After a rejected appeal letter, a decision made out of "convenience" and an absence of communication between student leaders and the University, the former president of Tempe Devils' Advocates decided to go public.
Grant Skala is the former Tempe Executive Board President of the Devils' Advocates and an incoming senior studying political science and communication. He spoke out against the recent decisions made by admission services to have Devils' Advocates become a branch under its office as opposed to a student-led club.
While the University published this new policy on July 1, this decision impacted the former club before summer started. Skala said he and several leaders of the Tempe Executive Board — elected by student members in the Spring semester of the 2023-2024 school year — will not return to the organization in the Fall.
A Change in Leadership
The leadership was shortened from 10 executive board members to four "student-lead positions," according to Skala. Because of this, many members were unable to come back with an equivalent position.
Among the several removed positions, there will no longer be an events coordinator. The executive board previously had this position to preserve the organization's community, according to Skala.
Skala said that during the Spring semester the executive board was working to change their organization to fit the requirements for the Fall semester. Throughout the semester and early summer, they reworked their constitution and submitted an advisor exemption to continue their work as a student club without being led by admissions.
At the end of May, admissions representatives told Skala that the organization did not get the exemption, and they would begin moving in a different direction from the executive board's original proposal. Skala said he was the first person they told about the rejection.
"They laid out exactly what that meant for Devils' Advocates," Skala said. "It was just me when they told me, and I was shocked. Obviously, I didn't even know that this was something they were considering."
An email was sent to all Devils' Advocates members on June 11 announcing the decision.
Devils' Advocates' future now resides within the University's admission services. The University staff arrived at the decision due to the absence of a faculty advisor, which, since July 1, is required for all student clubs. Now, the organization will act as a student occupation, with a stipend for all members.
READ MORE: Devils' Advocates turns to student employment amid new club registration requirements
"Those who made this decision regarding Devil's Advocates definitely could have found a different and better way to move forward as opposed to the new plan they put forward," Skala said.
One of the leaders of admission services, Deputy Vice President Matt Lopez, said they would continue to try to find a way to work with the former executive board to realize the future of the organization if the board were receptive to admission services’ limitations.
"I am interested in having productive conversations," Lopez said. "The only decision that I've made is that we're going to proceed in this new structure."
Lopez said he had multiple conversations with leaders at ASU, such as student government leaders, faculty and potential advisors about the renewal criteria, attempting to find a solution for the Devils' Advocates. He said the change into admission services was the preferred alternative in the "couple of weeks" he was given.
"I wish I had more time," said Lopez. "We didn't. Everybody was caught surprised."
Students Protest Against the Decision
On June 16, a letter of appeal was sent to Lopez from Skala and the members of the executive board to overturn the admission services' decision of a full stipend program.
The primary goal of the letter was to reinstate the registered student organization to preserve its previous structure. It also proposed the Tempe Executive Board should have input in "the decision-making process regarding the future of our organization as a whole."
The letter went against the new student lead positions instated by admission services, the absence of a community and the failure to communicate between the executive board and admission services.
The letter of appeal also requested information on the specific change in University policies that led to the shift. The letter states that "the proposed model was not the only plan presented to ASU leadership."
There were over 100 signatures from students and student leaders in support of the letter of appeal.
"We hope that you are willing to continue this dialogue and work with us going forward to arrive at a solution with which all parties feel comfortable and confident, as we feel that the future of the Devils' Advocates organization is at stake," the letter of appeal states. "Devils' Advocates has been the voice of ASU for the last 58 years. We are now asking for the opportunity to speak on behalf of our own organization."
According to Skala, Lopez denied their letter of appeal on July 12. However, Lopez said he is still willing to continue conversations with the former leaders to better the organization.
"I could not look Grant or anybody in the eye, saying that having to find a faculty advisor every year would guarantee that Devils' Advocates would be able to proceed into the future," said Lopez. "I couldn't guarantee him that. What I can guarantee him is what we decided to do. I've made financial and structural commitments for Devils' Advocates to exist for another 60 years."
"A Bigger, Larger Budgetary Impact"
Lopez said he will continue to speak to student presidents and current student leads to ensure the "critical pieces" of Devils' Advocates can continue.
"When we talked last time, one of the realities of some of the decision-making is we've got to follow some new rules around federal payroll and HR, and there is now a bigger, larger budgetary impact," said Lopez.
Lopez said the stipend program began a year ago when student leaders requested stipends for those who devoted time to the organization. Given that the stipends were not new, Lopez said he did not consider the stipends related to Skala and the former members' criticisms.
In the 2023-24 school year, only student leaders and select members received compensation. Since the change, every member of Devills' Advocates will receive a stipend.
However, Skala said that he did not see a widespread push for all members of Devils' Advocates to receive a stipend.
"To justify this full employment program by saying that there was an overall massive movement by students to request financial assistance for tours is something I don't think is accurate based on the conversations I've had with former student leaders," Skala said.
Skala said the request for financial assistance was mostly for validating parking so students didn't lose money from parking on campuses when doing tours.
He also said there may have been a couple of students who wanted to earn money from tours, but former student leaders wouldn’t claim that was the primary reason.
"For the vast majority of our student tour guides, both past and current, the ability to give tours and join the student organization to take in the club for what it was and what it offered was more beneficial to us than making money," said Skala.
While the change is significant for student leaders at the Tempe campus, students from other campuses have varied opinions.
Matthew Bird, an incoming sophomore studying public service and public policy as well as journalism on the Downtown Phoenix campus, said the recent change does not change much for Devils' Advocates except for the absence of monthly meetings and other events.
"I don't think the community is gone," Bird said. "This is an organization with 60-plus years of history, and because we're going through this organizational change doesn't necessarily mean that we are losing the things that made the Devils' Advocates, 'Devils' Advocates.'"
Bird also said the organization would benefit from being able to apply for the job posting online as it's more accessible. It could benefit students who are looking for an alternative to employment, which previously wouldn't have been available without a leadership position.
"I'm excited to see where the organization goes over the next year and moving on into the future after that," said Bird.
Edited by Natalia Jarrett, Sophia Ramirez and Alysa Horton.
Reach the reporter at gheadle@asu.edu and @George_Headley7 on X.
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George is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked at Times Media Group.
