SOUTHEAST STUDENT GOVERNMENT HEAD OUT

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Student senators at Southeast Missouri State University ousted Mike Hartsook as Student Government president Monday night, apparently marking the first such impeachment in the school's history.

"We've had presidents resign before, but to my knowledge there has never been an impeachment of a Student Government president," said Bob Beodeker, Student Government adviser.

Hartsook could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Hartsook was elected president last spring, following a second election that was held because of reported irregularities in the first election.

Hartsook was ousted following impeachment proceedings Monday night at which senators charged that Hartsook had not fulfilled any of his duties as president since last November.

On a 14-0 vote, the senators impeached Hartsook, who had been notified of the proceedings but chose not to attend.

Vice President Scott Whiteaker was then named president to serve out Hartsook's one-year term that ends this spring.

Steve Nenninger, a student senator and a member of the university's Board of Regents, was named to the position of Student Government vice president.

"The charges against Mike were basically nonfeasance of duties," Beodeker said Tuesday.

Beodeker said that since Thanksgiving, Hartsook had not handled any administrative duties at the Student Government office and had not attended Student Senate meetings or committee meetings. The Student Senate is the legislative body of Student Government.

"One of the things that has been happening during Mike's absence is that Student Government has been run into the ground," said Beodeker.

The senate's membership has dropped from 50 to 14 since the start of the fall semester.

Beodeker said that several attempts had been made by faculty, staff and students to communicate with Hartsook.

But, said Beodeker, Hartsook never responded to any of these overtures.

The senate discussed the matter at the start of the spring semester and decided to ask for Hartsook's resignation.

On the senate's instructions, Whiteaker sent a letter to Hartsook stating that if Hartsook did not resign by Jan. 30, impeachment proceedings would be initiated.

The letter was delivered to Hartsook on Jan. 28. "It was personally delivered to him in one of his classes," said Beodeker.

No reponse on the letter was received, he said. "No response has ever been received from Mike regarding this whole thing," said Beodeker.

Beodeker said he was concerned about the decline in senate membership and student apathy about the campus government.

"Many students didn't feel like Student Government was accomplishing anything," he said.

"One of the problems is that the organization needed direction, but no one was taking the initiative to work with it," he said.

"Many times," he said, "the success or failure of Student Government can hinge on the motivation and the drive and initiative of the (student) president."

Beodeker maintained that students should be taking a greater interest in Student Government, particularly now when university officials are making decisions about student services.

Dr. Kala Stroup, Southeast's president, has been "very open to the students and the students are blowing their chances if they don't utilize Student Government to communicate with her," Beodeker said.

Whiteaker said Hartsook never gave any reason for abandoning his Student Government duties.

"I talked to him briefly a couple times. He called me over Christmas (break) and said he might be quitting," Whiteaker recalled Tuesday. "He never really gave a reason why."

Whiteaker said he and other senators were "disappointed" by Hartsook's actions.

The new president said it's hard to understand Hartsook's actions, particularly since Hartsook was so active in the organization early last fall.

"He was doing a great job in the fall. Everything was going great. He had a lot of great ideas," said Whiteaker.

Then, all of a sudden Hartsook quit handling Student Government business and attending meetings, he said. "It's like he jumped off the edge of a building," said Whiteaker.

Senator K.C. Martin, who sponsored the impeachment resolution, said Hartsook's "lack of representation was a poor reflection on us as senators."

"When you've got a Student Government president who is not showing up or doing anything, the administration will eventually just ignore Student Government altogether," he said.

Both Martin and Whiteaker said the remaining senators are committed to improving Student Government.

An effort is now under way to change the bylaws and restructure Student Government.

Currently, officers are elected each spring, with senators being elected the next fall. The result is that Student Senate doesn't really get to work until part way into the fall semester, said Whiteaker.

Senators, he said, are now considering holding elections for officers and senators in the spring. "We're also thinking of having 30 members instead of 50."

Whiteaker said Student Government is working on a number of issues, from campus lighting to student transportation.

"We're also working on a student activity fee, which could be implemented in the fall," he noted.

Whiteaker said many schools have such fees, which go to help fund student organizations and other activities.

Martin said he took no enjoyment over the impeachment proceedings. "It's unfortunate that it had to happen.

But he added, "In order to get things running, that's just what had to be done."