The Virginia Informer

Last Updated:9/12/08 Section: Staff Editorials

Media Credit: Sarah Deans

Although we are all familiar with the maxim "power corrupts," it seemed unlikely that any member of "Your Student Assembly" would act contrary to the College's esteemed Honor Code. But disgraced former Vice President Zach Pilchen ('09) did exactly that when he misappropriated funds using the SA debit card for personal expenses. We believe Mr. Pilchen showed good judgment in his decision to resign from office, and we hope that the corruption within the SA is limited to one man.

However, it is disconcerting that such an incident occurred in the first place. Why was Mr. Pilchen allowed to carry the card past the time that SA regulations allowed him to do so? According to Mr. Pilchen, he, SA President Valerie Hopkins ('09), incoming SA Secretary of Finance Yael Gilboa ('11) and outgoing SA Secretary of Finance Andrew Blasi ('10) had not been able to coordinate the transfer of the account. Despite this inability to coordinate, Mr. Pilchen should have surrendered the card immediately to newly-elected President Hopkins following the March election. The fact that this was not done reflects poorly on the current Executive, Ms. Hopkins included. Even if a good faith effort was made to switch over the names on the account, failure to follow through on such action was negligent at best.

That the debit card was instituted primarily as a symbol of trust between the Senate and the Executive is quite ironic. Mr. Pilchen never would have accidentally drawn from the account in the first place if he had had to write a check or go to a bank directly to access the account's funds. We recognize that other student organizations may use plastic to make impulse purchases on behalf of their members, but enabling the student government to make impulse buys with public funds -- or, perhaps worse, allowing others not in the SA to use the card "for SA purposes" -- is both imprudent and establishes a bad precedent. We wish the SA takes this into serious consideration as they deliberate on the continuing use of such a debit card and wholeheartedly regret that it took a scandal to achieve what should be a common sense policy.

Questions also arise regarding the role of Ms. Hopkins in this incident. While she is not ultimately responsible for Mr. Pilchen's malfeasance, her role in approving all of the card's transactions -- especially after Mr. Pilchen told her of his first accidental purchase in late April -- comes into question. Should she not have had him immediately destroy -- or at least prohibit his use of -- the card as soon as he told her about his first illegitimate purchase? It is in late April that she and the new secretary of finance should have demanded that Mr. Pilchen give up the card to prevent any further use.

Beyond that, senators and members of the Executive must deliver on promises of transparency by allowing independent audits of executive spending and releasing past account statements to the public. Until this is accomplished, the SA will face a credibility gap that will not be easy to overcome.

Editor's Note: News Editor and SA Senator Steven Nelson ('10) recused himself from the composition of this staff editorial because of his current involvement with the Student Assembly.

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