In a unanimous decision, the Associated Students (ASSC) voted out their president due to excessive absences, and in turn, elected Vice President Anastasia Kuzina as the new president of ASSC during a meeting Wednesday, Feb. 6. Lauren Hernandez, former ASSC president was voted out of office after having exceeded the amount of absences permissible by the ASSC constitution. According to the ASSC’s constitutional bylaws, the vice president automatically becomes nominated for the presidency. With Kuzina’s acceptance of the nomination, as well as the approval of fellow ASSC members, it became official at the Feb. 6 meeting. Hernandez was absent on the day of the meeting, which enabled ASSC members to make a swift decision.”I know she [Hernandez] missed three of the regular meetings, plus the mandatory committee retreat,” ASSC Adviser Amory Cariadus said. “I think she needed to be removed.”Although the ASSC staff was prepared to welcome a new president, Cariadus insists that the decision wasn’t personal. Cariadus said that although Hernandez was absent more than four times, her absences did not affect the ASSC’s perception of Hernandez, nor how other colleges perceive the ASSC.”I don’t think it’s a personal issue,” Cariadus said. “People get busy and things happen in their personal life and they become overwhelmed. I think the ASSC is making the right decision.”While the ASSC is not taking the lack of attendance personally, frustrations were evident. “I’m sick of being at events, with the few people that I have, all by myself,” said Vice President Wendy Smith at the Jan. 30 meeting. “It just seems that [some] people don’t care.” According to the line of succession, Smith was promoted from commissioner of activities to vice president.The removal of the president comes just after two senators and the commissioner of finance were ousted for excessive absences during a Dec. 4 meeting. Tim Martyn, one of the senators who was voted out has already resubmitted his paperwork and was voted back into the senate.Although Cariadus is pleased with Martyn’s dedication, she acknowledges that things have to change.”I think the ASSC should vote out anyone who doesn’t show up to the meetings,” Cariadus said. “If someone doesn’t want to show up, then they need to be removed so that they can give other members the opportunity, instead of just padding their resume.”The ASSC also approved the following changes:• Mauricio Flores Hernandez was promoted from senator to commissioner of finance• Andrew Lee was promoted from senator to commissioner of public records• Brittany Piccolotti and Tim Martyn were elected to the senate• According to the ASSC agenda, Coats for Comedy tickets are going to be sold as follows: “$10 in advance with a coat & student I.D. card, $15 with a coat OR student I.D. card, $25 at the door• ASSC members who attended the previous Washington D.C. retreat will be given priority registration