Fake Student Removed From Gay Group

Student groups at Binghamton University in upstate New York, including the school's gay student organization, are scrambling to recover after one of their members was escorted off campus last week for posing as a student.

Phillip Calderon, 37, was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for falsifying his age on business documents, according to the BU Pipe Dream. He was a leader in several student groups, including the Rainbow Pride Union. As director of conferences, Calderon was able to bring Binghamton the 2011 Northeast Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender and Queer Conference, to be held in April.

A member of Rainbow Pride Union's executive board said the group convened Friday to address preparations for the conference now that Calderon is gone.

"Phil was the one running the conference and he secured the conference [to be at BU]," the unidentified student said. "He was heavily involved, so when we found this out on Friday we met with administration and the SA E-Board to find an alternative."

Calderon had earned nearly $4,000 over three years as a member of the Student Assembly. According to student government policy, only active students can be members of school-sanctioned groups.