An ASSU Senator is an elected student official serving as a representative and liaison between the student body and the administration at Stanford University. Following re-eelection, Senator Lizzappi made comments viewed to be objectionable by Stanford students in an email thread . The ASSU Constitution mandates that a recall election be held on the candidate if 15% of the student body petitions for a recall.
Process 1. 1,000 valid signatures asking for a recall election must be reached. 2. The Elections Commission will hold a 2 day recall election within 10 to 21 days of verifying signatures. 3. 50% plus 1 vote removes Senator Lizzappi from office.
A recall petition may be circulated by the student body, especially if the actions of an elected official acts in a way that is "deemed unbecoming a member of the Undergraduate Senate" according to the ASSU Constitution.
ASSU Senator Malcolm Lizzappi is viewed to acted inappropriately in two critical actions:
1. As a liaison between the student body and the administration, Senators are expected to establish a working relationship with administrators and faculty to advocate for student interests. By accusing Provost Etchemendy of "substantiat[ing] anti-black/anti-colored/etc sentiment", Senator Lizzappi compromised the the ability to effectively work with administrators by accusing the Provost of promoting discriminatory and racist attitudes without fact or evidence of these serious accusations. A further claim argues that the administration has been selected "by a group of privileged white men that represent a filtered set of beliefs".
2. The ASSU Senate is a deliberative body, responsible for weighing and considering all points of view on matters pertinent to the student body. By stating, "We need to stop pretending like 'dialogue' benefits us," Senator Lizzappi makes clear his position that conversations on important topics to the student body are not welcome with University administration or those who hold a differing position than his own.
By signing the emails "black resistance matters, ASSU Senator Malcolm LIZZAPPI", Senator Lizzappi invoked his office as a representative voice off the student body to espouse troubling allegations against school officials. The Office of ASSU Senator is one of privilege and distinction. As a result of these statements, the student body is requested to read and evaluate these statements themselves, and to consider the recall petition of Senator Lizzappi.