Three senators representing the Student Alliance party announced their new affiliation with the Progress Party after voicing their dissatisfaction with the policies of their former party.
Student Alliance party Sen. Alan Martin, who represents graduate students; Jose Soto, a summer replacement senator who represents graduate students; and Tim Johnson, a replacement senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, cited campaign tactics and internal politics as their reasons for switching their party affiliation.
Martin said statements made by Student Alliance party members led him to believe the Student Alliance party was responsible for swastika fliers distributed across campus in February before the Student Government election.
Martin also said he was led to believe Student Alliance party Sen. Graham Clark was chosen by the party to appear on the ballot because he threatened to turn the party website into a pornographic website.
“I can’t prove any of this,” Martin said. “It is possible given everything I heard that there is a more innocent explanation. I just felt like I had to do something.”
Student Alliance party Senate leader Jonathan Ossip said any statements Martin overheard were meant as sarcastic jokes. He denies the Student Alliance party had anything to do with the fliers or slated anyone who was undeserving.
The Student Alliance party, which was formed when the Progress Party and the Orange and Blue Party merged, is not splitting apart, Ossip said.
Unite Party Sen. Ben Meyers, who represents the agricultural college, said his party has always worked well with the Progress Party.
“We are definitely looking forward to working with Progress,” he said.
“All of our senators are obviously on board with our policy and fighting for students’ rights, which is what we’re here for,” Ossip said.
Former Progress Party Sen. Dave Schneider said there are no definite plans to re-launch the Progress Party or put it on the SG ballot for the fall.
“We’re still taking it one step at a time,” Schneider said.
During the meeting, senators also unanimously passed a resolution calling for the continued cleanup of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and for more safety regulations that would prevent such a spill in the future.
Two additional agency directors were unanimously approved in the Senate. Andrew Fagin will be the new Student Government Productions director and Sara Makda will be the new director of Students Taking Action Against Racism.
