Students still banned from campus

Once again, the Concordia Student Union and Concordia’s administration aren’t seeing eye to eye, this time over the liberties of Tom Keefer and Laith Marouf, present and past CSU representatives who were expelled early last fall.
Both are prohibited from school grounds and from registering for classes after Marouf allegedly spray painted on Concordia property and both had a run-in with Concordia security.
“The decision was really draconian, based on what they were alleged do have done,” said interim CSU president Patrice Blais.
Despite no longer being active students, the CSU made Marouf (at the time CSU VP Internal) and Keefer (independent students’ councillor in the union) honourary members of the union. Marouf resigned from his post over the holidays, but Keefer still attends council meetings, which seems a problem for Concordia security.
Although Keefer had some lenience on Concordia property during last November’s byelections, and while he appealed the expulsion decision in court, Blais says Concordia security now says Keefer isn’t allowed anywhere on the school, even if it is CSU property.
Blais says this goes against Article 30 of the Quebec Accreditation Act, which says members of board of directors of accredited student bodies (which the CSU is considered one) must be allowed to attend board meetings.
During last Wednesday council meeting, tensions rose as Concordia security showed up with two police officers, seemingly intent on arresting Keefer. After five minutes of discussion with the CSU’s lawyer outside the meeting, the police left. “To me, the CSU council will not be intimidated by such decision [by security],” said Blais.
Blais said the CSU is appealing the expulsion decision to Concordia’s Board of Governors and hopes for a decision by March.
Blais believes Keefer still wants to study at the school. Blais is not sure what will happen the next time Keefer is seen on campus, and whether the next council meeting will be on campus, or at an off-campus location (as some were last semester). But he says he hopes Keefer will be there.