Senate confirms Torey McCleskey as AASU Assistant Director, sparks outrage
February 16, 2011
The Senate voted 19-11-0 in favor of confirming McCleskey for the position after hours of debate on the matter.
Supporters and protesters divided the Senate chambers.
Members of AASU were vocal about their disapproval of McCleskey taking the position. Several members of the AASU Executive Cabinet, three former directors and the current director, Joanna Hillman, were present.
Hillman spoke in front of the Senate and said Student Body President Sitou Byll-Cataria’s choice was racially driven and unlawful.
“They [Byll-Cataria and Student Body Vice President Giovannie Medina] are using Torey as a white poster-child for diversity to fulfill their personal agenda of a multicultural agency,” Hillman said at the Senate meeting.
Hillman later said she believes the AASU’s true goal is promoting African-American culture, not black people. She said the student body, and even SG can often misconstrue this mission.
Many students felt the Senate disrespected them, said Brazil Fedd, a graphic design junior, especially Senate President Carlo Fassi. There was commotion when he commented on the attending members’ place in the proceedings.
“Well honestly, I wouldn’t take their [members of AASU present] judgment seriously,” Fassi said.
The appointment is ultimately the student body president’s call, not students’, he said.
Fedd, who spoke in front of the Senate, said Fassi’s comments appalled her, and she questions the Senate’s objectives.
“If that’s your main concern is to serve the students, why would you tell us to our faces that what we’re saying has no value?” Fedd said.
Sen. Curtis Pugh questioned McCleskey’s commitment during the meeting and said McCleskey sat in the back and left early during the AASU’s Black History Month proclamation event.
Fedd said she is skeptical about the number of AASU events McCleskey has attended and the extent to which he participated.
Osprey Productions Director Mike Naughton stood up to support McCleskey, saying McCleskey was fully competent for the role as AASU assistant director.
“When he [McCleskey] came in with his Osprey Productions application, he had a resume attached to it that was more impressive than mine at the time,” Naughton said.
Fassi said while addressing the Senate he trusts Byll-Cataria’s judgment in the welfare of the student body.
Student Body Vice President Giovannie Medina added that McCleskey played an important role in the success of the Reel Big Fish concert in October 2010 as the production assistant.
“I don’t see color when I interview candidates,” Medina said. “My principles aren’t based on that, how I was raised was not based on that,”
Medina said neither Byll-Cataria nor himself intends to turn AASU into a multicultural organization. But Hillman said statements Medina made have implied characteristics synonymous to a multicultural agency.
Many members, including Hillman and Fedd, have said McCleskey’s race is not the issue, but rather his qualifications.
McCleskey is a second-semester freshman and a member of Osprey Productions. He also received a runner-up position in a national competition between other Eagle Scouts in 2009.
McCleskey, along with Christa Merix, an advertising junior, and John Iyoyo, a mechanical engineering junior, were interviewed in front of an advisory board.
During the interviewing process, the advisory board unanimously suggested to Byll-Cataria he hire Merix for the assistant director position.
This is the first time Byll-Cataria has gone against what the advisory board has suggested, Hillman said. Byll-Cataria has the highest executive power and thus does not have to follow the suggestions of the advisory board.
In lieu of the backlash toward his hiring, McCleskey said he wants to try and mend bridges between the members of AASU and himself and show them he wants what is best for the agency.
McCleskey said he saw an opportunity to help an SG agency with a cause in which he really believes.
McCleskey would not comment on allegations that he received his position – in any part – due to his race.
During the Senate meeting, McCleskey tried to make light of the situation and explained he supports diversity.
“Variety is the spice of life,” he said, “and I like my food spicy.”
Mike • Feb 18, 2011 at 1:35 pm
This was a miserably written article.
If I were the teacher, I would give this article a D. If I were the editor, I would send it back for a rewrite.
The lede was poorly written and the article did little to inform anyone not familiar with the issue as to just what the controversies were.
For example:
1. Being that part of the controversy was possibly about race, why did the reporter NOT clearly state McCleskey’s race?
2. If the controversy is about qualifications, why were McCleskey’s actual resume and background relevant to the controversy left largely unexplored.
3. The writer includes this passage: “Hillman later said she believes the AASU’s true goal is promoting African-American culture, not black people.”
Huh? What does THAT mean…and how does it relate to the controversy? This is apparently a subtle distinction that begs deeper explanation…and no one felt the need to shine any light on it.
4. The information about the other candidates and the advisory board’s suggestion (who made up the advisory board…members of the AASU?) were saved til almost the end of the article. NEWSFLASH: That’s an important part of the controversy and should have been included almost at the top.
There’s no flow and no organization. The article is little more than a series of disjointed, one-sentence paragraphs.
This issue is obviously an emotional one that that affects a number of people on a number of levels. But the whole article was a completely missed opportunity to effectively explain it.
irony • Feb 17, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Hiring that person was “ludacris”? Rappers are not noble laureates. Stay in school. Also, if white people were angered by a black person running things it would be the most racist thing in the world.
Unity • Feb 17, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Why did Byll- Cataria choose this other canidate?? I truly hope its not a race things, b/c I attend AASU meetings and I not black. There is no race issue, if that is what he thinks he is resolving. As students we are concerned about abilities and involvement. Why would we hire someone off the streets when we have someone already committed and involved and familiar with our organization?
Byll- Cataria’s decision makes no sense. And please don’t make it about race. Already on the news that is all everyone is talking about. It’s crap, many people of different races attend and enjoy being part of AASU. Go by their office and read the statements they post on the walls…. they are not shuttin any particular race out!
Diversity • Feb 16, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Hiring a second semester Freshman to work as the Assistant Director was a poor decision made by Byll-Cataria!
Christa Merix was a very viable candidate! She has worked hard on direct AASU programing and within the Jacksonville community through. She would certainly make a great Assistant Director.
As an agency, the AASU is one of the few opportunities the University wide community gets to express and promote African-American culture. To hire someone, (who is NOT EVEN A MEMBER)is ludacris !
Get it together Byll-Cataria.