But it was officials’ turn to go mum after Paula Richardson, a representative for the College of Music, announced her resignation near the meeting’s end.

Richardson, who served as a representative for about five years, told council members she felt pressured to resign and no longer could remain part of the organization after an executive board member disrespected her in private communication.

“The response I received included both accusatory and inflammatory language, in addition to which I was pressured to resign,” Richardson said in an e-mail after the meeting. “I have, therefore, submitted my resignation.”

Naegele said she was not surprised by Richardson’s decision to leave the group, but was not aware of the incident Richardson referenced as the reason for her departure.

“The only thing I can think of is, I did send an e-mail to all the reps saying that ‘just so you know, if you are a representative you are required to go to a certain number of meetings per year,’” Naegele said. “I didn’t necessarily see it coming, but I was not surprised. That member hadn’t been to any of the meetings beforehand, so we had assumed it was because of previous feelings.”

Although Richardson’s resignation was not a surprise, Naegele said she was shocked by representatives’ lack of response to her announcement of proposed graduate program cuts.

“It’s very surprising, actually,” she said. I see people who obviously care about their programs that are getting cut at different Board of Trustees meetings … but I haven’t actually heard from any of them.”

Vicki Ackroyd, COGS’s recording secretary, said she believes students will begin voicing concerns to the group once the initial shock of the cuts wears off.

“I have heard from at least one person who was concerned about undergraduate program cuts in her general area and I suggested she get in contact with ASMSU,” Ackroyd said. “ … The program cuts have been announced just fairly recently, so we don’t have a game plan really on that yet.”