A look back at Ohio U Student Senate to move forward

Most years, it is common for the Ohio University Student Senate to find itself in student media headlines with its newest scandal or controversy. 

Back in February, then-Treasurer Simar Kalkat was wrongfully removed from her position after an anonymous letter written by Senator Rhyan Goodman was read during an executive session, as previously reported by The New Political. 

This was not the first Student Senate controversy in recent years. In 2020, Madeline Kramer’s ACTION OU ticket for the 2020-2021 Senate ballot was removed on the basis of a quid pro quo in providing compensation in the form of appointments. Kramer was later barred from running for and holding a position in the Senate's 2020-2021 body.

Kramer shared that when she first joined Student Senate as Women’s Affairs commissioner she had a very positive experience where she made a lot of connections. 

But Kramer vaguely explained that her barring was more so a betrayal by a friend than a political rivalry. 

“I think once you get older you realize like it was so cliquey,” Kramer said. 

Kramer recalled being told by both Judicial Panel members and past candidates that “Everyone breaks the rules, you just have to be careful about it.”

Kramer mentioned that not only did she lose close relationships, she felt her name was being dragged through the mud. 

“I was really messed up and thought that it was going to ruin my job prospects and my future,” Kramer said. 

Currently, Kramer is an AmeriCorps member and serves at Sojourners Care Network. 

Kramer applauded Kalkat for how she handled her removal from Senate, while criticizing the Judicial Panel for always sticking to the status quo. 

“The JP (Judicial Panel), especially, will just be like ‘Well, that’s how it is.’ And I think that if she wouldn't have caused a whole ruckus it would not have had the result that it is now.”

President Emeritus Landen Lama, who currently serves as the board chair for the Student Senate Alumni Network and works as a recruiting associate for FTI consulting, was instrumental in the creation of the Judicial Panel. 

“I tried my darndest over my three years at OU to split us (Senate) up and to become a three branch (system) to make a little bit more sense with our peers and to function better, but ended up only being able to make the judicial branch at the time,” Lama said. “I do still believe there is a lot of growth potential for the organization.”

In an interview with Kalkat and President Eliza Ivan, both described a police-like presence the Judicial Panel brings to the Senate body, noting the excessive referrals and interpersonal drama.  

Lama explained the precursor to the Judicial Panel was an internal conduct and discipline committee. This committee showed its cracks during the Megan Marzec controversy where, as president, she was able to stack the committee with “loyalists,” according to Lama. 

The Judicial Panel was meant to be an external committee, appointed by the Senate body, according to Lama. 

“The current state and the Judicial Panel. It is different. It is filled with members who don't necessarily know the Senate operating procedure,” Lama said. 

After a massive student speakout session, followed by a myriad of resignations as more of the situation was revealed, Student Senate finds itself at a pivotal point of its existence. Student Senate is currently working to rewrite the governing documents and clarify the Rules and Procedures. 

“Something weird happens every two or three years, and I’m just glad that she (Simar Kalkat) made a big stink about it,” Kramer said. 

Lama believes that these situations could be avoided if the members were more knowledgeable on the Rules and Procedures and the network of alumni and upperclassmen was not lost by COVID-19. 

“They (the current Senate body) are relatively inexperienced with how everything runs and we offered our expertise in any way we could. And I don't think this would have happened if more members of Senate took up the offer,” Lama said. 

Ivan expressed that moving forward and with restructuring the governing documents, it is vital to “make sure nothing like this happens again” and that might include removing the Judicial Panel altogether. The Judicial Panel “shouldn't be specifically a position that seeks out consequences,” Ivan said. 

“I think the Rules and Procedures need to just be like clear cut, and then really focus more on transition reports and what's expected from people,” Ivan said. 

Lama claimed to have offered to aid in a constitutional review in October 2021. 

“I think it is very important for the next year or two for Senate to reach out to those past people who have been senators that have a historical understanding,” Lama said. 

When asked whether scandals like these are an organization problem or a member problem, Lama responded: members. 

“You would think it's an institutional problem, but it's not and I say it's not because you can point to a great example, that Simar was even elected in the first place,” Lama said. 

“I think we're at a point where it's on the edge (of abolition),” Ivan added. 

The current and incoming executives are challenged with keeping Senate afloat and setting the tone for future members. 

“I really think this is our opportunity to bring light change and make it better. I hope that it does and that people in the future hold it up and make sure it doesn't turn into such a toxic environment,” Ivan said. 

As stated in nearly every resignation from this year, there is a sense of toxicity within Student Senate. 

“I feel bad for everyone, but having been (there) it is a really toxic environment,” Kramer said. “And I think when you give young adults, people like 18-19, that kind of power, it can lead to a toxic environment.”

Ivan and Vice President Elaina Tartal will be graduating in April 2022 and will continue working with incoming executives, Dayna Shoulders, Luvina Cooley and Trinity Robinson, to complete their review of governing documents.