2008 Woodie Awards
Investigation concludes; Barone retains title as executive president
Sarah Thompson
Issue date: 4/20/06 Section: News
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Although Student Government Association (SGA) elections were held last month, the student body was, for several weeks, unsure of who would be next year's executive president, as president-elect Jamal Barone became the subject of a campaign investigation.
After an inquiry into Barone's campaign practices, no wrongdoing was found, and he will retain his title as president, according to Associate Dean of Students Sharon Duffy.
The investigation was concluded April 11, at which time Barone's opponent David Vaughan, Dean of Students Ronald Ludman and current SGA president Kirsten Daniel were informed of the decision.
Vaughan, who brought the charges against Barone, is SGA Chief Justice and would have conducted the investigation himself but could not because he ran against Barone, Duffy said. Duffy instead considered the charges, she said.
Vaughan, a junior organizational and political communication major, said he filed charges after a student raised a concern about something Barone did at a computer lab in the Walker Building. Students were able to vote online from any computer, including those in the lab. Candidates may not campaign in polling places, Vaughan said. He declined to specify Barone's alleged transgression.
Barone, a junior marketing communication major, said he was never informed of the specific nature of the charges brought against him.
"I knew that I ran my campaign honestly, so I'm glad [the investigation] is over," he said.
Barone said that to avoid future allegations regarding campaign practices, the computer kiosks outside of the Little Building dining hall could be exclusively designated as polls.
Vaughan said that in Duffy's investigation, she found that only seven people had voted from the lab in question. According to SGA Elections Commissioner Brad Dye, Barone won by 69 votes. Because of the margin, Duffy determined that any wrongdoing would not have had enough of an impact to change the outcome of the election, Vaughan said.
After an inquiry into Barone's campaign practices, no wrongdoing was found, and he will retain his title as president, according to Associate Dean of Students Sharon Duffy.
The investigation was concluded April 11, at which time Barone's opponent David Vaughan, Dean of Students Ronald Ludman and current SGA president Kirsten Daniel were informed of the decision.
Vaughan, who brought the charges against Barone, is SGA Chief Justice and would have conducted the investigation himself but could not because he ran against Barone, Duffy said. Duffy instead considered the charges, she said.
Vaughan, a junior organizational and political communication major, said he filed charges after a student raised a concern about something Barone did at a computer lab in the Walker Building. Students were able to vote online from any computer, including those in the lab. Candidates may not campaign in polling places, Vaughan said. He declined to specify Barone's alleged transgression.
Barone, a junior marketing communication major, said he was never informed of the specific nature of the charges brought against him.
"I knew that I ran my campaign honestly, so I'm glad [the investigation] is over," he said.
Barone said that to avoid future allegations regarding campaign practices, the computer kiosks outside of the Little Building dining hall could be exclusively designated as polls.
Vaughan said that in Duffy's investigation, she found that only seven people had voted from the lab in question. According to SGA Elections Commissioner Brad Dye, Barone won by 69 votes. Because of the margin, Duffy determined that any wrongdoing would not have had enough of an impact to change the outcome of the election, Vaughan said.
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