IUSA impeachment decision delayed

The IU Student Association Congress will convene tonight to hear a resolution calling for the impeachment of current IUSA Chief of Staff Neil Kelty, as decided by IUSA’s Congressional Central Committee.

Kelty is accused of using his personal business, Thrive44 Strategy Group, as a funnel for IUSA funds. The alleged incident occurred in 2009, when Kelty served in IUSA as executive director of new media and technology. Kelty supposedly requested that IUSA reimburse him through his Thrive44 account for the payment of then-IUSA President Peter SerVaas’ smartphone data package. If true, the use of a personal business to handle IUSA funds would constitute an “unethical use” of student finances, an impeachable offense in the IUSA bylaws, specifically article 15, section A, (5).

Neil Kelty has said he used his personal business to conduct the transaction because, at the time, he didn’t have enough personal funds available. SerVaas has said he was unaware that Thrive44 was used as a channel of reimbursement.
The CCC unanimously dissented from the opinion of the resolution that Kelty should be impeached.

However, the committee decided to allow Congress to hear the resolution “in an effort to maintain full transparency,” according to the commission’s brief.

Monday’s decision is only one in a continuing process. The call for investigation into Kelty’s actions began when IUSA President-elect Justin Kingsolver and sophomore Jarad Winget submitted a request for injunctive relief Feb. 24 to the IUSA Student Body Supreme Court, which pointed out the alleged conflict of interest. The request then went before the IUSA Supreme Court on Feb. 27, which issued a preliminary injunction against Kelty, essentially furthering the case. Thursday’s decision was the final step before the issue reached the floor of the IUSA Congress.

Congress will hear the matter at 8 p.m. in Kelley School of Business 102. It is, as always, open to the public.