All Posts Tagged With: "Carleton"
Carleton students call for larger Muslim prayer room
University considers multi-faith space
Muslim students at Carleton University are petitioning for a larger prayer room. Designated 15 years ago to accommodate daily prayers, the room is capable of comfortably holding 70 people, but twice that number show up every day in recent years. “There’s no space. It’s not even spacious enough to bow down and not hit someone,” one student told the CBC. Another added: “Considering it’s a religious obligation for us, and we have to pray on time, it’s impractical; it’s inconvenient. I mean prayer should be something enjoyable.” While the Muslim Students’ Association has been calling for more space for years, the Carleton administration says space is at a premium and priority is always given for academic purposes. Spokesperson Smita Bharadia said that the university is considering a multi-faith prayer room.
Carleton president ordered to testify in corruption trial
Judge denies Runte’s request to be excused from testifying
An American judge has denied Carleton University president Roseann O’Reilly Runte’s request to be excused from testifying in a corruption trial in Virginia. Runte’s lawyers had argued that she could not testify because “Changing her schedule on short notice, if possible, would greatly inconvenience both Dr. Runte and negatively reflect on the university.” The case in question involves former Virginia legislator, Phil Hamilton, who secured a job at Old Dominion University after successfully introducing legislation that saw $500,000 in state funding granted to the school’s training centre. Runte was president of Old Dominion at the time, but denies knowledge that Hamilton was employed by the university. Her testimony is requested by the defence who expect her to testify that she did not offer employment to Hamilton. The Ottawa Citizen reports that Hamilton’s lawyer will come to Ottawa within the next two weeks in order to videotape Runte’s deposition.
Carleton president called to testify in bribery trial
Virginia legislator accused of bribing Old Dominion University
Carleton University Roseann O’Reilly Runte is being called upon to testify in a corruption trial in Virginia. The case involves allegations surrounding state legislator Phil Hamilton and his relationship with Old Dominion University in Norfolk. In June 2007, while still holding his seat in the legislature, Hamilton was hired to head Old Dominion’s teacher training centre. Prior to being named to the position, however, Hamilton had secured $500,000 in state funding for the centre. Prosecutor’s are arguing that other candidates for the post were not seriously considered. Runte, who was president of Old Dominion from 2001 to 2008, has maintained she had no direct knowledge of Hamilton’s appointment. The defence hopes that if Runte will testify she will confirm that no bribery took place. The trial is scheduled to start May 2.
Carleton president denounces ‘bullying tactics’
Protesters who shut down board meeting could face punishment
Carleton University president, Roseann O’ Reilly Runte, has threatened student protesters with punishment under the student code of conduct, the Ottawa Citizen reports. In email sent to faculty and students, Runte denounced the actions of demonstrators who shut down a March board of governors meeting. The protesters, led by Students Against Israeli Apartheid, were calling on the university to divest its pension plan of companies that have business relations with Israel. Because some board members were blocked from entering the meeting, it was canceled. “Those who have said they will interrupt meetings until they have their way are participating in inappropriate bullying tactics,” Runte wrote in the email. She also said students who disrupt the governance of the university could face penalties such as fines or removal of academic status.
Carleton settles finances with students’ unions
New agreement allows membership fees to be remitted
Carleton University is no longer withholding funds from two students’ unions. The university’s board had voted in October not to remit student membership fees to the Carleton University Students’ Association and the Graduate Students’ Association. Carleton administrators had raised concerns over financial accountability and wanted to see audited statements to ensure student funds were handled appropriately before renewing agreements with the two unions. An email sent to students on Monday stated that a new agreement has now been reached and that it “allows the university to fulfil the recommendation of its auditors, ensures the annual collection of democratically decided membership fees and levies, while reinforcing the independence of CUSA and GSA.” Details have yet to be released.
No strike at Carleton
Tentative agreement reached with instructors and teaching assistants
Contract instructors and teaching assistants at Carleton University will not be going on strike, after a tentative deal was reached on Saturday. The Canadian Union of Public Employees had set Monday as the strike deadline for the bargaining units. Details of the agreement will be released once the union’s members have had the chance to review its details. Classes will proceed as scheduled.
Carleton workers could strike Thursday
Union representing office employees wants better early retirement packages
Although Carleton professors won’t be going on strike, that doesn’t the university will be free of labour unrest. Local 2424 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees distributed information at two main campus entrances today, the CBC reported. The union, which represents 800 professional, technical and office employees says it is pushing for more fair early voluntary retirement packages for its members. CUPE will be in a legal strike position on Thurday, but negotiations with the university continue.
The ‘legal’ way to protest on campus
How to take a stand… without getting arrested.
Northrup’s return is proof of a broken system
Bad decision is a small part of the bigger picture, as democratic deficit on Carleton’s campus grows
The student who proposed a controversial motion declaring cystic fibrosis only affects “white people, and primarily men” is back as a councillor with the Carleton University Students’ Association, bringing back memories of the scandal which tarnished the university’s reputation last year.
For those who don’t know, last year Donnie Northrup proposed a motion to replace a fundraiser for cystic fibrosis with one that is more “inclusive.”
The motion, despite being factually inaccurate and offensive to most, passed quite easily at council. The students’ association suffered through weeks of intense media coverage and public scrutiny as a result, deservedly so.
Northrup resigned at the next council meeting as students presented signatures to impeach him. It was quite clear that the students did not want him back.
Yet somehow, he finds himself sitting on CUSA council again, this time as a councillor for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
To me, this is an absolute proof of a democratic deficit that exists on many campuses today. The students would likely never support the man who embarrassed their school on an international scale.
But it wasn’t up to the students. After the last election, three seats remained vacant for Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences students. And instead of leaving them vacant until the majority of students returned to school and holding a by-election, the three seats were filled in the summer.
And what kind of fair, democratic method was there for selecting the students who would fill those seats?
Students were given 10 days to apply and collect enough signatures to get nominated, and council would vote. Well, students who walked by the CUSA office every day were given 10 days. Or those who checked obscure sections of the rarely updated CUSA website.
And funny enough, only four people applied for those three CUSA seats. Three of them, including Northrup, are CUSA employees. The other applicant was told their nomination papers were forged.
And sure enough, those three CUSA employees became CUSA councillors.
Sound fair to you? It gets worse.
What’s wrong with the Diab affair
If Carleton officials took such drastic measures to throw him out, why won’t they explain why?
The official start to this blog will come later this month, but as a professor, I thought I should say a few words about the firing of Hassan Diab.
Clearly the issue is difficult for Carleton’s administration: What if Diab turns out to be a terrorist and we did nothing? What if he turns out to be innocent and we fired him? It’s a hard question. But that’s what we pay administrators for.
However it turns out, Carleton’s administration owes the public an explanation for their actions. Perhaps they feel that presumption of innocence applies only to actual trials and that the concept only means that the burden of proof is on the prosecution in a court case. Perhaps they feel that French authorities wouldn’t be after Diab unless he was likely guilty, and that justifies their choice to replace him. But if that’s what they think, they should say so and be prepared to defend their stand. A public university has a duty to the public, and the public has the right to know that all decisions affecting the scholarship at such an institution is being done with due respect to academic freedom and academic integrity. It’s a tough job, but someone at Carleton has to start doing it.
Carleton’s vague statement that they want to foster a “stable, productive academic environment that is conducive to learning” is so empty that it’s an insult to anyone who cares about education. Still worse, what content is implied beneath the platitudes might be taken to suggest that Carleton fired Diab because they didn’t want to deal with protests that might be launched over his teaching. If so, Carleton has handed over the reins to any lobby group mad enough, and big enough to cause them a headache.
Carleton’s administration owes the public an explanation. One that is specific, and in plain English. And they had better make it good.
Are you too old for a student bus pass?
Students call age limit on discounted passes ageism, cash grab
As of July 1, student bus passes in Ottawa will only be available to those 27 and younger – and some students are not too happy about it.
Older students must now pay the full adult rate for a monthly pass, $84.75, instead of a $65.25 student monthly pass. They can no longer purchase semester or annual student passes, which offer additional savings.
Student outrage has sparked a Facebook group with nearly 1,500 members as of July 16. Student leaders in Ottawa condemned the new policy, which passed last December.
“If you’re a student, you’re a student,” says Erik Halliwell, president of the Carleton University Students’ Association. “Many people are still in school after the age of 27, and many people are going back to retrain during the recession.”
He says the change affects about 3,300 students at Carleton University, including over 1,000 undergraduate students.
Algonquin College Students’ Association president Mike Hirsch calls the change “a tremendous mistake” that “unfairly disadvantages a very large demographic at Algonquin College” in a letter to the Ottawa Citizen.
Although Hirsch could not be reached for comment, Halliwell says the ACSA is circulating a petition to remove the age limit.
Halliwell says he also intends to petition city councillors, and thinks the issue could become important in the 2010 municipal election. City council cannot revisit the issue until next year unless a special motion passes with support from 75 per cent of city councillors.
Representatives from the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa have also expressed concern, but could not be reached for comment.
Some students are expected to attend tonight’s Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee meeting to plead their case, but Halliwell says the student union is preparing to confront council in September.
Several students have posted much harsher criticisms on a Facebook group called “Against the Age-Cut Off for Student Bus Passes.” Complaints range from “discrimination based on age” to “cash grab,” though some students have defended the policy.
The age limit will save Ottawa’s public transit service, OC Transpo, about $220,000 a year, according to the motion passed by council. The limit is based on the amount of time a student would take to achieve a doctorate if they were in school continuously.
OC Transpo’s revenues are down this year after a 51-day strike by employees took buses off the road. Several other changes have been made to increase revenue, including increased prices for bus fares, tickets and passes. Council also rejected a proposal for a universal student transit pass at the University of Ottawa last March.
Dalhousie Student Union: We don’t support CUSA decision
From the blog of the DSU president on the Carleton University Student Association motion: Myself, other executives, councilors, and students all wanted to make it very clear to the CUSA’s student council that we did not support their decision and to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation that the DSU will continue to support Cystic Fibrosis [...]
From the blog of the DSU president on the Carleton University Student Association motion:
Myself, other executives, councilors, and students all wanted to make it very clear to the CUSA’s student council that we did not support their decision and to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation that the DSU will continue to support Cystic Fibrosis research now and in the future.
The DSU also sent CUSA a letter stating they are “deeply disappointed with their council’s most recent motion and that we hope that they will reconsider their decision.”
Well done. Many good student unions have seen their reputation damaged by association.
Finally, a student union with sanity!
The following was posted on the official blog of the Bishop’s University student government: Rest assured that here at Bishop’s, we’ll continue supporting Shinerama during Frosh Week. The fight against cystic fibrosis is an important one, and we’ve been involved for years. While we may not have raised the millions Carleton has, we’ve been consistent [...]
The following was posted on the official blog of the Bishop’s University student government:
Rest assured that here at Bishop’s, we’ll continue supporting Shinerama during Frosh Week. The fight against cystic fibrosis is an important one, and we’ve been involved for years. While we may not have raised the millions Carleton has, we’ve been consistent contributors, combatting a disease that affects Canadians from all walks of life. We’ll continue to support this worthy cause, and look for new avenues to fundraise for cystic fibrosis, doing our small part to make up for the funds that will be missing in 2009, due to Carleton’s withdrawal.
Well said, I know I’ll be digging deeper into my pockets to support this cause next year.
CUSA is not actually sorry
The following news release was sent out by the Carleton University Students Association at 11:30 this morning: Attention News Editors: Carleton University Students’ Association moves to reverse decision on Shine-A-Rama OTTAWA, Nov. 26 /CNW Telbec/ – Carleton University Students’ Association President Brittany Smyth has indicated that CUSA council will revisit the motion to change the [...]
The following news release was sent out by the Carleton University Students Association at 11:30 this morning:
Attention News Editors:
Carleton University Students’ Association moves to reverse decision on Shine-A-Rama
OTTAWA, Nov. 26 /CNW Telbec/ – Carleton University Students’ Association President Brittany Smyth has indicated that CUSA council will revisit the motion to change the orientation program charity from Shine-A-Rama.
“It has become clear that there is not an appetite at Carleton to change from Shine-A-Rama” said Ms.Smyth “The responsible thing to do is to reverse the decision.”
While the motion merely stated the students’ association would investigate switching to another charity, students have made it clear that they do not want the change.
“I both respect and admire the students’ commitment to the cause of raising funds for cystic fibrosis.” stated Ms.Smyth “I believe this issue has been blown out of proportion but the motion was never meant to imply that raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis research was not a worthwhile cause. I do apologize for the negative attention Carleton has received”.
I’m not going to mince words here. This release is pathetic.
CUSA does not admit it is wrong, and instead blames others for ‘blowing their actions out of proportion.’
CUSA apology is half-hearted at best and insincere.
Ms. Smyth, you’re supposed to apologize for your actions, not just the “negative attention” they’ve resulted in. What you’re really saying is, “CUSA is sorry people found out how uninformed we are.”
If “[T]he motion was never meant to imply that raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis research was not a worthwhile cause,” then what did the motion actually mean?
Start giving people answers instead of spin. (Actually, the best thing to do at this point is shut up and resign)
CUSA states the motion merely stated they were looking at other charities. It was more specific than that, it stated CUSA would “select a new broad reaching charity for orientation week.”
The motion was clear: the position of Carleton students as represented by their student government is that Cystic Fibrosis is unworthy of support because, as a ‘white male disease, it is not broad and inclusive enough to be worthy of the support of the Carleton undergraduate student body.
I have yet to hear CUSA actually saying anything close to, “We were wrong and we’re sorry.”
Another thing that would be nice to hear: an apology for the claims made at CUSA council that students were pushing for this change in the first place.
CUSA: Can’t somebody shut her up?
Seriously, she keeps getting worse and the bullshit gets more unbelievable.
Seriously, she keeps getting worse and the bullshit gets more unbelievable.
Free advice to CUSA president and Carleton students (and other students as well)
I’ve covered a lot of student union embarrassments during my university career and my time with Maclean’s. The CUSA racist motion controversy is by far the worst. Most scandals only stain the students’ union and maybe, to a limited extent, the university. This one is completely destroying the reputation of Carleton and its students. I [...]
I’ve covered a lot of student union embarrassments during my university career and my time with Maclean’s. The CUSA racist motion controversy is by far the worst. Most scandals only stain the students’ union and maybe, to a limited extent, the university. This one is completely destroying the reputation of Carleton and its students.
I was riding on the Hamilton city bus earlier tonight and the topic of discussion was “how stupid Carleton students are.” I went to Tim Horton’s, and the topic of discussion was “how stupid Carleton students are.” I was at an arcade tonight and even gamers knew of CUSA’s stupidity. (Of course, they are not blaming CUSA, they are blaming you, the Carleton student and your university.)
I was reading my morning feeds from influential US blogs and the topic was “how stupid Carleton students are.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education blogged about the situation yesterday. Even Australian sites are picking up on the story. The reality is this story will be helping fill US 24hr cable news airtime today. The question is if the story will change or continue to get worse.
Here’s my free advice to the CUSA president. Please be quiet, stop talking, stop the doublespeak and resign. You’re making it worse.
Carleton students, please save yourselves. It’s time for a purge of CUSA. For too long, CUSA has been allowed to bunker themselves in the university centre and create an echo chamber of extreme viewpoints. Normally, their words stay inside the star chamber. This time, their words got out and you’re paying the price.
I’d hate to be a Carleton student planning a career in the United States.
Reputation is, unfortunately, a major factor in your degree getting you a job. By the time the cable news channels are done with this story in the early afternoon, Carleton degrees will be severely tarnished. I’ve been to Carleton a few times in recent years, I know your degrees don’t deserve this and I know CUSA is a radical minority that does not reflect the student population. The problem is that potential employers don’t know this. By 2 p.m. they will have learned from sources like FOXnews that your university is a hotbed of “radicial uninformed out-of-control liberal political correctness.”
The only way to put a stop to this is for people to hear one of two things. The CUSA president should resign after students collect enough signatures to impeach her or the CUSA president will soon find herself out of a job as Carleton students begin the process to fire her.
It can’t be that hard to gather the necessary signatures in time for the noon news cycle. Imagine how quickly the public sentiment about Carleton students will change if they show that CUSA doesn’t represent them.
At the very least, would somebody cut the microphone on the CUSA president. Listening to her talk about Robert’s Rules of Order, it’s clear she has no idea of what Robert’s Rules actually say.
The CUSA president’s doublespeak and spin is worse than Baghdad Bob’s. At least we could tell he didn’t believe what he was saying; the scary thing is CUSA actually believes their own BS.
Most importantly, after you clear out the current CUSA politicians, you must elect responsible mature students to represent you. The first order of business is implementing a proper culture and proper governance procedures. This problem could have been avoided if CUSA functioned properly in the first place. It was a train wreck waiting to happen, but nobody expected it would be this bad.
There is a message here for other universities with similarly disconnected-from-reality students’ unions: you may ignore them in the hopes they don’t interfere with you getting your degree. However, as CUSA as shown, your students’ union is very capable of ruining that degree while you’re busying studying in the library.
UPDATE: Just when I thought it could get any worse. Here’s CUSA councillor Donnie Northrup reportedly telling friends on Facebook that “I see no moral or cultural reasons to stick with Shinerama, to say because we’re been doing it for years, is the same mentality that kept slavery legal, and prevented the women’s vote.”
