"It's my hope that the people who have moved these charges against me can move beyond the personal level and use it as a chance to improve the associations accountability," she added.

At the meeting's outset, Nero distributed a three-page packet labeled in bold-face type "Questions for the Insurance Office." In the memo, Nero prepared her defense to charges leveled against her by Smith, who sent a letter to Nero's senior tutor this August recommending disciplinary action against her.

"Very little good can be salvaged from this mess, which gets bigger and nastier with each passing day," Nero wrote. "Let's put it behind us and learn from it, not punish each other needlessly for it. I, for one, long [for] a return to the days where I check The Crimson for the scandal du jour, and we are not it."

But PBHA and PBH staff may have a hard time putting this scandal behind them.

Although King said last night that he is eager to move on, the insurance for vans that used to carry the association's volunteers and the children they serve remains in jeopardy.

Annemarie Thomas, director of the University's insurance program, and her assistant director, Lee Ann Ross, attended last night's cabinet meeting to advise PBHA volunteers on insurance issues. They did not indicate whether they would continue to assist the association in securing car insurance.

In an August 10 letter to King, Ross recommended PBHA take action to discipline the AHSYEP counselors involved in violations of PBHA's vehicles policy.

"It is imperative that I have a written response from the PBHA committee director's (sic) informing me of the actions that will be taken against the Academy Homes individual(s) who operated vehicles without authorization and who operated the vehicles in an unsafe manner (exceeding passenger capacity and having two children in the front seat)," Ross wrote.

Nero alleged last night that King had used this letter to convince board members that her removal was necessary to secure insurance for the association.

But Ross and Thomas said they had no interest in interfering with the governing process at PBHA, which is the only student group overseen by the College to own automobiles.

"There are rules for driving the autos," Thomas said last night. "The reason that we're developing the rules is because we're concerned about the safety of children."

Thomas said she told the cabinet: "You're telling me that you're a responsible group. We can't help you out unless you prove to us that you're acting as responsible organization."

But Thomas and Ross said their support for a renewal of PBHA insurance was not contingent on Nero's removal.

"When I wrote that in the letter what I wanted from PBH was something to show me that they take this seriously," Ross said. "They have to decide this."

Since receiving Ross' letter, PBHA has begun work on a new vehicles policy. The disciplinary half of that policy was approved at a board meeting this Monday.