The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) proposed the Carleton Food Collective merge into their organization in a meeting between the two groups Sept. 24.
The food collective oversees the Garden Spot, a pay-what-you-can food service.
A merger would mean the collective would get to serve out of the Food Centre, a CUSA service centre, and have access to the centre’s outdoor space to grow produce, according to the proposed agreement.
The food collective would also transfer all of its funds to CUSA.
Its annual levy of about $2 per student for 2013-14 would go into the operating budget of the Food Centre.
The collective was originally a part of Carleton’s branch of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group, but is now an independent organization.
The collective will not receive its annual levy unless it accepts CUSA’s proposal, vice-president (student issues) Gina Parker said.
“We have to figure out where the money is going,” she said at the meeting. “If we come to some sort of agreement, everything is going to you guys right away.”
CUSA vice-president (finance) Folarin Odunayo said the agreement is a matter of accountability.
“If we find that [the levy] is not going to a place that we deem responsible we will recommend to [Carleton’s] board of governors that the levy stop being collected,” Odunayo said.
The agreement also includes the collective serving food at least three times a week for three hours at a time, giving CUSA a copy of all purchase receipts, and submitting donation records weekly.
The collective was inactive last year because of a lack of volunteers and is looking for a permanent place to serve and prepare food. There are about 70 students who signed up as volunteers, food collective board member Wesley Petite said.
“It’s very important for the Carleton Food Collective to maintain its independence,” he said. “We’re not going to make this decision on whether or not to accept this agreement based on how it impacts us. We’re going to make the decision based on how it impacts the organization.”
The Carleton Food Collective has until Oct. 8 to propose amendments to the conditions and until Oct. 16 to accept the agreement.
