Editor's note: This is a letter to the editor submitted by Douglas Pearson, Dean of Students at Mercer University. It does not reflect the views of The Cluster, Mercer University or faculty members not listed. Pearson chairs the Board of Appropriations, from which The Cluster receives funding. The Cluster makes editorial decisions independent from the University, Pearson and the BOA.
Dear Cluster:
As the advisor to the Student Government Association, I am writing to provide some clarifications to an article on impeachment that was posted in The Cluster on October 15, 2026.
SGA bylaws use the term “impeachment” to mean two different things: it can refer to the review process itself or it can refer to the ultimate sanction of removal from office. In this case, it is accurate that the Senate voted in favor of a review; it would be inaccurate, however, to conclude the president was removed from office. She was not. The article title might lead some readers to conclusions, and I wanted to provide clarification.
SGA leaders are remarkable students who devote considerable time to passing legislation, funding student organizations, and hosting great events like Pilgrimage to Penfield, Founders’ Day, and Christmas Tree Lighting. They devote long hours outside the classroom and selflessly take on the challenges of leadership to help make Mercer a better place for their peers. Like all human beings, they sometimes make mistakes, which is one of the reasons closed Senate exists: the Senate needs a setting where members can freely discuss concerns and potential violations and hold each other accountable without doing reputational damage in the process.
As SGA advisor, I have the honor of watching Mercer’s student leaders grow and learn year after year. They will inevitably make mistakes, and they should be held accountable—a standard SGA upholds remarkably well. However, complex situations rarely fit neatly into a single headline or brief article. As such, I appreciate the opportunity to provide this additional context.
Douglas R. Pearson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Student Government Association Advisor
