‘We Got You’ Slate Wins Unopposed CSU Election
Only 5.6 Per Cent of Student Body Voted in Online Election
After pushing back the polling period due to campus shutting down for coronavirus, the Concordia Student Union online election results are in. During the April 6 to April 10 polling period, only 5.6 per cent of eligible Concordia students voted, with 1,731 ballots cast in total.
Separately, the Arts and Science Federation of Associations member association election saw a turnout of 1,843, or 12.4 per cent of eligible voters. In addition to electing representatives in their student associations, voters considered two referendum questions, one of which saw students vote in favour of a fee-levy increase of a dollar per credit, nearly doubling fees to the group to $2.22 per credit.
The end-of-year CSU elections introduced We Got You, a new slate headed by outgoing external affairs and mobilization coordinator Isaiah Joyner. The entire slate, which ran unopposed, has been elected and will be the next CSU executive.
“The turnout is a little disheartening, but I am not surprised,” said Joyner, who will become the general coordinator. “The CSU elections being moved so close to finals plus all the COVID-19 related issues could have negatively impacted this year’s election. Normally people see when it’s elections and have access to the opportunity to be reminded throughout the day with physical polls.”
Joyner is both excited and wary for what the coming months hold. “It’s one thing to take on the role of [general coordinator], it’s another thing to take it over during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “The uncertainty of what the future will look like both academically and [in terms of] the world around us is going to be an interesting challenge. Regardless, it doesn’t change what has to be done, and I am ready to give it my all.”
Results
General Coordinator:
Isaiah Joyner (987) ELECTED
Loyola Coordinator:
Malcolm Asselin (888) ELECTED
Academic & Advocacy Coordinator:
Sarah Mazhero (993) ELECTED
Sustainability Coordinator:
Manuela Simo (934) ELECTED
Internal Affairs Coordinator:
Daniel Amico (869) ELECTED
External Affairs & Mobilization Coordinator:
Victoria Pesce (884) ELECTED
Finance Coordinator:
Holly Mark-Hilton (972) ELECTED
Student Life Coordinator:
Eduardo Malorni (892) ELECTED
Electronic ballots also raised a previously posed referendum question: changing the composition of council so each faculty has three representatives, with arts and science being divided into two groups, instead of the number of councillors being proportional to the amount of students they represent. The question passed with 673 to 404, or 62.5 per cent of the vote.
A question on modifications to the CSU’s Positions Book asked if positions should be put to students and require ballot renewal in intervals of four years. This proposal, which was controversial because it requires students to vote on positions against discrimination, passed with 473 votes—54.5 per cent of voters abstained.
The question to bring a Universal Transit Pass to Concordia passed with 1,418 votes, with only 56 students voting against.
A proposal to make Concordia’s Student Nightline a fee-levy group at $0.05 per credit passed with 913 votes.
Moving international students’ health insurance plans from Concordia’s to the CSU’s jurisdiction, where the price will be reduced from $1176 to $975, passed with 998 votes.
The CSU council has also been rearranged, with several new and returning names. Christopher Kalafatidis, outgoing general coordinator, has been elected as an arts and science councillor. Désirée Blizzard, outgoing finance coordinator, has been elected as a Gina Cody councillor.
