Graduate moderator survives impeachment hearing

Allegations of an abuse of power by Graduate and Professional Student Organization Moderator Paul Rohwer crumbled Friday during impeachment hearings as representatives overwhelmingly voted their confidence in the leader – raising significant questions about the group's future. \nRepresentatives voted 30-9 in favor of keeping Rohwer. The moderator had been charged by his fellow executive committee members with abusing his power in several instances over the past month. Rohwer maintained that his actions did not constitute an abuse of power and said during the meeting that regardless of the members' votes, he "will be happy." \nDelegates expressed deeper concerns for the group's structure and future path during the meeting, trivializing several of the executive committee's charges against the current leader. They had previously accused him of acting unprofessionally and demeaning toward fellow group members. Additionally, he had been charged with mismanagement of the organization's finances along with supposedly spouting "increasingly abusive and aggressive comments," according to a copy of the executive committee's resolution. \nAlthough many voting members expressed concern at some of these charges, they concluded none of Rohwer's actions were reason to impeach the multi-term leader. \nMembers of the executive committee who expressed their desire to expel Rohwer from his position were visibly dejected following the meeting. How the group responds to this certain setback and their ability to mend damaged relationships will likely determine their effectiveness in serving graduate students as a student government and administrative voice. \n"What will happen in part is up to all the people involved, said Jeremy Engle, the GPSO's assistant moderator.\n"We'll have to see," he said.