CSU Down Three Councillors in 10 Days

ENCS Councillor Bilal Nasser is Latest Resignation

NewsAndrew Brennan — Published October 25, 2013 | Updated October 25, 2013 at 2:37pm

The Concordia Student Union council has lost three representatives in the last 10 days.

The most recent opening is from Engineering & Computer Science Councillor Bilal Nasser, who resigned on Oct. 25.

“My resignation will give the opportunity for someone to take my place and hopefully enrich the CSU,” read Nasser’s resignation letter, though no reason was given for his leaving council.

Hajar El Jahidi, who sat on last year’s CSU Executive as VP Academic & Advocacy, gave notice of her resignation as arts and science councillor in an email to CSU chairperson Nick Cuillerier less than an hour before Wednesday’s council meeting was set to begin.

“Due to time constraints, and the new regulations about council meetings happening twice a month (from what I have been told) I will not be able to fulfill my duties,” wrote El Jahidi in her resignation letter.

Last week JMSB councilor Yassine Chaabi was forced to give up his council seat following too many absences.

Wednesday’s meeting also included a review of the CSU’s absence policy, including a discussion among council to excuse council members for missing meetings because of exams the next morning.

Prior absences from JMSB councillors Rabia Tbeur and Aaisha Malik—the only council members representing JMSB directly on council following the exit of Chaabi—were also discussed.

Tbeur’s absence for missing the June 12 council meeting was excused, but Malik’s absence from council’s last meeting earlier in October was not.

Malik expressed frustration to council during deliberations, saying she was not aware of the error.

“It’s kind of unfair to expect when I don’t even know what the rules and regulations are,” the first-time councillor said.

Councillors Adam Veenendaal and Alanna Stacey, also first-time councillors, were quick to point out they read up on CSU rules and regulations before starting their duties, and that such is expected of all CSU council members.

Food politics were also on the agenda, with a motion coming forward seeking a referendum question for a student co-operative taking over student space on the second floor of the Hall Building, currently leased to Java U.

The motion was amended to have the referendum question be screened by the CSU judicial board to determine if the language is legally binding, and to determine if it is appropriate to mandate the CSU to do something with space owned by CUSAcorp, the CSU’s for-profit arm.