Executive Vice President of Legislation Jimmy Brock gave an emotional resignation from Student Government Assembly during Santa Rosa Junior College’s Board of Trustees meeting Feb. 14.
“I don’t want to be a part of a system that celebrates racism or bullying or domestic violence,” Brock told trustees in his speech.
Brock later noted that he initially considered resigning in November, when college administrators became involved in an SGA meeting and canceled “Tea with Tea,” an event organized by Delashay Carmona Benson, the student trustee to the board. Brock claimed Byron Reaves, dean of students, and Robert Ethington, vice president of student services, attended the meeting and “aggressively” accused Benson of overinvolvement in student activities.
“It wasn’t coming from a place of understanding; it was coming from a place of anger,” Brock said. “It was so out of control. They were giving all these excuses. We knew it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Brock proceeded to describe disputes he had with SGA President Abrea Tillman following the incident, which further influenced his decision to step down.
“She took me into her office and began to aggressively lecture me. It was very uncomfortable, very intimidating. I don’t want to be around her at all,” Brock told trustees. “I sneak on and off campus because I don’t want to be verbally attacked.”
Brock told board members that other SGA members had resigned in the past several months for similar reasons and that Tillman’s attitude regarding student government had been upsetting for many.
Benson added that Tillman was “an absent president.”
“We often laughed about how her office chair has dust on it because it never moved,” she said.
Tillman responded to Brock’s allegations in an email statement. “As SGA president, I have worked to build a collaborative and supportive environment within leadership. The public comments made about me in the Board of Trustees meeting are not a reflection of my work nor my leadership style,” she wrote.
Brock, who held SGA positions including vice president of marketing, vice president of finance and executive vice president of legislation, initially discussed his thoughts on Tillman’s leadership in December’s Board of Trustees meeting. Returning in February, he intended to use his resignation to draw attention to SGA as well as broader topics, including campus racism and mental health, which other students spoke on during public comments.
“I wanted to step down publicly; I wanted to speak out as an SGA member,” Brock said. “But it’s like every time we try to speak up, our words are held against us.”
Regarding his work in SGA, Brock referenced a list of legislative goals from 2021-2022 school year, including getting gender-neutral bathrooms in each building and homeless-safe parking in community colleges across the state. He alleged that the list was abandoned at the start of Tillman’s presidency but still represents his goals for student leadership.
“Nonbinary students go into gendered bathrooms fearing that they’ll get attacked; homeless students fear they’ll get robbed or harassed,” Brock said. “It all boils down to the safety of the students.”
Brock’s resignation was effective immediately, and the Executive Vice President of Legislation is now a vacant position.
Mark Connely • Mar 18, 2023 at 1:11 pm
One thinks that student government would have some sort of arbitration or grievance process in place for interpersonal problems among officers and staff that inevitably arise from time to time. A place where a third party could moderate a productive discussion that would allow for greater understanding; hopefully resolving such problems long before hurt feeling result in angry accusations called over the shoulder as one walks out the door.
Delashay Benson • Mar 1, 2023 at 7:05 pm
Great Piece… I was accused of “Doing To Much” for students. I can’t wait for the whole story to come out!