Important things to note going into the semester

Applications to join SG next school year open today and are due Feb. 2. ORACLE FILE PHOTO

SG applications for Senate and president open

With the start of the new semester, Student Government (SG) is already looking at next school year. The application for Senate as well as student body president tickets open today.

All Senate seats will be open and are split between the different colleges. Additionally the student body president and vice president positions will be available. Finally, students may be asked to vote on any SG constitutional amendments or referenda.

The applications close on Feb. 2. Candidates will be able to start campaigning on Feb. 12, and voting is the week of Feb. 26.

Applications to run are available in the SG offices on the top floor of the Marshall Student Center.

 

SG Court postpones trial of NPHC funding

The SG court was scheduled to review the Senate’s decision to provide $113,500 in Activity and Services (A&S) fee money to the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) to build representational plot on campus.

The full project is expected to cost $397,500 with additional funding coming from the university and the NPHC.

Student Body President Moneer Kheireddine has been supporting the NPHC representational plots with the argument that it will provide a spot for all student organizations to gather.

Meanwhile, Logan Holland, who ran for vice president against Kheireddine, filed for the court review with the claims referring to A&S funded items being available to all students, restrictions allocation to organizations that have mandatory dues and differential or discriminatory practices based on race or color.

The trial was expected to happen at the end of the fall semester, but has been pushed back. Kheireddine said it should be rescheduled within the next couple weeks.

 

Health official resigns due to accusations of misconduct

In December, a notable USF Health official resigned after concerns he was giving unfair treatment to his assistant. 

According to the Tampa Bay Times (TBT), Dr. Edmund Funai was the subject of an internal investigation by the university as to whether he gave his assistant special treatment. He denied these allegations, and USF officials determined that he did not violate USF policy. 

USF System President Judy Genshaft said, aside from this controversy, Funai’s behavior had been “otherwise exemplary.” However, Genshaft said, “he lacked the judgement for senior leadership,” due to his resistance to the guidance the university offered.

USF was first made aware of Funai and his assistant’s close relationship through an anonymous complaint describing the two’s travel and meals together. 

Ultimately, Funai decided to resign from his position where he made $613,498 a year to take a position at another university. 

 

Former director receives settlement from school

Samuel Bradley, who was terminated from his position as the director of communications in 2016, landed a settlement including $70,000 and turning his firing into a voluntary resignation, according to the TBT.

Bradley was placed on leave after the Tampa Tribune released an article going over allegations of misconduct with students — including sexual relationships — when he was employed at Texas Tech University.

USF reviewed the process that lead to Bradley’s initial hiring. The investigation concluded he should not have been hired in the first place, which lead to his final termination. Bradley has been fighting the decision since, but the settlement is expected to put the matter to rest.