Proceedings for impeachment have been set in motion for Towers Residence Association President Brian Cameron and Vice President Bill Wychulis.

The charges against the pair were formally filed Monday with Brian Siepker, acting TRA chief justice, by Lamson House Representative Zewde Demissie and Petersen House Representative Clayton Johanson.

Several complaints have been brought against Cameron, sophomore in pre-business, such as speaking inappropriately about Inter-Residence Hall Association President Dave Sims during a TRA senate meeting.

Other charges include fixing the appointment of TRA Treasurer Matthew Heerema. Cameron appointed Heerema before an open application process had begun, according to the charges.

They also assert Cameron appointed Wychulis as vice president despite the objections of a TRA senate committee formed to help fill the position.

Cameron also is charged with failure to fill the TRA senate position of chief justice, failure to organize several senate committees and failure to attend several Executive Council meetings.

Cameron said he has spoken with the people who brought up the charges.

“They don’t like the way Bill and I are doing things,” he said. “They thought we needed a change in the president and the vice president out here in Towers.”

Wychulis, sophomore in history, has been charged with making “disparaging remarks” to members of the TRA Executive Council and with misrepresenting the speakers list during debate on a bill.

Additionally, Wychulis is accused of having an IRHA representative from TRA introduce a bill to IRHA when members of the Executive Council were prohibited from introducing the bill.

Like Cameron, Wychulis was additionally charged with failure to fill the position of TRA chief justice and to organize several TRA committees.

Wychulis discussed the charges Wednesday with the plaintiffs Johanson and Demissie. Wychulis was asked to resign, but he declined.

“I don’t feel that the charges are substantial enough to ask for my resignation,” he said. “I love my job and what I do. If they had come to me and talked to me, I would have fixed what was wrong instead of bringing it to impeachment.”

Wychulis said he rebutted some of the charges brought against him, but he was asked to wait to defend his position until the hearings.

Ben Chamberlain, Knapp Hall director and TRA senate adviser, is acting as the liaison between the TRA Executive Council and Siepker.

Chamberlain said the impeachment proceedings may be held during the second week of the spring semester.

Any TRA resident is free to file charges of impeachment against any officer of the TRA student government. Chamberlain said the proceedings will be similar to a trial.

“A lot of it is up to the discretion of who will be running the proceedings,” he said. It has not yet been determined who will be presiding over the trial.

In order for Cameron and Wychulis to be removed from office, 75 percent of the senate must vote in favor of removal.

If Cameron and Wychulis are impeached, Chamberlain said, a special election will be held to elect a new president, who would then appoint a vice president.

Chamberlain said he is only facilitating the discussion and does not have an opinion about the charges. However, he thinks the proceedings can be a positive experience.

“I’m glad to see people stand up and do something about it if they think it’s wrong,” he said. “I hope it can remain a civil discussion and doesn’t become personal attacks.”

Chamberlain mediated discussion Monday between Cameron and the students who filed the charges.

“It went very well, and it’s been civil and a very good discussion,” Chamberlain said.

Brian Siepker, Government of the Student Body chief justice, is acting as the TRA chief justice since the position has not been filled this year.

Siepker, who was the TRA chief justice last spring, placed a gag order on plaintiffs Demissie and Johanson.

“I don’t want it to become personal,” Siepker said. “I think there are a lot of personal feelings involved. I wanted to give Bill and Brian every chance to defend themselves.”