Impeachment was the word of the night as the Residence Hall Association held its weekly Monday night meeting in the commons room of Lincoln Hall.

A vote to impeach Administrative Vice President Kelly Coughlin failed by secret ballot. The charges against her, detailed by members of RHA’s Internal Affairs, included several counts of neglected duties, abuses of power and violations of the constitution and bylaws of RHA.

One repeated charge was Coughlin’s alleged activities with the Grant North Hall Council. IA members charged that Coughlin played a role in the content of the impeachment bill that was used to remove the president of that council. Coughlin, however, denied she played such a role. The only role she did play, Coughlin said, was that of adviser to how an impeachment bill is written, not the content.

It was also alleged that because of Coughlin’s activities, other executive board members of Grant North Hall Council are also endangered from losing their seats because of residents’ feelings of a conspiracy to remove the president from office, which did occur.

Other charges included Coughlin’s failure to present Robert’s Rules of Order to RHA. She said in her defense that RHA President Eugene Smith brought them, though an RHA member if it was her responsibility to bring them. She was also charged with failure to open the New Orleans Room for RHA activities. Coughlin said she opened the room as it fit her schedule; when it didn’t, she contacted the other key holders to open the room.

Although the tally for the secret ballot is unknown, what is known is that it was a heavily-divided vote.

“I think the split was very fair because even though there were a lot of people who were pretty much agreeing and disagreeing with some of the comments that were put out on the floor, everyone was able to come to an understanding on what needs to be done outside of their differences,” said Banika Miller, BIC representative from Stevenson North Council.

Neither Coughlin nor Smith would comment on the failed impeachment.

Patrick Pate, president of Douglas Hall Council, pushed for the discussion of impeaching Smith and presenting the evidence for it. For this discussion, Smith relinquished his position as chair for the discussion. He was replaced by NCC/ICC Christina Savoie.

Pate successfully motioned to have the bylaws suspended so that the issue could be discussed at this meeting.

“If we wait any longer, I would feel more damage would be done to this organization,” Pate said. He described the evidence as “shocking” and that Housing and Dining, the NIU organization RHA represents, does not approve of the activities of Smith’s administration. However, the specifics of his charges are unknown.

Pate then motioned to have the bylaws (regarding the IA’s responsibility to investigate all impeachment claims) to be suspended because Pate alleged a conflict of interest existed amongst the IA members and Smith.

IA members are appointed by the RHA President and are supposed to be non-biased, which critics of Pate’s proposal pressed. Pate’s motion failed to achieve the necessary 2/3 approval.

Smith said later in an interview he was glad that the RHA General Assembly upheld the bylaws.

“I am glad that the General Assembly saw fit that any legislation of my position or any other e-board position goes through the proper channels,” Smith said. He later stated that Pate’s impeachment proposal will be investigated by Internal Affairs to see if it has any merit.

Northern Star reporter James Tschirhart and photographer Brent Lewis contributed to this story.