The presidents of Graduate and Professional Student Council and Undergraduate Student Government have questioned the actions and suggestive statements made by Student Trustee Pat Kelly at the faculty union’s informational picket Monday near Anthony Hall.

On a WPSD-TV (NBC) newscast Monday evening, Kelly said SIUC students supported the faculty union. Kelly handed out faculty association fliers in the company of Rob Taylor, president of Students Organized Against the Athletic Fee Increase.

Kelly said the comments were made to further the interests of students and were not implicative in any way of his position as a student trustee.

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Tim Hoerman, GPSC president, said Kelly is breaching his duty as a Board of Trustee member when he goes on the record as a representative of student interests.

Until constituency groups speak on this issue, Pat Kelly should never say what students are behind. [As student trustee] he should not be speaking on these issues, Hoerman said. He owes a fiduciary interest to students and the University, not the faculty.

It was possible, Kelly said, that the news channel interviewed him because he was student trustee. He said, however, that he wears many hats and that in this instance he spoke as himself and not as student trustee.

If [USG President] Dave [Vingren] and Tim don’t support the faculty that’s fine, Kelly said. But when microphones are shoved in my face asking me for my position I tell them what I think is right.

I said what I did to show that some students support the faculty. But I know that some students don’t support the faculty.

Vingren said the statement is a hit against the undergraduate student body. Vingren said the USG, in no way, has taken a position regarding faculty union negotiations. Vingren said Kelly’s statements were implicative that USG supported the faculty union in its contract negotiations with the administration.

The fact that he made that kind of assertion is appalling to me, Vingren said. When he talks, he talks as [student trustee].

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Kelly said Vingren likes to sit on the fence when student interests are at stake, and he caters to the administration when the USG refuses to take a position regarding negotiations.

Vingren said USG has not taken a position on negotiations because the documents and discussions in bargaining sessions are closed to the public.

Kelly said the administration is exercising its control over student leaders by pitting them against each other, and against the faculty.

I hate to see things like this develop, Kelly said. This is about gaining a quality faculty for the University, and that is in the best interest of students, and I represent those interests.