SETH MICHAEL MEYER
Assistant News Editor
Fredonia Radio Systems (FRS) was found guilty of violating Statute O-6 Article II of the Student
Association in a court case on Nov. 13. The statute violated regards to membership requirements of
a club, specifically stating that “membership for Constituted groups shall be open to all
fee-paying students.”
Fredonia art major and former FRS member Shalya James charged FRS with violating the membership
statute after she claimed she was suspended from the club following an altercation and would only
be allowed to return if she didn’t “talk about [her] race in the [radio] station anymore.”
Noah Maciejewski, general manager of FRS, claimed that the altercation started when a racial topic
was brought up in conversation. Maciejewski told the justices that there was no condition of her
return which included being silent about her race. Maciejewski did justify James’s suspension by
defining her involvement in the altercation as “gross misconduct.”
James had also claimed that, while the other member involved in the altercation was also suspended,
he was offered to return well before anyone had reached out to James about returning, which some
may
interpret as violation of the membership clause. Maciejewski rebutted and said that both members
were offered to return to FRS within 24 hours of each other. Neither the plaintiff nor the
defendant could produce the evidence to corroborate their allegations.
After many questions from justices and members of the audience, the Supreme Court moved into
executive session to privately deliberate the verdict. They determined that Fredonia Radio Systems
was guilty “in that
it did appear that there were conditions set on Shalya’s membership and that she feels unwelcome in
the group as a result . . . her membership was indeed being restricted,” reported Chief Justice
William “Bill” Bradley.
The punishment, given by the chief justice, is Diversity Equity and Inclusion training for the
entire general body to complete.
“I’m glad that Fredonia’s Student Association court could function when it was at a very trying
time,” said Matt Anderson, a junior business administration management major and James’s
representative in court.
He said that there were worries about the functionality of the judicial system in such a unique
court case.
“This showed that the student leaders on an help out other students when in
ed of assistance.”