Incoming Undergraduate Student Government Vice President Shayanna Hinkle-Moore resigned from her position Thursday. Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Pierce

Incoming Undergraduate Student Government Vice President Shayanna Hinkle-Moore resigned from her position Thursday.

Hinkle-Moore, a third-year in city and regional planning, said she decided that staying in the job would be detrimental to her mental health. She said she is unsure who will replace her.

“I know my work ethic and that I put my all into my work, and oftentimes it leaves me, as an individual, at a loss because I’ll be burnt out or I will be putting my all into my academics,” Hinkle-Moore said. “I know that if I did this job, that if I continue forward to being the vice president, that I would be putting myself and the student body at a disservice.”

In an email to the USG Elections Committee obtained by The Lantern, Hinkle-Moore said her resignation will take effect Friday.

Hinkle-Moore’s resignation follows recent controversy over extortion accusations after she asked another student for $30 in exchange for the student’s lost ID. However, she said her decision had nothing to do with the situation.

“It wasn’t good for my mental health, just because as a student, it’s a lot to wake up and see thousands of people think you’re this horrible person,” Hinkle-Moore said. “But that didn’t really play into me choosing to resign — I know who I am as an individual, I know what my leadership is like and that situation didn’t play a part in my resigning.”

Mahika Mushuni, a fourth-year in economics who lost her ID and tweeted screenshots of her September 2021 email exchange with Hinkle-Moore, said she tweeted about it as a joke. She said Hinkle-Moore returned it, without any money paid, about a week after the email exchange.

Hinkle-Moore said her request for $30 was also a joke. Mushuni’s tweet and Hinkle-Moore’s now-private tweets explaining the situation led to Hinkle-Moore receiving backlash on social media.

Andrew Pierce, a third-year in public policy and analysis and incoming USG president, said in a statement he looks forward to seeing Hinkle-Moore’s future accomplishments outside of USG. He said he is still looking forward to working on his and Hinkle-Moore’s commitment to engagement, affordability, safety and equity in the future. 

“For the campaign team, we are excited to transition into USG leadership during the next few weeks and are focused on implementing our Policy with E.A.S.E. advocacy points,” Pierce said. 

Pierce said the application for USG vice president and other senior staff positions that have not been filled yet will be available on the USG website Monday evening.

Hinkle-Moore said despite her resignation, she still plans to advocate for students next year however she can.

Hinkle-Moore said in an email to the Elections Committee that she trusts Pierce’s leadership. She said she admires his dedication to amplifying the voices and work of underrepresented students.

“I understand the magnitude of the opportunity I am giving up and the disappointment that some may feel,” Hinkle-Moore said. “I have complete faith in each member of our team to create revolutionary organizational, and university-wide change.”

Pierce has been supportive of her decision, although Hinkle-Moore said he is disappointed the pair won’t work together next year.

“We’ve known each other since high school; we’re really good friends and he’s the only person I would have been on this journey with,” Hinkle-Moore said. “I had to let him know like, ‘I’m trusting you to move forward with this by yourself, not yourself honestly, like with the rest of the student government, to make Ohio State a better place.’”