IUSA appointee out of my hands, President Michael Coleman says

On Tuesday, IU Student Association Congress voted 17 to 16 to reject a bill appointing junior Hannah Kinkead as an associate justice.

The new justice will be decided solely by the Rules, Membership and Internal Affairs Committee, IUSA President Michael Coleman said.

“I’m not going to have any say,” Coleman said.

Coleman chose Kinkead, but the court had recommended she not be appointed because of what they considered a conflict of interest; Kinkead served as director of legislative relations within the iUnity administration.

Coleman said Thursday Kinkead never worked on his campaign and had quit the IUSA executive branch in July — very early in the administration. Coleman said he only had contacted her through a single e-mail.

Coleman said he recommended Kinkead’s appointment after learning the most recent appointee, junior Mikaela Shaw, would be studying abroad during this academic year.

He said he didn’t think Kinkead’s appointment would be a problem.

For about the past decade, the Supreme Court has decided among itself its own nominations, Coleman said, but the Constitution states the president does have the power to make the nominations.

— Nick Cusack