The results of an internal investigation in the Undergraduate Student Government might be revealed at tonight’s meeting.

Josie Miller, chief administrator, could not comment on the purpose of the internal investigation, and said while it might be finished by tomorrow night, there’s no time limit for its completion.

But Matt Seckel, Internal Affairs Committee chairman, said once the results of the investigation are revealed, the senate would decide what action – if any – to take against Aaron Shumaker, USG president.

At last week’s USG meeting, Jim Wasil, president of College Republicans, accused Shumaker of misusing his title as USG president to endorse Gordy Heminger for Ward 1 on City Council earlier this fall.

Shumaker said he didn’t violate any of USG’s bylaws by using his title, and acted in the students’ best interests.

On Tuesday, The BG News received a Heminger campaign sign that says on the bottom “Paid for by Citizens for Heminger, Aaron Shumaker (USG President), Treasurer…”

According to Shumaker, the signs were made by someone else in Heminger’s campaign, and likely produced in mid-September.

Wasil claims that Shumaker violated Article II Section 1 of USG’s constitution, which says “The actions of this branch shall be limited to executive functions in carrying out the provisions of this Constitution and implementing legislation enacted by the legislative branch.”

Wasil believes that by using his executive title, Shumaker acted outside of what’s allowed in the constitution.

But what the constitution doesn’t do is limit the president’s right to express political views, Shumaker said.

“Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that I’ve given up my First Amendment right to freedom of speech,” he said.

When asked whether the endorsement of a candidate by a senator or executive member is prohibited by USG’s constitution, Wanda Overland, USG adviser, wouldn’t comment on the issue.

Michael Ginsburg, USG adviser, didn’t respond to The BG News over the past week for this story.

But for Wasil, the promotional campaign sign is proof that Shumaker misused his title.

“I don’t see how you can defend yourself,” Wasil said. “There it is in print.”

Some USG Senators disagree on the importance of the sign.

Seckel said that if Shumaker was aware of the sign, “then I feel that his awareness of that and allowing that to happen would be a gross misuse of his executive power.”

If it’s found that Shumaker was aware of the sign, Seckel would like Shumaker to apologize. But he thinks the situation was caused by a “difference in interpretation” between Shumaker, senators and constituents.

Tony Wagener, off-campus senator, supports Shumaker, and doesn’t think the president has done anything wrong.

“If the title’s not there, he is still the USG president,” Wagener said.

And in Shumaker’s eyes, there’s no difference between his endorsement of Heminger and BGSU President Sidney Ribeau’s endorsement of Issue 1 – which was made in a editorial letter to The BG News Friday.

In the letter, Ribeau encouraged students to vote for Issue 1 in tomorrow’s election, and included his title as “BGSU President” after his signature.

Shumaker said he doesn’t see a difference between Ribeau’s actions and his own, because there are some students who support Issue 1 and some who don’t, but Ribeau still used his title to support it.

“Dr. Ribeau is in the same situation as I am,” Shumaker said.

But Wasil believes there’s a difference between Ribeau’s use of his title and Shumaker’s because Ribeau didn’t violate the University’s Code of Ethics, while Wasil thinks Shumaker has.

Ribeau didn’t violate the Code in regard to Article VI, Section b on Political Activities or in Section d in regard to Conflicts of Interest, Wasil said.

In Wasil’s opinion, Shumaker’s actions violate the section on Conflicts of Interest, which says, “We shall avoid circumstances that reasonably imply we acted for personal gain rather than for the best interest of the University.”

By using his title to promote his fraternity brother and the political campaign he is Treasurer for, Wasil believes Shumaker acted for personal gain instead of in the best interests of the student body.

Some of Wasil’s accusations toward Shumaker so far have proven untrue.

Wasil claimed publicly that Shumaker and Heminger had visited fraternities together to convince members to vote for Heminger.

But according to Kevin Stachowski, president of Phi Delta Theta; Dave Ruda, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon; and Joel Coffman, president of Phi Kappa Tau; Heminger visited their fraternities in spring 2005 and Shumaker came by himself at the beginning of fall 2005 – but never together.

Wasil has said he will rescind his statement.

Shumaker has also questioned Wasil’s motives for making accusations against him so close to tomorrow’s election.

“I firmly believe that the reality is that we have an election around the corner and he’s president of the College Republicans,” said Shumaker, adding that he believes this was done to further the campaign of the candidate supported by Wasil.

That candidate Wasil publicly supports is Ashley Harlett, a Republican and a BGSU student.

The students who made the accusations against Shumaker at last Monday’s USG meeting have been upset for a while but weren’t sure how to approach it, Wasil said. They brought it out now because they “gained more evidence as time went on,” he added.

Shumaker said he’s glad students voiced their opinions to USG and welcomes others to do so, but it’s time to move on.

“Internally we reviewed it, and we’re going to push forward,” he said.