After a failed attempt at mediation, the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) is headed to court again Sept. 29. Under CUSA president Obed Okyere’s watch, this conflict has lasted far too long.
In July, CUSA vice-president (internal) Ariel Norman informed 16 councillors via e-mail that their seats had become vacant because they had failed to attend or send a proxy to two CUSA meetings. In August, the court ordered CUSA to halt all business. As a result, CUSA is putting more money into legal fees, still hasn’t passed their 2011-12 budget and is in danger of becoming much less democratic, should an agreement not be reached.
Normally, council is needed to help make decisions on most issues, including how much funding clubs will receive. But with council activity suspended, decisions that affect some 22,000 undergraduate students are left to only three people: Okyere, Norman, and vice-president (finance) Karim Khamisa — CUSA’s trustees.
Okyere said he has plans to increase club funding to better meet the needs of campus clubs. However, with no council, clubs could get less money than he hopes and worst case scenario, their funds could even be delayed since he said the amount will require consensus from himself, Khamisa and Norman.
Instead of waiting for the courts to intervene, Okyere should step up and start acting like a leader. He was elected to represent students’ best interests, but right now, it doesn’t appear he’s doing anything to end this conflict. Okyere may have his own personal thoughts on the situation, but he shouldn’t let that get in the way of his job, or better yet, his responsbility.