Student Walk Out of SGA Senate Meeting

Two students walked out of the Student Government Association senate meeting at JMU on Tuesday, after the passing of the resolution for a recognition of "Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.”

Tuesday was the final SGA meeting for the 108th student senate. As per tradition, the senior members of the senate allegedly get intoxicated to attend the meeting. This created a loud environment among the senate in Madison Union 256.

The first order of business was a resolution proposed by senators Leia Surovell and Carson Sullivan, in conjunction with Armenian student Adrik Bagdasarian, to be voted on by the student body. Bagdasarian spoke on the resolution and what it meant to him, including stories about his great-grandfather’s experience in the Armenian Genocide.

“When you are asking people to vote for something you are passionate about, and you’ve had family experience with, you have to touch on emotion and what it means to you,” said Bagdasarian.

After Bagdasarian finished his speech, the resolution was immediately motioned for unanimous consent, seconded, and passed. Sullivan stood up following the passing and spoke to the members of the senate who were allegedly talking and creating distractions during Bagdasarian’s speech.

“The severity of this issue is not a time to be joking around,” said Sullivan. “I’ve observed multiple instances of people in this body making the most abhorrent comments or gestures while we are in the proceedings of this resolution.”

After Sullivan yielded his time, both Sullivan and Bagdasarian walked out of the meeting before it had concluded. The meeting continued as planned in accordance with the agenda.

“I think people are able to express themselves in ways that they feel; and within our organization, we advocate for speaking your mind and showing how you truly feel,” Shawdee Bakhtiari, student body president-elect, said.

Disrespect is “not tolerated” in SGA meetings said Mahek Shroff, an SGA senate member. As an international student herself, she said she knows how hard it is to get people to listen to her when she is passionate about something.

“[Bagdasarian] was not a part of the organization, and when people from outside come, you have to be respectful of what they’re saying,” said Shroff.

When giving his speech, he said he did not personally witness any signs of disrespect and felt the entire body did respect him and his time. He appreciated looking out at everyone during his speech and saw everyone looking and listening to him, said Bagdasarian.

“I don’t blame [the senators] for having fun” during their final meeting and he appreciated the respect he saw given to him when proposing a resolution that was so personal to him.

“This is not at all about me, I am one of the few Armenians at this school,” said Bagdasarian. “There have been plenty of students before me, there have been plenty of Armenians that come to JMU and graduate JMU and there will be plenty after me.”