Last night, the Engineering Student Council voted to impeach Senator Rajat Roy. Roy was up on impeachment charges for allegedly having hurt ESC’s relationship with other senators and schools by actions including using improper language with a Business School senator. 

The impeachment proceedings, according to ESC sources, were initiated by outgoing ESC President Peter Valeiras, who did not comment beyond confirming the impeachment vote. In addition the ESC’s standard procedure of closing impeachment proceedings to press, Roy had invited several of his senate colleagues to speak, but the colleagues were denied entry to the meeting, Valeiras telling them at the door that it was his decision to bar them from the meeting.

Nevertheless, Roy’s Senate colleagues continued to express their support for Roy. CCSC Senator Monica Quaintance told Bwog that Roy is an “invaluable member of senate” and is the “most effective spokesperson for the engineering students.” She also told Bwog that she believes that “ESC does not like that Rajat spends more time on Senate then than [ESC’s] internal affairs.” She also noted that Roy has since “made up” with the Business School senator, and that the two have worked together on Senate since. Another member invited by Roy, who requested anonymity, said that ESC’s impeachment of Roy was motivated by “personal reasons,” an accusation several other ESC and Senate members have previously made to Bwog.

As for the next step, Roy explained to Bwog that though the vote was to impeach, his impeachment does not mean he will be removed from office. He said the action by the council was not really a censure, but more a message from the council that “we want you to change.”

– SVZ and JCD