ASI Appellate Council will not hear candidate’s appeal over disqualification recommendation
Runner-up Isabella Jimenez will take over SSIS director position
The Associated Students Inc.’s Appellate Council decided they will not hear the appeal from SSIS Director-Elect Nikita Akhumov (left) Tuesday, June 13, 2023. Isabella Jimenez (right), the runner up candidate, will take over the position the fall 2023 semester. (Photos provided by Sacramento State; graphic created in Canva by Chris Woodard)
June 20, 2023
The Associated Students, Inc.’s Appellate Council determined on June 13, they will not hear Nikita Akhumov’s appeal to a previous recommendation by the Election Complaints Committee that he be disqualified from his position as director of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies for alleged campaign interference violations.
The appeal, filed by Akhumov on May 30, alleged the ECC and opposing witnesses violated different conduct and procedure-related statutes and asked for the reinstatement of his position as SSIS director.
The Appellate Council found there were no valid grounds for appeal made by Akhumov.
With this decision, Isabella Jimenez, the runner-up for SSIS director, will take the position in fall 2023, according to ASCSUS Election Code. Jimenez was one of two candidates to file a complaint against Akhumov following the 2023 ASI election.
Incoming ASI President Nataly Andrade-Dominguez acted as a witness for Jimenez during one of the complaint hearings but said she and the ASI Board were otherwise uninvolved in the process.
“I full-heartedly believe these committees did what was right,” Andrade-Dominguez said. “The situation has been stressful for everyone.”
Andrade-Dominguez said she is eager to start preparing Jimenez for her role in ASI, noting board members needed to go through an orientation process. Jimenez said she feels prepared to go through the process, having been confident the ECC’s decision would hold.
Akhumov said he was sorry if the other candidates did experience what was alleged in the initial complaints.
“I believe it’s something that I will personally take into account in the future,” Akhumov said. “And I will take full responsibility for my volunteers’ actions.”
