Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Nov. 24, 2024, to reflect additional information provided by Karisha Petty.
Malick Ibrahim, Myricle Gholston and Karisha Petty were all removed from their senator positions in a censure meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 6 due to excessive absences from weekly senate meetings.
According to Section 2.2 of WKU SGA bylaws, “Members of the Senate shall be allowed no more than three unexcused absences per semester unless excused by the Judicial Council. If three unexcused absences are reached, the Speaker of the Senate shall send the member to the Judicial Council for possible removal from the organization.”
All three senators accumulated at least six unexcused absences this semester from the mandatory meetings.
Ibrahim, Gholston and Petty were called for a previous censure hearing that served as a warning in response to the first three unexcused absences, according to the SGA Judicial Council minutes.
Ibrahim, a returning senator, was the only censured senator to appear at the first hearing. Gholston and Petty, who were elected in Spring 2024, did not respond to any of the emails regarding their attendance.
Each first received a punishment of four additional office hours for the month of November. Ibrahim, a returning senator, was removed from the Outreach and Public Relations committee due to additionally not attending any commitee meetings, according to committee head Hadley Whipple.
Ibrahim, Gholston and Petty were called to a second censure hearing Wednesday due to accumulating an additional three absences on top of the initial three and failure to meet office hour requirements.
It was in this hearing the three senators were removed on a 7-0 final decision per Section 4.6.12 of the WKU SGA Constitution which requires the removal of any senators who are censured twice.
“Going forward, we would like to emphasize that senators are required to attend regular senate meetings, committee meetings, and be actively involved with SGA,” said in a statement from the Judicial Council in the official minutes, “SGA is for the students, and it should be a priority. You cannot effectively represent the interests and concerns of the students if you are not present and involved. This is not an attack on anyone’s character, but rather a matter of accountability.”
According to Petty, her absences from SGA meetings were due to personal medical issues.
News Reporter Libby Simpson can be reached at [email protected].
