Originally published in the Los Angeles Loyolan. For original, please refer to: Ruiz ‘no longer eligible’ to serve as ASLMU president, Caserio assumes role – Los Angeles Loyolan.

A statement released at approximately 9:24 p.m. on the ASLMU Facebook page announced that senior marketing major Bryan Ruiz is no longer eligible to serve as the ASLMU president. According to sophomore psychology major and Speaker of the Senate Ceci Rangel-Garcia and senior political science major and Attorney General Sarah Palacios, Ruiz was deemed no longer eligible for the ASLMU presidency because of a judicial affairs issue.

Director of Student Leadership and Development Andrea Niemi clarified that Ruiz did not resign his post. This was confirmed by sophomore finance major Roy Dilekoglu, a former ASLMU senator who resigned Friday.

Effective immediately, senior sociology major Vinnie Caserio will take his place as ASLMU president, in accordance with the ASLMU bylaws.

An impeachment complaint was brought forth by junior entrepreneurship major and Greek Council President Lauren Coons on behalf of the Greek community at Wednesday’s ASLMU Senate meeting. As reported in the Feb. 21 Loyolan article “ASLMU president faces impeachment hearing,” the Senate accepted the complaint and was prepared to hold an impeachment hearing next Wednesday. Because Ruiz is no longer president, the hearing will not take place.

Caserio, who served as Ruiz’s vice president, assumes the presidency mere weeks before ASLMU’s next elections. In an interview with the Loyolan last Monday, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Development (SLD) and ASLMU Adviser Alexandra Froehlich called Caserio “ready and willing” to take on the presidency.

“One thing I’ve learned about Vinnie this entire year is that he will step up to the plate and try everything,” Froehlich said. “I know he’ll need some coaching along the way.”

In a similar interview on Monday, Assistant Director of SLD and Greek Adviser Dan Faill said he hoped Caserio would focus on “mending” the relationship between ASLMU and Greek Life, as well as to bring “integrity back to the office.”

At the beginning of the academic year, Caserio spoke to the Loyolan about his goals for his vice presidency. The Sept. 6 Loyolan article “Ruiz, ASLMU stay true to goals,” reported that both Caserio and Ruiz would strive for “greater transparency.”

“We just want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard,” he said.

In an interview for the same story, Ruiz called Caserio “the heart of ASLMU,” saying, “He’s very warm; he’s very extroverted.”

According to the statement on ASLMU’s Facebook on Thursday, Caserio will present a vice presidential nominee for approval at next Wednesday’s weekly Senate meeting.

Froehlich told the Loyolan on Monday that there were “possibly” removal efforts in motion internally that were unrelated to the Greek Council’s impeachment complaint. Froehlich said that Ruiz had not yet talked to Caserio about those efforts.

“At that point in time, based on the other wheels in motion, [he] wanted to tell Vinnie himself,” he said. “So I was allowing him the opportunity to do that.”

Calls to Caserio and Ruiz were not returned.