Scandal-proned student politician seeks second go with CSU

If this past year taught students anything, it is the importance of taking a long, hard look at the candidates and their platforms. In the spirit of openness, there’s a few things about a member of the Decentralize Concordia slate that you should all be aware of.
Humza Ali Mahkdoom candidate for VP internal and former president of the Grant Macewan College Student Association (GMCSA) was accused of 10 charges related to various breaches of GMCSA bylaws. These charges include, but were not limited to missing or being late to crucial council meetings, failing to report effectively to the Student and Executive Councils, harassing staff and volunteers at a GMCSA event in the fall of 2006, and intimidating staff and students. Charges were also brought forward concerning Mahkdoom’s mishandling of GMCSA funds; after missing a flight back to Edmonton from a meeting in Fort McMurray, he charged a replacement flight to his GMCSA issued credit card.
At a council meeting on Nov. 25, 2006 the GMCSA council decided against impeachment when Mahkdoom pleaded guilty to charges about his attendance and scheduling of council meetings. He was also found guilty of charges involving the harassment of students, acting in a manner damaging to the GMCSA’s reputation and lying to the Student Council. Punishment was a fine of $951, the combined total of the cost of the missed flight and one three-credit class. Mahkdoom also had to write a letter of apology to be published in Intercamp, the student-run paper at Grant Macewan. Mahkdoom responded by stating, “[whether the fine is to be paid] remains to be seen” and claimed the actions taken in his prosecution “flew in the face of fundamental justice.”
The entire situation came to a head at a Jan. 11, 2007 council meeting where Mahkdoom and two other members of his executive were asked to tenure their resignations by councilor Arian Sweet, based on allegations they failed to turn in important paperwork requested by council. This included time sheets, statements for Visa cards issued by the GMCSA, and Mahkdoom’s letter of apology mandated by the disciplinary hearing. The meeting lasted three hours and is reported to have ended with Mahkdoom becoming verbally abusive to others at the meeting, resulting in his being asked to leave.
Eventually Mahkdoom returned with letters of resignation from himself, the VP Campus Life and one independent councilor. While the majority of councilors were not adverse to Mahkdoom’s ideas, they felt his actions in implementing them left a lot to be desired. According to records the fine was never paid, nor was a formal letter of apology ever presented to the student body.

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