Congress launches ethics inquiry

Student Congress will investigate whether the Concept of Colors’ treasurer, Shaniqua McClendon, exaggerated the group’s financial needs.

The modeling group’s $7,535 funding request is in question after Congress representatives heard that McClendon overstated the group’s need from students in a class with her.

The group planned to use the money to buy costumes for fashion shows.

McClendon testified to Congress that she had forgotten to complete an assignment for a business class. The assignment required her to bargain with a store worker to lower a sale price or to tell a story about a similar negotiation.

On the spot, she said she used last week’s Congress finance committee meeting — where she first made the funding request — as an example of a time when she successfully bargained for more than she needed, saying that she expected the committee to cut the money significantly.

“It was mostly the way it was presented that made it seem like it was not true information,” McClendon said.

“I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I don’t think I implied that I just pulled numbers out of thin air.”

McClendon’s professor, Adam Grant, and at least two of her classmates informed Congress of what McClendon had said.

Though McClendon assured Congress that she had been truthful with them last week, many Congress members raised doubts about the validity of the request.

“It’s our obligation to fund in the most economical way possible,” said representative Harrison Brooks.

“If we were to pass this, we would be relinquishing all of our power and duty to the students.”

Congress voted to table the funding bill until the ethics committee reviews what happened.

Charissa Lloyd, the ethics committee’s chairwoman, said the committee will look at the conflicting stories and decide if McClendon embellished the request to Congress.

“We would like to give the group a chance to defend themselves,” she said.

She also said Congress will look into ways to better scrutinize funding requests to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“We would like to see how the finance committee can better investigate the numbers given by any group, not just this group,” Lloyd said.

Mike Morrill, chairman of the finance committee, said the group’s request seemed reasonable at last week’s finance committee meeting.

McClendon’s actions also could have academic consequences.

Deputy Undergraduate Student Attorney General Andrew Pham said the usual sanction for academic dishonesty is one semester suspension with a minimum sanction of one semester probation.

McClendon said she did not find out until about 6 p.m. Tuesday that Congress had questions about the request.

Visibly emotional at the Congress meeting, McClendon said she regretted her actions.

“It was dumb,” she said. “I shouldn’t have done it.”



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.