Petition to exit FEUQ

A petition is in the works to get Concordia students out of FEUQ (Federation d’etudiants universitaire du Quebec), a provincial lobby group that campaigns for the reinstatement of the post-secondary tuition freeze.
“[The Concordia student body] has been a part of FEUQ for the past three years. FEUQ did not do much for Concordia students. In fact, they didn’t do much for any member students,” said graduate student Chadi Marouf, organizing the petition. “The majority of students that we’ve been collecting signatures from today don’t even know what the f*** is FEUQ,” he added.
Marouf and five other students are collecting signatures on campus, beginning Monday, and require 700 signatures, or 2.5 per cent of the student body, in order for the CSU to add a new question to the upcoming referendum in November.
If they are successful, students will be able to vote on whether they choose to opt out of FEUQ and stop paying $2.50 per semester to finance the lobby group.
With approximately 30,000 students on campus, that amounts to $75,000 from undergrads per semester. FEUQ currently represents 15 student organizations across Quebec.
The CSU’s VP Communications, Noah Stewart, harshly criticized the petition. “As far as I know, [Marouf] was never involved with the FEUQ, probably has little idea of what they do, or sat down at the table, and certainly never came to the [CSU] … to find out what the situation is,” said Stewart. He spoke while en route to Ottawa with CSU President Angelica Novoa and VP External Affairs Erica Jabouin to meet with federal MPs on the issue of accessible education.
Stewart said those organizing the petition have “no understanding” of what the federation does, the CSU’s role in FEUQ, or the service that FEUQ provides students.
“If you think about that, it’s pretty clear that it’s just [Marouf’s] way of advancing his agenda and not trying to do anything for Concordia undergraduates,” said Stewart. He also said the petition is a futile effort because the CSU can’t add any more questions to the referendum ballot.
Marouf was confident that he and his campaigners will attain 700 signatures by Thursday.