Home News Heated bus stops and referendum questions discussed at CUSA council

Heated bus stops and referendum questions discussed at CUSA council

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CUSA council discussed issues including doors for the heated bus stops and the 2014 referendum questions. (Photo by Chris O'Gorman)

The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) council met Feb. 11 and discussed issues including doors for the heated bus stops and the 2014 referendum questions.

Several students have raised concerns that the heaters added to shelters in November 2013 are ineffective as there are no doors on shelters to keep heat in.

CUSA vice-president (student issues) Gina Parker said doors will not be added to the bus shelters.

“It’s not going to happen,” she said. “It’s just not on the priority list. We don’t want to do it.”

Parker said one of the reasons CUSA is not looking at adding doors is because they could be an accessibility issue.

Constitutional and Policy Review Committee chair Riley Evans read three referendum question submissions at the meeting.

The first would ask if students supported a $1 levy to support the Carleton United Nations Society.

The second asks to increase the clubs and societies levy by $1.50. It is currently $3.30.

The third question asks if CUSA should amend its constitution and establish a general assembly. This would be CUSA’s highest decision-making body with control over areas like finances, its constitution, bylaws, and elections.

Referendum questions must be approved at a Constitutional and Policy Review Committee meeting and passed by CUSA council before they are sent to CUSA’s elections office and voted on by students.

Referendum questions can be submitted until Feb. 14.

Council also voted to support two charity groups, Catch the Cure and Rally for Rodrigo.

Catch the Cure is a campaign to support multiple sclerosis research.

CUSA businesses will keep donation boxes next to cash registers so students can donate to support Rodrigo Pereira. The Carleton international student was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of cancer, and is currently receiving treatment in Brazil.

CUSA president Alexander Golovko supported the campaign, and said he had been friends with Pereira for years.

“This campaign will take the message that no Raven gets left behind,” he said.