Local: Douglas Student Union impeachment fails
Iain W. Reeve, Associate News Editor
The movement to impeach the Douglas College Student Union ended in defeat over the holidays as the Special General Meeting failed to meet quorum, making any vote to remove the embattled DSU irrelevant. However, several issues around the meeting have arisen which have caused some to question the fairness of the proceedings.
The meeting, which took place on November 29, required a quorum of 75 people for motions made within that meeting to be considered valid. Leading up to the date, organisers were confident that this number would be reached. However, on the day of the meeting Douglas College closed early due to weather conditions after 5:00 p.m. While the meeting was scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and students began to arrive around this time, the meeting was not called to order until around 5:15 p.m., said one attendee.
One student told The Peak that when he asked the chair how the meeting could continue when it had been called after the college had officially closed the school, the chair responded that the meeting had been called for 4:30, before the 5:00 closure time. The student then pointed out that the time that the meeting actually began was after 5:00, but this comment was dismissed.
There were also reports that several students, “about 25 people or so,” signed in at the desk outside, but refused to enter the room. Word was that they were waiting outside and, in the event that the meeting met quorum, would have entered in order to “stock the crowd” with DSU supporters.
In any event, the students of Douglas College have not voted to impeach their student union, who will remain in power through this semester until new elections take place in the spring. They will be tasked with setting their books straight in order to renew their funding. They must also, however, contend with a lawsuit from the college, delayed since November, which will attempt to force them into receivership.