Written by: Julia Juler
A recent petition has surfaced at Southern Adventist University as some students express concerns about Student Association (SA) President Edvan Benitez’s leadership. The petition aims to initiate impeachment proceedings against Benitez, with the debate sparking a range of opinions across campus.
The push for impeachment began with conversations on social media, where some students aired concerns about the SA president’s handling of specific issues, such as bringing scooters to campus.
Chris Sandi, a freshman mass communications major, shared his perspective, citing dissatisfaction with Benitez’s leadership.
“I didn’t like how he ran and what happened after it.”
“I didn’t like how he ran and what happened after it. … He was talking about scooters, and that’s not even allowed on campus due to our own policies,” Sandi said. “It just feels like [he] didn’t do enough research based on the school to understand that that wasn’t allowed.”
At the Student Association Town Hall, Benitez explained that after initial meetings with administration during his campaign, he thought his proposal was plausible.
Sandi also pointed to a perceived lack of presence and visibility from the SA team.
“I feel like last year, we saw a lot more of the Senate and other leaders just being around and open about certain things,” he explained. “All I’ve seen is the president and the social vice, and that’s very rare.”
Sandi believes that a rerun for the presidency would be necessary if impeachment moves forward.
“If he does get impeached, I would like to have, like, a rerunning for president… we still have the same candidates,” he said.
Despite the criticisms, some students have come to Benitez’s defense. Jaziel Soto, a sophomore accounting major who has worked closely with Benitez, emphasized the president’s positive impact on-campus events.
“He was really good,” Soto said. “For example, he organized the International Food Fair last year, and I saw him take charge with a lot of different events. He always cared about me, and I saw real leadership in him.”
Soto praised Benitez’s approachable nature and support for students.
“He was really understandable,” he added. “He encouraged me to make the best decision for myself. He didn’t push me; he just said, ‘Don’t worry, whatever you decide will be good.’ He’s a really spiritual person.”
Soto expressed skepticism about the impeachment effort, stating: “I think it’s ridiculous. Why do people want to impeach him? It doesn’t have any foundation. If people really took the time to research what the Student Association is doing, they’d see that they’re involved in a lot. I just don’t get why people would push for this.” Addressing concerns about unmet promises, Soto urged patience.
“It’s only the first semester,” he said. “You can’t expect to accomplish everything right away. People need to be patient. He’s definitely doing things, and he’s working hard for the students.”
Benitez stated in an email to the Accent that he is not concerned about the impeachment due to the lack of students signing the petition and those who have used fake or anonymous names. As of now, there have been a total of 31 signatures. He also stated that there were no concrete arguments made and it was posted on an unofficial and unverified social media account.
“If you’re interested in learning more about the work we’ve done, I encourage you to explore our social media pages, read articles in The Accent, come to our Town Hall and stay connected by attending the events we host weekly. My office hours are public, so anyone is free to come and visit us at the SA office on the 3rd floor of Bietz for further questions, clarification, or suggestions,” said Benitez.
“I would encourage anyone with concerns to come talk to me.”
He continued to express his gratitude for the administration having his back.
“I’m grateful that I have the full support of my cabinet, our sponsors from the Student Development Office, and our University President, Dr. Ken Shaw. They’ve expressed their satisfaction with our accomplishments this year, and we have been truly blessed to have such a successful year so far by the grace of God.”
In response to questions about the impeachment process, Student Development representative Negrón clarified that while impeachment is possible, it involves bringing formal charges of impropriety or incompetence against the president.
“I take student concerns quite seriously. I would encourage anyone with concerns to come talk to me,” Negron said. “If the concerns rise to the level of impeachment, I myself will begin the process of impeachment.” He went on to explain that students do not need him in order for the process to start. There are by-laws to the constitution on how to enforce an impeachment.
The discussion surrounding Benitez’s leadership reflects a broader conversation about expectations for student government at Southern Adventist University.
Benitez said he has heard the concerns of students and is excited to announce a new initiative on campus called “SA Live,” according to an interview with the Accent. The purpose of SA Live is to bring awareness to the students about what SA is working on and accomplishing.
“So, the SA Live has the purpose of not waiting for the Townhall at the end of the semester to happen, but to give constant updates on the things that we do and the decisions that we make,” according to Benitez
“This is something that I have been preparing since, I mean, when I ran as president; that was one of my proposals,” Benitez said.
He said it is not only used for SA to update students, but for administration to give updates as well.
“ … In episode two, I invited Justin Moore to address the issue on the electric scooter policy,” he said. “I want to invite different administrators that are making important decisions or that are working on important projects for the students that will be beneficial for the students to know.”
In the video, Moore explained that Benitez’s plan for scooters would not be feasible due to the university’s safety and liability concerns.
Alexis Dewey, news editor, contributed to this story.
