A formal grievance has been filed against the Associated Students of Skyline College by Commissioner of Activities Bivett Thompson.

In the grievance, Thompson accused the ASSC of being in several violations of The Brown Act. The Brown Act requires governing bodies, including student councils, to hold meetings open to the public.

Once the grievance is filed, there is a 10-day period before Vice President of Student Services Judith Redwine, Dean of Counseling Jennifer Hughes, and Dean of Enrollment Services Sherri Hancock must respond to the grievance. They investigate the complaint in those 10 days and try to resolve any issues. At press time, several ASSC members declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation.

In Thompson’s grievance, she states, “The current practices of the Associated Students of Skyline College and the Student Activities Office undermines the campus’s mission to provide students with an opportunity to experience and practice democratic proceeding.”

Thompson lists 12 sections of the Brown Act she claims the ASSC has violated. One of those violations is under ‘agenda requirements,’ which states the council has to post an agenda 72 hours prior to their meeting.

The ASSC failed to meet these requirements when they did not post their agenda 72 hours prior to their intended March 17 meeting. As a result, it ended up being cancelled.

“If there was a central filing system,” Thompson said in an interview, “agendas would be posted on time.”

Thompson also accuses the council of being in violation of the ASSC constitution. She cites Article 3, which reads, “Senators and executive officers shall be elected by the student body for a term of one academic year (June-May). Senators and executive officers who are appointed shall serve from the time they are appointed until the end of the term.”

According to Thompson, members Kiiausha David and Hamish Kumaran are both in violation of Article 3. David started on council as Commissioner of Finance, resigned and is now serving as a senator. Kumaran started on council as Commissioner of Public Records, resigned and is now serving as a senator.

Thompson claims neither David nor Kumaran went through the proper application process for senator positions.

David said she could not comment on the matter due to the ongoing investigation and Kumaran was not available for comment at time of press.

ASSC Adviser Amory Cariadus and ASSC President Ilka Barcala both declined to comment.

Dean of Counseling Jennifer Hughes said, “In order to protect all parties, we are not allowed to speak about the grievance.”

– with reporting by Fionnola C. Villamejor

Alleged Brown Act sections violated, per Thompson’s grievance:

54952.2 Definition of a Meeting54952.6 Definition of Action Taken54953 General Open Meetings Required; Teleconferencing; Secret Ballot54954.2 Agenda Requirements; Regular Meetings54954.3 Public’s Right to Testify at Meetings54955 Adjournment of Meeting54956 Requirements for Special Meetings54957.5 Agendas and other materials; Public records54957.1 Report at conclusion of Closed Sessions54957.2 Minutes of Closed Sessions54957.7 Announcement prior to closed sessions54957.9 Disruption of Meeting