Santa Fe College has a new Student Body president two-thirds through the term.
Doug Bagby, a Student Government adviser, announced during Wednesday’s Senate meeting that Student Body President Michael Chartier is stepping down without explanation.
“I was surprised,” said Benjamin Myers, director of Internal Affairs. “But that’s his decision. If he had to do it, he had to do it.”
During the Senate meeting, the former Student Body Vice President Austin Browning was sworn in as the new president, and the former Student Government Treasurer Aadil Muhammad was sworn in as the new vice president.
Last semester, Chartier and Student Senate President Jeremy Pierce argued to the point that the college had to order the two to not be in the same room while on campus.
Since then, Chartier has not attended Senate meetings.
Sen. Connor Levine said he was confused as to why Chartier stepped down.
“I would love to get a statement from someone at administration if it had anything to do with our Senate president,” he said.
Levine also speculated that it could have had something to do with Santa Fe’s decision in December to stop paying Student Government leaders. They were previously paid minimum wage for 10 hours per week.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 1/29/2015 under the headline “Santa Fe Student Body president steps down"]