CSU elects Asa Kohn as new council chairperson

Position had remained vacant since former chairperson stepped down in January

NewsSamuel Kayll — Published February 22, 2026 0 minutes

The CSU called the meeting to interview and appoint a new chairperson as former chairperson Angelica Antonakopoulos stepped down in January. Council members received the resumées of two candidates for the position, Pierre Frégeau and Kohn, prior to the start of the SCM.

After the roll call, CSU external and mobilization coordinator Danna Ballantyne  presented a procedural motion for the meeting. 

The first point called to limit the candidates’ interview questions to those  included in the agenda, as well as an additional question on neutrality. Ballantyne also motioned to  prevent the candidates from sitting in on the other’s interview,  limit  each interview to 15 minutes and allow members observing Ramadan to be excused from the meeting to pray.

The motion passed unanimously. 

Councillor Anastasia Zorchinsky also proposed a procedural motion to make the vote a roll-call vote, given the importance of the chairperson's position, which passed unanimously. 

Council then called Frégeau into the room to begin the interviews. Frégeau, a former lawyer, spoke of the councillor's role as a collective position meant to advance and facilitate the CSU's goals. He also commended the union for its communal leadership. 

Frégeau emphasized the importance of proposing motions with a logical conclusion. 

“Regardless of what the council decides, there needs to be some sort of a goal to the discussion,” he said. 

Frégeau’s age came up several times throughout the interview, first in his experience facilitating large meetings with the Concordia Alumni Association and the Alzheimer's Society of Canada. He also credited his longtime career as an attorney as a sign of his ability to maintain neutrality in council matters.

At the conclusion of the interview, Massot called for a 15-minute recess. When the council reconvened, they brought Kohn in for the final interview of the meeting. 

Kohn emphasized the empowerment of the members of the assembly and the proper representation of the students the assembly represents. She also placed a priority on conflict resolution  and the maintenance of cohesion through discourse and trade-offs.

Kohn cited her position as chair of the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), experience as interim CSU chairperson after Antonakopoulos’ departure and knowledge of Robert’s Rules as her qualifications for the role. She added that the role required a degree of “professional detachment” in reference to neutrality.

After dismissing Kohn, the council passed a motion to grant honorary membership to both Kohn and Frégeau. Massot then opened the floor for debate on the matter. 

Councillor Marwan Shalby pointed to Kohn’s university chairing experience as why he believed she would be a better fit for the council, noting a need for more student-based chairing. 

Zorchinsky countered, recognizing Frégeau’s experience as a chairperson and his extensive professional background. 

Drew Sylver, a member of the public, brought up Kohn’s history with the CSU and expressed concerns with her perceived handling of past meetings as interim chairperson. He argued council should elect a more professional, experienced candidate with a clearer understanding of Robert’s Rules.

Massot finally called the council to a vote after five minutes of deliberation. The 14 voting members in attendance voted nine to five in favour of Kohn. 

The council postponed the revocation of Frégeau’s membership until the upcoming regular council meeting on March 11. The meeting was adjourned at 6:03 p.m.