A group of Undergraduate Student Government senators will introduce legislation calling for the resignation of Ohio State Board of Trustees member Brian Hicks.
Hicks, former chief of staff to Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, was convicted of first-degree misdemeanor ethics charges in late July. He was found guilty of failing to document accepting gifts, including trips taken to the Florida home of coin dealer and GOP party contributor Tom Noe. Noe was the central figure in the scandal regarding unreported losses and theft of investment funds. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation ultimately lost hundreds of millions of dollars from this scandal. Hicks was serving as Gov. Taft's chief of staff at the time that the trips were taken.
"I believe that Brian Hicks should have resigned after the criminal nature of his transgressions became clear and, while I wish that we could avoid this situation, I feel that he should do the honorable thing and step down from his position on the Board of Trustees as soon as possible," said Brennan Howell, chairman of USG's Policy and Governance Committee. The Policy and Governance Committee has jurisdiction over any legislation pertaining to USG interaction with entities within the university, according to USG bylaws.
The Committee will meet, deliberate and vote on the resolution at its meeting this Thursday. If the resolution passes with a majority vote it will go before the USG Senate.
"This piece of legislation is important because it is imperative that USG separate themselves from the actions of Brian Hicks and demand accountability," Howell said. As chairman, Howell represents the policy and governance committee on the University Senate committee.
Nick Benson, speaker of the Senate, said several USG members are in support of the petition and that full approval would take about three weeks.
Benson said the same conduct standards that OSU enforces to its students and student-athletes should apply to Board of Trustees members.
"The Board of Trustees represents the highest level of governance at our university. Hicks' mere involvement on our Board of Trustees and influence over our $3 billion university budget casts a shadow of doubt over Ohio State and lends the appearance that unethical behavior is acceptable," Benson said in a press release. "I believe that leaders at the highest levels at The Ohio State University should be held to tough ethical standards."
The Ethics Law Violations Bill was introduced in August by Sen. Timothy Grendell, R-Chesterland, in response to the Hicks controversy. Senate Bill 168 would prohibit state officials - current or former - or employees who are convicted of ethics law violations from being appointed as any instrumentalities or serving as legislative agents or executive agency lobbyists. For a misdemeanor violation, officials would be prohibited from serving for a period of five years, or for life if the violation is a felony.
Benson said the bill would not affect the Hicks case.
"It would have been nice for the bill to already have been passed so that Hicks would have to resign. The bill will affect the officials who get themselves into these types of situations in the future," Benson said.
Benson said he hopes to bring Sen. Grendell and Sen. Marc Dann, D-Youngstown, to campus to speak on the issue.
"In addition to this legislation and to further educate and empower students to take action on this matter, a bi-partisan coalition of students has launched the Web site www.HicksMustGo.com," Benson said in a press release.
Benson said the Web site contains news clippings and facts surrounding the issue, a petition for viewing and signing, and a link for sending personalized e-mails directly to Hicks. It also gives background information on who is involved and their reasons why.
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