Editorial: ASNMSU limps to the finish line in what has been an embarrassing year
More stories from Derek Gonzales
When former ASNMSU president Kevin Prieto graduated a year ago, he took along with him a leadership style the student government needed to operate in a correct and honorable manner.
ASNMSU is supposed to represent the student body but if that serves true, the students should be nothing short of embarrassed of what their so-called “representatives” have done on their behalf.
First off, the elected president of the student body is currently under the final stages of an impeachment process that started when he was recorded on video by a senator appearing to be inebriated at an event.
People make mistakes but what could have been brewing from within to have a senator go out of their way to spark an impeachment resolution on their president instead of using their time to create bills to improve the experience of the student body?
Instead of uniting for the betterment of the government, it appears that the senators are divided. Emerson Morrow was rumored to resign before today’s hearing on his impeachment but has yet to do so and it is just another of resources and time being wasted on things other than working for the students.
Morrow has also implied that the behavior of senators has been unethical.
In a feature story written by The Round Up after news of his impeachment broke, Morrow said that in talking to students and faculty, they recognized the actions of those senators as “petty politics.” The senate and executive are meant to provide a checks and balances for each other and that can cause tensions according to Morrow.
“It does seem very hypocritical,” Morrow said. “Given the way that senators choose to behave.”
Being a part of the university’s student government should be something that is worn with pride and comes with a responsibility. It has been clear that ASNMSU has had trouble the entire year maintaining even a respectable reputation on campus. Students have voiced their displeasure with their operation seemingly all year on social media.
Director of Community Outreach Ryan May ended his remarks at the last senate acknowledging the dysfunction that has swirled around and made it clear that things needed to improve quickly. May said he left the executive meeting feeling attacked and confused and said people not part of ASNMSU don’t like senate because of the reputation that they think they have “god complexes.” May referenced how time was spent during a senate meeting last semester arguing over the definition of genocide regarding Resolution 23 and Indigenous People’s Day.
May finished his remarks by saying that that is not what senate is about and that they need to realize they can do better.
How can they be better exactly?
There is no one thing for ASNMSU that could fix the abundance of issues they currently have. Having the student body’s best interests at the forefront of their concern would be a good start instead of most of them having different agendas to try and push that have nothing to do with working for the students.
They should be a team and work together as such.
Their public relations department does not have much to say unless it has to do with a free t-shirt they are giving out on campus or a tailgate they are having and that has to change. Instead of being forthcoming with information, that department rarely responds to email requests or uses their social media to provide followers with relevant information that has to do with how their student fee money is being spent.
Things need to change quickly. NMSU students deserve a lot better.
Derek E. Gonzales enters his third year as an employee of the New Mexico State University Round Up and first as the Editor-in-Chief. The homegrown product...
Anonymous • Apr 18, 2019 at 11:32 PM
As a student I used the free taxi services every time I traveled or my car broke down. I have also used their free shuttle service so I didn’t have to leave my car at the airport. I have also gotten all of my scantrons through them and attended multiple conferences around the world thanks to the funding they have available to all students. I have also gotten to use the motor scooters that they brought to campus and paid for the first few rides. I could go on, but if you don’t think ASNMSU can prove to students what they do to benefit students this year it’s only because you don’t pay attention.
Anonymous • Apr 18, 2019 at 3:56 PM
As a student, the only benefits from ASNMSU I have received this year was a t-shirt and a concert where many people were on drugs. Also, I am yet to hear one thing ASNMSU has accomplished besides impeach the president.
The senators wouldn’t be so upset with this article if they actually could prove to the students what they have accomplished this year besides this recent drama.
Lame Duck • Apr 16, 2019 at 7:50 PM
Interesting how you took the time to publish in-depth Emerson Morrow’s comments and accusations (both here and in other articles), but only have a single article from the Senator’s side (that came from your political correspondent). You have freedom to write what you want, but if you had a shred of journalistic integrity/diligence you would have brought some of your questions to Senators or shown up to a meeting. I guarantee you would have gotten answers to what you (falsely) speculate here.
Anonymous • Apr 16, 2019 at 1:30 PM
Derek, I don’t know where you get the impression that this impeachment showed a lack of unity among the Senate. The resolution literally needed a 3/4 vote to pass. If the federal government had a single shred of unity, they would have impeached our President of the United States months ago. Ensuring a high standard of accountability–even if that means an impeachment–is not a thing to be reproached.
Anonymous • Apr 15, 2019 at 3:21 AM
Hello Derek,
Isn’t it the day before this editorial that you received the letter from Emerson Morrow stating that your SFRB request got denied?
This feels like retaliation from the Round-Up with almost everything in this post “fake news”.
First, the Senate needs to be united to begin impeachment. Impeachment is not something one Senator can initiate.
Second, looking at the facts, it seems this year was, in fact, one of the most eminent and noteworthy for ASNMSU. It is unfortunate that the Round-Up was not around to cover for these occasions.
Third, Mr. Ryan May has time and again acted unprofessionally as the director of Community Outreach. As a student at NMSU, I had higher expectations from a presidential candidate. Doesn’t feel like he can handle failure. Glad he is not the President.
Fourth, I have interned at ASNMSU and did see our ‘Elected’ Senators put in a lot of time and effort their work, more than that of any other position at NMSU. I support their decision to holding their peers accountable. Emerson Morrow has been a good president, but being intoxicated while representing students is grounds for removal from office. Imagine a board of regent member shows up to their job completely intoxicated, and the rest of the Board of Regents ignore it? The Round-Up would have written a very different article in such a situation.
Lastly, PR is the most respectable Dept in ASNMSU with a lot more social media following than the Round-Up. Why the hate against them?
With articles like this, the Round-Up will never rise up to the level of professionalism that ASNMSU has.
Anonymous • Apr 14, 2019 at 3:32 AM
Nice smear article, going out of your way to only provide one side of the story and intentionally misunderstanding how government works. Implying “petty politics” as a motive for this is shaky-at-best, considering these college students gained nothing from this and everyone seems unhappy right as finals approach.
Of course, you can’t expect much if your president is a narcissistic alcoholic. Emerson will be fine though, he has some nice privilege. If someone with a different skin color or gender did the same things he did, they would have been fired at the beginning of the year by the same Univ. admin currently shielding him.
Anonymous • Apr 14, 2019 at 3:18 AM
Good smear article that goes out of it’s way not to include the full story and instead ride on speculation and misunderstanding of how these roles work. Implying motive with “petty politics” doesn’t seem to make much sense if it looks like no one has anything to gain from this and all seem unhappy right as finals roll around.
Of course, you can’t expect much if their president was a narcissistic alcoholic. Emerson will be fine though, he has some nice privilege. If someone with a different skin color or gender did the same things he did, they would have been fired at the beginning of the year by the Univ. admin currently shielding him.
Anonymous • Apr 13, 2019 at 5:11 AM
Resign
Anonymous • Apr 12, 2019 at 5:49 PM
Derek, I am impressed with what you have said here. As someone who has served in ASNMSU for two years in the past, I can assure you that while this may have been an extreme case, the organization is rarely functioning well. Petty politics was always a part of the organization. If you are in the executive branch one year, and want to reapply for your position, you better kiss some serious ass. The hiring of the executive board is almost never based off of who is the most skilled, but rather who you know. When Matt Bose was president two years ago, he appointed one of his fraternity brothers as the chief of staff. The two of them then filled around half of the executive board with fellow members of their fraternity. While they may have been qualified for those positions, they were by no means the most qualified applicants.
The senators also do walk around with a god complex, that cannot be denied and is a common joke among ASNMSU members. Many of them refer to each other as ‘senator’ even during casual conversation, and take themselves way too seriously. With how reactive many senators are, I am surprised that the senate has not fallen apart either.
I am trying to figure out how to respond to your ideas about the public relations department. In the past, PR has only even been used to promo gear, fliers, or manage social media. There was often never a need for them to respond to anything like this, as individual questions would go to the individual directors. They may not have realized that this would have been a good time for them to release an official statement, or to answer questions to emails.
Emerson Marrow’s presidency may have been weak compared to other years at ASNMSU, but it was not that far behind. The student government is a good organization to have around, and should be held to a higher standard, and that includes the students who participate in it.
anonymous student • Apr 12, 2019 at 3:08 PM
Derek,
Did you not get a shirt once from ASNMU? Why are you salty against ASNMSU? Students voice their opinions when they do not get something free. How about you compare all of the things AS has done for NMSU this year compared to UNM. Our student government has done much more than any another Student Government. They are always willing to fight for us students. Is Emerson your best friend? Because to me it sounds like you are against our Student Government. Can you also show proof where you have asked the Public Relations for comments, and request? Because from the sound of your article it looks as if you are just writing this article off hear say. Instead of going straight to the department and ask exactly what I happened. I am a student, and I believe AS is doing a phenomenal job. I have never seen so many students take part in ASNMSU events until this year.
Ehtesham Shareef • Apr 12, 2019 at 11:55 AM
How about giving ASNMSU the chance to explain why they did what they did?