Weber State’s student Senate made Weber history on Nov. 25 when Weber State University Student Association President Emily Sorenson was put on trial to be impeached.
“Today, WSUSA did make history with this being the first impeachment proceeding against the student body president within this proper proceeding,” Executive Vice President Mia Foster said.
Sorenson has been the topic of debate for many WSUSA executives ever since she was elected, having run for the position knowing she would be in grad school and kept busy with that during her time as president. However, Sorenson claims to have been transparent about this from the start.
Aside from the president’s sparsity around campus, other incidents have occurred that led up to the impeachment proceeding. Some senate members claim that the incident that brought all of these complaints to a head was her body language during a recent senate meeting with WSU administrator Jessica Oyler.
Allegedly, some senate members perceived Sorenson’s body language to be dismissive, disengaged or even in disagreement with Oyler.
Kit Byrd, WSUSA’s Vice President of Advocacy and Unity, was the individual who filed a formal list of grievances against Sorenson. This was cosigned by senate member Krystal Orantes.
“The grievances date back to, minimum, July, over the summer while we were working with her. They’d been ongoing. I’d been receiving reports of issues from people outside of WSUSA, and within members of her own team and the executive team throughout the semester since July,” Byrd said.
Some of the grievances included dereliction of duty, inappropriate behavior, mismanagement of team and resources, lack of student engagement and dishonesty and lack of support. However, some of the biggest complaints were about Sorenson’s delayed action in a stalking incident, and an alleged racist encounter.
Over 30 Weber State students and staff packed into the senate room to intently watch the meeting. With the exception of one crowd member shouting a brief insult at Sorenson, the proceeding went on peacefully and properly.
Sorenson shared both her defense and closing remarks with tears in her eyes and a wavering voice, making clear her distress about the situation.
For an impeachment to pass, a three-quarters majority vote is required. The Senate voted 12-10 in favor of Sorenson’s impeachment, not achieving the necessary majority; she would remain in office for the rest of her term. Upon hearing the results, relief flooded Sorenson’s face.
“I learned a lot. I learned I have a lot I need to work on, and I learned that perceptions can be different from others. And I’m just grateful that I have those that are on my side and that the senators voted with the facts,” Sorenson said after the proceeding.
However, all did not feel the same relief.
“I’m disappointed. I feel I had enough evidence that the issues of racism accusations and the lack of action on stalking should have been enough to impeach her, but going forward, I will maintain professionalism and do my job, which is what I did here today,” Byrd said.
