The Langara Students Union has ratified the results of a referendum making controversial changes to the organizations bylaws.
The Dec. 5 referendum, which passed narrowly, introduced changes that could allow the LSU to bar students from attending society board meetings, prevent in camera meeting minutes from being taken, and prevent students from making copies of student union records. It also extends the terms of some directors.
The resolution to implement more secrecy passed by just 19 student votes out of 661 students voting, with 11 spoiled ballots. In a meeting last Monday, after a recount that confirmed the original vote results, the LSUs elected board of directors voted to ratify the referendums passage with a vote of four against and eight in favour, just meeting the two-thirds majority needed to pass.
The new bylaws will go into effect early next year but will be defined more in future policies.
Starting next semester the LSU will hold meetings with general members and constituency groups in order to write a great policy, LSU media liaison Gurbax Leehl told the Courier. Bylaws are the highlights but policy will be very, very detailed.
Each semester, the LSU collects $390 in mandatory fees from every student, for an income of more than $2 million per year.
The B.C. Society Act, which governs non-profit organizations like the LSU, is undergoing a review in Victoria. The Act covers 26,000 societies in B.C., and according to the reviews website is outdated and in need of reform.
Lorne Brownsey, assistant deputy minister of advanced education, wrote to the Acts review in 2010 to say of student societies: It is submitted that any new or amended Society Act must include provisions that require not-for-profit organizations to accurately share information about their governance, finances and operations at particular intervals. There must be appropriate investigative mechanisms included in the new legislation to enable the registrar to investigate, and act upon, potential abuses or deceptions.
Student and referendum opponent Muneori Otaka believes the new LSU bylaws are contrary to the public interest. Although a bit drastic, how to dissolve the LSU was one of the ideas some of us have been talking about, Otaka told the Courier.
LSU resource coordinator Gerald Hornsby and LSU shop steward Donna Rainford-Cayenne, who ran the December election, declined to talk to the Courier.
A spokesperson for Langara College administration declined to discuss LSU issues or Societies Act reforms, as did the ministers of advanced education and finance, and the NDP critics for those ministries. Vancouver-Langara Liberal MLA Moira Stilwell and the board members of Langara College also did not respond to requests for comments.
