SGB loses another member when Noorbaksh resigns

Student Government Board lost another member at its first meeting of the semester last night… Student Government Board lost another member at its first meeting of the semester last night when Ali Noorbaksh resigned his position over a disagreement with the Board.

His resignation brings the number of empty seats on the Board to two.

Noorbaksh said he is resigning “because certain things were sacrificed for the sake of expediency, and certain people were brought in without full discussion by the Board.”

“Some things upset me this summer, the way the board brought in our new advisor [Director of Student Life and Associate Dean of Students] Kenyon Bonner,” Noorbaksh said at the meeting in Nordy’s Place. “This isn’t the same Board I joined last year. With that being said, I think these are all excellent people and I fully support this Board and their mission.”

SGB President Charlie Shull said he was not fully prepared to discuss the resignation, as neither he nor the other Board members were notified of Noorbaksh’s intentions before the meeting. Bonner declined to comment saying he had not yet spoken to Noorbaksh.

“I have to discuss this issue with Ali before I can comment,” Bonner said following the meeting. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable otherwise.”

Shull said he did not discuss Bonner’s appointment with the Board and thought that it could potentially be the reason for Noorbaksh’s resignation. The choice to appoint Bonner as the new SGB adviser was made in the interest of bringing SGB closer to Pitt’s administration, Shull said.

“Whereas the Board formerly operated under the Cross-Cultural Leadership and Development Office, the shift to Student Life will help us provide more services for students,” Shull said. “I did not see this as much as a Board decision as a decision for Student Affairs. I did not make the decision alone. I worked closely with [Vice Provost and Dean of Students] Kathy Humphrey.”

Humphrey was not present at last night’s meeting.

Shull said Bonner’s position as an associate dean will help the Board communicate more closely with Pitt’s higher administration. That is the main reason why Bonner is replacing former SGB adviser Joyce Giangarlo, who oversaw the board from her position as coordinator in the Cross-Cultural Leadership and Development office.

“We’re trying to model ourselves after some other successful student governments that operate directly under Student Affairs,” Shull said of the decision. He did not name specific schools.

After Noorbaksh’s announcement, the Board reviewed about 10 allocation requests from various student groups and explained the process through which it will appoint new members later this month.

SGB will not host another election to replace former members Noorbaksh and Phil LaRue, who resigned from the Board this summer. Students interested in either seat will instead be able to submit applications to be reviewed at a public meeting, in accordance with the Board’s constitution.

During the meeting, Shull said he hopes to have the applications available within one or two weeks. The tentative deadline for applications is Sept. 17, followed by interviews Sept. 21.

Shull said the appointment deadline is Sept. 28.

“That gives the new members October and November to serve, and they would be allowed to run again for re-election,” Shull said.