Disclaimer: SGA president Dhruvak Mirani is a former Diamondback opinion columnist.
The University of Maryland SGA passed a resolution Wednesday approving a public statement that acknowledges racism allegations and reaffirms its commitment to equity, transparency and accountability.
The resolution, which passed 27-0-1, comes after former diversity, equity and inclusion committee chair Mofi Solarin said she experienced microaggressions and racism from Student Government Association leadership. The statement will be posted on Instagram and outline steps the organization will take to address concerns of racial inequality, including dialogue with student groups, review of practices and collaboration with university offices dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
Transfer student representative Timnit Rwakaara said she introduced the resolution as a way to rebuild trust between the SGA and the student body.
“A lot of students have repeatedly voiced a lot of concerns directly to SGA and on social media,” the sophomore international relations major said. “As representatives, we have a responsibility to address all our student concerns.”
SGA also committed to providing updates to the student body about any other initiatives or actions regarding equity or addressing racial bias.
“We do not tolerate racism or discrimination in any form. Our mission is to represent and support all students, and we remain committed to maintaining an environment that is safe and supportive for every student at the University of Maryland,” a draft of the statement read.
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Solarin said research and technology director Mateo Rojas provoked and targeted her in the SGA office in Stamp Student Union on Nov. 4, leading to a verbal altercation between the two, The Diamondback previously reported.
SGA president Dhruvak Mirani said he saw a portion of the interaction in which he witnessed Solarin being “physically aggressive” toward Rojas by waving her hands in his face. Rojas then filed a no-contact order against Solarin.
On Nov. 11, Mirani dismissed Mofi from SGA. He dismissed her because she violated the SGA ethics handbook, according to an email notifying her. In a statement to The Diamondback on Nov. 20, Mirani wrote that his dismissal of Solarin was justified due to her physically threatening actions making SGA members feel unsafe that he witnessed.
Mirani told The Diamondback that Rojas has since stepped down from his position in SGA.
At the general body meeting on Nov. 19, the SGA voted to begin an impeachment investigation by the ethics committee into Mirani, alleging he exceeded his authority as president by firing her.
SGA bylaws state the student body president may dismiss directors at their discretion.
“I have not ruled out further dismissals should additional information come to light justifying them — racism of any kind is not tolerated in SGA,” Mirani wrote in his Nov. 20 statement.
Executive vice president Riona Sheikh, who also chairs the ethics committee, shared in a statement to The Diamondback on Wednesday that the investigation is still ongoing and all proceedings are confidential.
During the student concerns portion of the general body meeting Wednesday night, Solarin said Mirani displayed “very obvious racist behavior” and that she was dismissed for calling out racism in SGA.
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“The student body is loud, proud, Black and here to stay,” Solarin said. “We will keep fighting against you and the racist agenda you keep trying and failing to push.”
The statement SGA will post on Instagram also states that because a small number of members witnessed the altercation between Solarin and Rojas, students should be mindful of inaccurate claims and wait for the completion of active investigations to receive clarity.
Rwakaara, who wrote the initial draft with the input of the SGA’s communications director, Mirani and other members of SGA, said the main purpose of the resolution is to build trust and improve transparency with the student body.
“We’re being transparent about the steps we want to take, and it’s something that’s extremely important to me as a Black legislator, because I know that a lot of the Black student body is feeling unheard or kind of alienated right now,” Rwakaara said.
She added she would like to see SGA initiate open discussions with student organizations including the Black Student Union and this university’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, who were involved in raising these concerns.
A petition with 119 student signatures, many of which were from students in these organizations, was presented to the SGA on Nov. 19 calling for the impeachment of Mirani.
The Black Student Union also made a post on Instagram on Nov. 20, stating they are aware that racial discrepancies have been witnessed in SGA.
Rwakaara also said the resolution was not meant to place blame on one specific person, but instead to acknowledge the harm Black students have felt and to show them their voices matter.
University president Darryll Pines said administration is aware of the situation in SGA, but it is an autonomous organization with its own bylaws and ethics rules. In a joint meeting with the university cabinet and the SGA cabinet on Nov. 5, Pines said he told SGA leaders to be as inclusive and respectful as possible.
He recommended that any students who face racism in SGA file a formal complaint with the university’s belonging and community office.
“We think our university is highly inclusive, extremely diverse, so any claim of racism or any other -ism would be disturbing to us,” Pines said.
