The National Taiwan University (NTU) Student Association on Monday removed president Jordan Chen (陳柏承) from office over allegations of misconduct including an unauthorized fried chicken giveaway, in the first successful recall in the organization’s history.
The recall passed the body’s elections commission with 443 “yes” votes and 63 “no” votes, resulting in the removal of the association’s 38th president.
The university yesterday issued a statement saying that it respects the independence of the student government.
Photo: Taipei Times
The recall campaigners in a document submitted in connection with the vote said that Chen circumvented the checks and balances of the association and failed to follow procedural rules governing his policymaking authority.
In November last year, Chen organized an event giving away fried chicken to students without consulting the association’s two vice presidents and other key officials, or informing the association of his decision, they said.
The event represented a gross breach of fiscal discipline and undermined the student congress’ authority to oversee the president’s decisions, they said.
They accused Chen of negligence and misconduct, including threatening to remove a representative of the association’s gender equality workshop who requested that he stop using discriminatory language in public statements.
The former president did not read or respond to text messages on multiple occasions, impeding the association’s ability to conduct official business, the campaigners added.
The failure of communication included not passing on the association’s resolutions and other crucial information to members of its executive body and other officials, they said.
The pattern of behavior began as early as Chen’s election in May last year, when he neglected to respond to official communications linked to the transfer of power, causing weeks of delay, they said.
An official reported that their messages to Chen continued to be ignored in August, they said.
Chen was absent without cause at a student association protest against the demolition of the Gongguan Traffic Circle in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District (中正), they said, adding that he was supposed to head up their news conference on the event.
Chen defended his record, saying that he played a leading role in confronting a dorm supervisor accused of sexual harassment and opposing the National Immigration Agency’s targeting of suspected undocumented immigrants on campus.
He said that he had coordinated the distribution of information and the student government’s work to the best of his ability while protecting the rights of all students.
Chen dismissed the accusations against him as slander, adding that he hopes the students would recognize the hard work he put in serving the university and its students.
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