board secretary, resigned her positions on Monday in a letter accepted by the board. Last month she was disqualified from her position as v.p. administration-elect for defacing posters during elections.

Long points to the number of resignations from RyeSAC this year as evidence of a lack of commitment.

“I think I’m one of the board members who has made a significant contribution,” said the fourth-year nutrition student. “There’s so many other people who have done nothing on the board this year.”

But president David Steele said student council has tried to make sure people who weren’t performing well were removed. “We’ve been more vigilant this year about ensuring people are doing their jobs.”

Vladimir Spivak was asked to resign as events commissioner after orientation, and Mariangelica Cuervo was removed as business faculty director last month. Jason Power, v.p. administration, was asked to resign in a rare move by RyeSAC’s executive, over his involvement in defacing posters with Long.

Earlier in the year, three people, Chelsea Balzan, Gillian Smith and Chris Stroud, resigned their positions because they were no long students.

Long resigned after being asked to by student council’s executive committee over her involvement in defacing campaign posters during February’s elections.

In her letter to RyeSAC’s board, obtained by The Eyeopener, Long said she is “disgusted” with the board of directors: “Disgusted that there has been absolutely no accountability for the lack of commitment and fulfilment of duties by several board members.”

As board secretary, Long wrote, she rarely received reports from some board members because “there had been no real work done to report on.”

She also chastised staff for using the RyeSAC offices and resources for non-work purposes.

Directors on RyeSAC’s board must attend monthly meetings and are suggested in RYeSAC’s bylaws to work several hours per week.

RyeSAC gives out honorariums for those who have taken initiative beyond simply attending meetings.

Long was investigated by the election procedures committee for defacing posters along with Power. She was disqualified after winning the v.p. administration’s job by 360 votes.

She is running to get the job of v.p. administration back, against two other candidates, business student Erin Betts and engineering student Arif Asgnar. By-elections will be held April 14.

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