Joseph Garcia's term as GPSA president will end in May, but that hasn't stopped some members of the council from trying to recall him.
In the past few months, the council has been plagued with conflict between two groups: those who want Garcia as president and those who want him out.
The most recent dispute came after the council voted Jan. 26 not to hold a recall election.
The move violated the council's constitution, but some members argue the vote was supported by its bylaws.
In December, Graduate and Professional Students Association members presented a recall petition signed by 284 graduate students.
The petition stated Garcia failed to complete his duties as GPSA president.
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Under the constitution, GPSA had until Monday to hold a recall election.
But the council's vote stopped that from happening.
Members who presented the petition say they have asked UNM administrators to overturn the vote.
Garcia said the time spent on the recall effort could be used to benefit students.
"We don't want a recall election because it takes away resources and time from students," he said.
Rep. Jason Thomas, who supports the recall, said the students who signed the petition deserve to be heard.
"The fairest way to conclude this all would be an election," Thomas said. "If he wins, it would be a true credence of people that were voting."
Finance Chairman Isaac Padilla said the council voted according to its bylaws, which he said conflict with its constitution.
"The policies and procedures are not clear in either one of them," he said.
Padilla said he is confident graduate and professional students would support Garcia in the event of a recall.
"We've actually demonstrated the support that Joseph does have," he said. "Now that he is achieving his objectives, I think that people will see that."
The council issued a vote of confidence for Garcia when the petition was presented Dec. 1. The vote passed 28-10 with one abstention.
The recall petition states that Garcia failed to hire a three-quarter-time employee to work in the GPSA office as directed by the council, that he had not presented a budget for the fiscal year, and that he did not get authorization from the council to hire two part-time employees to help run the office.
Garcia said council members are upset because his term as president has threatened the control they have over the organization.
"It's about class. It is about race. It is about access to resources, and UNM is a resource," he said. "It is a contested space and a contested resource."
Thomas said it is absurd to say the recall is racially motivated.
"From the beginning, this has not been about race - this is about asking him to do his job," he said.
