The Sept. 26 general assembly voted to give two associations the authority to appoint their representatives directly to the Board of Governors (BoG) and the university senate. Now the Concordia Student Union (CSU) and two faculty associations disagree on how these changes are to be implemented.
The CSU wants to negotiate the specifics while the Engineering and Computer science Association (ECA) and the Commerce and Administration Student Association (CASA) want swift action taken to implement the resolution.
According to CSU President Sabrina Stea, the number of seats that each
association will receive needs to be discussed. “University policy doesn’t state how many seats each faulty gets,” said Stea. “We’ll have to talk and come up with a number that suits everyone.”
CASA president Cristelle Basmaji said she is not prepared to negotiate.
Traditionally there have been two CASA representatives on senate and one for board of governors. CASA is taking steps to decide its own fate. “The chairman of our board will write a letter to the CSU, and [to] Rector [Frederick Lowy] to inform them of who we’ve appointed as our two representatives for senate,” said Basmaji firmly.
Stea said it is uncertain when seats will be available for new representatives.
Basmaji wants action to be taken quickly. “I’ll stand up at the next senate meeting and make sure that the right people are put there.”
In recent weeks, some students have felt disfranchised after being left out of senate and the BoG. Both ECA and CASA were up in arms over the council sub-committee, whose job it is to interview potential candidates and recommend appointees. But the committee essentially nominated themselves to the BoG and university senate.
In defense, Stea pointed out that three engineering students are currently on senate. “I guess ECA wants people they specifically recommend to be on it,” speculated Stea.
ECA president Mike Nimchuk said he wants engineering representation to reflect the standpoint of the faculty. “If people sympathetic to CSU causes and ideologies get in those positions there’s only going to be one voice.”
While ECA will conduct a selection process, Basmaji had specific individuals in mind that represent the commerce voice. “Traditionally CASA’s president and vice-president academic have held the senate seats,” she said. “They are elected by their students, they lead their students so they should represent their students on these governing bodies.”
The resolution was cause for celebration for both associations. “It sets in
stone that CSU has to listen to faculty associations,” said imchuk. “They can’t ignore us.”
While Stea is hopeful that this will bury the hatchet, Nimchuk said there might always be a certain level of animosity between the two groups. “CSU is only concerned with global social issues,” he said. “They’re not concerned with the issues of the students, the people they represent.”
The CSU wants to negotiate the specifics while the Engineering and Computer science Association (ECA) and the Commerce and Administration Student Association (CASA) want swift action taken to implement the resolution.
According to CSU President Sabrina Stea, the number of seats that each
association will receive needs to be discussed. “University policy doesn’t state how many seats each faulty gets,” said Stea. “We’ll have to talk and come up with a number that suits everyone.”
CASA president Cristelle Basmaji said she is not prepared to negotiate.
Traditionally there have been two CASA representatives on senate and one for board of governors. CASA is taking steps to decide its own fate. “The chairman of our board will write a letter to the CSU, and [to] Rector [Frederick Lowy] to inform them of who we’ve appointed as our two representatives for senate,” said Basmaji firmly.
Stea said it is uncertain when seats will be available for new representatives.
Basmaji wants action to be taken quickly. “I’ll stand up at the next senate meeting and make sure that the right people are put there.”
In recent weeks, some students have felt disfranchised after being left out of senate and the BoG. Both ECA and CASA were up in arms over the council sub-committee, whose job it is to interview potential candidates and recommend appointees. But the committee essentially nominated themselves to the BoG and university senate.
In defense, Stea pointed out that three engineering students are currently on senate. “I guess ECA wants people they specifically recommend to be on it,” speculated Stea.
ECA president Mike Nimchuk said he wants engineering representation to reflect the standpoint of the faculty. “If people sympathetic to CSU causes and ideologies get in those positions there’s only going to be one voice.”
While ECA will conduct a selection process, Basmaji had specific individuals in mind that represent the commerce voice. “Traditionally CASA’s president and vice-president academic have held the senate seats,” she said. “They are elected by their students, they lead their students so they should represent their students on these governing bodies.”
The resolution was cause for celebration for both associations. “It sets in
stone that CSU has to listen to faculty associations,” said imchuk. “They can’t ignore us.”
While Stea is hopeful that this will bury the hatchet, Nimchuk said there might always be a certain level of animosity between the two groups. “CSU is only concerned with global social issues,” he said. “They’re not concerned with the issues of the students, the people they represent.”
