On Wednesday the Student Government Association’s meeting became heated when the issue of impeaching Sen. Ono Ikanone was brought before the Senate. Ikanone faced possible impeachment after being absent for the third time on Oct. 29. The SGA constitution states that a senator will face a motion for impeachment after three absences.

Ikanone, who represents the Black Student Alliance, defended his absences (which had been classified as excused absences: a car accident that left his father injured, the funeral of a loved one and illness) as “pretty legitimate,” urging his peers to consider how they would have acted if they had been in similar circumstances.

“I don’t know, between going to a funeral or to Senate, who’d actually pick Senate?” said Ikanone.

Although the issue of Ikanone’s absences from Senate meetings was the matter at hand, his involvement with his committee was also brought into question, which spurred much disagreement among senators

While some senators felt Ikanone’s additional absences from his committee meetings represented a reflection on Ikanone’s overall involvement with SGA, others felt his committee involvement was a separate issue and irrelevant to the impeachment proceedings.

Senators were divided as to whether they should focus solely on Ikanone’s attendance at Senate meetings, or whether they should take Ikanone’s presence at his committee meetings into account as well.

“What’s the point of [Administrative Vice President] Michael [Harris] taking attendance if when the issue of impeachment comes up, we just let people slide?” Sen. Danny Laub said.

In response to Laub’s comment, Sen. Tyson Mutrux said, “You’re basically saying he’s being disrespectful by going to those things, when it would be disrespectful not to.”

Ultimately, the Senate voted not to impeach, and Ikanone remains a member of SGA.

Another issues brought before the Senate was a spot-funding request for Alpha Phi Omega. The measure was approved, with only one vote against the bill.

The bill allocated $2,500 to send five members of APO to the conference, which will award the chapter with the highest honor a chapter can receive.