Last week's CSU council meeting. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin
Last week’s CSU council meeting. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin
The Concordia Student Union appointed two additional students to fill undergraduate seats on Senate last week, failing to address representation for the John Molson School of Business, before a spot opened up unexpectedly Monday evening.
Senator and CSU councillor Ramy Khoriaty stepped down Monday, leaving a spot open for JMSB student and VP academic of the Commerce and Administration of Students’ Association, Tuan Dinh.
CSU President Schubert Laforest told The Concordian that Dinh’s appointment will happen “soon” and that Khoriaty was motivated to step down because he personally wanted JMSB to have undergraduate student representation on Senate. It remains to be seen whether or not Laforest will appoint Dinh in an upcoming special council meeting or by presidential decree. Khoriaty did not attend either Senate meeting thus far in the academic year.
“I thought it was only fair that Dinh had the chance to represent students,” said Khoriaty. “JMSB deserves representation.”
In accordance with university bylaws, the CSU selects 12 applicants to represent the undergraduate student body at Concordia. Under Section 11, regarding Senate membership, Article 55 states that there must be “Twelve (12) undergraduate students who shall be appointed by the Concordia Student Union, with representation from each Faculty.”
In early October, council chose another five senators leaving one spot available.
The move garnered backlash from students in the following days because two applicants from JMSB were not granted representation.
Council selected instead, Sydney Swaine-Simon, from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, and Daniel McSharry, from the Arts and Science Federation of Associations.
The reasons fuelling the CSU’s decision remain unknown since deliberation was conducted entirely in closed session.
Several concerned students sent Chairperson Jean-Francois Ouellet and the student media an email detailing where they took issue with the recent decision of the CSU.
“Furthermore, it was stated publicly that all the candidates whom were not appointed at council were still in the running for the sixth spot on Senate that was available, but from my understanding, that spot should only have been open for a JMSB student, as independent, ASFA, FASA, and ECA were already represented on Senate,” read the letter.
The email went on to say that the CSU violated its own policy by failing to “represent its membership as required” as stated in Objects 2.1 of the CSU bylaws.
Approximately a dozen students from various faculties wrote that the CSU was not fulfilling its mandate by not appointing a JMSB student.
Todd Lipstein, a JMSB student, said he submitted the letter because he felt the CSU excluded his faculty at Concordia.
“Personally, I am afraid we would get screwed and we wouldn’t even know it,” said Lipstein. “If there is nobody out there looking out for us though, I believe we are going to start wondering why all these decisions are being made to the benefit of all the Concordia students except us.”
Lipstein went on to say that he hoped to see an improved representation of JMSB in all aspects of Concordia, including the CSU.
Laforest said that there were discrepancies between university and CSU bylaws, and it must be emphasized in the future that all four faculties receive adequate undergraduate representation on Senate.
In an article published in the Journal de Québec Thursday, it was reported that President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University Alan Shepard’s base salary for the year is $357,000.
This comes as a $7,000 increase from Frederick Lowy’s income as interim president last year. Shepard is slated for a five-year mandate and if his income remains the same, he will receive $1,785,000 for the entirety of his term, not including benefits. Concordia allots an additional $73,000 in annual benefits for Shepard.
For his residence, the university designates a total of $50,400 each year. The Journal de Quebéc wrote that the university explained that Shepard was obligated to acquire a home that is larger than what he needs in order to accommodate a large number of guests.
The university also pays out $1,200 a month or $14,400 a year for Shepard’s vehicle. This includes expenses and maintenance but does not include gas. Furthermore, Shepard and his partner, along with their two children, receive French courses paid for in full as part of his contract.
The contract also includes membership to two clubs for “the purpose of advancement of the university” where the expenses are covered by Concordia.
The Board of Governors chairperson, Norman Hébert, was quoted as saying that Shepard’s earnings are reasonable. Hébert also said that while he realized the sensitivity surrounding directors’ high-end salaries, they serve to acquire the best senior employees for universities.
Unlike Hébert, Concordia Student Union President Schubert Laforest said he believes that Shepard’s contract is a “systemic problem” within the provincial education system.
“It’s really inappropriate,” said Laforest. “It’s a lot of money, it’s heartbreaking to see students and academics struggling financially.”
Laforest went on to say that this issue should be resolved at the upcoming education summit proposed by the Parti Québécois government. As part of her mandate, Premier Pauline Marois promised to investigate the fiscal management of post-secondary institutions and to invite students to provide their input on the governance of universities.
According to Concordia spokesperson Chris Mota, Shepard’s contract for his salary will not be available online like Lowy’s contract was, but it is available upon request.
While Shepard collects more than past presidents at Concordia, he is the not the highest earning administrator in Quebec. McGill University’s Principal Heather Munroe-Blum brought in $369,250 in 2011, not including perks totalling to an additional $120,481. Munroe-Blum is slated to complete her second five-year mandate at the end of this academic year. Guy Breton of the Université de Montréal also makes a pretty penny, banking approximately $365,000 per year.
→ Rizzuto comes home
Notorious criminal and reputed Montreal Mafia head Vito Rizzuto was released from Florence Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colo. this Friday. Rizzuto was escorted back to Toronto and is believed to be residing in Montreal, where he has lived most of his life. In 2003, the alleged mobster was indicted by a Brooklyn federal grand jury due to racketeering conspiracy charges, including loansharking and murder. After his arrest in Montreal, Rizzuto was extradited to the United States. His father and son were both assassinated in Montreal in what is believed to be an attempt to bring down the crime family.
→ Laval mayor in trouble
Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt was the target of a series of raids earlier this week by the Sûréte du Québec’s anti-corruption squad. Following the raid on Vaillancourt’s Laval office and home Thursday, officers investigated Vaillancourt’s luxury high-rise apartment in Chomedey Friday evening. In a press conference Friday, Vaillancourt said he would not step down from his position as mayor. Authorities also searched Laval City Hall and buildings where human resources and engineering departments are located. The raids are related to the awarding of municipal contracts and the provincial government’s crackdown on corruption and collusion in the construction industry. Vaillancourt has held his position since 1989.
→ Quebec murder suspect found
A man allegedly behind three deaths in Amos, Que. was arrested in Florida following a police chase Sunday morning. Justin Bresaw, 35, was sought in connection with a fire in Amos last month with Interpol issuing an alert and Canada announcing a nationwide arrest warrant for Bresaw. He was seen in Tallahassee charging a laptop behind a church at 1:30 a.m. by a police officer who asked why Bresaw was out so late. A fight ensued, leaving the police officer with a broken nose before Bresaw was found hiding underneath a house later that morning. Bresaw is now facing charges of resisting an officer with violence and battery on an officer in Florida. The triple murder suspect will be extradited to Canada but due to the fresh charges, it remains unknown as to when he will be returning to Quebec.
→ Trudeau in the house
Justin Trudeau officially announced his candidacy for leader of the Liberal Party of Canada in Montreal, Tuesday. In front of a crowd of approximately 450 Liberal supporters in his riding of Papineau, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau said he wanted to spend his life serving the nation he loves. In his speech, Trudeau emphasized his desire to reach out to youth and help revamp Canada’s economy. The leadership election set for April 2013 to replace interim-leader Bob Rae who took Michael Ignatieff’s place following the disastrous results for the Liberals in the 2011 federal election.
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Nation in Brief
by Cynthia Dupuis
→ Not everyone loves Marineland
A group of about 125 people rushed through the main entrance of Marineland this Sunday to protest the treatment of animals residing at the theme park. The protesters say they managed to interrupt a dolphin show taking place. Niagara Region Police were forced to bring in extra officers when about 800 people in total convened on the property. Constable Derek Watson said police were able to quickly regain control of the situation and that no arrests were made. The Marineland Animal Defence, the group which organized this weekend’s protest, is dedicated to ending animal captivity and ultimately closing down the famous park.
→ You’ve got mail, again
Canada Post and its largest group of unionized workers have reached a tentative agreement in a dispute that has lasted for more than a year. During the past year, the Harper government intervened in the dispute after Canada Post locked out its employees as a response to their rotating strikes. The federal government also imposed a back-to-work legislation that forced the workers to accept lower wages than Canada Post’s last offer leading to the union rejecting the arbitration imposed by the government. A spokesperson for Canada Post explained that both sides came to an agreement without the help of an arbitrator and it was not an imposed agreement.
→ Easy access
The Harper government is launching a pilot project in early 2013 allowing Canadian citizens to submit access-to-information requests via the Internet. The project will begin with three departments, but is scheduled to include most federal agencies and institutions during the next three to four years. The Access-to-Information act in Canada was established in 1983 and has since then required paper cheques and forms, envelopes and postage stamps. The new portal will include an online payment service.
→ Now’s a good time to eat salad
The number of E. coli illnesses linked to the beef products from the XL Foods Inc. plant in Brooks, Alta., has increased by three cases this week bringing the total to 10 people from three provinces. The Public Health Agency of Canada says seven of the 10 cases are from Alberta, two from Quebec and one from Newfoundland. The recall was expanded again this Saturday and includes hundreds of XL Foods beef products from across Canada and the United States.
– – – – –
World in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise
→ Maybe she’s a witch
In a letter this week, the Maine Republican Party criticized Democrat Colleen Lachowicz for her comments posted in online forums for World of Warcraft, a popular online game. The Republicans slammed Lachowicz for making “crude, vicious and violent comments” and accused her of living in a fantasy world. Lachowicz, who is running against incumbent Tom Martin, responded to the letter by saying that the Republicans should focus on her policies and not her hobbies. “I think it’s weird that I’m being targeted for playing online games,” she said in a statement. “What’s next? Will I be ostracized for playing Angry Birds or Words With Friends?”
→ A little bit of Kremlin love
The 60th birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday sparked nationwide celebrations in honour of the leader. A youth movement held a sports contest called “Do Your Best for Putin” in central Moscow square to show their gratitude for Putin’s love of sports. An art exhibition called “Putin: The Most Kind-Hearted Man in The World” debuted in Moscow featuring a dozen paintings by artist Alexis Sergiyenko depicting some of Putin’s most memorable moments. NTV showcased a documentary based on Putin’s career and his daily routine. In contrast, several protesters mocked the celebrations by presenting fake gifts outside the presidential administration.
→ Strip tease or strip scare?
Patrick Gallagher, a resident of Lansdale, PA. is suing a strip club after a pole dance ruptured his bladder. In November 2010, the bachelor was invited to lie on the stage of the Penthouse Club where a dancer launched herself from a pole with such force onto Gallagher’s abdomen that his bladder burst. The following morning, Gallagher was admitted to hospital with severe pain and had to undergo surgery. Gallagher is suing the strip club for $50,000 in medical costs, pain, humiliation and mental anguish.
→ Aren’t we supposed to praise good hygiene?
Four students from Pekin High School in Illinois were suspended for bringing caffeinated mints to lunch. The teenagers were suspended Thursday and Friday, and prohibited from attending the weekend’s homecoming activities. The school thought the mints were drugs and immediately took action. Once the school realized the drugs were in fact mints, they upheld the punishment for gross misconduct for taking an unknown product. In an interview, suspended student Eric McMichael said he felt the suspension was unjustified.
The Concordia Student Union appointed five undergraduate students to sit on Senate, two to fill senior CSU positions, and tabled the discussion on whether executives may volunteer without pay during a special council meeting Wednesday night.
Following five hours of conducting applicants’ interviews in closed session, council appointed only five students for the six vacant spots on Senate. Council appointed Gene Morrow, Chuck Wilson, Melanie Hotchkiss, Wendy Kraus-Heitmann and Hassan Abdullahi. Seven students applied for the position.
In previous years, interviews between council and applicants have been held in open session, allowing students and members of the student press to witness the exchange. Closed session is usually reserved to review applicants’ resumes due to the sensitive and personal nature of the information discussed.
At the upcoming regular council meeting this upcoming Wednesday, council will nominate a sixth senator to represent the John Molson School of Business, one of four faculties at Concordia that requires a undergraduate representative on Senate according to the university by-laws. Outgoing Chairperson Nick Cuillerier told The Concordian that the issue will be resolved by Wednesday.
Council went on to appoint a new chairperson, Jean-François Ouellet, to replace Cuillerier who volunteered to chair CSU meeting until a new person was hired. The incoming secretary is Yasmeen Zahar and chief electoral officer is Justin Holland.
Holland, a first-year student at Concordia, said he was excited about his position for the upcoming year and that the timing worked in his favour.
“I’m really excited to be coming in before the by-elections and it’s like the dress rehearsal for March,” said Holland. “Any kinks for March we can fix during November.”
The meeting was also supposed to address the legal notion of CSU executives volunteering and not receiving monetary compensation for their work. The agenda point was made with regards to former VP academic and advocacy Lucia Gallardo not receiving remuneration for the months she worked for the CSU. Gallardo resigned from her position last week due to unresolved student status issues.
Councillor and former VP external Chad Walcott motioned to table the report since CSU President Schubert Laforest submitted the relevant documents the same night. Several executives and councillors expressed concern about issuing the documents outside of session, citing the possibility of a leak. The issue will be addressed this Wednesday at the regular council meeting.
VP Loyola Stefan Faina, an independent student, is ineligible to sit on Senate.
VP Loyola Stefan Faina, an independent student, is ineligible to sit on Senate.
The Concordia Student Union’s recent appointment to Concordia University’s Senate, VP Loyola Stefan Faina, is ineligible to maintain his position due to his student status, it was discovered on Thursday, Oct. 4.
Council nominated and then appointed Faina to Senate during a special council meeting Wednesday, Sept. 19 to help fill student representation on the governing body. His appointment was originally scrutinized by council, with some arguing that Faina’s lack of experience would cause him problems down the road.
Faina, who admitted to never having attended a Senate meeting before, was eventually chosen for the position. The only executive acting as a Senator before then was VP external Simon-Pierre Lauzon who was present for the first and second Senate meetings of the academic year.
Following a consultation of university by-laws, Faina realized that he was unable to serve as a Senator because he is currently registered as an independent student. Faina completed his undergraduate degree in psychology last year and registered as part-time, independent student this year, partly in order to maintain his executive position with the CSU. He explained that he was not informed by the university but that he stumbled across the stipulation in Article 57.
According to Article 57 of the university by-laws referring to membership regulations, students must be registered in a program to be eligible to serve on Senate:
“Students elected to Senate shall be registered in an undergraduate or graduate program, be registered in a course or other for-credit activity, and be in good standing. Students who are in failed standing, in conditional standing or on academic probation or who have been sanctioned either under the Code of Rights and Responsibilities or the Academic Code of Conduct within the three (3) years previous to their nomination are not eligible.”
In an interview with The Concordian, Faina expressed his disappointment at being unqualified to sit on Senate.
“I really don’t see why I can’t sit on it,” said Faina. “It’s a little discriminatory and this is a population that has interests too.”
According to Faina, he sent an email to inform outgoing council Chairperson Nick Cuillerier that he would have to step down from Senate to “avoid controversy and drama.”
Faina went on to say that independent students should have representation on Concordia’s governing body.
Under Section 55 in the by-laws, 12 seats are allotted to undergraduate students appointed by the CSU with the obligation of having a representative of each of the four faculties at Concordia. This does not include independent undergraduate students, who are usually part-time students that are taking courses without declaring a program.
VP external Simon-Pierre Lauzon suggested it might be time to reconsider the by-laws to accommodate and represent independent students at the university.
“This is a not a situation that is unheard of,” said Lauzon. “Maybe this is a reform we want to consider because independent students are a student group and they should, in theory, have representation.”
With Faina’s removal from Senate, the CSU will have to appoint two additional students in the near future to fill undergraduate student representation.
According to Lauzon, the CSU believes President Schubert Laforest, who is also ineligible to participate in Senate due to unresolved and undisclosed issues under the same by-laws, will tentatively be allowed to sit on Senate in the near future.
Concordia University’s Board of Governors unanimously adopted all recommendations of an external governance review addressing the departure of personnel at the senior administrative level and strengthening transparency.
The review was ordered in March, prior to then-Education Minister Line Beauchamp’s letter to the BoG criticizing Concordia’s excessive spending. The Charest government also fined Concordia $2 million for a lack of responsibility with public funds.
The 23-page external review proposed 17 recommendations for Concordia to implement. A total of seven recommendations focus on the process for reaching a decision on the departure of top personnel, six on the procedure for negotiating a settlement and four on the control of information, confidentiality and communication.
The review emphasizes the lack of policy and formal process for removal of high-ranking administrators and officers, as well a perceived lack of transparency by Board of Governors members that contributed to a “climate of distrust.”
A main recommendation is for the creation of a formal, confidential annual evaluation process for the president of the university.
The report revealed that a formal process for reaching a decision for the removal of a senior officer was not followed in two of three cases involving either former Chief Financial Officer Larry English, former Vice-President of Advancement and Alumni Affairs Kathy Assayag, or Woodsworth.
The review advised that the decision for the removal of a president should follow a formal process set out in the by-laws including a closed session discussion at the BoG level, followed by a vote. The current by-laws are unclear on the process of negotiation with the BoG regarding the option to remove a president.
Furthermore, it was suggested that the dismissal of senior administrators that report to the president such as vice-president and deans should rest on the president. The president must consult with the HR committee before reaching a decision. The report recommended that vice-presidents should form a decision regarding the removal of other top employees such as associate vice-presidents and senior directors.
The report also recommended that teaching rights should also be postponed until a severance is fully paid or for a specific period of time following the settlement. The recommendation is likely a reference to Woodsworth returning to the classroom in January after her ambiguous resignation urged by the BoG in December 2010. Concordia released a statement explaining that this suggestion has been in place for all new contracts since winter 2012.
In addition, the external review called for comprehensive public communication since the compensation for senior employees is of a public nature. The recommendations instructed that the university should report the factual reasons for removal or dismissal to the public.
The review also reported a breach of confidentiality within the BoG, on page seven, claiming there was a leak of information. It was suggested that BoG members adhere to good practices in confidentiality in the future.
“The report does state that there were concerns over the breach of confidentiality of information at the BoG level and stated that leaks were reported,” said Christine Mota, spokesperson for the university. “The report however doesn’t give any specifics about the alleged breaches or leaks.”
According to BoG Chair Norman Hébert, the board has already implemented some of the suggestions made by the report. Hébert told The Concordian the measures will be fulfilled in the following months. The BoG adopted the recommendations Friday, months after PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was supposed to deliver the report. The delay was due to a lack of information “regarding the benchmarking of other universities” and holiday schedules.
Hébert believes the proposal will help Concordia fill in the gaps.
“We talked about transparency and engagement and we’re all volunteers, and we’re doing this because we love Concordia,” said Hébert. “Transparency and engagement at the board is leading by example and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The review did not examine Woodsworth’s predecessor Claude Lajeunesse, who left in 2007 two years into his five-year contract. The external review examined the turnover and severance packages of the following Concordia administrators, in order of departure:
– Ted Nowak, former internal audit director (Sept. 2009)
– Saad Zubair, former assistant internal audit director (Sept. 2009)
– Larry English, former chief financial officer (Dec. 2009)
– Jean Brisebois, former security director (Dec. 2009)
– Kathy Assayag, former vice-president of advancement and alumni affairs (Sept. 2010)
– Judith Woodsworth, former president and vice-Chancellor (Dec. 2010)
Lucia Gallardo resigned from her position as VP academic and advocacy on the Concordia Student Union in a letter issued Sunday.
In her letter of resignation, Gallardo stated that council was quick to criticize her and force her departure from the CSU. She urged students at Concordia to pay attention to the actions of council, saying that it was a “disservice” to the undergraduate student body.
“At the end of the day, every person involved with the CSU is just a student, with equal rights to representation and advocacy. I am an international student in financial need, and yet, while the CSU spent all of last year allegedly advocating for the rights of students with need, when the moment came to truly demonstrate that they supported access to education, personal interests became more important, and I was therefore denied the time to resolve my financial situation with the university. I’m actually partially grateful that this ended up happening to me, because I would have been embarrassed to be part of a CSU that treated any student in need by closing doors and turning a deaf ear,” the letter read.
Following the announcement that Gallardo was not a registered student on Wednesday, Sept. 19, council immediately passed a motion asking for her to step down. In her first open letter, Gallardo explained how she was unable to register due to an unexpected decline in her mother’s health which led to a change in her financial situation.
The letter goes on to say that certain councillors worked in their own interests for personal gain and intentionally attacked Gallardo’s character.
“Councillors Chad Walcott and Gonzo Nieto, who don’t even know me personally, thought it was appropriate, as board of directors, to smear my character both during meetings and publicly on Facebook,” she wrote.
Walcott said in an interview with The Concordian that while Gallardo’s situation is unfortunate, it disqualifies her from maintaining her position on the CSU.
“I’ve been raising issues, not slandering her name,” said Walcott. “I’m not attacking her personally.”
Following Gallardo’s public resignation, Arts and Science Councillor Juliana Ramos announced her departure from council. Ramos felt Gallardo was dismissed when she deserved respect, criticizing former executives turned councillors for taking such a strong stance against Gallardo.
“After having seen what I saw on that meeting I was truly disappointed by the lack of understanding councilors have towards such a delicate situation, especially since in few days it was to be resolved. Councilors did not act in good faith towards Lucia and neither to their student community; they acted based on personal preferences and rivalries that exist between them: this does not build a better university,” read Ramos’ letter of resignation.
Ramos went on to criticize former executives for the way they dealt with last year’s VP advocacy Morgan Pudwell, who was found not to be a registered student in the spring of 2012.
“I find it very hypocritical that several councilors who were in favor of [dismissing Gallardo] were holding executive positions last year when Pudwell was found not to be a student, yet then they did absolutely nothing to ‘defend the students.’”
As for Gallardo, she closed her letter by saying that she too had lost faith in the CSU.
“It is disappointing to see the blatant disregard for the student body and the money it pays its union, for weekly special council meetings full of personal hidden agendas,” she wrote.
When CSU President Schubert Laforest commented on the situation as a whole, he emphasized a need for change within council.
“We need to change the political culture,” said Laforest. “We need to get over this hurdle.”
Laforest expressed his concerns about Gallardo’s resignation but said that the executives haven’t reached a decision about her vacant position. He suggested the possibility of the executive fulfilling Gallardo’s mandate themselves, and not appointing a new VP to replace her, but nothing has been decided.
Gallardo said she would not be returning to politics even if her student status is resolved.
“I don’t see myself getting involved in CSU politics anymore,” Gallardo told The Concordian. “The CSU needs completely new blood to serve the students.”
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Juliana Ramos’ letter of resignation:
Dear Concordia Students,
I am sad to write to you this letter today, but after several days of thinking I have finally decided that I am resigning from my current position as an Arts and Science Councilor. I have always been a passionate student about Concordia. Since I started my degree I became fascinated by student affairs and I got involved in various associations in order to become more active and give something back to my fellow students. With the previous experiences I had as President of the Latin American Student Organization, and with my involvement in the International Ethnic Associations Council, I believed that sitting on the CSU council would make my last year memorable, and it would help me close this university experience with great pride. Unfortunately, what I have witnessed in the past several council meetings has really changed my view on the role of council and I have been tremendously disappointed by the games that are being played without really wanting a better university for us students.
As many of you know, our VP Academic and Advocacy, Lucia Gallardo was caught up in a very difficult situation: her complicated international student paper work, combined with difficulties to pay university and a health problem affecting her family, did not allow her to register for classes this semester. Without any knowledge on Lucia’s issue councilor Chad Walcott introduced a motion to ask for Lucia’s immediate resignation. This was done so based on Bylaw 10.2, which states that in order for representative of the CSU to hold their position they must be registered students. Council voted on the motion and it successfully passed. Last week, Lucia explained and proved with documentation the reasons for not being able to register, and clearly stated that she would have an answer to her issue in few days. Notwithstanding Lucia’s clarifications several councilor still pressured Lucia to resign. After having seen what I saw on that meeting I was truly disappointed by the lack of understanding councilors have towards such a delicate situation, especially since in few days it was to be resolved. Councilors did not act in good faith towards Lucia and neither to their student community; they acted based on personal preferences and rivalries that exist between them: this does not build a better university.
Our bylaws exist to safeguard student interests and keep the union running in a respectful and organized manner, but lets not forget these are not absolute and in certain circumstances their application can bring unfair results. I believe that in Lucia’s case, the application of bylaw 10.2 was unjustifiable, mainly because student interests would not be harmed and her issue was to be resolved SOON (this last fact being the most pressing) . If solved she was going to register for classes, if not she promised to resign. Yet, they still chose to leave an empty executive position as important as Lucia’s that require significant amount of training and knowledge. Taking such a risky decision could eventually affect the overall well-being of the Academic and Advocacy agenda. In my eyes, asking Lucia’s resignation did not represent or safeguard students, instead it defended personal interests.
I find it very hypocritical that several councilors who were in favor of such motion were holding executive positions last year when Morgan Pudwell was found not to be a student, yet then they did absolutely nothing to “defend the students”. Pudwell’s situation was much worse because she actually claimed money from the union while Lucia clearly showed us that she did not touch any student money.
It is not in my interest to sit down with a council governed mostly by individuals who play power games, but don’t realize that their potential can be used to actually serve the student community: that you can only do so by putting personal interests aside. What happened with VP Academic and Advocacy, allowed me to see that not only we have a representative body working for themselves, but unable to truly support its students. Executives are students too, and they deserve to be treated with respect.
I believe we were elected as student representatives to sit down and actually look for ways in which we can make Concordia a better place. I believe there is so much potential in our school for it to be better every single day, but if we keep having rivalries between us and if we keep forgetting that we are not there to serve our own interests but to serve others, council will not achieve anything.
I want to thank those students who voted for me and gave me the opportunity to be a student councilor. Even though I resign from council I will keep working towards building a better university, because that I am truly passionate about.
If you wish to contact me, please don’t hesitate to do so. My e-mail address is: Juliana_ramosb@hotmail.com
Sincerely,
Juliana Ramos
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Lucia Gallardo’s letter of resignation:
Dear Concordia Students,
This is my letter of resignation. While I have not yet received the results of my late registration application, and could very well be a registered student on Monday, the manner in which this whole situation has played out has shown me a side to the CSU that I can no longer be a part of.
At the end of the day, every person involved with the CSU is just a student, with equal rights to representation and advocacy. I am an international student in financial need, and yet, while the CSU spent all of last year allegedly advocating for the rights of students with need, when the moment came to truly demonstrate that they supported access to education, personal interests became more important, and I was therefore denied the time to resolve my financial situation with the university. I’m actually partially grateful that this ended up happening to me, because I would have been embarrassed to be part of a CSU that treated any student in need by closing doors and turning a deaf ear.
But it was me, and even after an entire summer of doing my job to the best of my abilities and putting endless effort into my projects (see CSU Agenda for reference), Council would rather lose an executive than wait for the result of my late registration application; prefer no one to the job than someone, and that shows the amount of respect and consideration they have for their alleged constituents.
Ever since campaigning, my personal information went out into the open, my university file stolen, used against me, and leaked to the media. While I received bad news from home about my mother’s critical health, Councilor Laura Glover thought that I should set my emotional well being aside and attend a council meeting. Councillors Chad Walcott and Gonzo Nieto, who don’t even know me personally, thought it was appropriate, as board of directors, to smear my character both during meetings and publicly on Facebook. I received an email from Councilor Melissa Kate Wheeler with lines like “I’m concerned that if you continue to refuse [to resign], things will turn sour quickly and publicly.” I now find it easier to understand why so many students decide to stay away from our school politics.
You should pay attention Concordia. Because half of last year’s executives sit on this year’s Council, and demand answers without asking questions, take up seats on committees that prevent newly involved students to take up that chance, try to place their old president on BOG even after their year is over. In my situation, the relevant by-law was incomplete (it stops mid-sentence), but Council refused to take this opportunity to spare the CSU the loss of an executive member. They were however, more than willing to officially disregard the CSU’s Standing Regulations in order to appoint their ex-president to the Board of Governors. They also don’t like providing answers where questions were asked. After hiding her status for an entire year, Morgan Pudwell still walked away with over $20,000 of student money. And when I worked on the handbooks, I could not find a single reason why last year’s agendas cost over $68,000 when this year’s MUCH more elaborate books cost us $58,000.
What is currently happening at CSU Council is a disservice to students. It is disappointing to see the blatant disregard for the student body and the money it pays its union, for weekly Special Council Meetings full of personal hidden agendas. When the opportunity came for your councilors to work for you, to volunteer at Orientation and help make it more successful, they didn’t step up. They were happy to Facebook share their criticisms, after having both the responsibility and means to have made it better. But regardless, OAP had record-breaking attendance, and bursaries for students in financial need were created from Orientation for the first time in CSU history.
I ran to serve the student body, but unfortunately, too many Councilors have interests that do not align with the desire to help students that drove me to run in the first place. I wish you the best of luck with your semester, and I hope the CSU can one day remember its sole purpose: to help the 30,000 + students that pay for its existence.
Concordia University’s internal relations with its senior employees is complex, confusing and sometimes expensive.
Here is The Concordian’s guide to understanding who these individuals are, and the events leading up to their resignations.
Ted Nowak and Saad Zubair
Former auditors Ted Nowak and Saad Zubair were dismissed in September 2009 for allegedly expensing meals. The accusations were dropped following a grievance filed with the Quebec Labour Review Board. Nowak left the institution with a $605,000 severance package while Zubair departed with $639,000.
Larry English
After 13 years at Concordia, former Chief Financial Officer Larry English announced his resignation in September 2009. English departed with $332,000 in his pocket in December 2009.
Jean Brisebois
The former security director retired from Concordia in December 2009, taking a severance package of $129,000 with him. Brisebois began his position as director in 2001.
Kathy Assayag
The former vice-president of advancement and alumni affairs resigned from her position in September 2010 for personal reasons. Following the departure of the university’s head fundraiser, then-VP Services Michael Di Grappa left Concordia for a high-ranking position at McGill University. The suddenly high turnover rate of vice-presidents led to a questioning of governance. Assayag’s parting gift was $700,000.
Judith Woodsworth
Judith Woodsworth stepped down in December 2010 following a series of missteps. The BoG announced Woodsworth’s resignation was due to personal reasons that were later revealed to be untrue. Woodsworth was asked to leave Concordia halfway through her contract. The high-profile dismissal divided the university community, and marked a five-year crisis of senior personnel departures. Woodsworth was the second president in five years to resign, and five VPs left within the same five years. The ambiguous resignation sparked external reviews and public backlash in an effort to understand the troubled governance of Concordia. Woodsworth’s severance package was $703,500.
The first Board of Governors meeting of the academic year addressed tuition, Concordia University recruitment agencies and the external review of the university’s senior management.
This year, the refashioned and significantly smaller BoG consists of 25 members. Before the restructuring, BoG consisted of 42 members and a large portion were community at large members. Friday also marked the first meeting for President Alan Shepard and for Norman Hébert as chair.
Closed session lasted for nearly two hours, where the external report reviewing the departure of senior officials from September 2009 to December 2010 was discussed. Members voted to adopt all 17 recommendations made by the external review and released the report to the public later that afternoon.
The BoG also discussed the repeal of the tuition fee increase by Premier Pauline Marois of the newly elected Parti Québécois government. Shepard announced the university was still waiting on official instructions from the government with regards to the tuition fee increase since a majority of Concordia students already paid their tuition in full including the increase. Shepard went on to commend the formation of a Higher Education Ministry by the PQ government, saying it was a good thing for Quebec.
It was clarified that students who chose to pay their tuition without the increase would not be subjected to a $75 penalty.
The board went on to address an article published in last week’s issue of The Link that exposed the questionable living conditions of a Chinese student at Concordia University who has dealings with Peter Low, a recruitment agent associated with Concordia.
Student governor Lex Gill questioned if Concordia used similar agencies to enroll other international students, while other members expressed concern that they were unaware of the situation and why Low is associated so closely with Concordia.
“The Concordia logo is all over this and I think we need to fess up to that,” said Gill. “These students were taken advantage of.”
Shepard said the university was investigating the claim, and had a “moral obligation” to see if any more international students had experienced the same problem.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the pouring rain Saturday, to celebrate the repealed tuition fee increase and abolished Law 12 while continuing to take a stand for free education.
The newly formed provincial government scrapped the proposed seven-year tuition fee increase of $254 per year Thursday, following months of social unrest from the student strike movement. The Parti Québécois also abolished the controversial Law 12 aimed to limit protests implemented by the former Liberal government.
The Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante led the protest through the streets of the downtown core around 2:50 p.m. from Lafontaine Park. Members of CLASSE began the monthly protest with speeches congratulating the student movement on their victory.
“The goal of this protest is to revive the debate about free tuition,” said Jeanne Reynolds, a spokesperson for CLASSE.
Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec and Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec were not present for the march, as both student groups fought for a tuition fee freeze and not free education. Both student associations declared victory following the repeal of the tuition hike.
Concordia University undergraduate student Robin Sas marched in support of the PQ’s decision to stomp out the hike.
“We have to celebrate the victories because they are rare,” said Sas. “That’s not to say I think it’s over but it’s a big victory in a continued fight.”
John Aspler, a recent McGill University graduate, said this was the first monthly protest he did not participate in. Aspler felt that the PQ’s position on universities’ management of funds and financial aid for students remains unclear.
“I don’t even know what we’re protesting anymore,” said Aspler. “I mean, maybe learn to compromise.”
Bishop’s University student Matt O’Neil believes that the student strike movement already won their victory and that the demonstration was unwarranted.
“It’s ridiculous, they already got their freeze,” explained O’Neil. “Now it’s getting down to greed.”
“CLASSE is leading the way in the fight toward free education, a model I personally agree with,” added Sas. “Why have any barriers based on income to education?”
“As long as there is a fee, some will be excluded, regardless of ability. Loans and bursaries are often insufficient, and student debt can be crippling,” Sas explained.
The demonstration ended with the arrest of two protesters and a police officer was injured on Sherbrooke St. after being pelted with a projectile outside of Loto-Québec. The Montreal Police declared the protest illegal around 4:30 p.m. and asked demonstrators to disperse.
“I think the protests will continue but with the most radical elements involved which could be awful,” said Aspler. “All of the 22nd protests have been peaceful except for this one.
Anthony Kantara, a Vanier College student, said that students must put pressure on Premier Pauline Marois because of her plan to index tuition fees.
“She’s not perfect,” said Kantara. “That’s why we have to keep fighting.”
Concordia University officially dropped the formal complaints launched against striking students under the Code of Rights and Responsibilities following a meeting between President Alan Shepard and members of the Concordia Student Union last Tuesday.
President Shepard addressed the issue in an open letter, emphasizing it was time for a clean slate and that the student protests were an unprecedented situation for the university. Shepard explained that he felt the administration acted appropriately but that charges are officially withdrawn.
“As president of the university, I also believe it is time for our community to turn the page and focus on the future together. I acknowledge that some members of the community will not agree with this approach, and I respect their point of view on the matter,” the letter read.
Kris Szabo, an undergraduate student who faced seven formal complaints from Concordia, is glad to know it’s over.
“I’m incredibly relieved, I thought this may happen,” Szabo told The Concordian. “This would have been a disaster for administration.”
Szabo spoke to Shepard personally and said the president understood his concerns. Since June, Szabo attended several meetings with other charged students to strategize and organize a plan to have the charges dropped.
“The Advocacy Centre and the Concordia Student Union gave us a lot of peace of mind,” Szabo said. “They really helped us.”
“I think this happened because we were resilient,” he added.
CSU President Schubert Laforest met multiple times with administration on behalf of some of the students charged.
“It’s good to see how all of our collaborative work is becoming fruitful,” Laforest said.
“I was surprised, I had a little ray of sunshine when Shepard said he would think about it. I had never heard that before.”
“I have to tip my hat to Dr. Shepard for taking this decision,” added Laforest. “I felt that dropping the charges is the act of goodwill to prove that Concordia is changing direction for a brighter future.”
Several students received formal charges from Concordia for allegedly violating Code 29G for obstructing or blocking classrooms during March 26, 2012. Under the Code of Rights and Responsibilities, 29G states the following:
“Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, study, student disciplinary procedures or other University activity. For example, peaceful picketing or other activity in any public space that does not impede access nor interfere with the activities in a class or meeting is an acceptable expression of dissent and shall not be considered an infraction of this article.”
The striking students, 23 undergraduate students and three graduate students, opposed the provincial government’s tuition fee increase. Concordia administration filed the formal complaints June 1 following approximately 40 inquires that were made during the winter semester.
The renovations outside of Concordia University set to finish this Friday may be delayed for an undetermined amount of time.
The construction started this summer, with the city of Montreal revamping and repaving De Maisonneuve Blvd. from Bishop St. to St-Mathieu St. to include a bike path, green space and an extended sidewalk. While the portion between Guy St. and St-Mathieu St. reopened this month, the rest of the construction is supposed to finish by the end of September.
According to university spokesperson, Chris Mota, the Public Works project slated to finish this Friday, Sept. 28 may be behind schedule.
“The roadwork is the city’s construction and it’s on their schedule,” said Mota. “Based on their work, ours can only follow.”
“I do believe it’s a little past schedule,” added Mota. “With construction, until it’s done we don’t know.”
Since the roadwork is entirely governed by the city of Montreal, the university aims to update their website regularly to inform students about the progress of the renovations.
The construction and blocked off De Maisonneuve Blvd. have caused headaches for students traveling between the downtown and Loyola campuses. The roadwork forced Concordia to change the location of the shuttle bus stop from in front of the Henry F. Hall Building to the corner of Ste-Catherine St. and Mackay St., before it moved to Bishop St. and De Maisonneuve Blvd., until completion.
According to undergraduate student Amrit Kaur, the additional traffic due to the construction made her late for class.
“It took me 35 minutes from downtown to Loyola,” said Kaur. “Usually when I take the shuttle it’s between 15 and 20 minutes.”
Kaur insists that the shuttle is still the quickest commute from one campus to the other and that she tries to leave earlier to ensure she’s not late for her courses.
Brittany Williams experienced the same delay when she travelled from Loyola to downtown recently.
“It’s always a little frustrating to drive an extra five to 10 minutes just so the shuttle bus can let us off near our actual stop,” explained Williams.
Bus driver Fernand Groulx said there’s no remedy to the situation until the construction is over.
“You can’t do anything,” said Groulx. “There’s now construction between St-Jacques St. and Upper Lachine too, it happens.”
Groulx emphasized that construction is merely part of his job and the commute between the two campuses – while he may be delayed – didn’t make his day any harder.
Williams suggested that Concordia provide extra shuttle busses to offset the traffic that snarls up the downtown core due to the construction.
“Considering the construction is the city’s fault, the university could perhaps revisit the shuttle schedule,” said Williams. “They can see if they can make some changes or additions so there will be less delays or inconveniences.”
Public Works of the city of Montreal could not be reached for comment by press time.
