The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) has not yet reached an agreement with Carleton’s senior administration to receive its University Centre fee.
Carleton originally froze the fee transfer due to the ongoing legal dispute between the GSA and the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) about the fee, according to a statement released Oct. 14 by Carleton’s vice-president (finance and administration) Duncan Watt.
Suzanne Blanchard, associate vice-president (students and enrolment) said negotiations with the groups are continuing.
“We’re hopeful,” she said. “We’re trying to see where we can find the middle ground.”
CUSA filed a lawsuit against the GSA over the unpaid fees in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
The GSA said its students were discriminated against when using the CUSA services supported by the fee.
Carleton president Roseann Runte said the Board of Governors has to approve the explicit purpose for student levies.
“If we were told by a vote to collect money for a certain purpose but that purpose is not being fulfilled, then can we continue collecting that money?” she said. “Should we give it out if it’s not being used for that purpose and know it’s not being used for that purpose? That’s the question.”
While the Board of Governors does not approve budgets for CUSA and the GSA, they approve the introduction and cancellation of student fees.
The administration’s actions follow the GSA’s referendum held Sept. 23-25, where about 96 per cent of graduate students voted to cancel the $25 University Centre fee and increase the GSA’s operating levy with the money.
Runte said the referendum results have to go to the Board of Governors for final approval. She said the money collected in the two-year period where the GSA did not pay CUSA is another issue because the GSA wants to spend that money on student services.
“The purpose is not the same as what it was,” she said.
Michael Bueckert, GSA vice-president (academic) said the agreement for the University Centre fee was terminated through the referendum.
“As far as we’re concerned, that money is ours . . . to be spent on student services,” he said.
He said in an email there is “no reason” why Carleton should not release the money to the GSA.
Bueckert said the GSA met with Watt to discuss draft language for a memorandum of understanding.
The GSA would commit to spending a portion of the money on student services, but the GSA would distribute the money themselves rather than transferring it to CUSA.
Watt has not responded, according to Bueckert.
“Right now, we’re hoping that the negotiations are successful,” Bueckert said.
Bueckert said in an email Carleton was acting “completely inappropriately” by not releasing the money. He said the administration’s purpose is to force the GSA into an agreement that requires a money transfer to CUSA.
Bueckert said this is “unacceptable” given CUSA’s record of financial decisions, and given the mandate from the graduate student body.
“The main impasse is that the administration insists that we have to transfer a lot of money to CUSA,” Bueckert said. “They are insisting that CUSA’s at the table for the negotiations even though we are no longer in an agreement with CUSA.”
