For two consecutive years, the Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) has failed to pass its budget on time as a result of disjointed communication with its committees and councillors. If the organization fails to pass its budget on time for the 2020-21 fiscal year—thereby failing to meet a fundamental requirement of a functioning organization—Carleton should withhold RRRA’s funding.
RRRA’s track record regarding its budget is less than favourable. Last year’s budget in particular—required by its bylaws to be passed by the second council meeting—was not passed until March 2020, the same meeting its 2020-21 writ of election was dropped. The mid-term financial review was also delayed, and committees—expected to meet at least once a month from October to March—met for the first time on Feb. 5.
Experts at the time said the university could withhold funds from the association as a result of its failure to abide by its own bylaws. Because Carleton collects fees from students and then transfers the money to RRRA, it reserves the right to withhold the money if it is not satisfied with the administration of the association.
However, rather than defund the organization, the university issued only a short statement in response: “Carleton University continues to work with RRRA in order to resolve the organization’s issues.”
As it stands now, it must be acknowledged that the 2020-21 RRRA executives have taken strong steps towards ensuring the smooth functioning of the organization, and such actions should be commended.
The agenda and minutes from the September council meeting are already available on RRRA’s website, as is an updated association constitution. The first executive report detailing what the organization has been doing was released last week, as well—administrative duties that were often neglected by the organization’s past two government bodies.
As things stand now, there is no sign of the organizational dysfunction that has plagued RRRA for the past two years. But if the association fails—for the third time in a row—to pass its budget on time, the university must abide by its agreement to responsibly and ethically manage students’ money by withholding RRRA’s funding.
Featured graphic from file.
