CSU 2017 By-Elections: All Referendum Questions Pass

Concordia Food Coalition Receives Fee Levy Increase

A total of 656 votes were cast during the polling period which ran from Nov. 28-30. Quorum for the election was 450 votes. Photo Brian Lapuz

All the referendum questions passed once the votes were counted in this year’s Concordia Student Union by-elections.

All but two councillors were elected in the Arts and Science category. Six candidates ran for four Arts and Science seats, four candidates ran for the four John Molson School of Business seats, and one candidate ran for the only open Fine Arts seat.

The CSU amended the Special By-Law I, which now requires them to get student approval to use the Student Space, Accessible Education and Legal Contingency Fund for any expense that’s over $250,000.

Students voted in favour of doubling the Concordia Food Coalition’s fee levy from $0.08 to $0.16 per credit.

The CSU has also added anti racist positions to their positions book, and is now officially opposed to enforcing Bill 62 is any way on Concordia’s campus.

A total of 656 votes were cast during the polling period which ran from Nov. 28-30. Quorum for the election was 450 votes.

The full results are listed below:

SSAELC Fund–PASSED
Do you as a CSU member agree with amending special by-law I such that any expense above $250,000 for the use of student space (including purchase, renovation, lease) must be approved or mandated by referendum?

Yes: 491
No: 53
Abstentions: 116

CFC Fee Levy–PASSED
Do you agree to increase the fee levy of the Concordia Food Coalition by $0.08 per credit to a total of $0.16 per credit, effective Winter 2018?

Yes: 408
No: 173
Abstentions: 81

Internship Referendum–PASSED
Certain programs in Concordia University, such as Applied Human Sciences, Education, and Art Education, have obligatory internships with the condition that they be unpaid. Are you, as a Concordia undergraduate student, in favour of Concordia University removing the requirement that these internships be unpaid?

Yes: 554
No: 63
Abstentions: 53

Second Internship Referendum–PASSED
Are you, as a Concordia undergraduate student, in favour of Concordia University establishing a standardized system and placement protocol for all student internships?

Yes: 530
No: 61
Abstentions: 60

Positions Book Referendum–PASSED
Are you, as a Concordia undergraduate student, in favour of the Concordia Student Union adding the following positions to the CSU Positions Book?
That the CSU opposes racism in all forms and rejects all values, structures and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism;
That the CSU actively works to dismantle racist systems, policies, and practices, locally and globally, including within the Union;
That the CSU support anti-racist work on campus and in the broader community by actively identifying and challenging racism, and changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes with the goal of establishing greater equity;
That the CSU recognizes that systemic racism differs from individual acts of racism by the presence of systemic policies, practices and economic and political structures which place minority racial and ethnic groups at a relative disadvantage.

Yes: 494
No: 67
Abstentions: 96

Bill 62 Question–PASSED
Bill 62, which requires people in Quebec who wear the niqab, burka or other face-covering to uncover their faces when they give or receive any public service, including public education, health-care and public transit, was adopted into law on October 19, 2017. This legislation also allows public institutions to refuse religious accommodation, such as taking a day off school to celebrate a religious holiday. Are you, as a Concordia undergraduate student, in favour of Concordia University refusing to enforce this law and to support students, staff and faculty who choose to practice their right to religious freedom?

Yes: 489
No: 102
Abstentions: 65

Council

Arts and Science

Alexis Searcy

Yes: 107
No: 16
Abstentions: 119

Jonathan Roy (Elected)

Yes: 120
No: 25
Abstentions: 121

Gabriel Guppy (Elected)

Yes: 121
No: 21
Abstentions: 113

Sophie Hough-Martin (Elected)

Yes: 147
No: 20
Abstentions: 104

Robert Young

Yes: 50
No: 29
Abstentions: 145

Mustafa Bokesmati (Elected)

Yes: 125
No: 26
Abstentions: 110

John Molson of Business

Daniel Abrams (Elected)

Yes: 38
No: 33
Abstentions: 39

Kathy Du (Elected)

Yes: 59
No: 23
Abstentions: 30

Mohammed Hafiz (Elected)

Yes: 103
No: 15
Abstentions: 11

Marco Rossi (Elected)

Yes: 96
No: 15
Abstentions: 13

Fine Arts

Jarrad Haas (Elected)

Yes: 68
No: 3
Abstentions: 17