November 23, 1998 NEWS _ Over The Edge Page 3

Removal of NUGSS External Liaison
Sparks Debate

By Paul Berard

It’s not every day that
the External Liaison is
removed from
Board.

Nonetheless, that was
exactly what happened
two weeks ago during
the NUGSS_ Board
meeting.

The discussion began
earlier in the week with
Harris handing in an
“Offer of Resignation,”
stemming _ principally
from concerns Harris
had regarding the inter-
nal operations of the
NUGSS Board. And
how other members of
the Board viewed his
job as External Liaison.

“There were several
concerns ranging from
alleging that | was not
doing my job, to alleg-
ing that | was doing
someone else’s job, to
alleging that | was
doing no job at all.”
Harris stated that sev-
eral members of the
Board approached him
with their concerns
about his _ abilities,
while others came for-
ward to support his
position.

“| conveyed my opin-
ions to them, and there
[were] also some who
came in support of me
and in the week leading
up to that meeting | had
a chance to speak with
most of the Directors,
so they had a pretty
good idea of where |
was coming from.”

Christopher McNelly,
MU “GS* Sr ss
Ombudsperson,
expressed that Harris
might not have taken
the best route to his

goal.

“It was a will to get this
settled. | don’t think
anybody is against

Richard just because
they don’t like him. It
comes from the fact
that they can’t see why
Richard is doing what
he’s doing because

the -

he’s never presented
himself as to why he’s
having this problem
with everybody. In a
manner that we can try
to take care of it and
accommodate his
needs. If he wanted to
be a Director, | am
almost certain, he
would have gotten a
vote of 100 percent -
yes - because then we
would have known that
he wanted to be a
Director.”

But Harris had other
concerns about the
Society.

“| have met any stu-
dent here who has ever
endorsed the expendi-
tures in the [NUGSS}
budget. They waste
money left and right.
They spend it on them-
selves flying around to
conferences staying in
four star hotels - buying
themselves polar
fleeces. This is all stu-
dents money people
are taking out student
loans or working two
jobs to pay for their
education and _ that’s
where their fees are
going.”

McNelly expressed
the concerns of the
NUGSS Board as being
in the interest of set-
tling the matter and
restoring productivity to
the Society. Not as a
popularity contest.

“You end up with a 5-
2 vote. Five people
want this thing settled
because this is going to
carry on and on if they
keep doing this vote of
confidence. The vote of
would have been irrele-
vant not matter what
the outcome would
have been. If the out-
come had been yes, he
would have stayed. If
the vote of confidence
had of been no, he
would have left. If it’s
fifty-fifty, then what?
You’re stuck again,”

said McNelly.

When asked if he was
surprised by the out-
come, Harris respond-
ed, “Professionally, no.
Personally - | found it
interesting.”

The issue of the vote
may be over, but the
fallout may plague the

memories of the
NUGSS Directors.
Christopher McNelly,

for one, had hoped for

a better outcome.

“It's too bad the situa-
tion came like this
because it really makes
everybody look bad. It
makes the Society look
like we’re vulgar people
and just want to kick
everybody out that we
don’t like. | was really
hoping it wouldn't come
to that.”

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