Ex-directors must step down
Joel Blok, Graduate Issues Officer, Titus Gregory, Forum Chair, Clea Moray, Chair, SGM Oversight Committee, Bryan Jones, SDU Spokesperson
On Wednesday, October 25, 2006, we were witness to a truly momentous occasion in SFU student history. On that day, over 750 people came out to a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) to exercise their democratic rights. At the SGM, these 750 students voted strongly to impeach seven directors of the SFSS: Shawn Hunsdale, Margo Dunnet, Wei Li, Glyn Lewis, Vanessa Kelly, Marion Pollock, and Erica Halpern. And graduate students, concerned about restrictions on their ability to adequately govern their own affairs, partook in the passing of two motions intended to ensure that the Graduate Issues Committee (GIC) has sufficient funding and decision-making power within the SFSS. Hundreds of students stuck it out through three hours of freezing weather to vote on all resolutions and exercise their power, as members, to choose the direction of their Society. With the exception of Hunsdale and Halpern, each of the seven directors addressed the crowd to speak against their own impeachment prior to the vote. In every case, the members then voted to remove them from office. With patience, the assembled members instructed the meeting chairperson to count all the votes even when the results were beyond question, so that no doubt would exist in case those impeached should choose to legally challenge the results of the meeting.
Unfortunately, some of the individuals who were impeached have refused to acknowledge their removal from office — despite their own participation in the meeting. Last week, following their impeachment, Li and Hunsdale sent a letter to the staff of the SFSS stating, effectively, that staff face dismissal should they not continue to take direction from these seven ex-directors. [Ed. Note: Please see here for Shawn Hunsdale’s resignation.]
It is a sad day when the largest meeting of the SFSS in over a decade goes unheeded by those people purporting to represent us. And what are the consequences?
One potential consequence is that the university administration, which collects student fees on behalf of the Society, may simply choose to not turn these fees over until the dispute over exactly who is and who is not a director of the Society is resolved. This would prevent the Society from engaging in any of its normal duties, such as providing funding to clubs, departmental student unions, and graduate caucuses. Essentially, the ability of our Student Society to function could be halted indefinitely until all the impeached individuals concede, or the matter is settled by a judge.
It is likely that this dispute will end up in the hands of the courts. Should this happen, we would sadly become the fourth member of the Canadian Federation of Students in B.C. to have to go to court due to irregularities in the handling of money or of some other process in the last few months.
We simply can not allow these ex-directors to hijack our society; they no longer have the right to govern. Their “soapbox made of twigs” was yanked out from under them at the SGM, yet they continue to rattle sabres over alleged, and inaccurate, technicalities.
Thus, we call on all students to continue to stay informed, stay involved, stay strong, and stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Joel Blok, Graduate Issues Officer
Titus Gregory, Forum Chair
Clea Moray, Chair, SGM Oversight Committee
Bryan Jones, SDU Spokesperson