The next round of accusations in the ongoing scandal involving the misappropriation of funds from the Student Activity Fee fund to purchase an iPod were leveled at last night's Student Government Association meeting.

Arts and Sciences Senator Kim Hong, having been impeached by the Committee for Internal Affairs, faced a vote of expulsion from the SGA Senate Chambers. Graduate School Senator Matt Zapf faced a vote of censure, as well.

The two were implicated in the iPod scandal because they were notified last summer by then-Black Student Alliance President Andrew Chappelle that he had aided in the pilfering of student funds along with former SGA Financial Vice President Justin Butler to purchase an iPod for Butler.

Chappelle and Butler streamlined the funding procedure to purchase a $5,781.95 Apple G5 computer for SLU TV, of which Chappelle was the president of. Butler circumvented the process of going through the financial committee to get the purchase approved and buried the iPod in the purchase order.

Hong and Zapf stood accused because after being informed by Chappelle of the incident, they harbored the information.

Hong was up for impeachment because she had already taken the oath of office at the time Chappelle informed her. She had been asked by the CIA at the Jan. 25 meeting to turn in her letter of resignation at the General Assembly meeting the next night. Zapf was exempt from impeachment because he did not join the SGA until September.

"I didn't resign because I don't think I did anything wrong," Hong said when she gave her statement to the senate. "Andrew had come to me and told me and Senator Zapf what had happened. We told him to turn himself in."

"It didn't register in my mind that as a senator I should have come forward," Hong said. "When someone does something wrong, that it's a disservice to them to take away their opportunities."

"I acted within my own integrity," she said. "I still stand behind what I did."

After making her statement, Hong was required to leave the room during the debate. Zapf, who had stated earlier in the evening that he would resign his seat if Hong was convicted, read a statement in his and Hong's defense.

"I think we did something wrong. Had we said something, we would have taken away his power," Zapf said, referring to the opportunity that he and Hong gave to Chappelle to turn himself in.

"There have been all types of wrongs committed that other senators haven't brought to light," he said. "This is no different from any other."

Many senators echoed Zapf's sentiments. Arts and Sciences Senator Eric Immel said that anyone else in the situation would have done the same.

"Would we tell? I would not," he said. "There is not enough information to impeach, and we can't hold that against her."

Throughout the debate, various senators pointed to the Jesuit mission. They voiced the ideal of forgiveness. It was stated earlier by Administrative Vice President Maria Rozier and President Adam Meister that Hong and Zapf had violated the Jesuit mission by not coming forward and not being men and women for others.

Marchetti Towers Senator James Meinert castigated the SGA for their conduct last week. "We didn't punish Andrew last week. We disowned him," he said. He continued by making a plea to spare Hong.

"The Senate is only as strong as its strongest members, and Kim is one of the most important senators," he said.

Arts and Sciences Senator Will Dreiling voiced concern that the senate was getting out of hand in their handling of the matter and endorsed Hong's ability to serve in the SGA.

"This is not the United States Senate, it's SGA, and Kim is the leader of our caucus," he said.

Referencing last week's meeting when the general assembly had to re-take the oath of office and highlighting the portion on integrity, Zapf impugned the integrity of the senate if they were to remove Hong.

"A piece of paper with the word integrity and Adam's signature on it doesn't bestow integrity on the organization," he said. After the intense debate, Commuter Senator Mike Heithaus proposed to amend the legislation to censure Hong instead of dismissing her.

"This will be punishing, not disowning," he said.

Business School Senator Patrick Ishmael dissented.

"This is not enough," he said. "We are following what the constitution lays out."

"What will removing Kim achieve?" Zapf said. "It doesn't increase the integrity of the organization."

When it went to a vote, the amendment to the legislation passed 31-9. The subsequent vote on the censuring of Hong passed unanimously.

Zapf then recommended that the senate pass the legislation on his censuring because they should punish him along with Hong. The legislation quickly went to a vote and passed with minor dissent on a voice vote.

Attending the meeting, but not sitting in his usual seat on the executive board, was Chappelle. BSA Vice President Lisa Udofia was promoted to president on Monday when Chappelle tendered his resignation.

"Although I didn't do what I did as president of BSA, I felt the situation was bringing unnecessary attention to myself and to the organization," Chappelle said. "I didn't think it was fair to the organization to be the target of so much negative attention."

Chappelle said that the BSA was in capable hands and would continue operating smoothly.

"I chose her [Udofia] to run with me because I saw her energy and dedication to the organization," Chappelle said. "I knew she would be a wonderful addition to the executive board. BSA is in good hands with her."

Even though he "no longer has any positions of power" on campus, Chappelle said that he would try to help BSA in any way he could.

Udofia, a sophomore, said that she would do her best to represent the BSA.

"I will represent the organization and contribute my part to the SGA," she said. "I will help make sure the senate keeps a diverse point of view."