According to SGA Senator Tyler Smith, democracy died in tonight's senate meeting.
Smith stormed out after the senate body voted against appointing graduate student Austin
Smith to seat three in the College of Graduate Studies.
Austin Smith had presented his resume during senate confirmations and spoke on why he
was qualified to hold seat three, one of five open seats, in his college.
During debate on whether or not Austin Smith was qualified, Senator Jereme Pozin spoke
on the candidate's behavior when he had served on previous senate bodies.
"I understand we bicker between each other, that happens, but he was straight rude
to organizations," said Pozin of the two-time former senator and former SGA vice
presidential candidate. "His demeanor, his behavior, how he acted in the office, his
protests and the way he deals with administration, that's how I guess he thinks senate
used to be, but it wasn't even okay then and even more so now, is not appropriate."
Although Austin Smith didn't get the two-thirds majority vote necessary to be appointed
to the seat, Sen. Tyler Smith wasn't the only senator to express disappointment in the
way the vote turned out.
"I think that people were misled to think that Austin Smith would've caused chaos when
maybe he would have, maybe he wouldn't have, we don't know and we won't know
now," said Senator Samantha Krantz.
Krantz said she couldn't believe he wasn't elected.
"The fact that we have those five seats open and we're not will to elect someone who
knows what they're doing and has an understanding of what SGA is, in my opinion, is
just absolutely outrageous," said Krantz. "The reason that we would vote no on someone
is because they don't understand what's going on, they don't have enough knowledge
about student government, about UCF in itself."
Pozin said he was surprised Austin Smith didn't get the seat, but didn't want him on
board either way.
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