MSA president impeached

By Jenna Youngs

Published April 30, 2004

The Missouri Students Association Senate impeached MSA President Brian Laoruangroch on Tuesday night after 33 senators signed a petition to impeach him. The Senate will hold a trial next week to decide if Laoruangroch should be removed from office.

This is the first time an MSA president has been impeached. In 1981, MSA Senate brought a bill to impeach President Gail Snider, but the bill later was dropped.

In order to remove Laoruangroch from office, three-fourths of the senators present would have to vote to remove him. If Laoruangroch is removed from office, Vice President Kara Heppermann would become president and would appoint a vice president.

"I'm very afraid," Laoruangroch said. "I'm trying to pass on projects to make sure they get completed because whether or not I'm guilty, there's a good chance I'll be gone next week."

Senate Speaker Damon Ferlazzo and Senator Danny French filed a resolution Monday to censure Laoruangroch with the possibility to amend the bill to impeach him.

Several committees passed the resolution to censure Laoruangroch on Tuesday, but the petition impeaching him is separate legislation. According to the resolution and the petition, Laoruangroch "engaged in inappropriate activities at official functions of the university and Association which were disrespectful, unfortunate, shameful and reckless."

The resolution and petition said Laoruangroch has not effectively represented the undergraduate student body.

Ferlazzo said he decided to act against Laoruangroch when he witnessed Laoruangroch's behavior at the Geyer Awards dinner April 21. Ferlazzo said Laoruangroch, 20, appeared intoxicated. According to the petition, Laoruangroch drank alcohol "in the presence of Chancellor (Richard) Wallace, Deputy Chancellor (Mike) Middleton, other university officials, students, alumni, sponsors, state Senators and state representatives."

Ferlazzo said that when he and a few other MSA members confronted Laoruangroch about his behavior, Laoruangroch bragged about drinking at nine of the past 10 university events.

"That comment pushed it all over the edge," Ferlazzo said.

Laoruangroch said he consumed three glasses of wine between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

"What I did was wrong," he said. "I shouldn't have drank. But I think the issue is not me drinking in front of administrators because other MSA presidents have done so in the past, and other students attending the meeting were drinking. The issue is that I was underage. If drinking underage is warrant for my impeachment, then that's what I deserve. But students knew about me drinking before I was elected."

MU spokeswoman Mary Jo Banken said Wallace and Middleton said they had no knowledge of the incident.

Rep. Vicky Riback Wilson, who attended the dinner, said she spoke with Laoruangroch at the end of the event and did not think he appeared intoxicated.

Ferlazzo said he does not think Laoruangroch can accurately represent the student body when he is drinking.

"It is his supreme duty to represent the students," Ferlazzo said. "He can argue that he can represent the student while intoxicated. I don't think he can."

Although the original resolution called for a censure, Ferlazzo said impeachment was appropriate.

"If we don't go all the way with this, we're showing a lack of resolve," he said. "If we decide only to censure him, it says that we think he's a bad representative of the student body but we're still keeping him on as that representative."

Several senators said they and administrators have confronted Laoruangroch privately about behavior they think is inappropriate, but Laoruangroch has not changed that behavior.

Operations Committee Chairwoman Amy Engelkenjohn said she talked to Laoruangroch about his behavior a few weeks ago and thought he would change it.

"At that time we had a great conversation and I thought he would begin to listen to Kara and stop," she said. "It's not getting better."

Laoruangroch said he thinks he has accomplished a lot as president.

"It comes down to whether they are looking for a president who looks good for the university or someone who does good for the university," he said. "I've done a lot of things such as extending computer lab hours, the library hours, finalizing the Blue Lights, working on expanding Mizzou Idol to include alumni and non-Greeks and adding &#39diversity' to the values. These are all tangible things that the students can see. I feel like I'm hitting full stride as president now."

The Senate will debate whether to remove Laoruangroch from office Wednesday night in a closed trial after an open forum in which students can voice their opinions.

"We need to talk to everybody on campus," Engelkenjohn said. "We need as much input and advice as possible. It is our responsibility to make sure the students' voice is represented."

French said the trial would be closed to allow senators to speak freely. Although other senators have said the trial also would be closed to protect Laoruangroch, Laoruangroch has requested the trial be open to the public.

"I should be a role model," he said. "I shouldn't be a machine. I'm human, I make mistakes."