Morgan Pudwell – The Concordian

CSU exec Morgan Pudwell not a registered student

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At the April 11 Concordia Student Union council meeting, the resignation of former VP advocacy and outreach, Morgan Pudwell, was addressed. Council went into closed session for the reading of a statement issued by Pudwell, who was not present at the meeting.

President Lex Gill said when asked about Pudwell’s student status, that she could not discuss academic or health issues of her former colleague but that “[Pudwell] is working to resolve the situation.”

The issue was not discussed more at council following the closed session, in part because Pudwell was in transit and unable to attend the meeting.

According to an email sent to councillors from CSU chairperson Nick Cuillerier, the Dean of Students office confirmed that Pudwell and Arts and Science councillor Amero Muiny are not registered as students at the university.

At the Wednesday meeting, it was stated by Cuillerier that Muiny would be submitting an official resignation to council in the near future.

CSU council mandated an investigation into the status of its executive, council and judicial board members at a council meeting in March. Pudwell walked out of the last regular CSU council meeting after former CSU councillor Tomer Shavit accused her of not being a registered student. Pudwell stated illness as her reason for leaving.

With only six weeks left in her term, Pudwell informed her fellow CSU executives in a formal letter sent on Tuesday that her last day in office will be April 17. The news of her resignation surfaced mid-day Wednesday.

According to Pudwell, she is no longer able to maintain her position because she has been dealing with health concerns.

During the last two weeks of her term, Pudwell wrote in her letter that she would “tie up loose ends with on-going projects and produce documentation for the incoming executive.”

This is not the first time Pudwell has stepped down from student politics at Concordia. In March 2011, Pudwell publicly resigned from her VP position in the 2010-2011 CSU executive citing personal reasons.

CSU exec accused of not being a student

VP Advocacy Morgan Pudwell was accused of not being a registered student.

The current student status of Concordia Student Union vice-president advocacy Morgan Pudwell was questioned last week, leading to a report issued by Chair Nick Cuillerier. The report stated that two unidentified members of either council, the executive or the judicial board were not registered students according to the Dean of Students’ office, but the names are not being divulged just yet.

“Yes, I am a student,” Pudwell told The Concordian. “I’m not comfortable announcing my class schedule publicly [but] I am taking a class. […] It is disconcerting that Mr. Shavit has taken the personal issues he has with members of our executive to such low levels.”
She went on to say that accessing or claiming to have access to confidential information is a breach of privacy, and should be taken seriously.
“I certainly hope Mr. Shavit recognizes the implications of his behaviour,” she said. “It is shocking and upsetting that students’ rights are being abused in such a manner.”
With regards to not divulging the identities of the two individuals who were not on the office’s list of registered students, Cuillerier indicated there could be a variety of reasons for why they are not. He said both people have been notified and have been asked to apply for temporary CSU membership status until the union’s next regular council meeting on April 11, where Cuillerier said he hopes the two people will elaborate on why they may not have been on the list.
Despite Pudwell’s denial of any claims against her, Shavit maintained that he “got this information from a very credible source within the CSU.”
If Pudwell’s name is released as one of the students not registered on the membership list, she could face legal action, said Shavit.
“If it’s true, the ramifications are very serious because [Pudwell] is not a fee-paying member, so it’s illegal for her to collect a salary,” he said.

With files from Marilla Steuter-Martin.