Update, April 8, 9:09 p.m.:

The BSG vote to add a Good Standing Amendment to their bylaws passed. Students on and wishing to join the BSG must be in good standing with the College.

Original article, published April 8:

The Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) passed a motion at their meeting on Wednesday to request that the College pay any legal fees for BSG members acting in their office. President Danny Mejia-Cruz ’16 will bring the request to the administration for their approval. The proposal aims for a freer discourse within the BSG and is in response to the earlier prospect of legal action three BSG members faced earlier this semester after they authored the articles for impeachment for two other BSG members. Currently no other schools that the council has spoken to have legal protection in their by-laws. However, Mejia-Cruz has been in communication with other schools such as Harvard University and Middlebury College who also are investigating providing their student government members with legal protection. Members of the BSG drew parallels with employment contracts—many firms offer to protect their employees if the employee is sued while acting in their professional capacity.

The BSG also voted by sealed secret ballot via an email link to automatically remove members who fall out of good standing with the College from their governmental duties. Voting closed Thursday at noon, but results were not yet available at press time. Removed members could appeal their removal to the Executive Committee, which is made up of the student body president and the six vice presidents. By a majority vote of the committee, a student could be reinstated to the BSG. Students in poor standing who wish to run for office must also receive the approval of the BSG. While some members of the BSG voiced concerns that tying BSG eligibility to an administrative classification would hamper the government’s independence, others claimed that the appeals process prevents the administration from hampering the BSG, as the Executive Committee can prevent the expulsion of a member from the institution should the administration choose to discipline them.