CSU appoints new CEO with byelections just weeks away

The Concordia Student Union has replaced its chief electoral officer after a unanimous decision by the judicial board nullified the hiring of CEO Bram Goldstein.

About 20 people packed into the CSU conference room to attend the judicial board hearing last Tuesday evening which saw heated exchanges between Goldstein and the JB.

“I think this whole thing’s a circus,” said Goldstein, who was repeatedly asked by JB chair Cassie Smith to “refrain from making accusations.” Goldstein criticized CSU president Lex Gill for being absent at the hearing and said that the JB was keeping him from “telling the truth.”

Frustration was also visible from the plaintiffs, student union vice-presidents Laura Glover and Morgan Pudwell, and from Tomer Shavit, who represented last year’s 2010-2011 CSU council, regarding the format of the hearing, which both parties questioned and argued about at length.

In an interview, Shavit described the hearing process as “peculiar” and said that Smith “did not seem to know what format she was using, and what procedures she was conducting the hearing with.” Shavit said that Goldstein’s dismissal might be grounds for unlawful termination and is appealing the JB’s ruling.

In response, Smith said in an interview that while there was “some mild confusion over the speaking order,” the issue was “ultimately determined by the board with input from all parties and that all of the parties involved […] consented to the format of the hearing at the time.”

The JB rules to nullify appointment

The JB sent out their final written decision regarding the case by the end of last week. The 16-page document explains that the JB dismissed the CSU’s complaint that the uncertain resignation of previous CEO Oliver Cohen was pertinent to the case. The document specified that the wording of the applicable standing regulation, which states that CEOs may resign through written notification, was “sufficiently vague as to leave it open to broad interpretation.”

Shavit’s accusations of unlawful termination were addressed in the report, which stated that Goldstein was not actually terminated, but rather “the resolution that appointed him […] was invalidated on the basis that the appointments process was not conducted properly.”

The final written decision also noted discrepancies with regard to the timeline, as the CSU filed this complaint nearly half a year after the questionable hiring took place in May. The JB asserted that nonetheless “any questions about why the Complaint was brought so late did not discharge the fact that several violations of the Standing Regulations occurred.”

Those wishing to appeal the JB decision have until Friday Nov. 11 to submit their documents to do so.

New CEO, new complaints

The board also mandated the CSU to re-open the hiring process for the position of CEO, and that Goldstein be automatically reconsidered for the job. A special council meeting was held the very next day on Nov. 2, and after reviewing 10 candidates in closed session, councillors elected Ismail Holoubi as their new CEO.

Shavit also plans to file a complaint with the JB regarding Holoubi’s appointment, which he said did not follow procedure.

“It’s ridiculous that one day after a CEO is fired because his appointment did not follow due process, a new CEO is hired without following due process,” Shavit said, citing a lack of an appointments committee meeting as a procedural violation.

Although CSU president Lex Gill confirmed that such a meeting never took place, she insists that all procedures were followed.

“The only reason you call an appointments committee meeting is to shortlist candidates,” said Gill, who further stated that this did not happen in this case because “every single person who applied for that job was presented directly to council.”

Previous CSU president Heather Lucas, who chaired last year’s appointments committee, called the JB’s verdict “frustrating and disappointing,” and continued to maintain that she “adhered to the rules.”

Goldstein was appointed as CEO last May by the 2010-2011 CSU council. This year’s CSU filed a complaint with JB at the end of October over uncertainties as to whether Goldstein’s hiring was done legitimately, worrying that his lack of validity coupled with his role in organizing the upcoming byelections could potentially call into question the election results themselves.

CUTV gets involved

CUTV had also filed a complaint with the JB requesting Goldstein’s dismissal. According to former CSU president Sabine Friesinger, speaking on behalf of CUTV, the TV station asked both Goldstein and the JB at a preliminary JB meeting last Thursday if they were aware that Goldstein had received a bonus of $1,500 as financial compensation for attending a judicial board hearing as a deputy elections officer after the general elections in March.

CUTV has uploaded a video of the question to their website and to YouTube.

“Obviously, Mr. Goldstein did not like our line of questioning at all and became rather defensive,” said Friesinger. “But I consider that this is the role of media, to keep our elected officials and officers of the student union honest.”

In their formal complaint, CUTV also expressed concern that Goldstein would treat both their and CJLO’s referenda questions on their fee levy increases “in a prejudicial matter” if he were to be CEO of the byelections, which are set to begin at the end of November.

Goldstein has been unavailable for comment since the JB announced their ruling.

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