After appealing two counts of illegal advertising to the Student Government Association Judicial Board Monday afternoon, Team Tolu will be fined $30 instead of $90.
The slate, which was elected Feb. 26, appealed a $30 fine from Feb. 22 and a $60 fine presented to the slate on Friday.
The Feb. 22 fine regarded an advertisement on the Multicultural Center. Election rules dictate that advertisements cannot be placed on academic buildings. The judicial board upheld the decision.
The March 1 of $60, however, was overturned.
The fine stemmed from advertisements discovered around Feb. 25 by an election board member, according to election board chairman Joshua Wilson. Wilson said the member saw the advertisements in a residence hall and reported them at the board meeting Wednesday.
According to SGA president-elect Tolu Olowomeye, an SGA senator who supported Team Tolu put up signs in a LaFollette residence hall without the slate's permission. Wilson said the senator also did not have approval from the hall director.
Nathan Nahler, acting judicial board chair, said an appeal of this nature has not happened in at least five years. Nahler was elected chair to replace Olowomeye for this hearing.
"This process of appealing has never really happened before, so we really had nothing to stand on," he said.
According to Nahler, no one from the elections board was present at the hearing. Wilson said the members that would have been present were attending classes.
"The judicial board recommended the elections board investigate the hearing and respond to the allegations," Nahler said.
The fines and appeals have once again raised questions about the clarity of the elections code. Senators have discussed changes in the colde prior to this year's election.
"The elections board needs to be looked at carefully, and we know it is in the works to be rewritten," Nahler said.
Wilson said the code will be reviewed to avoid confusion in the future. No specific timelines were given as to when the review would take place.
"We are aware some areas are ambiguous," he said. "There are a few things that need to be changed."
Wilson said there is currently nothing in the elections code about when the board can no longer fine a slate for violations.
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