The Huron University College Students’ Council (HUCSC) unanimously voted to oppose Huron’s proposal to become an independent institution, arguing the student body has not been properly consulted on a decision that could affect students’ access to Western University services and Huron’s campus experience.
Following the vote on March 28, the student council released a report describing the proposal’s goals as “unclear.” The report alleges administrators have relied on “passive” forms of consultation with the student body by having students reach out to the school rather than asking students for their feedback.
In the report, HUCSC executives said until Huron actively seeks out students’ opinions on separating from Western and clearly outlines its goals and the proposal’s risks and benefits, the council will not consider supporting the proposal.
HUCSC members have said because students are primary stakeholders at Huron, the school must have greater consideration for their thoughts and an intention to seek out their opinions, especially given the risks students said they believe are associated with the proposal.
“I think students have a right to not only be consulted, but consulted in a way that they’re fully informed of what they are agreeing to,” said Emily Poirier, a second-year HUCSC representative.
Poirier said students are concerned that if Huron separated from Western, Huron students would lose access to Western services.
Under the current agreement between Western and Huron, Huron students may use Western’s libraries, take courses at Western and its other affiliate colleges, and receive benefits from the Western University Students’ Council (USC), such as health-care plans and bus passes.
Poirier said the students she’s spoken to expressed that the possibility of losing those services is intimidating and frightening for them, despite Huron’s guarantee that a revised agreement will only affect students entering Huron in 2023 and onwards.
“Students are aware of [these benefits] and think that they do really want to make sure the people who come after them have access to those services,” Poirier said.
Ziyana Kotadia, HUCSC president, said her conversations with USC representatives have indicated “there is a strong likelihood service levels would be different for disaffiliated students if Huron does indeed become an independent institution.”
Kotadia said while HUCSC might be able to provide similar services as USC to Huron students if Huron became an independent institution, these services would likely be provided at a reduced scale with higher costs for students.
Kotadia said HUCSC wants Huron to delay the Board of Governors’ vote on the proposal until at least the first term of the 2021-2022 academic year.
She said this will allow the administration to have conversations with students about the proposal.
In a statement released after the report’s publication, Huron president Barry Craig said the college “very much intends to remain affiliated with Western,” adding that the proposal is only intended to revise some aspects of the agreement for future students, specifically the section where all academic changes must be approved by Western’s senate.
Meaghan Blight, Huron’s vice-president (university growth), said students currently enrolled at Huron will not lose access to any services.
She said it is difficult for Huron’s administration to address concerns about how revising the agreement with Western may impact future students, as negotiations with Western’s president, Alan Shepard, have not started yet.
“Everything is being responded to so quickly without us even being able to share what the lay of the land will actually be,” Blight said.
While HUCSC is currently opposed to the proposal, Poirier said the council is open to changing its stance if Huron addresses students’ concerns about lack of consultation and transparency.
“We just need more information,” Poirier said, “and we need a more convincing reason to go through with this and support this.”
Featured image by Isabel Harder.
