Come next Senate meeting, a few more empty seats might be available.
Twelve members of SGA were notified by Dean of Students Henry Kirby to relinquish their position due to poor grades and/or insufficient credit hours.
“We just got the grade point averages back from the registrar’s office yesterday and they were notified today,” Kirby said Tuesday.
During a sit-down with Kirby in his office, he was asked to respond to questions about SGA being forced to resign. Kirby said he sent letters to each member but was not allowed to release the names.
It is a violation of the Federal Education Rights of Privacy Act to disclose exactly which students fail to meet academic requirements.
The Famuan reported on Monday on the speculation of a few members of SGA having a low GPA.
It was reported that most elected officials are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA. Those who hold the highest leadership positions including SGA President and Vice President, Mr. and Miss. FAMU and Senate President, must maintain a 2.8 GPA.
With notifications being tossed around and the news of members having to resign due to unmet requirements, Senate President Iman Sandifer stepped down.
According to Organization and Finance Committee Chair Anthony Siders, Sandifer announced his resignation at Monday’s senate meeting.
“We all just found out yesterday,” Sider’s told the Famuan Tuesday. “He let us know publicly in the senate meeting, but I guess there were more internal issues than he cared to discuss at that moment.”
Sandifer said he wanted to focus on other things for himself.
“I’m blessed and I’m still a senator. I just need to focus,” Sandifer said.
Siders said that Sandifer stated that one reason he decided to step down was because of his academics.
“Iman was a great senate president while he was here,” Siders said. “For an unfortunate reason, he stepped down, but I think personally, it’ll be better for him in the long run and that’s something I explained to him.”
Sandifer, who served as the liaison between the Famuan and SGA, was partly responsible for the most successful Coleman Library Showcase to date by having over 800 in attendance and raising $2400 for Coleman Library African-American Collections in Fall 2009.
Marcy Jackson, who is acting pro tempore, will serve as acting senate president. Jackson was promoted before from Judicial and rules chair. She’s had two promotions this school year.
“I think we’re still going to be very productive in the senate, regardless of the what happens because I think he’s left his mark for us to follow off of,” Sider said. “He left a strong path for us to follow.”