ASMSU’s director of human resources - the person in charge of hiring and firing organizational officials - resigned during the weekend.
Derek Werner, former ASMSU Director of Human Resources, resigned in an e-mail to Interim Association Director James Perra. He was placed on the second level of probation after he failed to meet a deadline to fill a position.
There are now six open positions within ASMSU’s internal organization, but Perra is acting as director of human resources.
“Without a director of human resources, we’re climbing up a dune and a sand pocket slipped from underneath us,” Perra said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Werner was placed on the second level of probation after missing the Oct. 18 deadline to fill the position of director of legislative affairs.
A week after the deadline, the position was still unfilled, and the ASMSU Steering Committee took action.
“I’m pretty disappointed that it’s not filled yet,” Perra said.
Werner couldn’t be reached Tuesday for comment.
ASMSU’s penalty system is three-tier, the first being a documented verbal warning, the second written notification and a meeting with the association director and in extreme cases, if a member makes it to the third level before being removed, they are required to meet with several ASMSU officials to discuss how to fix the problem.
“It was just basically laid out very clearly what he needed to do,” Perra said. “We felt that he had been given enough direction that a normal person could have succeeded in his job.”
Werner replied to Perra’s e-mail Friday, informing Perra he was unsure he could continue to work the position.
Then, a day or two later, he e-mailed Perra his resignation. Since then, Perra said he hasn’t had any contact with Werner to discuss the resignation further.
“I like Derek as a person, and if he had chosen to step up, he could have,” he said. “I believe in his abilities.”
Academic Assembly Chairperson Matt Clayson said he supports the decision.
“We’re all students and we all sometimes get into extracurriculars that are over our head,” he said. “There are just time we need to cut back and work things out.”
Clayson said Werner was competent for the position, but didn’t have his heart into it.
“It’s a pet peeve of mine,” he said. “We hire people, they come in saying how dedicated they are and they want to help the organization and then they find out there’s more than a paycheck, they actually have to do work.”
