The University of Minnesota’s undergraduate student government is requesting that a student representative to the Board of Regents be removed from his position after he allegedly accused a student group leader of being part of a “hate group.”

The Minnesota Student Association filed a formal complaint against Damien Carrière last week.

Carrière said in a series of emails to his colleagues on the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly’s executive board that the founder of a pro-Israel student group was unfit to serve on the school’s Student Services Fees Committee.

In the emails, Carrière called Students Supporting Israel founder Ilan Sinelnikov a “pro-war activist” whose political views would keep him from reviewing student groups’ applications for funding in an unbiased manner.

Sinelnikov, who’s applying to be the fees committee’s financial administrator, said he felt his leadership role in Students Supporting Israel and experience working to create change made him a suitable candidate.

Carrière said he stands by his statements and that he has nothing against Sinelnikov.

“The job I was asked to do by GAPSA was to advise who would and would not, in my opinion, best serve the committee,” he said. “I’ve expressed my opinion as I was asked to do.”

Minnesota Student Association President Joelle Stangler said the group expects to hear from the University’s Office for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity later this week whether it will act on MSA’s complaint against Carrière.

Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Danita Brown Young said in a statement that the school is examining the issue and “will work to resolve it in a way respectful of all involved.”