CSU Recap: Council Goes Into Closed Session to Discuss Finance Coordinator Resignation

Motions Passed to Fund Demolition of Future Daycare Site and Renovate Reggie’s Storage Basement

NewsMiriam Lafontaine — Published November 27, 2016

The discussion warranted privacy, Marshall-Kiparissis said, because council members wanted to speak openly about their experiences with Longinotti’s friend, who was reportedly kicked out of Reggie’s bar on Thursday, Nov. 17. over allegations that he had previously spiked drinks.

“It was strictly a legal measure,” said the general coordinator. “Exposing other people’s stories for public record is harmful.”

The finance coordinator has yet to be replaced, but current Student Life Coordinator, Rachel Gauthier has been assumed the duties until a new one is appointed. Next, Wednesday, Nov. 30 a special council meeting will be held by the CSU to vote on who will fill the position.

The CSU general coordinator will be in charge of appointing someone to the position. Those interested in being appointed are required to send a letter of intent to the Chair of the CSU, Caitlin Robinson, by Sunday, Nov. 27, and must already be members of council

Once the session became open to the public, several motions were passed.

A motion passed to provide a new budget of $15,000 to the Academic and Advocacy Coordinator, Sophia Sahrane. She plans on using it to provide more resources for campaigns focused on anti-colonization and decolonization, and for Black, Indigenous, and people of colour-led initiatives on campus.

It would include funding for campaigns like Divest Concordia—since it supports anti-colonization and decolonization—and would help to provide compensation to speakers who visit the school for public panels on topics related to race.

“We want people to get compensation for their work, because racialized workers often don’t have access to funding,” said Sahrane.

The budget was supposed to be put in place following its approval in the summer. Sahrane said it was delayed because the finance coordinator at the time, Longinotti, was difficult to work and communicate with.

“It was a slow process of one way communication with no response, so it was quite frustrating,” she said.

Also during the meeting, council passed a motion to begin demolition to allow for construction of the CSU’s new daycare, which will be located on 1424 Bishop St. The estimated cost of the demolition is $40,000. The CSU is in discussions with the university and the city of Montreal about the project to determine the start date of demolition, said Sahrane.

A motion to renovate the Reggie’s basement, which is currently used for their storage, also passed. It will be remodeled to also allow storage space for the Hive Cafe.

Currently, the Hive uses the seventh floor of the Hall building as its storage space. But because of scheduled renovations to the floor in January, the student-run cafe will need to use the basement of Reggie’s.

The renovations to Reggie’s will cost approximately $4,800 and will come from the Student Space, Accessible Education and Legal Contingency fund.