Georgetown University Student Association President Ryan DuBose (CAS ‘02) vetoed a resolution passed by the GUSA assembly Tuesday night in a nine-to-four vote. This is the first time a GUSA president has exercised the executive veto power in recent memory.
The resolution, proposed by GUSA representatives Luis Torres (CAS ‘05) and Steve Glickman (CAS ‘02), suggested the submission of an amicus curiae brief in support of the University of Michigan as it defends its use of race in its admissions policy before an appeals court today.
According to Jake Klonoski (SFS ‘02), a member of the Georgetown Student Coalition for a Diverse Community who presented the resolution to the GUSA assembly, a letter from Georgetown would heavily influence the justices’ decision, should the case reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We think the University should take a stand in the case that most clearly represents the latest legal assault on affirmative action,” Klonoski said.
Several GUSA members were in support of the resolution. “This seems like a really good idea,” said GUSA representative Nazareth Haysbert (CAS ‘05). “I think we should go ahead and pass it right now.”
DuBose encouraged the assembly to postpone passing the resolution and suggested that the representatives do more research and survey more students’ opinions before passing a resolution that might incur such significant effects. DuBose sent GUSA members his written veto of the resolution Wednesday.
“Let me say from the very beginning that I strongly and unequivocally believe that maintaining a diverse student body is absolutely critical to Georgetown’s academic excellence,” wrote DuBose in his veto.
DuBose cited several reasons for vetoing the resolution. These included the representatives’ failure to solicit adequate input from the student body, their lack of knowledge regarding the University of Michigan case and the lack of time constraints on the resolution’s passing as justifications for his veto.
“Only after adequate research on the topic has been completed and following ample dialogue where they can hear the wide variety of voices from the students should they make their decision as representatives of the undergraduate student population at Georgetown University,” DuBose wrote.
The GUSA president to veto a resolution was John Cronan (CAS ‘98), according to DuBose.
