ASFA Restructuring Proposal Approved

Council Voted to Make Changes to the Concordia Student Association’s Executive Structure and Purpose

NewsJosh Fischlin — Published January 30, 2016 | Updated January 31, 2016 at 12:52am

A motion was passed at a special council meeting on Thursday approving a proposal to restructure the association which represents approximately 15,000 students in arts and science programs.

The new proposal aims to change ASFA from a “big association” into a “funding body.”

Jenna Cocullo, ASFA’s general coordinator, motivated for the motion by reiterating promises her slate ran on in October’s election. These included downsizing the federation, and increasing autonomy for member associations.

“Students elected us based on that platform we brought to them,” she said. “Since we were elected, we’ve been trying to figure out how to change ASFA’s structure.”

The federation would fund its member associations and help with their “bureaucratic needs,” Cocullo said.

“As well, we will have an advocacy coordinator who will be mandated to give all the MA executives anti-oppression trainings, budget workshops, leadership trainings, etc.,” she continued.

Another major aspect of the restructuring is shaving down ASFA’s executive team. If the proposal gets implemented, there will be an internal coordinator, a finance coordinator, and an advocacy coordinator.

Communications coordinator would become a hired position.

The Support Change slate—which made up six of the seven elected officials—recently had four of its executives resign, adding to the tensions and troubles that have plagued the federation in recent months.

The proposal also suggests that executives be appointed rather than elected, she explained.

“In theory, if we all agree that ASFA is meant to serve MAs, then it makes no sense to have them elected, because then you come with this double mandate—your platform that you promised to students, and then what council is mandating you to do,” Cocullo said.

There were some dissenting opinions at the meeting regarding the restructuring proposal.

Lizzy Duong, the councillor representing psychology students, moved to postpone the motion indefinitely.

She said that, while she agrees with the “spirit” of the motion, the procedure process is “completely wrong.”

There were other dissenting views among councillors, however the motion to postpone it indefinitely did not pass.

The motion to accept the initial restructuring proposal was passed with ten in favour, three against, and five abstentions.

The proposal will now go to a lawyer to be refined. More debate on whether this proposal will be implemented is still to come.