The Judicial Board held the first rounds of hearings on the Student Government's time sheet controversy this past week with an estimated eight hours of testimony from members of the SG, which revealed President Ashley Mushnick backdated time sheets.
The investigation will continue with more hearings in order to resolve whether any further misconduct on the part of anyone in the Executive Branch occurred.
The time sheets Chief of Staff Kristian Hoysradt and Comptroller Rob Donigian presented to the Undergraduate Senate Oct. 1 included a complete set of Mushnick's time sheets that were dated throughout the summer, The Eagle previously reported.
In testimony this week by Mushnick and members of the cabinet, it came to light she had backdated approximately five of her own time sheets.
When the request from the Senate was initially submitted to Donigian, Mushnick requested to see the time sheets she had already filled out, then went through and backdated the remaining sheets.
Mushnick maintained there was no emphasis placed on time sheets by Donigian, although she periodically did fill out time sheets over the summer. Mushnick said she did not ask any members of the cabinet to fill out or backdate timesheets, as some anonymous SG members have claimed.
Mushnick defended herself, saying she felt "backed into a corner" by the original Senate inquiry, and there was no intention to mislead because over the summer she maintained a detailed date book.
Hoysradt testified twice within five days. In his second testimony Monday night, he opened with an emotionally charged speech expressing his frustration with the entire situation.
Hoysradt, who had defended Mushnick from any wrongdoing in his first testimony, said he was angry Mushnick was not more open to him about the situation in his second testimony.
"[I] spoke on behalf of her to the newspaper, essentially lying and telling the students that the cabinet had been as honest as possible, when, in fact, Ashley was not even completely honest with me," he said.
Hoysradt also said he feared for the image of the SG in the next month.
"Everyone here needs to ask themselves, is this really appropriate? Is this really what the students of this school want or even care about? I say no, most people in this room will say no, and I assure you that the majority of students on this campus say no," Hoysradt said.
The investigation
The judicial order that launched last week's formal investigation was authored by Judicial Board Chairman Joe Vidulich, who was a presidential candidate in last year's SG elections along with Mushnick and former Class of 2006 Senator Rob Boisseau. The order states the board will look into "alleged financial misconduct and wrongdoing by the Executive Branch." Vidulich was nominated by Mushnick and confirmed by the Senate as chairman last month. The non-voting chairman oversees the four-member Judicial Board, which has one open seat.
The initial investigation stemmed from a letter co-authored by Speaker of the Senate Ben Murray and Class of 2008 Senator Charlie Biscotto requesting summer time sheets from the executives and Executive Cabinet.
After the Senate's request, the Judicial Board began receiving evidence that a possible cover-up was taking place. A letter submitted to the Judicial Board as evidence states that few of Mushnick's time sheets were filled out and turned in over the summer. It claimed that most of the time sheets were filled out and backdated in September.
The author of the letter is known to the Judicial Board but is not being released to the public.
Mushnick denied this in her testimony. "This statement that most of mine were filled out in September is absolutely false," she said.
The job of the comptroller
Class of 2007 Senator Zach Ulrich, last year's SG Comptroller, said time sheets are important but he believes the SG needs to focus their efforts where it matters the most.
"While I think it's important to keep an accurate record of how people spend the Student Activity fee, I think we need to balance that with running the Student Government efficiently and focusing on issues that are more directly relevant to the average student," Ulrich said. Ulrich said there was "absolutely, of course" an emphasis placed on time sheets when he transitioned current Comptroller Rob Donigian, a senior in the Kogod School of Business, into the position.
In testimony, Donigian said there was a lack of emphasis put on the time sheets by Student Activities, and the transition time with Ulrich was brief, although time sheets were mentioned.
The Judicial Board questioned Donigian on his submission to the Summer Executive Report, in which Donigian wrote: "I completed and submitted all necessary paperwork to hire and pay all summer employees of the Student Government. I have tracked and maintained records of hours worked for every member of the SG who received a summer stipend over the last four months."
Donigian said writing that statement was a "misjudgment" and that he based his report on the one filed by Ulrich the year before.
Some cabinet members testified in private
The testimony of Secretary Carrie Johnson and Associate Comptroller David Gates last Thursday prompted the board to move into deliberative, or closed, session. During testimony, the Judicial Board can move into deliberative session, where only the board and the member testifying are present. Testimony given during deliberative session is not a part of public record, although it can be used in the recommendations produced by the Judicial Board.
Three other members' testimonies also were heard in deliberative session: Vice President Pat McGill, Student Advocacy Center Director Nick Johnson and Murray, who is also a member of the Executive Cabinet through his position as the director of Information Technology.
Cabinet eager to focus on work
The Judicial Board heard testimony from all of the executives as well as the entire Executive Cabinet.
Cabinet members who testified in open session expressed shared views that they understand filling out time sheets is a requirement of their position but would like to be able to get back to their work on behalf of the student body.
"This is taking time away from what I should be doing, advocating for the students at American University, and I can't do that if I have to worry about this kind of thing," said JoAnna Smith, director of Women's Initiative.
In testimony, Kennedy Political Union Director Taylor Robinson explained her use of correctional fluid on her time sheets. "I thought it was in my best interest to fill out time sheets and to produce an accurate record to the best of my knowledge of the time worked," Robinson said. "At the time I filled them out, I did indeed backdate them."
Robinson said she then took the backdated sheets back and dated them properly, as she did not want to commit fraud.
More hearings to come
The testimonies heard by the Judicial Board were part of the first round of testimony, according to Vidulich. Some members may be asked back for clarification on their previous testimonies.
Student Union Board Director George Eveleth will be asked back for the second round of testimonies, Vidulich said. Donigian has requested to speak a second time with the board, he added.
After all testimony has been heard, the investigation will conclude with a report produced by the Judicial Board for the executives and Undergraduate Senate with recommendations, according to Vidulich, who hopes to have this accomplished within two weeks.
"Our intentions are to determine a finding of fact, not to punish; that is not our role," Vidulich said. "We will be making recommendations as to bylaws changes and actions to be carried out in the future." Audio transcripts of the hearings are available on request by contacting the Judicial Board at jb@ausg.org.
Eagle Staff Writer Jess Reamy contributed to this report.
