Although reasons for the recent resignation of a Student Association staff member are not officially known, they might include alleged misrepresentation of SA views by President Preston Came, others say.

The Northern Star learned Wednesday that Minority Relations Adviser Quentella Heard unexpectedly resigned her position Tuesday.

Staff members including Came, Treasurer Joe Kolerich, Vice President John Quilico and Public Relations Adviser Rebecca Bahr said Heard based her resignation on personal reasons.

Came said the resignation also “more or less” deals with her feeling that her opinions on specific issues were not properly addressed.

eard refused comment at this time.

SA Recycling Adviser Rachel Vellenga said she and Heard share the concern that Came was “putting forth views for the entire staff that weren’t felt by the entire staff,” particularly those regarding the English department’s gender-inclusive language issue.

“I was angered over Preston’s guest column in the Star and his views on the ROTC and gender-inclusive speech issues,” Vellenga said. “I told him I was going to write a letter to the editor, not necessarily as an adviser, but as a concerned student.”

Vellenga said Came told her not to write the letter as an SA adviser and implied he could fire her.

“I absolutely did not threaten Rachel’s job. She asked me what could happen if she used her title as an adviser in the letter and I gave her the range,” Came said.

“I said I could do absolutely nothing or I could go all the way to relieving her of her duties,” Came added. “I made it abundantly clear that I was not going to fire her. I’m not going to lie to my staff.”

Kelly Marie McDonald, Came’s adversary in the 1991 SA presidential elections, said Came’s position as a public figure creates the understanding that his opinion is the SA’s.

“(Gender-inclusive speech) is an issue that has not come up yet,” McDonald said. “He did a guest column in the Star and made his opinion heard that he is against this. He implied that his staff supports this opinion.”

Came said the executive board still is gathering information on the gender-inclusive speech issue. “The voice of the SA has not said anything yet because no resolutions have gone through,” he said.

“I’ve been going to the senate and informing them. I’ve been voicing the executive board’s opinion.”

Vellenga said she feels misinformation is spreading among the SA about gender-inclusive speech guidelines.

Members of the Women’s Alliance including Vellenga and McDonald invited Came to an informational speech on the issue given by Freshman English Director Robert Self, although he did not attend.

But Came said he is learning more by calling Self and attending the department’s meeting Wednesday on the issue.

“It is imperative to keep in mind that Preston’s word is not final,” Quilico said. “The senate has the ultimate voice.”