Tag: ASFA

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The importance of independent newspapers

All levels of student government should support student news media at Concordia

I think most people would agree that a free and independent press is important. This is true in national, provincial and municipal contexts, but it is also true at our university. Concordia is fortunate to have two strong student news publications. They provide us with a platform to express ourselves, and they hold the university administration accountable. Most importantly, they keep our student organizations honest.

I have sat on committees and council meetings for the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), and I can say firsthand that the Concordia community is better for the existence of The Link and The Concordian. Yet, our student governance organizations don’t always seem to recognize the important role the student news media plays.

During the polling period of the most recent Concordia Student Union (CSU) elections, The Link published an editorial endorsing Speak Up, one of three slates running for the CSU executive. The Link is not affiliated with the CSU, and it is well within their right to publish whatever they want, whenever they want, so long as it abides by their code of ethics. Even so, in light of the editorial’s publication, CSU chief electoral officer Nicholas Roberts disqualified the entire Speak Up slate. He claims the editorial qualifies as campaigning during the polling period. By disqualifying Speak Up on that basis, Roberts is implying candidates have control over what The Link publishes. That implication directly contradicts the principle of free press.

This incident with the CSU and The Link is just the latest in a long line of infringements by student organizations. Last February, the ASFA executive cut ties with The Link because of a disagreement with the paper’s editorial slant and practices. The Commerce and Administration Students’ Association (CASAJMSB) considered following suit. These actions are inappropriate to say the least. ASFA has since apologized and reversed their decision, but none of it should have happened in the first place. To withhold access and demand changes from the student news media is an imposition on the media’s ability to report freely and accurately. Their ability to do so is always important, but it’s particularly important when the organizations involved are in charge of large amounts of student money.

The CSU and faculty organizations need to take a stronger stand on press independence. Article 425 of the CSU’s Standing Regulations states that the CSU “respects the role and independence of student media and believes that they play an essential role in the University community.” However, that stance is incompatible with other CSU regulations, including Article 316 which seeks to limit what our student news media can and cannot publish during elections.

ASFA is no better. Its governing documents make no mention of press independence or freedom. This has led to confusion over what role the student press plays during ASFA’s elections.

It’s well within the student body’s right to criticize the student news media. We are free to comment and hold it accountable. But, it needs to be made clear that, from a legal standpoint, the student press is free to publish what it pleases, within reasonable ethical standards. It’s not the role of any external organization to dictate what those standards are. Student group candidates cannot—and should not—control what is published, and organizations should not act as if they can.

All levels of student government need to enshrine a commitment to the independence of student news media in their governing documents. They also need to ensure that other regulations, like those governing elections, are in line with that stance, both in writing and in practice.

As a current ASFA executive, I will be working to implement these changes within the federation. I am now calling on my counterparts in other organizations, including the CSU, to do the same. We all benefit from a free press; it’s about time we support them.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

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Students elect 12 new members to ASFA

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Newly elected members focused on issues of transparency, mental health

After three days of student voting, 12 new members have been elected to Concordia’s Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA). In total, seven students were elected to ASFA as coordinators for the 2018-19 academic year, and an additional five were elected as independent councillors.

For the newly elected officials, being elected to ASFA is an opportunity to focus on a wide range of goals, from implementing accessible voting measures to helping students access mental health services.

Patrick Quinn, a re-elected independent councillor, said one of his primary goals is to make the voting process easier for Concordia students.

“More often than not, I hear students complain about how time-consuming voting is, how complicated it is, and the lack of participation associated with student elections,” Quinn said. “It’s going to change now. As an elected [ASFA] independent councillor and an Arts and Science councillor [on the Concordia Student Union council], I will be working with my colleagues to make online voting happen,” he told The Concordian.

Quinn also mentioned the importance of transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest in student organizations. This year, CSU executives Omar Riaz and Soulaymane El Alaoui were issued formal warnings after accepting a paid trip from Lev Bukhman, the CEO of Alliance pour la santé étudiante au Québec, the company the CSU uses to provide students with health and dental insurance.

“This academic year has made it clear to students that elected officials need to review ethics and conflict of interest policies. As an elected representative on the CSU council and on the ASFA council, I will review current policies and see if there are any changes to make,” Quinn said.

For independent councillor Tori Smith-Ayotte, mental health is an issue of critical importance, and she is focused on working with the CSU, ASFA member associations and non-profit initiatives, such as Jack.org, to improve emotional wellbeing on campus.

“Most people aren’t aware of the [mental health-related] events and workshops available to students, and I have learned firsthand how going to these events and finding where I belong at Concordia can change someone’s life,” Smith-Ayotte said about the importance of campus resources, adding she would like all students to be included in the conservation surrounding mental health.

Marguerite Rolland, who was elected as the advocacy and executive coordinator for the 2018-19 academic year, told The Concordian, she will be working on providing students with opportunities to make a community impact and gain volunteer experience for their CV and official co-curricular record.

Rolland said this project will be a monthly volunteer series in which ASFA selects a Montreal-based non-profit or charity and organizes day-long volunteering excursions. Students would participate in as many of these volunteer days as they wish, and if they attend eight during the school year, they would receive 50 confirmed volunteer hours on their co-curricular record.

Rolland said she is hopeful this project will reduce scheduling conflicts and organizational hurdles that may keep students from volunteering, as well as help them gain experience with a wide range of charitable organizations.

“ASFA will do all the paperwork, organizing and technical work,” Rolland said. “Ideally, we’d like to have a different aspect of community involvement with each [non-profit] partnership, so students can build connections and find the type of volunteering that works the best for them.”

Along with student concerns, Kayla Miller, the newly elected Loyola and sustainability coordinator, is looking to tackle environmental issues next year.

“Reducing our ecological footprint is integral to achieving environmental and economic equity and promoting sustainable consumption within the federation,” Miller said, explaining that one of her goals is to minimize waste produced during Orientation Week activities. “I want to completely eliminate the use of plastic cups, plates and cutlery by providing reusable materials […] and I aim to incorporate locally sourced vegan food options.”

Other students newly elected to ASFA include Bakry Alsaieq, Elliott Boulanger, Fatima Janna El Gahami, Gaëlle Kouyoumdjian, Evan Lee, Enya Leger, Justin Occhionero and Caleb Owusu-Acheaw.

ASFA president Jonathan Roy told The Concordian he is happy with the election results. “I’d like to extend my warmest congratulations to all the elected candidates, and look forward to working with them in the transition,” he said.

Newly elected ASFA members:

Councillors: Evan Lee, Gaëlle Kouyoumdjian, Justin Occhionero, Patrick Quinn, Tori Smith-Ayotte

External affairs and communications coordinator: Fatima Janna El Gahami

Loyola and sustainability coordinator: Kayla Miller

Student life coordinator: Enya Leger

Advocacy and executive coordinator: Marguerite Rolland

Internal affairs and administration: Elliott Boulanger

Finance coordinator: Caleb Owusu-Acheaw

Academic coordinator: Bakry Alsaieq

ASFA referendum results

During election polling on March 27, 28 and 29, students voted “yes” to three out of four referendum questions posed by the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA).

The referendum question regarding an increase of $0.18 per credit for ASFA’s fee levy (what would have been $1.40 per credit) was the only one that did not pass. The proposal failed by only three votes.

ASFA president Jonathan Roy said he is “disappointed” the fee levy increase did not pass, but said it gives him hope to know it only failed by a few votes. “More of our students are recognizing that an increase would only benefit us overall, so there’s always next year,” he said.

Prior to the elections, Roy told The Concordian the federation’s fee levy had not been increased in a few years and that ASFA currently receives the smallest fee levy of all the student associations, despite having the most members.

On the other hand, the Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse (CUCCR) will receive funding from students to upgrade their facilities and continue providing free, reusable items and materials to the community. Student voters approved a $0.04 per credit fee levy for CUCCR, which will be implemented with registration for the Fall 2018 semester.

The other two referendum questions that passed both concerned ASFA bylaw revisions. Voters approved a general bylaw revision that will, according to Roy, declutter the current bylaws, making the administrative aspects of the federation more fluid and allowing ASFA to run more efficiently in the future. The electoral also voted “yes” to the addition of a clause to ASFA’s bylaws that requires the federation to take no action in opposition to Indigenous sovereignty. Both bylaw reforms will take effect on June 1, 2018.

Roy said he is “very happy” the bylaw reforms passed. He said he feels the changes voted in by the electorate reflect the values of ASFA and their membership, and he is glad the federation is “standing in solidarity with Indigenous peoples.”

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

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ASFA to pose four referendum questions

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Federation to consult their electorate on fee levy and bylaw alterations

During election polling on March 27, 28 and 29, the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) will be posing four referendum questions to their electorate. They will include two fee levy questions and two bylaw questions.

Increasing ASFA’s fee levy

The first referendum question will ask Concordia students whether or not they support increasing ASFA’s fee levy to $1.40 per credit—an increase of $0.18. According to ASFA president Jonathan Roy, the association’s fee levy has not been increased in a few years, and while they are the association with the largest number of students, they ask for the smallest amount of money per credit.

“Inflation plays a role,” Roy said. “Things get more expensive, and we’ve also been growing.” He said ASFA has added three new Member Associations (MAs) this year, and they may be adding several more. Roy also stated that ASFA plans to increase and improve the projects and services they offer students. This includes providing support to their Task Force on Sexual and Racialized Violence and Harassment—a new initiative that is fully backed by ASFA. According to Roy, the association plans to expand their advocacy projects as well, by hosting lecture series, mental health talks and providing MAs with more funding.

“We can’t do that without money,” Roy said.

CUCCR seeks funding

The Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse (CUCCR) will be the subject of ASFA’s second fee levy referendum question. The centre is seeking funding from students to upgrade their facilities and continue to provide free, reusable items and tools to the community.

Although the funding will not be supplied to CUCCR directly by ASFA, the association will be proposing the implementation of a $0.04 per credit fee levy on behalf of CUCCR as a referendum question.

According to Roy, ASFA is advocating for the implementation of the fee levy as it will help with CUCCR’s basic operations and allow the Concordia community to benefit from the centre’s resources.

ASFA bylaw revisions

When it comes to the current state of ASFA’s bylaws, Roy said they have a reputation for being “convoluted,” “confusing” and “a hot mess.” This is why ASFA will be asking its voters to approve a general bylaw revision that will make the administrative aspects of the association more fluid. Roy said the “stripped-down version of the bylaws” will allow ASFA to run more efficiently in the future.

Indigenous sovereignty

Finally, the ASFA executive is asking that their electorate vote “yes” to a bylaw that would require ASFA to take no action in opposition to Indigenous sovereignty. Roy said implementing this bylaw would reaffirm ASFA’s “commitment to supporting Indigenous peoples’ rights.”

According to Roy, in the past, ASFA has taken positions that support Indigenous sovereignty and rights, such as reciting a territorial acknowledgement before every meeting.

Elliott Boulanger, a First Peoples studies student and an ASFA candidate on the Fill In The Blanks slate, said their team endorses a “yes” vote to this bylaw.

“It would show that ASFA is taking a stance on Indigenous politics and sovereignty,” they said. “I think it’s long overdue. It should have been done a long time ago.”

To students who may be opposed to the addition of this bylaw, Roy said it’s not about disregarding the rights of any other particular cultural or ethnic group, but about ensuring equality and respecting the “various cultures and communities that live in the Montreal/Tiohtiá:ke region.

He said having the bylaw implemented would ensure that anyone looking to change it would have to endure a much more laborious process than simply discussing it at a council meeting.

“It makes it a lot harder for anyone to oppose this attempt at standing in solidarity with Indigenous people,” Roy said. “We hope that students see the merit of this question and will stand with us.”

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

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ASFA candidate seeks to “fill in the blanks”

Concordia linguistics student Marguerite Rolland is running to be ASFA’s advocacy and executive coordinator. Photo by Alex Hutchins

If elected, Marguerite Rolland plans to provide students with co-curricular opportunities

At her core, Marguerite Rolland is an organizer. From planning out every detail of her cottage trips with friends, to her work as president of the Concordia Linguistics Student Association (LSA), she prides herself on her knack for structure and efficiency.

When she isn’t up to her ears in her latest spreadsheet, Rolland spends her time engaging in student life at Concordia in every possible way. Apart from her work with the LSA, she is also a student advocate at the Concordia Student Union (CSU) Advocacy Centre and an undergraduate research assistant for the linguistics department.

“My whole first year, I was very involved in the LSA, and then this year I wanted to branch out a little bit more, so I started joining ASFA committees,” Rolland told The Concordian.

In this month’s ASFA elections, she is running for advocacy and executive coordinator as part of a team called Fill In The Blanks—a name that reflects the team’s desire to “provide students with experiences and opportunities that supplement their academics at Concordia,” according to Rolland.

Along with her teammates Fatima El Gahami, Bakry Alsaieq, Elliott Boulanger and Manal Alsaieq, Rolland said she is trying to figure out “what’s wrong with ASFA, and what’s right with other faculty associations.” According to her, ASFA is not respected by the majority of the student body.

“In the past, they’ve been regarded as this sort of fratty, toxic, unprofessional association,” Rolland said. “ASFA isn’t really a resource for students in the same way that [other student associations are].”

Rolland’s main goal, if elected, is to change that reputation by transforming ASFA into a vehicle for student success.

“The one thing that unifies all Arts and Science students is that we all walk out of Concordia with a BA or a BSc,” she said. “Unfortunately, that alone is not worth very much anymore. Students graduating with these degrees need to stand out. They need something else on their CVs, like co-curricular activities, volunteer experience. […] I want ASFA to offer those things.”

One of the projects Rolland and her team have proposed is a volunteering series organized by ASFA, where students could sign up and have off-campus volunteering sessions organized and scheduled for them by the federation. According to Rolland, if the idea is approved, participating students would be able to complete a full day of volunteering once a month with a specific organization or charity. After eight sessions, students could be granted recognition for participating in the volunteering program by having it included on their co-curricular record.

“You would be able to choose what type of volunteering works for you and build connections that way,” she said. “It’d be accessible to students because they wouldn’t have to go out and find organizations themselves. They wouldn’t have to schedule it or set it up and they wouldn’t even have to go every week.”

Rolland and her team also hope to bring forward other projects, such as implementing an online voting system and providing workshops or seminars on things like coding or graphic design—useful skills students would then be able to list on their CV.

Another issue the team hopes to highlight is the current lack of mandatory office hours for ASFA executives. She said she believes that implementing mandatory office hours would encourage students to come into the office, speak with executives, ask for help and suggest their own ideas.

“I think it’s important to show students that we’re not just here to plan frosh, host random parties or give out random amounts of money to the [Member Associations (MAs)], but rather, that we’re actually trying to do something,” Rolland said. “We’re trying to go somewhere and we’re trying to do it in a way that makes people want to get involved.”

Currently, MAs can apply to to receive funds from ASFA to host various events. Rolland said she hopes to “cut that [Special Project Fund (SPF)] in half and have a specific SPF that’s designated for academic experience.” The Academic SPF would fund MAs that wish to host academic activities, such as conferences.

When asked what differentiates her from the other ASFA candidates, Rolland said she draws on her experiences working with the LSA and the Student Advocacy Centre.

“I know how to work in a team, and I know how to ask the right questions,” she said. “I feel like I’m very aware of what’s happening in the school and what students are not happy with, so I have a really well-rounded sense of what is wrong and what needs to be fixed.”

Overall, Rolland said her main goal is to accurately represent Arts and Science students, as well as bringing ASFA back to its original purpose—providing students with things their academics aren’t giving them.

“I’m not a politician; I’m an organizer,” she said. “I think it’s important to represent your students and what they believe, but I think, at the same time, ASFA is primarily a resource. I would like to bring it back down to being a resource first and foremost and make sure it has a good foundation.”

Rolland said that, even if she isn’t elected, she still wants to see the initiatives she cares about put forward.

“I’m anti-apathy,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s not about who’s doing it, it’s about getting it done.”

Photo by Alex Hutchins

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ASFA updates discrimination task force mandate

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) votes on new mandate for their discrimination task force. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Internal harassment policy under revision; power dynamics training for executives to be implemented

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) voted on March 8 to approve a new mandate for its discrimination task force in response to the recent sexual misconduct allegations in Concordia’s English department.

The task force’s first mandate was established in September 2016, an action required by the terms of a 2015 settlement of a Quebec Human Rights Commission complaint filed against ASFA by a former executive using the pseudonym Mei Ling.

The complaint alleged the executive had been a victim of race and gender-based discrimination during her mandate, and the settlement stipulated that ASFA establish a task force to deal with these types of discrimination complaints at Concordia.

In January, the federation approved an ad hoc mandate for the task force so it could quickly respond to revelations of sexual misconduct by instructors in Concordia’s creative writing program and make recommendations on how ASFA should respond.

During a task force meeting on Feb. 26, it was revealed that its name would have to be changed to include racial discrimination, based on advice from ASFA’s legal counsel, in order to meet criteria established by the 2015 settlement. It was also decided that the ad hoc mandate set up to respond to the English department allegations would be combined with the 2016 mandate to create one unified mandate. Motions for both changes were passed at the March 8 council meeting.

“The task force has always and will continue to address the issues mandated within the settlement, but will also now cover sexual violence and misconduct,” ASFA council chairperson Rory James told The Concordian.

The new mandate states the task force will address issues raised in the original Mei Ling human rights complaint and “implement concrete steps to prevent racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination within the university.” The stated goal of these steps is to foster a culture that ensures everyone at Concordia can “seek assistance within the university that caters to the individual’s best interests.”

The mandate lists four steps to be taken immediately to achieve those goals. They include revising ASFA’s harassment policy and implementing power dynamics training for ASFA executives as well as incoming arts and science faculty students who participate in Freshmen Orientation Week.

The task force will also work with the larger Concordia student body to advocate for the implementation of recommendations made in Our Turn, a student report published in October 2017 that gave Concordia a D minus grade for its sexual assault policies.

Margot Berner, the newly established co-chair of the task force, reported to council on March 8 that the task force has, so far, devoted most of its time to revising ASFA’s internal harassment policy.

The task force is also working on developing a new safe space policy for ASFA’s community spaces, which would establish when a Member Association can bar someone from their space if they decide the person’s behaviour is inappropriate.

“Our aim is to make ASFA a little more responsible for our community spaces, for making them safe spaces,” Berner said, adding that the task force is working with their lawyers to develop this policy.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad

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ASFA responds to English department sexual assault scandal

Former ASFA president Jonathan Roy. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Concordia Association for Students in English criticizes lack of consultation by federation

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) discussed its plan of action to respond to the English department’s sexual assault scandal in a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Jan. 18.

The federation moved to create a committee, chaired by councilor Taran Singh, which will make recommendations for measures to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation within the Faculty of Arts and Science. The committee will be composed of several councillors, including Concordia Association for Students in English (CASE) president Debby Gemme and three ASFA executives: president Jonathan Roy, vice-president internal Rachael Hutchinson and vice-president external Bianca Bruzzese.

The committee will have the power to make edits to ASFA’s official statement on the recent sexual assault scandal within Concordia’s English department before it is released. Gemme criticized ASFA’s executive team for not consulting CASE on the first draft of the statement. “We think there’s a lot in there that’s problematic,” she said to Roy during the meeting.

“We simply want to ensure that student associations are putting out a united and consistent message conducive to concrete change,” Gemme told The Concordian.

CASE has released its own official statement, calling for the English department to apologize for its “dismissal” of previous allegations, ensure that the third party investigating the allegations is transparent and communicates effectively with students, and update current school policies to address possible abuses of power by faculty, among other things.

ASFA will also participate in a larger task force overseen by the university’s administration. At the council meeting, Roy commented on his Jan. 15 meeting with dean of students Andrew Woodall and deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy, who will be coordinating an assessment of the university’s environment.

“We will be working together hand-in-hand. Not just ASFA and the administration, but we’re gonna try to reach out to all the other faculty associations and work with the Concordia Student Union so that we can create a task force to essentially look at the way sexual harassment and misconduct and such happens at Concordia,” he said.

Although Roy told The Concordian that the details about this task force have yet to be released, he told council that ASFA will advocate for mandatory consent training for all faculty and staff and the promotion of sexual assault resources on all course outlines.

Roy also met with the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, André Roy, on Jan. 12, who he said is committed to implementing “preventative measures and resources to ensure that institutional changes will be made to ensure the continual safety of our students.” These measures include “policy change, workshop implementation and educational/informational campaigns.”

Gemme also criticized Jonathan Roy for not consulting CASE before these meetings with high-level faculty.

“We would have liked to have been consulted,” she said. “The executives, but also the student body that we represent, really would have had a lot to say.”

Roy said that he had met with the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science to discuss a different issue, and had not planned to discuss the allegations of sexual assault. He did not consult CASE prior to his meeting with Woodall and Ostiguy because the two were scheduled to have a separate meeting with CASE.

“From now on, whenever we have any correspondence with either the dean of students or the dean of arts and science, we will be contacting you, and we will try to coordinate something,” the ASFA president told Gemme during council.

Photo by Alex Hutchins

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Addressing mental health together

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Jack.org and ASFA join forces to destigmatize mental health

Two Concordia student organizations are working together to confront the stigma that hinders conversations surrounding mental health.

Concordia’s chapter of Jack.org, which advertises itself as “the only national network of young leaders transforming the way we think about mental health,” joined the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) in a presentation held on Nov. 21. The event was organized to help change the dialogue around the psychological challenges many students face.

“Creating a space to talk about it really demystifies things and makes it more accessible,” said Dale Robinson, the former manager of Concordia’s counselling and psychological services.

Concordia students Maya Okindo and Josie Fomé spoke at the event on behalf of Concordia’s Jack.org chapter. They provided information to assist anyone who may be experiencing mental health issues, including when to seek help and where to find it.

A key point brought up by Okindo and Fomé during the talk was that mental health exists on a spectrum, and where one falls on that spectrum can change over time. The presenters explained that mental health can be impacted by a wide range of factors, such as genetic predisposition, a person’s environment, the culture in which a person is raised and the way society as a whole views people with mental health issues.

The presenters noted that, while one in five Canadians will struggle with mental health in their lifetime, only one in four of them will seek help.

Concordia students have access to a variety of options when it comes to mental health.

Robinson noted that Concordia’s support system is “made up of counselling and psychological services, health services and access centres for students with disabilities.” She explained that these offices work together, like a network, so that students receive the best care possible.

“The services were already good; I think they’re going to be even better because of the fact that there’s active interaction and a network,” Robinson said.

Other speakers and organizers at the event shared stories of their struggles with mental health, including ASFA president Jonathan Roy. When asked why events like the Jack.org talk are important, Roy recalled the lowest points in his life, saying that he wanted to make sure others wouldn’t have to feel the same.

“You have to go through the low moments,” Fomé said, “but you don’t have to go through them alone.” She added that students should never feel afraid to seek help because “it’s okay not to be okay.”

Concordia students in need of psychological support are afforded 10 free counselling sessions through the school. No referral is needed; students simply have to present themselves to a triage centre at either the Loyola or Sir George Williams (SGW) campus. From there, students will be placed with a counsellor.

Counselling and psychological services can be found in room H-440 on the SGW campus or room AD-103 on the Loyola campus.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

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Meet ASFA’s new independent councillors

Andrea Gauthier

Newly elected students explain their roles, their goals and their upcoming challenges

During last week’s Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) by-elections, which named Jonathan Roy the federation’s new president, each of the five independent councillor candidates secured enough “yes” votes to earn a seat on the ASFA council.

Independent councillor Patrick Quinn

What is the point of having independent candidates on council? What makes someone want to run as an independent, rather than as a candidate from a Member Association (MA)? What are the unique challenges and advantages associated with being an independent? The Concordian sat down with three of ASFA’s new independent councillors—two newcomers and one veteran—to ask them these questions. Each one of them felt the advantages of running as an independent outweighed the disadvantages.

“As an independent [councillor], you have more of a free will in government, because you’re not really accountable to anybody but yourself and to the people who elected you,” said Patrick Quinn, a second-year political science student and VP external for NDP Concordia.

According to Quinn, independent councillors play an important role in holding the council accountable. “You’re there to watch the meeting and make sure that what the executive and what the council is doing is correct, is following the bylaws, is the direction that everyone wants to go in,” he said.

Independent councillors can sit on the council and vote on motions, but they cannot be part of the executive team. However, as returning independent councillor Andrea Gauthier said, this does not mean independents cannot be active in student government. “[I’m] on the internal committee, the finance committee, the academic committee [and] archiving committee,” she said.

Independent councillor Fatima Janna El Gahami

First-year political science student Fatima Janna El Gahami said running as an independent can also help avoid competition. “I knew the chances for me to be elected as an independent would be stronger,” she said. “It’s very competitive, and everyone wants a position in the [Political Science Students’ Association].”

Despite lacking an MA, none of the candidates felt that connecting with the student body had been or would be an issue. “I think [one of] the joys of being a part of ASFA is that I get to become friends with a lot of people from a lot of different programs,” Gauthier said. “I attend a lot of different events from a lot of different MAs.”

“I’m a people’s person,” El Gahami said. “I like to talk to people. I’m very social. I like meeting new people.”

As for the goals they have for their mandate, each councillor was more concerned with how they planned to conduct themselves on council rather than with specific policies. Quinn said his goals are transparency, accessibility, accountability and strong relationships with the student body. For El Gahami, her aim is “to be as transparent as I can, and also to represent the students at Concordia.”

Independent councillor Gaëlle Kouyoumdjian was not available for comment in time for publication. Independent councillor Alisa Knezevic did not respond to a request for comment.

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Jonathan Roy named ASFA president

Former ASFA president Jonathan Roy. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Candidate Jad-Faraj Abi Semaan disqualified for alleged electoral misconduct

 

 

Jonathan Roy was named the new president of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) on Nov. 24 following the disqualification of candidate Jad-Faraj Abi Semaan.

“After careful consideration, following multiple credible complaints of electoral violations, a decision was taken to issue a disqualification of a presidential candidate, Jad-Faraj Abi Semaan,” wrote ASFA chief electoral officer (CEO) Ekaterina Roubanov in a post on the group’s Facebook page on Friday.

“ASFA strives for a fair election process, therefore sanctions are applied when rules and regulations are not followed,” Roubanov wrote.

Roy received 267 of the 491 votes cast by students during the by-election held between Nov. 20 and 22. Abi Semaan received 175 votes, and 44 students abstained.

In a statement to The Concordian, Roubanov said a total of eight people complained about Abi Semaan’s conduct. These complaints were in regards to Abi Semaan’s presence around polling stations during the election and “telling people to vote for him, and talking about his campaign on Nov. 20 and 21,” she said.

Abi Semaan categorically denied all the charges made against him, claiming they are “not based in reality.”

“The spirit of this election was me running against the entire ASFA establishment and the resources they have,” he said. “I made sure my campaign was based on positivity and respect, and unfortunately I did not receive the same thing from the other side.”

According to Abi Semaan, at least three people, some of whom he knew personally, shared material related to his campaign on social media after the campaign period ended, but he contacted them and the posts were taken down “within minutes.” He denied having encouraged anyone to share campaign material.

On Tuesday, the day before the election ended, Abi Semaan said he met with the CEO to discuss her concerns, and he felt the matter had been settled. However, he said he received an email from Roubanov two hours before the polls closed on Wednesday telling him that she had reopened the case and he had been disqualified.

Abi Semaan said he filed a complaint to contest the decision with the Concordia Student Union Advocacy Centre and the Dean of Students. “Even though I didn’t win the election, at this point, I’m contesting the decision based on values,” he said.

Abi Semaan said the CEO claimed she had video evidence of him hanging around polling stations. “When I asked her for the evidence, she refused to give it to me,” Abi Semaan told The Concordian. He argued that any video evidence held by the CEO “is illegal” because he did not consent to being recorded.

Roubanov confirmed that she received “credible proof” of Abi Semaan’s conduct, however details of this evidence are confidential due to Abi Semaan’s contestation. “The matter has been passed to the [ASFA] judicial committee, and no further commentary will be issued pending J.C.’s statement,” she said.

In a statement to The Concordian, Roy said he respects the decision of the CEO. “I am still very happy with the results of the ballot, and am excited to get to work for our students,” he said.

Featured image by Alex Hutchins.

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In the run for the ASFA presidency

Former ASFA president Jonathan Roy. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Candidate advocates for sustainability, LGBTQ+ representation and mental health resources

Following interim ASFA president Julia Sutera Sardo’s announcement that she will not be running for re-election, Concordia student Jonathan Roy has stepped into the spotlight.

As VP internal and councillor of the Concordia Classics Student Association (CCSA), VP of finance of NDP Concordia and member of the Concordia Senate, Roy is heavily involved in student politics at Concordia. On Monday, Nov. 13, he announced his candidacy for the ASFA presidency.

His posters, plastered on the university’s walls, feature his campaign slogan: “Empowered together.”

“You can’t just leave the decisions of an organization to a single individual. They need to be worked through by a collective,” Roy said. “I’m doing this because I want to support the rest of the executives. I want to support all of our associations. I want to support our students. This isn’t about me.”

This sentiment is echoed in his platform of empowering the member associations (MAs) and ASFA executives to fulfill their mandates. Roy has proposed moving away from the traditional, hierarchical order of the executive.

“Yes, I’m running for the presidency but, in my mind, the spirit of that office is that of a general coordinator,” Roy said.

Roy’s other campaign promises include making ASFA more sustainable, increasing LGBTQ+ representation in student governments and a complete collaboration with Concordia’s mental health services.

In terms of environmental sustainability, Roy plans to put a compost bin in every MA lounge, if elected, and plans to continue his work with Waste Not Want Not, Concordia’s composting campaign.

As a gay man, Roy said he is all too familiar with the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in politics—especially in Concordia’s student associations. He said he plans to take concrete steps toward solving this issue.

“I want to propose setting a specific spot on ASFA’s advocacy committee aside for a representative of Queer Concordia to be a voice on behalf of our community,” Roy said. ASFA’s sustainability committee already holds a designated spot for a representative from Sustainable Concordia, which has been an extremely positive experience, according to Roy.

As for working with Concordia’s mental health services, Roy said this collaboration is deeply important to him. After suffering from severe depression and attempting suicide five years ago, he said helping people through mental illness is especially important to him.

“I was at the lowest point in my life,” Roy said. “I’m always candid about my mental health issues because it’s important to talk about it. That’s how we end the stigma around it.”

Having used the services himself, Roy said he hopes to further relations with the Concordia chapter of jack.org—a national mental health network—and ensure Concordia’s psychological services are better advertised, if elected. Roy plans to push for more open dialogue about mental health within the university so students and their academics suffer less.

“People don’t deserve to feel the way that I’ve felt, and I want to try to help them,” Roy said.

ASFA presidential candidate Jad Abi Semaan. Photo courtesy of Jad Abi Semaan

While Roy said he feels confident in his ability to win the election, he is not running unopposed. Jad-Faraj Abi Semaan told The Concordian he is also in the running for the position. Semaan is a political science student at Concordia. He said that, if elected, he plans to strengthen the relationship between ASFA and the MAs by improving communication and establishing a plan of action which will allow MAs to reach their full potential.

“In a world polarized more than ever, […] we need platforms that bring people together,” Semaan said. “I will make it a personal priority to give an equal voice to students from all backgrounds, religious affiliations and ethnicities, such as the LGBTQ+ community, Muslim students and students with disabilities.” Semaan also said he wants to ensure the ASFA community is loving, accepting and respectful.

According to Roy, Semaan has had no previous involvement with ASFA, apart from acting as a polling clerk for the association last year. However, Semaan told The Concordian he would “be more than happy to have a constructive conversation with [Roy] at any point during this campaign and put to bed all his concerns about [his] legitimacy.”

Overall, Roy said his priority throughout the campaign and, if elected, his presidency, will be to empower the student body as a whole.

“The way I see governance, especially student governance, is not about catering to the needs of one person. It’s about coming together to work to help everyone,” Roy said. “That’s something that I’m a huge proponent of and something that would be reflected in the work I would do as president.”

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

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ASFA ratifies sustainability policy

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) ratified its first sustainability policy during a council meeting on Nov. 9. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Unanimously passed motion outlines guidelines for federation, MAs

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) has just ratified its first sustainability policy.

The policy, which was passed at a regular council meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, lays out sustainable practice guidelines for the federation and its member associations (MAs). The motion was passed unanimously by the council.

The policy was first drafted in the 2016-17 academic year by interim ASFA president Julia Sutera Sardo, who was vice-president of internal affairs at the time, and Agunik Mamikonyan, the former vice-president of external affairs and sustainability. After being reviewed by ASFA’s policy committee, the policy was ready to be ratified at the federation’s final council meeting of the year in May. However, Sutera Sardo said the ratification process was delayed until this year so it could be approved by the new council and by the interim vice-president of sustainability, Bianca Bruzzese. The policy was also reviewed by ASFA’s sustainability committee before being ratified by council.

The four-page policy defines sustainability as “the process and outcome of achieving social activism, economic equality and environmental health by reducing our ecological footprint and empowering communities to meet their present needs, and then, their future aspirations.” Following this definition, the policy is divided into sections addressing environmental, social and economic sustainability.

The environmental sustainability section includes commitments to minimize material consumption, support environmental justice initiatives on campus and beyond, and establish relationships with Indigenous communities directly affected by resource extraction projects. The social sustainability section includes a commitment to “promote a strong, safe and empowering community by seeking to minimize systemic power imbalances within society and fostering a culture of anti-oppression as well as encouraging a culture of self-care.” The economic sustainability section states that ASFA will, whenever possible, support local businesses, refuse unsustainable corporate sponsorship and advocate for fossil fuel divestment both on and off campus.

The policy includes a number of strategies to encourage MAs to adopt sustainable practices. ASFA will encourage MAs to create their own vice-president of sustainability position; workshops on sustainability will be provided to all ASFA and MA executives by ASFA’s vice-president of sustainability; MAs will be provided with a copy of Sustainable Concordia’s Sustainable Event Guide and encouraged to follow its guidelines; and finally, MAs will need to fill out a sustainability checklist when submitting a cheque requisition to be reimbursed for events.

When asked if MAs could be refused reimbursement for not adopting sustainable practices, Sutera Sardo said this is possible but unlikely because of the importance ASFA places on MA autonomy.

Sustainability Concordia spoke out in favour of the policy. “We’re really glad that ASFA has taken this step,” said Sustainability Concordia’s external and campaigns coordinator Emily Carson-Apstein. “Sustainability is a huge, ongoing discussion in our office and among all the student associations, and it’s really a fluid and changing document. It’s not a one-time thing. This is a great first step, and we’re really excited to see where ASFA takes this and how we can help them.”

Photo by Mackenzie Lad

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ASFA begins search for first Loyola office coordinator

ASFA passed a motion to begin the hiring process for its first Loyola campus office coordinator during a council meeting on Oct. 12. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Council seeks to determine position’s workload and how to allocate funds for salary

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) passed a motion to begin the hiring process for its first Loyola campus office coordinator during a council meeting on Oct. 12.

Prior to the motion, introduced by liberal arts councillor Robert Young, several candidates interested in the position approached executives. According to interim VP finance Francesco Valente, one candidate in particular, who was recommended by downtown office coordinator Chris Lechkobit, is “extremely qualified.” However Valente said this candidate is “a close friend of all the executives, which I think is a kind of a big conflict of interest.” The candidate’s name was withheld from the meeting.

The motion to being an official hiring process and put a callout to council was intended to avoid this conflict of interest and select the candidate who was best suited for the position, according to interim ASFA president Julia Sutera Sardo. Hiring decisions are made independently from the council by the hiring committee, which consists of the president, VP internal, VP finance and the Sir George Williams campus office manager.

Sutera Sardo said the hiring committee planned to consult legal counsel on the contract, and to determine how many hours a week an office manager needed to be present at the Loyola campus before signing a contract with any candidate. A motion was passed to allow interim VP of external affairs and sustainability Bianca Bruzzese to fill the position for two weeks on a volunteer basis to determine how many office hours are necessary at the Loyola campus.

The motion also included a review of the annual budget before the next meeting to determine where extra funding for the new coordinator’s salary could be taken from. According to Valente, the $1,500 originally set aside for the coordinator’s salary would likely not be enough to pay the person $15 an hour for the whole year, as per ASFA policy.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the hiring process for the Loyola office coordinator position had already begun and that the ASFA website indicated a candidate had been hired. The Concordian regrets the error.

Photo by Alex Hutchins

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