Smith Meyers' Key West arrest smeared UF's reputation and is grounds for resignation, a group of UF students argued during a Student Senate meeting on Tuesday.
During public debate, critics of the incoming UF Student Body president took turns calling for him to step down while his supporters, clad in "Stand with Smith" stickers, urged compassion.
Meyers was arrested last week for drunkenly knocking over two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, according to the Key West Police Department, and police footage released Sunday shows him appearing to punch a witness. The arrest has sparked contentious debates on social media regarding Meyers' future as a Student Government official.
He is scheduled to be sworn in as president in April.
A group of 11 students, all of whom are currently or were previously involved in SG, spoke of Meyers' accolades during his time as an SG official and his passion for public service.
Six others, one of whom was a former senator, spoke against Meyers, saying he should resign and that the incident painted UF in a negative light.
Meyers, who is no longer serving as Senate President after winning the Spring SG elections, was not present at the meeting.
In a statement sent to the Alligator on Sunday, Meyers apologized to the Student Body for "representing UF in such a negative light."
Senator Zachariah Chou (Independent, Infinity Hall) said most students who spoke during Senate had different opinions than senators who spoke.
“Look who’s been speaking; only senators have been speaking for Smith Meyers,” he said. “We’re supposed to represent the people and their beliefs.”
Austin Champoux, who served as Senate pro tempore when Meyers was Senate president from Fall 2016 to February, acknowledged Meyers made mistakes.
Champoux said he wanted to talk about good things his friend has done for UF. He said Meyers helped Newell Hall renovations, advocated for student artwork and served as former budget chair.
“I have not seen anyone put more hard work, sweat, tears into the Student Body than Smith Meyers,” he said.
Andrew Cushen, a 21-year-old UF English and Spanish junior, said during public debate that he was disappointed by the lack of action following Meyers’ arrest.
“Now incoming students and their families are familiar with William Smith Meyers’ mugshot,” he said. “This makes our university dismissable.”
Janae Moodie (Impact, Liberal Arts) said Impact senators wore orange and blue in solidarity with Meyers. She said Meyers has admitted his mistake, and shouldn’t be judged for a “minor misdemeanor.”
“Is character admitting one’s mistakes and accepting them, and apologizing as a leader and influential individual on this campus?” she said. “To me, that’s character.”
Casey Witte, who lost a senate election in Spring, recalled meeting a father of a prospective student who was hesitant of his daughter attending UF after reading about Meyers’ arrest.
“I’m asking you to think about the future of UF, and what impact (Meyers) has had on the future of our university,” the 18-year-old UF finance freshman said.
Contact Paige Fry at pfry@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @paigexfry
