I am writing this message to inform you that the admin. has decided to break the commitment it made students. Despite twice confirming that if we collected 500 signatures they would halt the unnecessary expansion, they are now choosing to ignore this promise. To add insult to injury, they went ahead with the expansion without even telling us!

Please see below for the message we sent to the administration on Thursday. We have yet to hear anything back from the administration other that they are working on a “formal response”. This confirms that they have broken their commitment.

Unfortunately this sort of behaviour is what we have come to expect from the university administration. This further underscores the need for real student-run spaces on campus and meaningful decision-making processes in which students are fully involved from the beginning of any process and have parity in representation.

If you would like to voice your dissatisfaction with this decision and continued support for more student-run spaces and healthy, diverse, and affordable food options, we encourage you to contact the following people:

Meric Gertler, Dean Faculty of Arts and Science (meric.gertler@utoronto.ca)
Anne MacDonald, Director of Ancillary Services (anne.macdonald@utoronto.ca)
CC: ASSU (students.assu@utoronto.ca)

Much respect to all those who have gotten involved in the campaign so far! The struggle continues…

****

Hello Anne and Dean Gertler,

After we had raised concerns about the lack of student consultation with respect to the Second Cup expansion at the expense of student outreach space in the Sid Smith lobby, Dean Sinervo made a special point of giving us a heads-up about the proposed Tim Horton’s expansion and asking for our feedback.

In our meeting with Donna Baba (FAS Office of Planning & Information Technology) on Feb. 19 we were told that the proposed Tim Horton’s expansion in the Sid Smith caf at the expense of already limited student space would be halted if we showed that there was significant opposition, namely if we collected 500 signatures in a petition. This was confirmed in our meeting with Anne MacDonald (Ancillary Services) on Feb. 26.

Only after we had ran an incredibly successful and high-profile campaign, collecting well over 500 signatures, were we informed by Anne MacDonald on Mar. 11 of any concerns. She stated that she had noticed some “factual errors” in our petition, although she noted that she should have made this known “some time ago”. She closed by stating that Julia from FAS or herself would get back to us.

Despite our response, including a request for an explanation of any factual inaccuracies for future reference, we have yet to hear anything. However, we maintained good faith that the administration would honour its commitment to students, especially after so many had made their concerns known – and quite clearly. Therefore, we were completely shocked to be forwaded an email notifying building occupants that the expansion was going ahead.

Are we to understand that administration is reneging on the commitment it made to students?

I would appreciate receiving a response as soon as possible.

Best,

Ryan Hayes
President, ASSU

It is worth noting that the ASSU president got stomped in his bid for re-election. SFU is out. Kwantlen is next. The chickens are coming home to roost, so to speak.

p.s. Still messing with SFBA?

A statement from UTSU is indeed forthcoming. Take it from me, as UTSU’s General Manager — i.e., chief administrator — that neither the UTSU Executive nor Board authorized/approved/endorsed the protest. Nor was there proper authorization to issue the release for which you have provided a link. That statement was released by a single executive member of UTSU, acting unilaterally, and in violation of UTSU protocol stipulating that the President either serves as the spokesperson OR delegates such authority on an as needed basis. If you want confirmation of these facts, then you may e-mail the UTSU President at: president@utsu.ca

Also see: http://www.utsu.ca/?section_id=1&content_id=434

I would not make this up or post it publicly, in writing, if it was not true.

Rick Telfer
UTSU General Manager

Daniel: Isn’t forcing people to pay taxes to subsidize anyone’s education already “an attack on the very capitalist institution itself”? I don’t think you need student radicals for that…