The Carleton University Students Association (CUSA) and the Graduate Students Association (GSA) recently settled a three-year lawsuit over the Unicentre fees usually paid by the GSA to CUSA. The fees were withheld by the GSA over disagreements between the two associations about service standards and financial transparency.
While settling this lawsuit is a great first step for this year’s executives, we need to remember there is another ongoing lawsuit between these two campus groups over the student health plan. The GSA launched legal action against CUSA in 2012, when CUSA terminated their joint health plan agreement and signed with a new provider.
Student associations frequently pledge to put students first, but spending time in mediation and money on legal fees is not a productive use of the executive’s mandate or of students’ money. The faster CUSA and the GSA can resolve this outstanding lawsuit, the better.
Settling one lawsuit is a huge and time-consuming undertaking. It’s impressive that this year’s executive teams were able to settle the Unicentre fee lawsuit—especially so early in the year. But if they continue along this path, this could finally be the year that CUSA and the GSA go lawsuit-free. While it takes time to resolve lawsuits, this isn’t a burden that should be passed from one executive to another. It’s a lot of work, but it will be better for the student associations, and ultimately students, if the outstanding lawsuit is resolved this year.
