Getting the story straight

Students who are confused about the recent actions of USG are not alone; even USG President Robert “B.J.” Schuerger cannot seem to keep things right.

In an article in a Columbus newspaper yesterday, Schuerger contradicted many of his previous statements to the Lantern concerning the allocation of USG funds.

The questions, which have caused the Ohio State administration to conduct an investigation of USG, stem from a $2,250 stipend given to USG Chief-of-Staff Keller Blackburn by Schuerger and Vice President Juan Cespedes out of their executive discretionary fund.

Schuerger told the Lantern in a Feb. 5 article that during winter break Cespedes and he decided to give Blackburn a stipend after seeing all the work he put in fall quarter.

However, in yesterday’s Dispatch article he said, “The decision to give that stipend was never made. Suddenly, Juan and Keller decide to cut these checks, and I’m unaware of it.”

In the Feb. 5 Lantern article Schuerger said the idea of paying the chief-of-staff came from attending student government conferences in the summer and finding out that student governments at other schools have policies of giving their chief-of-staffs stipends.

Yesterday, in regard to this comment, Schuerger said that he and Cespedes had discussed the possibility of giving Blackburn a stipend but never reached a final decision.

When Schuerger was asked why he initially told the Lantern that he signed the check given to Blackburn, but now claims he was unaware the stipend was being issued to Blackburn, Schuerger’s only comment was that he was sticking by Cespedes and trusting his judgment. He said it was only after the Feb. 5 Lantern article ran that he became aware the funds were used to pay for an expensive dinner at Mitchell’s Steak House.

Schuerger, who attended the dinner, said in the article that Blackburn and “others” paid for the dinner. He also said the stipend and the dinner had no connection to each other.

However, in yesterday’s Dispatch, Schuerger said Blackburn paid for a dinner at Mitchell’s Steak House with discretionary student-government money from a check that Cespedes had written using Schuerger’s signature.

Schuerger said Cespedes had the authority to sign checks using his name. He said that he didn’t know that the check was being cut, and that he didn’t know Cespedes and Blackburn had planned on using it for the dinner at Mitchell’s Steak House.

But in the Feb. 5 Lantern article, Schuerger said the checks written to Blackburn were signed by himself and USG Treasurer Mike Federer.

On Feb. 11, Blackburn resigned as USG chief-of-staff, saying he was upset with what was going on inside of USG. Schuerger said he asked Blackburn to resign because he had misused USG funds.

Blackburn said that is an outright lie. “B.J. never asked for my resignation, I gave it to him,” Blackburn said.

Because of Blackburn’s resignation, Schuerger said it is yet to be determined if Blackburn will be asked to return part of the $1000 stipend he received for winter quarter. “Once the investigation by the university is complete, the final decision as to what will happen with the stipend will be made,” he said.

Rich Hollingsworth, a special assistant to Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Hall, is in charge of the administration’s investigation. He said the primary part of the first phase of the investigation concluded yesterday. The first phase consists of the investigation of USG misconduct.

The misconduct includes the checks written to Blackburn and the theft of Lanterns Feb. 5. The Lantern business office is currently maintaining that at least 1,000 newspapers were stolen.

Hollingsworth said the second phase of his investigation, which has not yet begun, will investigate the relationship between the university and all its student governments. The student governments include USG, the Council of Graduate of Students and the Inter-Professional Council.

Hall said it is important that the university resolve this matter. “Students place their trust in their elected representatives. The elected representatives are custodians of student funds and of student interests. They have to be respectful of the students and act in the students’ best interests, not in the interests of themselves.”

In related matters, Schuerger said he is in the process of going over candidates to fill the role of USG vice president, which was left vacant with the Sunday resignation of Cespedes. Cespedes did not return calls seeking comment.

Even amidst the speculation that he and USG officers under his leadership misused funds and power, Schuerger remains steadfast in his commitment to USG. “I will not resign. Anyone who thinks I will is caught up in wishful thinking,” he said. He also said that he intends to run for re-election next quarter.

According to Blackburn, if Schuerger does not resign by the end of the week, the USG Senate will impeach him.