CSU Fills Out Councillor Roster

Students Elect Nine New Reps in Byelections

NewsMegan Dolski & Sam Slotnick — Published December 4, 2012

While the results are provisional, pending an automatically required recount set to take place this Wednesday, Caroline Bourbonnière, Patrick Lefebvre, Benjamin Prunty, Hardial Rosner, James Tyler Vaccaro and Ashley Walling have been elected to fill the six vacant arts and science councillor spots.

Eugene Gusman, Pierre Tardivo-Martin and Anja Rajaonarivelo will step in as the new John Molson School of Business councillors.

There was one spot open in elections for fine arts students, but the spot remains unfilled, since no candidates ran.

The faculty currently has no representatives sitting on CSU Council.

This comes as result of the resignations of fine arts councillors Laura Glover, Nicolas Martel and Michael Mercer, following the initial announcement of the polls on Nov. 2.

The Fine Arts Student Alliance’s VP Clubs and Services Erika Couto brought the issue to council’s attention at last Wednesday’s meeting.

She has begun circulating a petition requesting that the CSU hold a second byelection come January to ensure that the faculty regains its due representation on council.

“It’s not a question of lack of interest; it’s a question of one spot versus no representation at all,” Couto said.

Council responded to Couto’s concerns by passing a motion to have its financial committee look into the feasibility of holding another byelection next semester, and will report back at the next regular meeting.

In addition to those entering council via student vote, Hajar El Jahidi has joined the union’s executive team as the new VP Academic and Advocacy.

El Jahidi attempted to run for the position in byelections, but the spot was removed from the ballot after the CSU’s judicial board ruled it had never been legally opened.

President Schubert Laforest appointed her to the position at Wednesday’s meeting, backed by the unanimous support of council. She began training immediately.