In a unanimous decision, the CSU council of representatives voted to give $5,000 to the student defense committee for expelled students Tom Keefer and Laith Marouf.
During the meeting, Keefer and Marouf received honourary membership on the CSU council. “Our decision is in accordance with university policies and regulations,” said Mistie Mullarkey, the council’s chair.
Despite the unanimous vote, some question the suitability of council’s decision.
“The Arts and Science Faculty Association (ASFA) is 60 per cent of the students and is made up of 26 associations. $5,000 is more than most associations get over the course of a year,” said Riccardo Filippone, ASFA vp finance. “I find it odd that the CSU were so torn about funding their largest faculty, but they found $5,000 to give to the defense committee.”
However, Keefer defended the decision. “If the administration gets away with doing this to us, it can do it to any other Concordia student, and as a union, we can’t let a precedent like this stand. We’re going to be suing the university.” Keefer wants to university to pay the committee’s campaign and legal costs as a part of a settlement.
Marouf was expelled for allegedly assaulting security and Keefer is alleged to have uttered a death threat. The pair deny the charges.
Some witnesses to the confrontation said no death threats were uttered and no assault took place.
“It was security who were acting in a confrontational manner,” said Sabine Friesinger, a witness to the confrontation and a councillor.
However, Eric Abrams, a supervisor of security, said a death threat was directed at him. He could not go into details for legal reasons.
The administration said Keefer and Marouf were not students at the time of the confrontation, which means they are not entitled to a hearing by the university’s hearing board.
However, the university’s code of conduct defines a student as “persons
registered during a preceding academic term,” which both Keefer and Marouf were.
Dennis Murphy, executive director of communications, justified the university’s decision by saying that the code refers to academic issues, like plagiarism and cheating. He could not specify what definition the rector had used.
Another university spokesperson said that for non-academic purposes, a student is someone registered for courses.
During the meeting, Keefer and Marouf received honourary membership on the CSU council. “Our decision is in accordance with university policies and regulations,” said Mistie Mullarkey, the council’s chair.
Despite the unanimous vote, some question the suitability of council’s decision.
“The Arts and Science Faculty Association (ASFA) is 60 per cent of the students and is made up of 26 associations. $5,000 is more than most associations get over the course of a year,” said Riccardo Filippone, ASFA vp finance. “I find it odd that the CSU were so torn about funding their largest faculty, but they found $5,000 to give to the defense committee.”
However, Keefer defended the decision. “If the administration gets away with doing this to us, it can do it to any other Concordia student, and as a union, we can’t let a precedent like this stand. We’re going to be suing the university.” Keefer wants to university to pay the committee’s campaign and legal costs as a part of a settlement.
Marouf was expelled for allegedly assaulting security and Keefer is alleged to have uttered a death threat. The pair deny the charges.
Some witnesses to the confrontation said no death threats were uttered and no assault took place.
“It was security who were acting in a confrontational manner,” said Sabine Friesinger, a witness to the confrontation and a councillor.
However, Eric Abrams, a supervisor of security, said a death threat was directed at him. He could not go into details for legal reasons.
The administration said Keefer and Marouf were not students at the time of the confrontation, which means they are not entitled to a hearing by the university’s hearing board.
However, the university’s code of conduct defines a student as “persons
registered during a preceding academic term,” which both Keefer and Marouf were.
Dennis Murphy, executive director of communications, justified the university’s decision by saying that the code refers to academic issues, like plagiarism and cheating. He could not specify what definition the rector had used.
Another university spokesperson said that for non-academic purposes, a student is someone registered for courses.
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