Correction Appended
Student Union Board Director Tré Matthews resigned from his position Nov. 14 in order to focus his attention on his music career, according to a press release from the AU Student Government President's office. However, SG Vice President Andrew Woods and some SUB members said Matthews was told to step down because he was not meeting the requirements of his position.
SUB Cinema Director and Hospitality Director Jacque Martin said in an e-mail she did not believe Matthews fulfilled his duties.
"He did not keep office hours, was not on time to shows and was overall a bad face for an organization that works very hard," she said. "He also did not answer phone calls or [e-mails], causing other student groups to become upset with SUB."
As of press time, Matthews had not responded to requests for comment.
"We've tried to keep [Matthews' resignation] very internal and let it not spill over or erupt in any way," said SUB Deputy Director Andrew Addison.
Addison, who was previously SUB's assistant director, will fill the position of deputy director for the remainder of the semester and will work closely with Woods to ensure the organization runs smoothly.
SUB is the department within the SG that brings entertainment aimed at undergraduates to AU's campus. The SUB director is part of the SG vice president's cabinet.
Matthews became SUB director last spring as an individual with little internal experience in the organization, according to Addison.
"Tré had a lot of experience and background in what he wanted to pursue," he said. "But he didn't really get into the swing of things and didn't meet all of our expectations. So finally a couple of weeks ago, myself, Jacque and Keiko [Iioka, the former SUB volunteer coordinator and current deputy assistant director] stepped up and said that we were having some problems [since] we've been doing all the work."
This is the second time a SUB director has needed to step down this year. SG President Seth Cutter dismissed former SUB Director Amanda Mustafic in June because she did not meet the job's requirements after experiencing a family emergency, The Eagle previously reported.
The two situations were unrelated beyond the fact that both directors were forced to step down due to personal conflicts that prevented them from performing their duties, Woods said.
Addison also acted as deputy director this summer when Mustafic was dismissed from her position. However, he will not retain the position next semester as he will be studying abroad.
The new SUB director, who has to be appointed by the Student Government vice president and approved by the Undergraduate Senate, will be someone who already has internal experience within the organization in order to eliminate the learning curve, Woods said in an e-mail.
"Because Andrew Addison has been so influential in the running [of] the office this semester, we do not expect any noticeable differences in day-to-day operations," he said. "Once a new director is named, we expect them to work closely with Addison to transition so that there will be no lapses in programming for the fall or spring."
The SUB director's position will likely go to Josh Offsie, a junior in the Kogod School of Business who is currently studying abroad, according to Addison. Offsie has been involved in SUB since his freshman year and worked as the SUB's cinema director last year.
Addison said in the coming weeks he will look to solidify the events for the beginning of next semester, including contacting outside promoters for SUB's spring concerts.
"Overall, the work is getting done," he said. "I think transitioning into the spring won't be a problem. I don't want anyone to relive the problems we've had this semester."
So far this semester, SUB brought Metro Station, Josh Kelley and Armor for Sleep to campus.
You can reach this staff writer at thallerman@theeagleonline.com.
Correction: In "SUB director resigns," The Eagle incorrectly reported that Tré Matthews became SUB director in the spring. Student Government President Seth Cutter nominated Matthews for the position Aug. 6. The Eagle regrets the error.
