At United Student Government’s (USG) meeting on Sept. 30, Robert Sundstrom, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, announced his resignation from the position of vice president. 

Sundstrom said that his ideas of what USG and the position of vice president should be are not compatible with the current USG administration.

“My biggest qualm is the role of vice president has the constitutional ability to be expanded to include more responsibilities but none of that is written in, so it is reliant on precedence,” he said. “There was more of a reliance this year on the constitutional duties of what the vice president is, which are very few.” 

In the event of a vacant executive board position, the USG constitution states the position will be fulfilled by the president pro-tempore, or majority leader, of the senate.

In the past, Sundstrom said the vice president and other executive members were included in executive meetings with the president and adviser to “create a more collaborative space.” Sundstrom said that is not the way USG decided to move forward this year.

According to Joe VanGostein, USG president and Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’22, vice presidents can be invited to these meetings, but it is not a constitutional requirement.

“We decided that this year it would just be president and advisor as allowed by the constitution,” VanGostein said.

The board is reviewing USG’s constitution and will be meeting next week to decide how to move forward.

Dorothy Wenzel, senior director for the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) and adviser to USG, said she will be supporting the student leaders with their recruitment process to fill the vacant position, though she cannot give any specifics at this time. According to Wenzel, the board is reviewing USG’s constitution and will be meeting next week to decide how to move forward.

VanGostein said he looks forward to continuing to serve the student body with a new vice president.

“The role of USG VP is a very demanding and complex one. Robert decided that role was no longer for him,” he said. “I wish him more success in his future endeavors.”

“I didn’t want to leave, but I felt like I needed to.”Robert Sundstrom, FCLC ’22

The resignation of Sundstrom as vice president went into effect on Oct. 1. When he announced his resignation the day before, he said he was nervous about the announcement but that many USG members were supportive of him.

“I didn’t want to leave, but I felt like I needed to,” he said. “A lot of people indicated they were sad to see me go but expressed that they understood my reasons.”

Sundstrom said that after the meeting he wished VanGostein luck, who expressed his gratitude toward him for their work together.

“I always support every student to make a decision based on what is going to be best for them, so I support Robert in his decision.”Dorothy Wenzel, senior director for the Office of Student Involvement

Though disappointed with how things ended with USG — a club he has been involved in since his sophomore year at Fordham — Sundstrom said he is excited to continue doing work for students and student experience through his event directing job within OSI.

“I always support every student to make a decision based on what is going to be best for them, so I support Robert in his decision,” Wenzel said. 

Wenzel thanked Sundstrom for his commitment to his vice presidential work — especially during the 2020-21 academic year when Loreen Ruiz, former USG president and FCLC ’21, was fully remote and he had to embrace more responsibilities, such as leading hybrid meetings.

Sundstrom will not be involved in the administrative process of USG’s special election, but he said he will “definitely vote.”