Texas State Student Government impeaches President Connor Clegg

The Dean of Students is convening a task force comprised of representatives from various groups within the student body as well as faculty and staff to undertake a systematic review…

SIT-IN Update By, Undria Wilson

Texas State University Student Government impeached Student Government President Connor Clegg during its final meeting of the year on April 16.

The previous attempt to conduct the impeachment trial on April 11 did not proceed because a quorum was not established. After deliberations between administration and students, the Texas State University student government canceled its annual banquet and hosted a hearing Monday night to consider an impeachment vote against Clegg.

Clegg now has the option of appealing the decision to Dean of Students Margarita Arellano, then Vice President of Student Affairs Joanne Smith, and finally Texas State President Denise Trauth, in that order. Clegg has three business days to file each subsequent appeal.

The Dean of Students is convening a task force comprised of representatives from various groups within the student body as well as faculty and staff to undertake a systematic review of Student Government and provide recommendations for changes to the governing documents.

The recommendations are expected to be announced by spring 2019.

SIT-IN Update

Last week, a group of Texas State students protested for the impeachment of student body president Connor Clegg.

Following three days of protest and social media updates of students sitting in the LBJ Student Center over the weekend, administration conditionally met the students’ demands.

Students had asked for the following items:

• A published action plan and timeline of providing students with a full-time immigration attorney
• A published action plan and timeline of establishing a Black Studies minor
• A published action plan and timeline of instituting diversity courses into the core curriculum
• The formation of a task force consisting of faculty, administration, and students to address further issues of the cultural climate at Texas State University and produce tangible solutions

The sit-in began after Clegg’s impeachment trail was cancelled Wednesday evening due to 19 of 40 student senators being absent. After an investigation by administration, a new trial was set.

Clegg faced impeachment charges related to threats he made to de-fund the school newspaper following the publication of a controversial column on the ending of white supremacy titled “Your DNA is an abomination.”

Clegg had also come under fire after several of his social media posts went viral that university President Denise Trauth condemned as offensive and racist.  

Protesters ended their sit-in Friday night after a three-hour meeting with administrators.