ASFA Meeting Minutes

NewsBrian Lapuz — Published February 15, 2012

CSU Strike Mandate

With a vote on a strike mandate around the corner, Concordia Student Union President Lex Gill and VP External Chad Walcott urged ASFA’s Member Associations to mobilize their students for the CSU General Assembly on March 7.

At the Arts and Science Federation of Associations meeting on Feb. 9.

The School of Community and Public Affairs and the Women’s Studies Student Association will be having their strike votes on Feb. 29.

Women’s Studies calls tuition hikes “anti-feminist” and “racist”

WSSA representative Héctor Villeda-Martinez said tuition hikes are “essentially an anti-feminist stance and ultimately a racist stance,” before reading the Simone de Beauvoir Institute’s press release.

SDBI argued that tuition hikes are bad for everyone, but that it would be harder on women, especially women of colour, since they are already at a disadvantage because of single parenting statistics and unequal salaries to men.

“[As] a woman I found your presentation a little bit offensive,” the Theological Studies representative Caitlin Robinson told Villeda-Martinez. “There is no statistical proof that raising tuition is going to affect women in any way.”

StopLexGill Petition

Without the intent of officially representing ASFA, Gordon signed the petition demanding the impeachment of Gill because of her past comments about ASFA.

There is currently a “ceasefire” between the CSU and the signatories behind the petition. Gordon said that they are waiting to find the best time for the CSU, ASFA, CASA and Tomer Shavit, a former CSU councillor, to have a round-table discussion.

After a council discussion, Gordon apologized for offending anyone in ASFA because of his “personal disagreement” and said that ASFA’s name will be taken off the website.

Another executive resignation

ASFA VP Social Colman Aucoin resigned “due to extenuating circumstances and personal issues,” according to President Alex Gordon. It’s time since VP External Asma Omar resigned in September.

Aucoin was not present at the council meeting and left no written statement.

“It was sad for him to leave, but it was not by choice,” said Gordon.

ASFA’s online revival

ASFA’s newly designed website will be ready by the end of the month according to VP Communications Alexis Suzuki.

“I hope to make the experience of navigating through asfa.ca enjoyable,” she said.

The new design will look and feel more modern than the current one. Events will also be properly advertised and users may also set filters based on their interests.

Ottawa Science Olympiad

The Ottawa Science Olympiad is planning to officially expand the competition across Canada in 2013. Concordia University, represented by ASFA, is currently competing for the bid.

Representatives from campuses across Canada are hoping that this event would be reputable enough to boost the status of hosting Universities.

Activities include a Rube-Goldberg machine competition and a scavenger hunt.

Member Association election

ASFA students will be voting on their departmental representatives of 2012-2013 on March 20 and 21.

Nomination period will be from March 1 to 9 and the campaign period will last from March 12 to 19.