Last month, the Carleton Board of Governors (BoG) tabled a motion to exclude student union executives from the board.
The board currently has four student representatives. One is nominated by the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), and another by the Graduate Student Association (GSA). The undergraduate student body elects two others in a March election.
If the motion is passed, members of CUSA and the GSA will no longer be permitted to represent students on the board. This means the university would run its own election for board representation.
Carleton’s BoG should allow university student associations to occupy seats on the board, because students have already elected members of these associations.
There is no need for the university to run its own election for students on the board. Students already vote for student government and should not be required to vote in another election. CUSA and the GSA are perfectly suited to elect student representatives because they are chosen by students to do so.
Students from CUSA and the GSA are some of the most involved at Carleton. The board should not discourage them. If there is an issue being discussed that puts CUSA or GSA in a conflict of interest they can recuse themselves from the discussion. There is no need to remove them altogether.
The student associations and the BoG should work together to ensure the best university experience for all students, instead of fighting against each other.
