Former senator Accuses ASG Administrators of Corruption

By: C. Harold Pierce

A resigned student senator filed a list of grievances against two Student Life administrators and a pair of student leaders March 12.

Tulip Ragien accused Associate Dean of Student Development Loy Nashua and Associated Student Government Adviser Daniel Marquez of ignoring her complaints against other ASG members, violating the ASG constitution and abusing their powers.

Still, Ragien wants Nashua and Marquez fired.

But no student rights have been violated, and the issue is now a private personnel matter, Dean of Student Affairs Lilia Tanakeyowma said.

Marquez and Nashua do not appear worried.

“It’s an internal process now, and I just have to let it run its course,” Nashua said.

On the other hand, Marquez has turned down repeated attempts to comment about the complaints on the record.

Ragien says her expectations are realistic because “this kind of corruption has been going on for years and years.”

Chief Justice Clara Avila and Interclub Council President Eddie Lopez are accused of abusing their influence and ASG positions by restricting Ragien from an event she says she was invited to.

Vice President of Student Services Sara Lundquist asked Ragien to take part in a student panel for a faculty convocation in November, but Ragien says Avila and Lopez prevented her from participating.

The situation was a miscommunication, Lopez said.

“I originally had no idea that Tulip was asked to be a part of the student panel,” said Lopez, adding that the panel was never formed.

As a way for students to field questions about campus resources, administrators planned for the student panel to take place during an annual faculty conference. Instead, it was replaced with a student survey that Lopez says Ragien had no part in.

The ASG Supreme Court had a closed session meeting March 14 to discuss the complaints against Avila and Lopez. The findings will be released by March 25.

Because student government did nto sponsor the event, the ASG Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over the complaints, ASG President Edna Tobias said.