A Special CSU council meeting was held on Wednesday Oct. 16 to address a student petition to allow an exception to Standing Regulation 138, that would allow the Community Food Coalition (CFC) to have their fee-levy referendum on ballots for the November byelections.
The motion passed with a 90 per cent vote of CSU council members in favour.
The CFC petition was signed by 975 students. The petition showed that there was a significant number of students who desired that there be an exception made to Standing Regulation 138. The regulation states that a fee levy increase must be approved by the Policy Committee at least one month prior to the first day of the nomination period of the byelections for it to be considered by council, a deadline the CFC was unable to make.
The referendum states that the CFC would receive an increase in its fee levy fund from Concordia’s undergraduate students.The CFC is in favour of sustainable, ecological, and healthy food options for both Sir George Williams (SGW) and Loyola campuses. The ballot will be open for voting from Nov. 19-21, for the 2013 byelections, with polls at both SGW and Loyola campuses.
“CFC is very happy that the CSU has empowered students to voice their opinion and play a role in the future of Concordia’s Food System,” said Jessica Cabana, a member of the CFC.
The CFC wants to offer a local, sustainable and ecological food service to Concordia students; its increase in funds would be used to work towards this.
“Putting together a rival bid requires funds, something that would rival a corporation,” said Cabana.
The student run organization would be competing with major companies such as Chartwells, which is currently in contract with the university.
While the CFC has many ideas, for both the SGW and Loyola campuses, they have major plans to end the “food desert” at the Loyola Campus. The CFC would like to aid Loyola’s landscape by creating food producing “Green Rooftops,” including a greenhouse on top of the Hive.
Cabana insists that “a food system must be considered from ground to fork to waste, and Loyola has the potential to have a completely sustainable food system.”
The CFC would also join together with The Hive Café Solidarity Cooperative to provide students at Loyola with an increase in access to sustainable, healthy and affordable food.
