Declaration 1

This legislation is in the Approved by Senate state.
This has been approved by the Senate and is pending a decision by the Executive Board at this point.

WHEREAS Steven Jesus Colon, a fourth year student at the State University of New York New Paltz, has been suspended for the entirety of the 2009 – 2010 academic school year; and

WHEREAS Mr. Colon was unable to refute said suspension, he comes now to the 48th Student Senate to explain his situation in hopes of finding support and justice amongst his peers; and

WHEREAS Steven Colon had been placed on Suspension (Held in Abeyance) as of May 8, 2009 for one whole year. As stated in the Student Handbook of the State University of New York New Paltz, “Further violations of college policy will result in the immediate imposition of the sanction of Suspension without further disciplinary proceedings”; and

WHEREAS Steven received a letter from the Dean of Students, Linda Eaton, on August 25, 2009 informing him of his suspension after being arrested on August 24, 2009 for the possession of graffiti instruments deemed responsible for acts of vandalism on the SUNY New Paltz campus having occurred during the 2008 – 2009 academic school year. Although he intends on pleading innocence with the New Paltz Justice Court, he was not granted the opportunity to deny the charges assumed of him by campus officials; and

WHEREAS Steven claims innocence on the account of having his locker stolen from him and used by an unknown party throughout the end of the Fall 2008 semester until the closing of the Spring 2009 semester. Mr. Colon believes and will argue that said graffiti instruments do not belong to him nor were they ever in his possession, but had ended up in the locker only after it had been removed from his accessibility; and

WHEREAS Mr. Colon is aware of the procedures dealing with violations of suspensions (held in abeyance), he is also confident in his innocence. As Steven does not feel that he has violated the college policy, he is looking for the opportunity to go through the judicial process before any penalties are imposed on him; and

WHEREAS Mr. Colon is aware of his questionable history involving college policy and procedure, he has been making a conscious effort to make a constructive transformation in order to contribute to the campus community in a positive way; and

WHEREAS Steven Colon had just recently decided to declare a double major in Visual Arts and Black Studies, exemplifying a new dedication to academics; he has also become active in student organizations. Prior to suspension, he stood as the historian of Men of All Nations United, as public relations officer of Community Roots, and was an elected senator for the 48th Student Senate; and

WHEREAS Mr. Colon only requests that sanctions be postponed until a verdict has been reached by the New Paltz Justice Court; therefore the 48th Student Senate proposes