Before last Thursday’s Board of Governors (BoG) meeting, Yves Engler held an impromtu press conference and later tried entering the meeting without success.
Engler, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) councillor who was forced out of university premises during the last CSU council meeting was talking with reporters outside Guy Metro.
940 news and CFCF were interviewing Engler about his ejection from the premises and his banning from the BoG meeting of which he is a member.
According to the BoG, a student who has a bad record with the school is banned from attending the meetings. This rule was brought into effect two weeks after the infamous Sept. 9 riots. The rule apparently only applies to students and excludes staff or the (unelected) community representatives.
When asked about his suspension, Engler said, “This is hard. I have lots of respect for Tom Keefer,” referring to another student who went up against the administration. Because Engler’s original suspension wasn’t signed by the two tribunal judges, Engler has challenged his original suspension and plans on suing the university if his suspension is overturned by the courts. Engler also admitted he would “prefer to be writing and talking about ‘important’ issues.”
Attempting to enter the BoG meeting Engler was quickly stopped by a security guard and asked to leave. Engler complied and said he would be going home to sleep.
Security was tight at the BoG meeting with guards at each end of the hall and four in the lobby of the building.
The meeting went on as planned with no interruptions. One topic was a recommendation from the Senate to increase the number of non-voting Chairs for Tribunal hearings.
According to Rector Frederick Lowy a substantial increase in hearings has forced the university to increase the number so that hearings can be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
College to close doors
Another topic, as was previously reported, Lonergan University College will close its doors.
And the building previously used will revert back to it’s owners the Jesuits.
In the Rector’s report, Lowy was more than happy to announce to the BoG Concordia university has enjoyed a 37 per cent increase in enrollement this year as compared with all the other Quebec universities who’s enrollment either declined or had minimal increases.
Inauguration complete
Also, the new science building that was inaugurated on Monday has been finished on time and on budget ($85 million) which Rector Lowy quipped was “unusual.”
Vice-Rector Michael Di Grappa reported the construction of the new engineering building is a bit behind schedule because of an abnormally harsh winter in 2002 but he still believes that the building will be finished on schedule sometime in January 2005.
New Student Housing?
There was also talk of future projects including the hope of adding more student housing.
Also, the permanent shuttle buses are on their way. Di Grappa stated the new company that was hired to run the shuttle between downtown and NDG will be delivering the permanent buses next month.
Now, more than 80 people can fit on the bus rather than the previous 52. So, in essence, the buses are bigger and better. Exactly the route Concordia seems to be taking.
