Signs reading “we are not motherfuckers” and “diversity is beautiful” flooded the ASUO Senate meeting on Wed., April 9.

The signs referenced statements made by Sen. Alex Titus during a meeting with ASUO presidential candidate Thomas Tullis in March. Tullis was jailed and released earlier this week for allegedly taking an illegal audio recording of the conversation.

During the conversation, Titus made disparaging statements about groups that receive I-fee funds.

“Literally the same 10 people took $5,000 for a conference in Orlando, $4,000 for a conference in Colorado and $15k for an Asian diversity conference about why Asians shouldn’t be over-sexualized,” Titus said in the recording. “That’s 20k in one night that those motherfuckers just took.”

Before the discussion began, Titus addressed the senate body and members of the audience.

“I am extremely sorry if I said any comments that directly offended you as a person,” Titus said, addressing the assembled crowd. “I feel that I have treated all of the groups here fairly.”

Students from a variety of programs and groups on campus attended the discussion — including representatives from MEChA, the Black Student Union, the Multicultural Center, Kultura Pilipinas and more — addressed the statements and demanded more than an apology.

“I want something from senate either condemning this or taking some action against this,” MEChA director Ricky Salinas said.

“I’m one of those ‘motherfuckers’ who came in here and asked for $5,000 for a conference,” Salinas said. “I hope you see that your comments are not just offensive to one group or a few groups and I hope that all of you on this body, not just Titus, are aware of the position that you’re in. You are not just here for yourself or your own agenda.”

The recording specifically addressed funding for the Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Conference. Demiliza Saramosing requested funds for the ADPIA conference at a previous senate meeting and came to voice her concerns over Titus’ recent comments.

“I felt very hurt to hear senator Titus talk about ADPIA in the recent recording. I was really concerned because I’ve been working really hard on the conference and it hurt that Titus didn’t feel that our conference was important to the University of Oregon and the Eugene community,” Saramosing said. “I don’t like to be called a motherfucker.”

Both Titus and Saramosing expressed interest in meeting to talk in person.

Titus pledged his willingness to meet with any members of the audience and continued to apologize.

At the meeting, a working group was created to pass a resolution condemning racist statements. The resolution will be voted on next week at ASUO Senate.

“I feel like even if I voted yes for the resolution that wouldn’t be enough,” Titus said. ”I wish there was a better way to say it. I’m just deeply, deeply sorry for things that I’ve done. I feel horrible and I know a lot of you do, too. I hope we can move past this and that you can forgive me.”

The Ducks Like You campaign released an official statement regarding the recordings. In the statement DLY pledges support for the student unions who felt attacked.

“We will not support violent and inaccurate statements towards marginalized, communities of color, whose work goes unacknowledged when trying to engage the greater campus community on how to make this campus a safer environment for all,” the statement read. “This serves as a reminder that we all must work to making sure we hold incompetent spaces accountable in order to build a community where people feel welcome and safe on campus.”

During the meeting, Constitution Court member Pat Chaney was confirmed as the new Elections Board Coordinator. Chaney’s appointment to the position comes at the suggestion of ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz following the resignation of the last Elections Board because it disagreed with administrative reinstatement of former presidential candidate Ben Bowman last Friday. Bowman had previously been disqualified from the elections from the Elections Board and Constitution Court in response to allegations of intimidation and bribery filed against him in a grievance by Tullis.

Chaney will be taking a leave of absence from Constitution Court to serve on the Elections Board.