An open letter in reply to my naysayers
David Crossley

There has been some discussion recently regarding my role as the student representative on the SFU Community Corporation, and Trust (formerly the BMCC) Board of Directors. I thought it might be useful to explain my role, and what has been going on during my two terms as the student representative.

Information about the new community development project, the corporation, its history, and my regular reports to students can be found online at www.univercity.ca.

While supportive of the project in general, I am also concerned about making sure that the new community will not just be an isolated socio-economically monotonous enclave next to the university, but a diverse community that includes a mix of residents and businesses, is integrated with the university community, and includes students. In addition, given the nature of Burnaby Mountain, there is concern that the project be more environmentally sustainable.

After hard work and lobbying, students successfully changed the initial proposals to include both an elected student representative and faculty representative on the corporationís board, as well as a guaranteed place for students from residence on the project's community advisory committee, neither of which had been proposed by SFU.

In the spring of 1999 I ran and was first elected at-large by the students at SFU to a two-year term as the student representative on the board, a voluntary position to which I was re-elected in 2001. I ran not opposing the project, and not promising revolution, but supporting the idea of the community, and a commitment to working on the board to the best of my abilities to advocate for a more diverse, inclusive and sustainable community. Others with more radical views may not have agreed, but that was the mandate on which I was elected and re-elected.

I have always seen it as my job to try to represent (as best as is possible for one person) the diverse range of student interests and opinions regarding the project. These opinions range from those who simply want to maximise profits for SFU, to those who want chain stores such as Starbucks or McDonald's, to those who oppose the university making any profits and instead want the entire community to be student and subsidised social housing. There are also the positions taken by different organisations on and off-campus.

While I have always solicited and listened to these varied positions, and pass on any questions, concerns and issues to the board (as is my responsibility), it is not my job to be the exclusive voice for one particular organisation or point of view. To act as such would be a disservice to the diverse student body as whole, and contrary to my elected mandate. In any event, the ability of different groups to independently advocate different positions on the project, separately from my role, helps contribute to the over-all dialogue.

As the student rep on the board, I not only proactively participate in the corporation's meetings and activities, but also regularly report to students what is going on with the project so that they can be informed and provide feedback. In my view, the purpose of such reports is not for me to egotistically recite a diary of every occasion on which I spoke out on this or that item, but in fact to inform students about what's actually going on.

I receive communication from students on all kinds of issues related to the project, from many points of view. I regularly meet with students at their request, to discuss the project, listen to their views, or assist them with academic work related to the project.

I have also made special efforts over time to make sure information and opportunities for feedback were given to the Student Society by sending them copies of my regular reports, and making visits to SFSS board meetings. It has been frustrating that the SFSS has largely chosen to ignore these efforts. The SFSS of course can continue to read my reports, contact me with questions, and provide any feedback they wish.

I regularly argue and disagree with people within the university and on the corporations board about many things although I don't make a point of boasting about it. I also fail to see how insulting people, boycotting my role, and elbowing up bridges would be a useful strategy.

While others may have very different views on the purpose or direction of the project, or disagree with my approach, I reject the suggestion that nothing has been accomplished.

Just a few of the housing accomplishments achieved by and for students, in which I feel I have played a role, include: precedent-setting new zoning to permit up to half of the condo and townhouse units in the new community to include legal secondary rental suites for students and other renters, a commitment that 100 per cent of the residential units in the first mixed-use building adjacent to campus will be rental apartments rather than condominiums for sale, a commitment to set aside two sites and forego $1 million in revenue for social or cooperative housing projects, and successfully pushing SFU to increase on-campus student housing.

Other accomplishments include: the decision not to move forward with any immediate development on the south slope of campus while working to come up with solutions to preserve a portion of the area for research, innovative storm water management including sustainable detention ponds and permeable pavers, the education of developers to provide them with tools and techniques for green and sustainable building practices, plans for an on-campus shuttle to promote sustainable transportation and to help integrate the community and a formal policy which gives preference to independent and smaller businesses over multi-national chains, as well as encouraging new businesses to employ students.

Are these accomplishments perfect? Of course not. Are they sufficient? No, more work needs to be done. I would like to see greater efforts to mandate affordable secondary rental units in the projects that developers will build; I would like to see greater emphasis on designing suites to be specifically affordable for students. I also want to see careful and rigorous monitoring of each individual project and the first neighbourhood as a whole, to ensure that they meet or exceed the goals that have been set. And if they aren't met, then the corporation and the university should rightly be held to account. If the targets and initiatives prove inadequate in creating a diverse, more sustainable community, then the targets should be amended and strengthened. This is the work I will continue to do on behalf of all students at SFU, to the best of my ability, for the remainder of the term to which I was re-elected.

I can be reached by email at dcrossle(at)sfu(dot)ca.

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