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The UISG votes follow similar resolutions passed earlier this week by the Faculty Senate, the Staff Council, Graduate Student Senate, and representatives of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

"It's not simply about moving forward," UISG President Peter McElligott said. "Our 'no confidence' votes have put pressure on the governor and the regents for [the regents] to resign."

The vote, which received minimal debate, condemned the recent actions of the nine-regent panel. After a brief exchange over the pertinence of chastising such a powerful group, the resolution passed, 45-1.

Controversy over the UI presidential-search process erupted Nov. 17, when the regents voted 6-2 to turn down all four finalists - including Hogan - for the UI presidency and scrap the committee that had nominated the candidates. Regents will relaunch the process next week to find a replacement for former UI President David Skorton, who left earlier this year to assume the helm at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

Both McElligott and UISG Vice President Addison Stark said student government had never passed a resolution of no confidence, according to their inquiries of past UISG advisers and senators.

The second resolution, which stated its distrust of Vilsack's ability to appoint qualified regents, was more controversial, and senators amended the language several times. The last unmitigated statement of distrust in the governor - who is a hopeful for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 - was eliminated before the issue passed with nearly 40 votes.

"I think this is a reaction to [UISG's] unhappiness with the University of Iowa presidential search," said Jeff Link, Vilsack's campaign spokesman. "The governor doesn't take this lightly, either. What he wants to do is bring the parties together."

But amid the censures of both the regents and Vilsack, the UISG also moved Thursday to laud one stakeholder in the UI presidential-search process - Hogan.

"The spirit of this motion is, in a way, to pull his name out of the mud by stating what a great leader he has been," Stark said.

UI history Professor Katherine Tachau, who served as co-head of the presidential-search committee, said the regents' declaration that none of the candidates were qualified could "undermine [Hogan's] ability to continue to do his job as provost."

But some student senators questioned the practice of publicly thanking an individual for his leadership when many in the government chamber appeared to have never met Hogan.

"If he walked in the door right now, I wouldn't know who he is," said Mike Currie during the discussion. "Are we supposed to thank someone we've never met before?"

At least one other senator echoed Currie's comment.

But while other suggestions were made - including sending the provost a card - UISG ultimately passed the resolution of gratitude for Hogan on a 40-4 vote with one abstention.

"The relationship between the board [of regents] is abysmal," McElligott said. Voting no-confidence "is what we need to do. It's in the best interests of our school."