Geography Association given abrupt deadline for move to a smaller office
What started as a request by Concordia’s Geography Undergraduate Student Society to turn a small unused space into a cafe has resulted in the university initiating a room change, leaving the group surprised and unsure of how they will be able to conduct their affairs.
The trouble began when GUSS, noticing their former office on the 12th floor of the Hall Building lay empty, approached the university with ideas on turning it into a student-run cafe.
“We had an idea of making it a little more geography-minded, supplying fair trade, etc. Unfortunately, we put efforts towards that and it didn’t really pan out,” said Pete Johnston, VP External of GUSS. “We were looking at working within what was legitimate and confining it to whatever was in the rules for the lease of space.”
He said the university declined because of a lack of running water, and regulations over office space and health.
While this may have settled matters, they soon received another response informing them that their current office in the TD building above the bank on Guy St., which they share with the Urban Planning Association (UPA), would be vacated and GUSS would find itself back in its old office.
Johnson described their old room as being effectively half the size of their current one, estimated at 11 square metres. Both GUSS and sister society UPA last used the space together three years ago, but Johnson says both organizations have grown since then and it would now be impossible to jam a dozen people for meetings, not to mention furniture and necessary electronics like computers with specialized department software. He also wonders why, if space is the issue, the school isn’t doing anything about empty next-door offices.
GUSS President, Kristen Hirsch-Pearson, said there had been prior discussion with their department about a possible switch, but nothing final or concrete. “The reason why the department felt strongly about getting us back on the 12th floor is because this [current office] wasn’t space they could protect in the future. If we move to the 12th floor, they can guarantee that space for us.”
Throughout, it appears UPA wasn’t aware of the developments, and Pearson says they were not notified of the changes.
“[The university was] talking to us about bringing us closer to our students, that it would be best for the interests of our students, but in my opinion the students were never consulted and the fact [is] that we were abruptly told to leave the space without consulting our membership.” He originally believed the school’s reason for the room change was related to its desire to lease it.
At a department meeting discussing the issue, department Chair Monica Mulrennan explained the matter was primarily a space issue, especially a seeming prioritization of the university’s commitments for research and PhD purposes.
“There’s a commitment from the university to find space,” said Mulrennan. “We are really maxed out on space.” She said the university was trying to find space, but that space exclusivity would have to take a hit overall.
“We asked that we consult the student membership to find out what to do next,” said Johnson, who said they would convene a general assembly in the time available to them—the university eventually agreed to a transition after the exam period—and hold a consultation.
“The two student associations…are probably the last on the department and the dean’s list in terms of relocation. It wasn’t the original intent for [GUSS] to be moved over there—it was the intent given the size of the room and its utility for a researcher with grad students,” said Associate Dean of Academic Facilities Peter Morden during the meeting.
“Were there to be extra space just kicking around you would never have been relocated, and we wouldn’t have had this discussion now … but its just not the case now.”