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File photo | Northern Star
Lonny Pollard campaigns for CAB president earlier this year.
CAB president-elect owns up to history
A background check on Lonnie Pollard, president-elect of the Campus Activities Board, has revealed that Pollard pleaded guilty to charges of receiving goods in violation of the Credit Card Act in 2003.
On Jan. 15, 2003, the Northern Star reported that DeKalb County Police had issued arrest warrants for Pollard and six other NIU students for alleged credit card fraud. At the time, Pollard was the director of Organizational Management for the Student Association. Pollard resigned from his post the day before, and by Jan. 21, all students had turned themselves in.
Ron Matekaitis, DeKalb County state’s attorney, said at the time that all students were charged with Class 3 felonies. However, in a written statement to the Northern Star, Pollard said the charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor.
“The fact of the case was that I was in possession of goods that were improperly purchased, and I was wrong for that,” Pollard said in the written statement.
Pollard did not serve jail time. Instead, he was released on probation for 24 months. He was ordered to pay Target, the store where Pollard and the other students used the card, in restitution fees totalling $963.91. Pollard also paid a $500 fine, as well as $25 a month for the duration of his probation. He also served 225 hours of community service.
Pollard said he is no longer on probation, academic or criminal.
“I have since repaid my debt to all involved, the community, the school, and the DeKalb judicial system,” Pollard said. “I would like the NIU campus and concerned community members to know that I am not afraid of my past and that I am willing to share it publicly, as a sign of my testament to run an ‘Open Door Presidency.’”
At this time, the punishment Pollard received from the University Judicial Office is unknown. What is known is that Pollard and the other students involved were given three options: 1) plead not guilty and have a single faculty member administrative meeting or a judicial meeting, composed of two faculty members and three students, to decide whether they are guilty; 2) plead guilty, and face the recommendation of the judicial office; 3) plead guilty and try to appeal the sentence.
In addition, Northern Star archives show that Pollard has been active on campus since, running for president of the Black Student Union in April 2004 and managing a no-show Lil’ Flip concert in March 2005.
A legitimate candidate
Despite the charges, Pollard’s candidacy for CAB president was legitimate. On Thursday, the Northern Star reported that Pollard was a candidate on appeal. SA election commissioner Sarah Roman said his name was removed from the ballot initially because of a discrepancy over his credit hours. Pollard is a student-at-large.
Roman also pointed to the SA bylaws regarding election policy. According to Article IV, Section I of the policy, “a student must not be on academic probation or punishment for academic or criminal misconduct with the University.” The CAB constitution, in Article 4, Section 9, refers to SA election policy for dictating CAB elections.
Roman said she was not aware of Pollard’s criminal record.
Pollard said he has regained his standing and that this experience has served as a lesson to him.
“Currently I am in good judicial standing with the university, the DeKalb judicial system, and also in good academic standing, housing a 4.0 grade point average,” Pollard said. “God has planned this humility to be a part of my life, and for that reason, I embrace it.”
Pollard said that his statement went against the legal advice he received. However, he said he wanted to uphold the promises of an open presidency. He emphasized that the charges do not reflect on him as a person.
“Twenty-eight years old, one mistake,” Pollard said. “That’s all I can say.”
» Next Campus Article: Associate professor discusses building filters for third-world water
Sorry dude, I appreciate your experience and what you have learned from it, but not disclosing that in advance doesn't set high expectations for an "Open Presidency".