Newly-elected Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) councillors no longer have to attend summer committee meetings if they want to keep their seats, after a motion was passed during an April 23 council meeting.
Committees, which are separate from council, are comprised of any member of CUSA, meaning any undergraduate student, according to CUSA’s bylaws. Committees are responsible for discussing topics related to the constitution, finances, equity and student issues and then reporting to council as an advisory board.
Under previous bylaws, councillors, who must be a voting member of at least one committee, had to attend the first meeting of that committee in the summer or two committee meetings in a row prior to Aug. 31 in order to actually keep their seat on council for the rest of the year. The new motion extended this date to Sept. 31.
Michael De Luca, a public affairs councillor and vice-president (finance)-elect, introduced the motion. De Luca said it’s all about cutting some slack to the councillors who work full-time summer jobs.
“A majority of us can attest to the fact that it is very hard in the summer time . . . being very busy with summer classes to be able to attend committee meetings, especially when they’re held at 11 a.m. on a weekday,” he said. “It’s asking too much from councillors when you’re working to pay for your education.”
The motion was met with some criticism, in particular from Arun Smith, a frequent proxy for council members. Smith said it ignored that students also work during the school year. Previous council requirements in the summer were not unrealistic, he argued.
“The only requirement there is that you sit on a committee within two months of being elected,” he said. “This doesn’t change anything as there may still be students who may not be able to attend in September, so theoretically . . . you’re ignoring students who work during the year.
Justin Campbell, who was re-elected as a computer science councillor, said there’s no need for councillors to attend summer meetings.
“[They’re] the most useless things I’ve seen in my entire life,” he said.
However, vice-president (student issues) Chantle Beeso said the meetings are about much more than just meeting once a month.
“It’s wanting to be more involved and have a say on committee meetings and get to know your constituents that are interested in different committees,” she said.
Councillors at the April 23 meeting also passed a motion changing CUSA’s human resources policy, in particular how it handles firing and hiring staff. The policy was introduced by business councillor Jordan Campbell, who said he thought it was disturbing that there were no guidelines in place for hiring full-time employees of CUSA.
The policy, which among other things involves the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) in the hiring and firing process of employees, acts as a guideline rather than binding policy, Campbell said.
Council debated at length over the GSA’s involvement in the policy, particularly in the firing of employees.
Anna Goldfinch, sitting as the GSA representative on the council, said the GSA pays for roughly 25 per cent of Carleton’s student-run service centre budgets, so they should also have a say in how employees are terminated.
“If we are paying we need to be consulted in terms of the contract and in terms of the evaluation, so that we know that our money isn’t going for CUSA to hire who they want on the terms that they want, and we have absolutely no say other than signing a cheque book and giving you money,” she said.
The council meeting was the last of the year — the incoming executive and councillors take office May 1.
