CSU approves $36,000 in funding for student-led initiatives
Lebanon and Palestine solidarity fund, Students for Consent Culture and the Spinach Collective to benefit from funding
The Concordia Student Union (CSU) approved $36,000 in funding for a Lebanon and Palestine solidarity fund, Students for Consent Culture and the Spinach Collective at a regular council meeting (RCM) on April 8.
The union also adopted a GardaWorld ban and prepared a supporting statement in solidarity with McGill University law students.
The first motion adopted of the night ratified all motions previously approved by the council during electronic meetings.
According to CSU chairperson Asa Kohn, the CSU’s bylaws do not allow electronic meetings. The motion effectively accepted all previous motions passed during invalid electronic meetings.
The second motion adopted imposed a ban on GardaWorld, a Canadian private security firm headquartered in Montreal. The firm's U.S. subsidiary has faced criticism for its contracts and associations with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). atm
With the ban, the CSU executive team would demand the removal of any ATMs and end services to any companies that use GardaWorld or any of its subsidiaries on Concordia University campuses.
The adopted third motion, brought forward by councillor Dave Plant, allows the CSU offices to now be used as a “staff lounge.” This will allow councillors in the CSU to hold meetings in the offices without needing to book an external space, though it will remain unavailable for external bookings.
“Often these students are getting a lot of symbolic statements from the CSU, a lot of cultural events and very little material support in getting through the semesters.” — Danna Ballantyne, CSU
External affairs and mobilization coordinator Danna Ballantyne brought forward the fourth adopted motion. The motion established a Lebanon and Palestine solidarity fund ad hoc committee, which would allocate 32 grants of $500 each to Lebanese or Palestinian undergraduate students demonstrating financial need during the Winter 2026 semester.
The funds would come from the Academic Initiatives Budget line, similar to the $10,000 Iranian solidarity fund passed in January.
“Given recent escalations in the war in the Middle East, greatly due to the actions of Israel and the United States, we are seeing a lot of students in Palestine and Lebanon directly affected,” Ballantyne said during the meeting.
Ballantyne believes the CSU should materially support students with families directly impacted by the current war.
“Often these students are getting a lot of symbolic statements from the CSU, a lot of cultural events and very little material support in getting through the semesters,” she said. “Whether it's paying rent because their families overseas might not be able to send them money anymore, paying tuition, just paying for groceries, these kinds of things.”
The committee would consist of four Lebanese or Palestinian members of the CSU Council of Representatives, including Nadeem Charabati, Ali Salman, Hani David Beydoun and Lina Elbakaye, according to Ballantyne.
The committee would also have one appointed representative from the Lebanese Student Association and one appointed representative from the Arab Student Network, while the external and mobilization coordinator will serve as a non-voting Chair.
The next motion, brought forward by councillor Lili Daviault Campbell, would provide $10,000 from the CSU’s Student Space, Accessible Education and Legal Contingency Fund (SSAELC) for Students for Consent Culture (SFCC). The initiative is dedicated to supporting anti-sexual violence advocacy and activism on Canadian campuses.
SFCC was created by survivors and allied alumni following news in 2018-19 of allegations of professors sexually preying on and exploiting students and teaching assistants at both Concordia and McGill University.
The funds would enable the group to translate their work into French to publish and print it.
The next motion adopted, proposed by sustainability coordinator Mia Kennedy, would provide $10,000 from the CSU’s SSAELC fund to expand the Spinach Collective at Concordia.
Kennedy said the Spinach Collective would like to offer a weekly meal service next year, and if possible, a daily meal service.
“We really struggled to get funding to help pay the students who are working on this," Kennedy said. "It’s very easy, through grants, to get money for groceries; it’s really hard to get money for honorariums.”
The next adopted motion was brought forward by general coordinator Vanessa Massot. The motion would mandate the finance committee to discuss the allocation of funds to support the NouLa Centre's Black Student Graduation Celebration ceremony through a financial contribution or student awards sponsorship.
“I think this is an important initiative considering the history of anti-Black racism at Concordia, and a lot of the barriers that might prevent Black or racialized students from participating in student council and student government,” Massot said.
The final motion adopted that night was proposed by councillor Plant. It outlined the CSU executive team's release of a statement of solidarity with the McGill Law Students' Association regarding its decision to adopt an academic and cultural boycott of Israel.
The meeting was adjourned just before 8:00 p.m.
