The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) was expecting their first monthly dose of student fees from university administration Oct. 31, following the submission of their auditor’s report Oct. 15.
Over a week later, they’ve received nothing — nothing except a list of concerns which has forced CUSA to re-submit the report.
As administration sends CUSA executives back to the drawing board, students should take a moment to consider CUSA’s current situation.
There’s no council. Council has been suspended following CUSA vice-president (internal) Ariel Norman’s attempt to vacate the seats of 16 councillors in July.
That means you have no faculty representative, and as a result, your voice on council has been silenced. Three individuals: Norman, vice-president (finance) Karim Khamisa, and president Obed Okyere, are making the decisions council normally would — this doesn’t exactly scream cohesive student union working for the benefit of students.
In a nutshell, CUSA is in no condition to handle your money. Administration shouldn’t release the $2 million in student fees they hold on CUSA’s behalf — at least not with the association in its current state. Without a council, there’s no system of checks and balances.
Yes, CUSA is an independent organization and ideally their current dispute should be resolved within. But it’s been three months. CUSA’s internal procedures don’t seem to be working.
Yes, withholding the fees would have severe ramifications, including adverse affects on student-run businesses like Oliver’s Pub and Rooster’s.
But this kind of severity is needed to show CUSA executives and council members on both sides of the dispute that it’s time to resolve the issue.