ASFA’s Search for a CEO

More Time Given to Find Candidate

NewsBrian Lapuz — Published September 26, 2011

The deadline for appointing the Chief Electoral Officer of Concordia’s Arts and Science Federation of Associations has been extended until Sept. 29. ASFA President Alex Gordon said the extension was put in place “to give us time to prepare and to train the CEO.”

The campaign and polling periods for the 2011 by-election have also been moved. Candidates will be campaigning from Oct. 3 to 11 and students may go to the polls on Oct. 12 and 13.

ASFA is trying to fill three vacant seats in the by-election: VP Communications, VP external and sustainability, and one independent councillor seat.

During the March 2011 ASFA General Election, candidates ran independently. The slate system, where students run as a team to fill all executive and councillor positions, was abolished due to an overly aggressive election campaign in 2010. Candidates called the CEO in tears and even sought legal advice because of bullying by partisans of the opposing slate. The change to an independent system meant that all positions were no longer guaranteed to be filled.

“I see the ups and downs of both the slate system and the independent system,” said Gordon. “I don’t think it’s a better idea to have people run independently. I think we have to find a middle ground. No slates mean this happens, there are vacancies, whereas having a slate means you’re going all or nothing with your team.”