UW-Milwaukee’s student government leader could face impeachment proceedings within the first month of the fall semester.
Student Association (SA) President Jay Burseth was referred to the Senate Oversight and Rules Committee (SORC) last Thursday by the SA Senate in an emergency meeting. SORC will conduct an investigation and multiple hearings.
Burseth is accused by his opponents of, among other things, trying to abolish the SA constitution. Burseth told the Post he did not do anything wrong and called the push to impeach him a “conspiracy theory”.
“I don’t know how to react,” he said. “I don’t even really understand what the allegations are.”
SA Speaker of the Senate Kyle Duerstein said that Burseth has been wrong in some of his actions since being sworn into office June 1. He told the Post that “something has to happen.”
“If you break the rules there are consequences for your actions,” said Duerstein.
It was also confirmed over the weekend that Scott Dettman, SA chief of staff, has resigned. Dettman did not return a request for comment, but Burseth said his resignation was for personal reasons. Prior to his resignation, the SA Senate voted to censure and suspend Dettman for 30 days without pay at its Thursday Aug. 27 meeting.
“It’s a big loss,” said Burseth. “Scott is one of the most polite and upstanding young people I’ve ever met in my life.”
Jim Hill, SA Senate advisor and UWM’s interim vice chancellor for student affairs, told the Post he was “disappointed” with what has transpired and said he hopes the matter can be resolved in a different way. Hill added that the student body made a clear decision when they elected Burseth and said that should be taken into account during the impeachment process.
**Alleged plans to re-write SA constitution**
The central allegation against him, according to Burseth, is the idea that he has been planning to abolish the constitution for over a year. He said that when he walked into the office for the first time as president, all paper documents, including updated bylaws and the SA constitution, had been destroyed.
“I walked in and found no constitution,” Burseth told the Post. “From my understanding, I’m being held accountable for what the last administration did.”
Duerstein said that the constitution is and has been available online in multiple locations. Members of the SA Senate who voted to refer Burseth to SORC have alleged that he has been planning to re-write the constitution, based on past activity as a part of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Burseth admitted that he sat on an SDS board called the university committee which discussed a new SA constitution, but that the talks never resulted in action.
“We did discuss writing a new constitution and trying to push it in a variety of ways,” said Burseth. “But that never culminated into anything and never left our meeting in that committee of eight people.”
Others in the SA Senate have accused Burseth of abusing his power and not fulfilling presidential duties, although not many specifics have been given.
**Potential impeachment process**
Burseth said he has been notified of his SORC referral and said his hearing should take place sometime between Sept. 7 and Sept. 11. If SORC recommends Burseth for impeachment, the SA Senate will take three separate votes at two different meetings. At the first meeting, which would be held Sept. 13, they would vote on whether or not to hold their own impeachment hearings.
Then, at the Sept. 20 meeting, the SA Senate would hear the case and vote on whether or not to impeach Burseth, and whether or not to remove him from office. If they vote to impeach but not to remove from office, the result would be a censure, or an official reprimand without any real repercussions.
If Burseth is impeached and removed from office, SA Vice President Mike Zahorik would take his spot. Duerstein told the Post that he would have liked to see Burseth and Zahorik carry out a successful term in office.
“I wanted nothing better than for Jay and Mike to finish out their term on May 31 [2010] and for us to be able to say we had a pretty darn good year,” he said.
Both Burseth and Duerstein agreed that the conflict is only hurting students. Burseth said that leaders in the SA Senate who voted to refer him to SORC are not respecting the student vote.
“They’re going against the greater student vote and attempting to impeach me,” said Burseth. “I don’t know what to say to [students], except that this is just sad.”
Duerstein said that troubles in the SA office are preventing him from getting work done that would benefit students, including transportation and tuition issues.
“Instead of working on external stuff that actually has a direct effect on students there’s all this internal housekeeping crap going on,” he said. “I don’t want to deal with this. This is not why I became a part of the Student Association.”
Burseth also told the Post that he thinks Dan Bahr, former SA Speaker of the Senate, is behind the impeachment proceedings. When asked to respond, Bahr dismissed the notion, calling it “silly”.
ROFL, the story of his life:
“We did discuss writing a new constitution and trying to push it in a variety of ways. But that never culminated into anything and never left our meeting in that committee of eight people” SA President Jay Burseth
The SA is lying when they say all paperwork is available in multiple forms. Then why is it that no one can ever find it, not even SA?
The SA is lying when they say all paperwork is available in multiple forms. Then why is it that no one can ever find it, not even SA?
The SA is lying when they say all paperwork is available in multiple forms. Then why is it that no one can ever find it, not even SA?
All you are fucked up! Just because SA now has a leader who isnt in it for the wrong reasons and would actually like to make this campus better you are going to throw impeachment papers at him. WOW. It would be awesome to go a year without impeachments…
I want Dan Bahr back. Come on guys! If Dan were here and all, like, none of this “impeachment” talk would be necessary. He would just fire up the old bus and crunch the dynamic duo known as Jay and Scott. BTW, I wonder how Scott is enjoying his “retirement”? As I have predicted before, the dragon Duerstein (who like God is slow to anger) will devour these hippies. I just hope the aftertaste ain’t so bad.
It’s interesting that Duerstein phrased it, “When you break the rules, there are consequences.” His phrase ASSUMES the rules were broken, then goes on to state something obvious that everyone would agree with.
Question: What’s so WRONG with trying to abolish the constitution? And what else has been proposed that Jay may have done wrong? The article doesn’t make it clear–the best we get is Duerstein saying that he felt some of Jay’s decisions were “wrong”–is it now illegal to upset conservatives?
Jeremy-
I wish you would understand the situation better before you jump right in and make assumptions for yourself. First of all, Jay doesn’t have the ability to declare the Constitution void. Jay also doesn’t have the ability to declare that everyone except himself is illegitimately elected. Jay doesn’t have the ability to dissolve the entire Student Association. Doing so would create a situation where the University would not have students at the decision-making table, and your segregated fees would be set by the Chancellor instead of your student government, as they’re supposed to be in accordance with State law.
The rules were broken, there’s no assuming anything. The bylaws state that when an emergency senate meeting is called, the President must call a meeting of the Executive Committee to develop the agenda for the emergency senate meeting. Jay did not.
It’s not illegal to upset conservatives. It’s just stupid to be stupid.
Kyle, can you please try to kick Jay out of UWM for us all?
And also, aren’t you worried that Mike is just as dumb?
Thank you for responding, Kyle. :-)
Well, let’s say the article’s biased and missed out on those details. How was Jay declaring the Constitution void or dissolving SA? Are you talking about SDS’s “university committee?” If so, he’s stated that they were considering alternative constitutions, which means SA wouldn’t be abolished, simply reformed; and any alternative Constitution was only going to have been held to a popular vote, so people would have only gotten the alternative if they wanted it. Or am I missing the gist of your complaint?
How has Jay declared that everyone but him is illegitimately elected? I don’t need a written source, but if it was unwritten, could you at least repeat his complaints as exactly as you can recall? No offense, but I’d like to hear his reasons, since that accusation doesn’t sound unthinkable–I’ve spoken with many people who are upset at the conservatives for using their power to stifle political opponents (ASAP, the opposition party the year before, office allocations, etc.). I’m aware that I talk to far more liberals than conservatives, so my perspective is biased, but since I’ve heard the same stories from many individuals in multiple groups, I’d at least like to hear more specifics on Jay’s charges.
And as for the emergency senate meeting–I would like to know the circumstances behind this. Was the law important? For instance, the law limits driving speed to save lives, but most people will go slightly above the speed limit in very safe driving conditions. Now, for all I know, perhaps Jay’s violation was as stupid as you claim–I just don’t know yet, because I don’t know the details.
Sorry for being long-winded: Again, I admit my sources, but I’d like to give the other side a voice, so thanks for responding.
Jeremy-
Jay called a meeting on June 7 and said that the Constitution wasn’t legitimate, so that the only people that were really elected properly in the last election was he and Mike.
Without an agenda, its tough to have a proper meeting. The bylaws stipulate that the Executive Committee is supposed to make the agenda for emergency senate meetings. Now, we did approve a recommended agenda, but it would have been nice to have been able to operate off of a properly developed agenda.
Kyle,
Does the phrase “so that” imply that the link between the Constitution’s legitimacy was made explicit by Jay? And if so, was he suggesting a technical/legal illegitimacy, or a democratic illegitimacy? If Jay and the other members of SDS were proposing a new Constitution, then it’s likely that they saw problems in the original Constitution. Of course, it’s also possible that they were simply grabbing for power, but as much as I’m withholding judgment from you, I’m also withholding it from Jay–for instance, has anyone seen their proposed ideas or drafts for an alternative Constitution? If his motives were pernicious, it might be borne out in what they proposed. (And in any case, such a discussion about Constitutions might draw out a needed discussion about shared values and points of disagreement on both sides of the aisle.)
And as for the agenda–I suspect that you’re right that an agenda should have been arranged beforehand to be most courteous, but since you approved the agenda they recommended, it suggests that their mistake was neither ill-willed nor severe, like the speed limit example I imagined before. What merits impeachment proceedings?
Thanks again for the reply.
Hey Jay, don’t let impeachment get you down /
When you’re out of office, we can invert that frown /
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jay /
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jay
Gosh Kyle,
With guys like you around, the Chancellor allocating our segregated fees sounds like a much better option, you fancy? It seems that all you’ve accomplished is making the SA legislative budget 5 times larger and cutting all the stuff we really need (good old self serving conservatism at work btw). If only enough people gave a shit about the SA you probably wouldn’t have ran unnopposed and you would have lost! :-)
Also, since your responding to questions, wasn’t it your alienating attitude and your poorly written/profane ramblings the reason that the chapter seventeen committee voted to put in all those crazy revisions? Good work again!! Oh, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability, and more asshatery.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
MS-
Actually, since I was on the committee, and was there for the conversations, I can say that no, my “ramblings” had nothing to do with the Chapter 17 Committee recommending what they did. They’ve actually said that my good arguments and hard work had a lot to do with the final result – a good code for students.
Thanks for making an accusation that you know nothing about. Try being in the room next time and actually cite something that really was said, instead of just making it up like you have in this instance.
Also, the Executive Branch has no fewer positions than it did last year. They’re just not all filled currently. Get a grip.
oh, oh! This is good. With your divine opinion being notoriously one sided and underdeveloped, I wonder, would the other people who were in the room completely agree with that Kyle??? Since you’re such a sport about responding, I look forward to reading your rationalization.
And, after five years in SA, and openly clinging onto enrollment by your fingernails, you’re probably the best one to judge what they thought anyways… And after all the years, no accomplishments to show but a small cut to a social resource center not large enough for me to even buy a Pepsi with. How’s that for conservatism in our student government? But, I’ll let the students be the judge. And, the people on the committee probably were spared the details of your less than inspiring track record too, weren’t they?
ASAP,
It is interesting how you respond.
“I wonder, would the other people who were in the room completely agree with that Kyle???”
Hey dumb ass, you were not in the room, how would you know anything about how he handled himself or any opinion he expressed?
As for Mr. Duerstein’s record, well this is his first and only year in a SA leadership position. Yes, he was leg. affairs director in 06-07′ but he was not in a position to have much influence that year. He was most certainly not in a leadership position the past two years either, but thanks for making things up ASAP.
As a student leader this semester, Mr. Duerstein is already VERY effective. Today was the culmination of his efforts to rid UWM of UC:)
As we move forward I am sure that more wasteful spending and dead weight will be done away with. Go get a brain ASAP!
ASAP = Asinine Student(s) Against Progress
An anonymous “SA Observer” is now comparing Duerstein to God.
These comment sections are always a source of great entertainment and wonderment. The group of racially and socially privileged suburbanites who control the student government of the state’s most urban school prove over and over again why our countries political system is corrupted from the foundation. These are the folks that will get a taste for power when they suck the blood out of the LGBT and Women’s resource center, and decide to make a run for state senate after college. The UWM SA is like a real government, but with less accountability and younger, dumber people.
As for Duerstein, unlike God, his life will be a ruthless quest for power and chicken wings.
ASAP-
If you’re so convinced that people on the committee thought differently, why don’t you ask them? The membership of the committee is a matter of public record. Specifically, I’d like you to ask them directly if my opinion and style on the committee caused them to seek retribution against all students by making their proposal more unfriendly towards all students at the UW System’s 26 campuses. The reasoning you must have gone through to think that the above statement would even make sense is humorous.
What makes you think I’m clinging to enrollment? Sure, I was on academic probation, but that was before I even became involved in SA. My grades are just fine, I’m not being kicked out, and I’m financing my own education without Financial Aid, and I’m doing that just fine. I can’t seem to figure out how you think I’m “clinging to enrollment.”
I’ve got plenty of accomplishments in life, and in SA. I’m proud of what I’ve done, within the University, and outside of it. You, on the other hand, aren’t even proud enough of your accomplishments to use your real name. Now there’s some pride.