By Vince Gasparini | September 9, 2024
A suspension handed down to Director of Programming and Marketing Caleb Sapp on Sept. 1 by the Executive Branch of the University at Albany Student Association was lifted a day early after Sapp petitioned the decision in Student Association Supreme Court.
Director of Programming and Marketing Caleb Sapp facetiously falls to the floor at a Senate meeting on Feb. 12, 2024, when Senator Jac Cooper formally announced his resignation.
Photo Credit: Shawn Ness / The ASP
While Sapp argued that the suspension was wrongful and without cause, the court determined he did not provide “clear and convincing evidence” of any violations committed by the Executive Branch in the suspension; his claims were subsequently dismissed.
The stated reasoning of the Executive Branch - headed by President Jalen Rose and Vice President Amelia Crawford - for the suspension was to “allow time for an investigation,” into a conflict between Sapp and former Director of Civic and Community Engagement Tahj Arnold after Sapp called into question Arnold’s suitability for reappointment to the role, according to a summary judgment opinion issued by the court on Sept. 6.
The conflict in question stemmed from an email exchange between Sapp, Arnold and members of the Senate in which Sapp asked for them to reconsider Arnold’s reappointment over instances in which Sapp said Arnold engaged in “a consistent pattern of extremism, intolerance, and willingness to engage in personal attacks” in conversations over the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Arnold is a staunch pro-Palestinian activist and is an active member of UAlbany Students for Justice in Palestine, a pro-Palestinian student organization.
The court also determined that neutrality was displayed by respondents by barring Arnold from assisting in the UAlbany Block Party event on Sept. 2.
In a comment on the situation to the Albany Student Press, Sapp said he was “grateful” that the suspension was lifted, but he believes it “raised significant concerns about accountability and fairness within the Student Association.”
“This was never just about my suspension - it’s about ensuring that directors and all members of SA operate in a transparent and inclusive environment,” he said. “Moving forward, I want to make sure those values are upheld, not just for myself, but for everyone involved.”
However Rose maintains that the Executive Branch acted within their rights when handing down Sapp’s suspension.
“We hold our employees to high standards,” Rose said in a statement to the ASP. “All decisions regarding employee conduct are made as fairly and equitably as possible, and are in line with New York State Law. Our hope is to mitigate and resolve conflicts in the most fair ways possible.”
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