Chairman Ehrhart Demands Georgia Tech President Resign

It seems Chairman Earl Ehrhart’s feud with Georgia Tech over due process has escalated rather quickly. Georgia Pol covered the issue earlier, but here’s a quick recap:

Last week, Representative Earl Ehrhart, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee On Higher Education, had much to say about due process in collegiate judicial proceedings involving students, or lack thereof. Chairman Ehrhart’s criticism of the school’s judicial proceedings is actually completely legitimate.

Victims of sexual assault deserve justice, but those innocently accused deserve a system that will protect them from vicious accusers. In the committee, Chairman Ehrhart demanded college presidents make due process protections for students before he discusses any state funds with them.

At the root of Chairman Ehrhart’s problem with Georgia Tech is its lack of proper investigation into sexual assault claims against students. Recently, Chairman Ehrhart demanded the president of Georgia Tech, Bud Peterson, resign. The Chairman’s committee also denied funding for a new building on the Tech campus.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution caught up with Chairman Ehrhart

What I want him to do is go in there and do the right thing. I think he can still survive. I don’t have a personal grievance with Bud Peterson, but I do have a problem with what’s happening on Tech’s campus, there’s a total lack of due process…My responsibility is to the taxpayers. I can’t throw good money after bad. And I’m not going to fund these individuals who make these decisions. Taking away a $47 million Taj Mahal is not going to harm the students.

I doubt President Peterson will resign; however, as I said earlier, this is opening the door to constructive conversation on due process on college campuses.

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