CSU Supports MSA’s Bid to Keep Their Space

Plus: Winter Orientation Has Major Surplus

The Concordia Student Union passed a motion standing in solidarity with the Muslim Student Association to retain their space on the seventh floor of the Hall building during their council meeting on Wednesday night. Archive Brandon Johnston

The Concordia Student Union passed a motion standing in solidarity with the Muslim Student Association to retain their space on the seventh floor of the Hall building during their council meeting on Wednesday night.

On more than one occasion, the university has changed the MSA’s spaces, relocating them to smaller rooms in the process, and Concordia still plans to reduce the space, according to representatives of MSA.

Concordia has plans to begin building a glass wall between the small and large lounge on the 7th floor of the Hall building. Doing so this would prevent increased attendance to Friday prayers.

Over 150 people attend both congregations, according to MSA representatives. The current capacity for the two lounges are about 50 and 130 people, respectively.

CSU External Affairs and Mobilization Coordinator, Aloyse Muller, said that the construction is behind schedule. He also said the issue about the space came up in November.

“Since then we didn’t have any news, and we were worried about it, so we requested the meeting to get an update,” said Muller.

Winter Orientation

For their fall and winter orientation, the CSU had a budget of $160, 000.00. After throwing fall orientation, they had $42, 611.55 left over.

The CSU decided to use some of that money to fund their recent winter orientation, spending $3, 767.43. According to Rachel Gauthier, Student Life Coordinator, they wanted to make sure they and enough money for two orientations—This year’s winter orientation was the first time it was held since 2013.

“Since I didn’t know how much the winter [orientation] costs, I tried as much as possible to minimize all my costs,” said Gauthier.

According to Gauthier, the majority of costs were related to renting space and paying honorariums.