Former CSA execs speak out against restructuring

A call to action for CSA board members

As former Central Student Association (CSA) commissioners, we stand together against the proposed changes to the CSA executive structure, to be voted on at the CSA board meeting Jan. 18, 2017.

A motion is being brought forward to remove the right for CSA executive members to vote on the CSA board of directors, cut the number of executive positions from five to four, and make the executive structure hierarchical.

All undergraduate students at the University of Guelph elect the CSA executive—who serve in full-time positions for their membership—and vote for members of the executive based on their platforms. Taking away the executive vote on the board of directors weakens the input from all students to influence the campaigns, services, and events of the CSA.

Reducing the number of executives from five to four diminishes the capacity of the CSA to organize and defend students’ rights on campus.

The current plan cuts the CSA local affairs commissioner position and distributes important tasks, including advocating for survivors of sexual assault, working in students’ interests for safe and accessible transit, and campaigning for accessible, affordable, and safe housing for students, amongst the rest of the executive. Adding tenancy and transit issues to the external affairs commissioner job description, for instance—a portfolio that prioritizes advocating for students at the local, provincial, and federal governmental level, for public and accessible education—would overwhelm this position and reduce the capacity of the CSA to organize collectively.

Furthermore, as an organization whose bylaws and policies speak to a commitment to supporting students and fair working conditions, the callousness of removing a full-time position and simply redistributing tasks must be underscored. As previous executives, we can attest to an existing workload that was often already overwhelming, particularly in the face of the expectations and significance associated with elected positions.

We also stand together against the CSA executive operating under a hierarchical structure, with a president and three vice-presidents.

In our past work at the CSA, we found working collectively in a non-hierarchical executive team to not only work very well, but to also be very important in ensuring a diversity of student views are reflected in the work. If these changes pass, they will provide the structural framework for a student association that is run more like a corporation than a membership driven non-profit, with an emphasis on service provision at the expense of representation and organization in defence of student rights.

The CSA provides important services, such as the bus pass, the FoodBank, and the Bike Centre. Ongoing events provided by the CSA, including Noon Hour Concerts and Sunday Night Cinema, are also meaningful to enhancing student life. While the CSA is well positioned to provide these aspects of student needs, it must not be forgotten that the CSA’s paramount commitment is to its far more unique role as a representative body for all undergraduate students at Guelph.

It is in the U of G senior administration’s interest to weaken the CSA executive and influence the student association to be “non-political” and only focus on service provision.The issue is a “non-political” CSA is politically in favour of a status quo that leaves behind countless students who cannot afford exorbitant tuition fees and countless marginalized students who face oppressive conditions in education. This stance has larger, longer-term effects on students’ collective struggle towards a more public, affordable, high quality, and anti-oppressive academic and living experience that is more reflective of their interests and needs.

In the past, the CSA has tackled such political issues as successfully advocating for the organic agriculture program to be saved in the face of program cuts in 2009, supporting anti-oppressive programming like Black History Month and Queer Identities Week, strengthening policies against sexual assault on campus, and working with the student movement to win the tuition fee freeze from 2004 to 2006.

We ask that the CSA board of directors vote against the changes to the CSA executive structure. We also ask students to show up to the CSA board meeting and voice their concern to the changes.

Peter Miller (academic and university affairs commissioner 2014 to 2016)
Scarlett Raczyncki (local affairs commissioner 2015 to 2016)
Sonia Chwalek (communications and corporate affairs commissioner 2014 to 2016)
Sonali Menezes (external affairs commissioner 2014 to 2015)
Tyler Valiquette (local affairs commissioner 2013 to 2014)
Charles Hamilton (human resources and operations commissioner 2013 to 2014)
Dominica McPherson (external affairs commissioner 2012 to 2014)
Deaglan McManus (academic and university affairs commissioner 2012 to 2013)
Drew Garvie (communications and corporate affairs commissioner 2011 to 2013)
Denise Martins (external affairs commissioner 2010 to 2011)
Momina Mir (external affairs commissioner 2009 to 2010)
Arden Hagedom (local affairs commissioner 2008 to 2009)
Cailey Campbell (external affairs commissioner 2007 to 2009)
Becky Wallace (academic commissioner 2006 to 2007)
Erika Gates-Gasse (local affairs 2004 to 2006)
Hannah Draper (communications commissioner 2005 to 2006)
Ryan White (external affairs commissioner 2004 to 2005)
Jaime Allen (communications commissioner 2004 to 2005)
Sean Field (finance and operations commissioner 2004 to 2005)
Dave Hauch (communications commissioner 2002 to 2003)
Luke Weiler (external affairs commissioner 2002 to 2003)
Amanda Dorts (external affairs commissioner 1998 to 1999)

Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion