If two Government of the Student Body senators are given conduct probation or suspension for their involvement with an unauthorized rally, GSB President Adam Gold said he will likely stand behind the university’s decision.

“The argument that the administration is silencing students is a false one,” Gold said.

The senators — Milton McGriff, non-traditional, and Allan Nosworthy, graduate — could be forced from their positions as soon as today for participating in an unauthorized Nov. 5 rally.

Gold said he would first need to determine what exactly the students were told by administrators before the rally. Officials with The September 29th Movement contend they were told they would only receive written reprimands.

“If the university didn’t tell them this would happen, then we’ve got a problem.”

Gold, who attended the rally, said the problem for him is the differing stories about whether the students knew conduct probation and suspension might be their punishments for holding the unauthorized meeting.

“At this point, I would go with the university’s decision,” Gold said, “until somebody says they [the students] were told specifically this wouldn’t happen.”

Gold said he disagrees with the many students, faculty and staff who are denouncing the OJA’s sentences for two of the eight members charged. Many claim the administration is violating freedom of expression rights.

“The students were never silenced; they were given a chance to speak,” Gold said. “They aren’t being silenced for their opinions; they are being reprimanded for the way they did it this time. I stand firmly behind my decision that the university is not silencing students’ freedom of speech.”

The student body head added that he believes the majority of students on campus will not be discouraged to voice their own opinions because of these hearings.

“A lot of student groups will be saying it’s wrong to be kicked out of school for expressing your opinion and I would agree with that,” Gold said, “as long as you’re expressing your opinion in means that are agreed upon by all.”

Gold said he does not expect this to be an issue at Wednesday night’s GSB meeting.