COLUMBUS -- Several students associated with Ohio State University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) tonight (2/15) accepted sanctions proposed to them following an investigation into allegations of misconduct regarding misuse of funds, dishonest conduct and interference with distribution of The Lantern student newspaper.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs William H. Hall imposed the sanctions following individual meetings with the students in which he presented the findings of the university’s investigation. Those most involved in the incidents have been put on disciplinary probation for the remainder of their undergraduate days at Ohio State, meaning that they will no longer be able to hold any elected or appointed office in any student organization. In addition, they will repay to the USG treasury $2,250 in misused funds, provide restitution to The Lantern for the diverted copies, apologize to all affected parties, and perform designated community service activities.

Under the provisions of the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, the university is prohibited from releasing the names of the students involved or providing information that would make them identifiable.

The investigation, led by Richard Hollingsworth and William Schwartz, senior Student Affairs administrators, revealed that several individuals associated with USG, including members of the executive branch, exhibited a serious lack of judgment and abuse of trust regarding expenditure of discretionary funds under their control. Further, they participated in a concerted effort to mislead university officials when questioned about the expenditures. In addition, some of these individuals also took part in devising and executing a plan to prevent distribution of the Lantern student newspaper on a day when the paper carried a front-page story about the alleged misuse of USG funds.

The investigation revealed numerous violations of the university’s Code of Student Conduct, primarily having to do with the efforts to conceal the expenditure of $2,250 in USG funds for an extravagant restaurant meal for 12 people on Dec. 14, 2000, and to prevent campus distribution of the Lantern on February 5 and related attempts to conceal involvement in the disappearance of approximately 10,000 copies. The events and violations are outlined in the attached report.

The report makes it clear that the wrongdoing was restricted to several members of USG and their close associates and did not in any way involve members or leaders of the other two student governments at Ohio State, the Council of Graduate Students and the Inter-Professional Council.

Hall expressed the university’s deep disappointment about the behavior.

“We are both dismayed and saddened that students of such obvious talent and potential could so callously abuse the trust of their offices. They have let down the student body that elected them and the university community as a whole. More egregious than the misuse of funds is the concerted effort to mislead and misdirect those who questioned the expenditure. The theft of the Lanterns is particularly disturbing: Given the critical role of a free press to democratic government, it is appalling that government leaders would actively seek to suppress news coverage.

“As the report indicates, the level of involvement and the level of cooperation with authorities varied by individual. We cannot condone the behavior outlined in the report, and I have imposed severe sanctions on each, tailored to the level of involvement in the various violations. All of the students have now come to better understand and accept responsibility for their actions and have expressed regret and remorse. The Ohio State University motto is ‘Education for Citizenship,’ and I hope this painful lesson has been educational.”

Hall noted that the investigation also revealed a need on the part of USG and the Division of Student Affairs to clarify and update procedures relating to student government spending and to examine the relationship of student government to other units of the university. He has requested that Hollingsworth and Schwartz, in conjunction with Assistant Vice President Rebecca Parker, continue to explore this issue and involve students and other staff in devising and implementing clear and consistent procedures.

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(LO)