The March to March

NewsLaura Beeston — Published March 8, 2011

• March 2009 The Concordia Student Union election is one of the most controversial in recent history, seeing the spending of vast amounts of unaccounted money and the end of a six-year dynasty. The Vision slate, under president Amine Dabchy, takes office.
• March 26, 2010 Fusion, the offspring of Dabchy’s incumbent CSU, sweeps into office under a platform that includes the finalization of the $43 million student centre and the creation of a bottle-free campus. Less than 10 per cent of students turn out to vote. A question for a proposed $2.50 fee levy to purchase a student union building is also rejected by 72 per cent of students.
• March 9, 2010 Hospitality Concordia confirms that the university’s contract with PepsiCo. is set to expire in December 2010.
• April 2010 Newly-elected VP Finance Nikki Tsoflikis resigns, stating she was unaware of the time commitment necessary to being a student union executive. Zhuo Ling, who was formerly elected to serve as a JMSB Senator, is appointed to replace her.
• August 23, 2010 Prince Ralph Osei, elected president under Fusion, announces his resignation at CSU Council. Heather Lucas is appointed unanimously by council to take Osei’s place.
• Oct. 2010 Osei confirms with The Link that the Faubourg is the site for the proposed student centre building.
• Oct. 26, 2010 The Link receives an anonymous tip that an “agreement in principle” had been made between PepsiCo. and the administration. Within minutes, Di Grappa confirms. The following day students, Sustainable Concordia and the CSU protest in solidarity against the agreement. Di Grappa signs off on the document, and resigns from his position as VP Services by the end of the week.
• Nov. 2010 Largely credited as being the most comprehensive campaign in the CSU’s history, a second student centre referendum movement fails at referendum with nearly 70 per cent of students voting against it. Morgan Pudwell, CSU VP Sustainability & Promotions, believes she was lied to about various aspects of the campaign and, after voicing concerns, begins to suspect her schedule is being monitored.
• Nov. 24, 2010 Pudwell organizes a discussion on bottled water, inviting both sides of the debate to speak and make recommendations. It is the first debate of its kind to take place at a Canadian university.
• Dec. 8, 2010 VP Finance Zhuo Ling announces his resignation, being unable to fulfill the duties of his position due to the time commitment necessary. VP Clubs & Outreach Ramy Khoriaty is appointed to replace Ling and administer the CSU’s $1.8 million operating budget.
• Dec. 11, 2010 AJ. West, President of the Cinema Student’s Association, alleges Lucas and Dabchy vetted him to run in the CSU’s 2011 election.
• Dec. 22, 2010 The Board of Governors dismisses Concordia President Judith Woodsworth with a $703,500 severance package. In the weeks following, the CSU remains the only major university body, other than alumni relations, to not immediately call for mass resignations on the Board.
• Jan. 12, 2011 Debate rages at a CSU Council where a motion demanding a harsher stance from the CSU on the Board’s apparent lack of transparency is passed.
• Jan. 27, 2011 At an Informational General Meeting, 150 Concordia students and community members approve a series of motions, mandating the CSU to hold a Special General Meeting on Feb. 14.
• Feb. 9, 2011 At a CSU Council meeting, all six motions brought up at the IGM are passed, despite moments of tension. At the meeting, students in attendance praise Pudwell for her organizational efforts.
• Feb. 14, 2011 1,200 graduate and undergraduate students show up to the SGM on the Hall building terrace for the most attended CSU political event in 10 years. Those present call on the CSU to protest expected tuition increases.
• Feb. 17, 2011 While President Lucas promises at the SGM that she will bring the students’ concern to the board, she does not say a word at a subsequent Board meeting.
• March 2, 2011 The CSU executive tells Pudwell she isn’t doing her job properly. According to Pudwell, they express a concern that she is congregating with students who are too critical of council.
• March 4, 2011 Pudwell resigns. Later that afternoon the CSU announces a press conference to be held that day, but ends up rescheduling for Monday.
• March 7, 2011 The CSU calls off the second press conference, saying it will prepare its statement for the upcoming Council meeting. Later that afternoon, for five minutes, 20 protestors demonstrate outside The Link’s office. None of the protesters are willing to identify themselves or give any explanation as to why they are demonstrating or who was organized the protest.

This article originally appeared in Volume 31, Issue 25, published March 8, 2011.