New Associated Students president is appointed after the summer impeachment of Ethan LeVering

Wysdem Singleton was appointed as the new Associated Students president after Ethan LeVering was impeached on July 1. LeVering had been voted into office at the end of last semester on May 10 and after 21 days sent his resignation email to Executive Director Kendra Higgins on May 3

LeVering explained in an email to Higgins and members of the AS board that his priority was being Physical Site Co-director of the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT). He was also under the impression that if he resigned, the vote-in candidate Ray Evans would be the next president. When LeVering found out that Vice President Singleton would be replacing him, he rescinded his resignation. 

In June multiple members of the AS board sent emails to Legislative Vice President of AS, Eduardo Cruz asking him to draft the articles of impeachment. They were Co-authored by Social Justice and Equity Officer Ana Martinez, Student Affairs Vice President Amy Nava, Environmental Sustainability Officer Camille Fisher and the new president Singleton. 

Fisher, Nava and Martinez have all declined to comment on the impeachment.

First AS Board Meeting  

At the very first AS Board meeting almost all the staff members were new except for former At-Large Student Rep for the AS Board, Sam Parker. Parker, who is a former friend of LeVering, explained that during that meeting LeVering wanted to amend the whole schedule, which added an extra 30 minutes to the meeting. LeVering was attempting to create new ad hoc committees; one on graduate affairs and one for student safety. This was unusual in the first meeting and confused all the new AS board members. 

“We had a very simple agenda but he tried to amend it to create all these committees and bring in all these new people, without doing the interview process,” said Parker. 

Higgins and Cruz responded to El Leñador with the same email quoting the articles of impeachment.They stated that LeVering was impeached, “for neglecting duties, misusing power, and causing tension within the board. His actions, including unauthorized appointments and poor communication, led to his removal from office. The Board found his behavior severe enough to justify impeachment. They decided to proceed with his removal from office.” 

Panetta Institute

LeVering was sent to the Panetta Institute for Public Policy to attend as a representative of Cal Poly Humboldt. All new AS presidents are sent to this institution for leader training and receive university credit for participating. 

“I felt a little contended about going, I have my own feelings about the state department and CIA that makes me feel like AS should not be sending our representatives there,” LeVering said. 

Based on a recorded meeting held June 20, LeVering had not participated in the activities during his stay at the Panetta Institute. Dean of Students Dr. Mitch Mitchell, said he was told that LeVering had disappeared for several hours and no one could get in contact with him. When LeVering returned, members of the Panetta Institute asked if he was okay but responded,“I rather not talk about it.” 

On the first day of being at the Panetta Institute, LeVerning had gone with other members at the institute to a golf course. LeVering was “upset by the environmental degradation.” Based on his recollection, he stepped away for about 30 minutes. LeVering felt it was “inappropriate” that he was brought to this “million dollar golf course.” Members of the Panetta Institute contacted the Cal Poly Humboldt administration to let them know what was going on with LeVering. 

After that first day, Higgins had arranged for LeVering to get on a flight back to Arcata. Higgins sent LeVering five text messages trying to notify him of the flight time and location but LeVering responded saying he was feeling sick. LeVering missed the flight, costing the AS $438.97. Higgins offered to pick LeVering up from Monterey but he ordered a Lyft to San Francisco which cost the AS another $164.70. The AS board found this to be a misuse of funds.

When asked about what happened at the Panetta Institute regarding LeVering’s behavior, Mitchell said, “Our students need to model certain behaviors and  expectations and that is within the institution and without.” 

Impeachment Board Meeting July 1

Initially, six people were needed to vote in favor of expulsion, which means impeachment for the AS president. Members who were attending this meeting via Zoom, kept dropping in and out of the meeting causing multiple revotes. During each roll call (vote) Parker abstained. 

LeVering was given the opportunity to address the board and expressed he wanted either another chance as president or change his sanction to something that would not lead to impeachment. The AS board voted to keep the sanction of expulsion. 

One last roll call was done and because there were not enough people at the board meeting to constitute a two-thirds majority vote, Parker who had previously abstained from voting, was forced to vote. Parker was the deciding vote and voted in favor of the impeachment. Since the impeachment Parker has resigned as At-Large Student Rep for the AS board.

“If you are going to be president, you have to be all in,” Parker said. 

Future of AS board 

Singleton says the AS board plans to help students with voter registration, set up a ballot box on campus for this year’s election and wants to strengthen relationships between students and administration. Singleton will be on the presidential search committee to find a permanent president and hopes to fill more seats and retain students on the AS board. Singleton wants students to know who the AS board is while also, “Making sure that AS still lives and breathes as a separate auxilly.”