The Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) met virtually Feb. 18 to approve the new affirmative action scholarships, amend the hiring board and pass the 2022 writ of elections.
The first motion discussed by council was to create five affirmative action scholarships for marginalized Carleton students. Scholarship recipients will each receive $600.
The motion introduces scholarships for students who are disabled, transgender, Indigenous, racialized or international students or women or gender minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). CASG president Jennifer Ramnarine and vice-president (academic) Pierce Burch said these scholarships aim to reward excellence within these demographics.
Instead of requiring a specific CGPA, the new scholarships will only require eligible students to be in Good Academic Standing.
“Scholarships that place an emphasis on academic excellence and community involvement can pose barriers to historically marginalized groups,” Ramnarine said.
Council also discussed a motion to amend the constitution of the hiring board by recusing Dakota Livingston and Will Smith from the board at their request.
Regarding the motion, Ramnarine explained that although the committee has already hired the chief electoral officer (CEO), Livingston and Smith both did not vote. Their dismissal from the committee would thus not only align with their desires but would also limit any perceived conflict of interest. Livingston was responsible for polling during the meeting and Smith was absent.
Global and international studies councillor Anthony Valenti requested clarification on the motion and said if Livingston and Smith asked to be recused because they intend to run in the upcoming election, then this motion would require an additional amendment to CASG’s conflict of interest policy.
“They nominated themselves to the hiring board last council meeting, with whole knowledge that that would render them ineligible to run in the upcoming election,” Valenti said.
Ramnarine offered clarification for Valenti’s concerns, saying the conflict of interest policy exists to ensure candidates who run cannot vote in hiring the CEO. Ramnarine said this situation presents no conflict of interest since neither party participated in the vote and there was only one applicant for the role of CEO.
The motion to amend the hiring board passed.
At the end of the meeting council passed the 2022 writ of elections.
Nomination period of the CASG executives will begin March 9 and end March 15, with the campaign period spanning March 18 to March 23 and elections taking place over March 24 and March 25.
Council is scheduled to meet again on March 18.
Featured image from Screengrab.
