Concordia Student Union
Encyclopedia
The Concordia Student Union (usually referred to as the CSU) is the organization representing undergraduate students at Concordia University in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. Its membership totals more than 33,000.
The impetus for the merger was the previous merger of Sir George William University with Loyola College, which had taken place at the initiative of the Quebec Government in 1974, that had resulted in the creation of Concordia University.
The CSU was originally named the Concordia University Students’ Association (CUSA). It was incorporated in 1982 as the Concordia University Students’ Association Inc. The name was changed to Concordia Student Union Inc. in 1994 and the “Inc.” was dropped from the name in 2002.
In Quebec, the Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students' associations provides for the accreditation of student governments by way of referendum, which requires the educational institution to recognize the association as representative of the students and to collect the membership fee from all students. The Act allows for separate accreditations at different levels in an educational establishment (e.g. departments, faculties or institution wide).
At Concordia University, the CSU is the university-wide association. There are both accredited and un-accredited faculty associations on campus.
, Snoop Dogg
, The Wailers, K-OS
, Matthew Good
, Metric
, Finger Eleven
, Kardinal Offishall
and K'Naan
. The 2011-2012 CSU Orientation hosted almost exclusively local musicians under the banner of "Your Montreal."
Wangari Maathai
and Shirin Ebadi
, political figure and activist Al Sharpton
, director and actor Spike Lee
, 2008 U.S. Presidential candidate Ralph Nadar, Liberal politicians Justin Trudeau
and Michael Ignatieff
.
There were indications prior to September 9 that the speech would face opposition. Organizers were warned by campus security against allowing the talk to proceed. A security assessment done for the university administration deemed the event an unmanageable risk and recommended it not be held. However, a second assessment was later performed and the event was allowed to proceed, albeit with extraordinary security measures.
Before the speech was to take place, protesters inside the building stormed barricades which had been set up to block access to the building's lobby from the inside and were stopped at the escalator leading to the lobby by police in riot gear. Protesters outside the building began banging on the windows. For the duration of the standoff, ticket-holders pushed their way through a thick crowd of protesters outside the building and entered through a secured access point complete with metal detectors, and were then escorted to the auditorium where the lecture was to take place.
Approximately one hour later, a large exterior window separating the protesters from the police inside shattered, prompting a police officer to immediately discharge pepper spray through the window. The spray entered the building's ventilation system forcing an evacuation. At approximately the same time, a second window on the building's first floor, on the western side and away from police was broken when protesters threw a metal barricade into it.
The immediate result of the protest and subsequent evacuation was the cancellation of the lecture. The university instituted additional measures to avert future incidents, including the temporary banning of any events related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as enabling the use of new student disciplinary rules in case of emergency.
Five demonstrators were arrested and an additional 12 faced internal disciplinary hearings under the University's Code of Rights and Responsibilities.
Following this in November of the same year after accusing Jewish group Hillel of violating policy by handing out flyers that recruiting for the Israeli Defense Force on campus the CSU suspended the club's activities.
Following the Netanyahu protest and banning of Hillel students on campus, a new administration was elected in March 2003 called Evolution Not Revolution.
). Voting members of the Council are elected annually by the undergraduate students of Concordia University, with seats reserved for representatives of the four faculties at Concordia University and for representatives of independent students.
Each year the total number of seats is set by Council and the distribution is adjusted to match enrollment. There are currently 30 seats for voting members of Council: Fourteen (14) from the Faculty of Arts & Science, six (6) from the John Molson School of Business, three (3) from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, three (3) for the Faculty of Fine Arts and four (4) for Independent students.
The Council elects its non-voting Chair and secretary from the members of the CSU. The members of the Executive are ex-officio members and can present and move resolutions and speak, but cannot vote.
which provides several hundred free vegetarian meals daily to students. It is located in the Hive, a student-run venue.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its membership totals more than 33,000.
Origin
The CSU was founded in 1979 from the merger of the Sir George Williams Day Students’ Association (DSA), the SGW Part-Time Students’ Association (PTSA), the Loyola Evening Students’ Association Inc. (LESA) and the Loyola Students’ Association Inc. (LSA).The impetus for the merger was the previous merger of Sir George William University with Loyola College, which had taken place at the initiative of the Quebec Government in 1974, that had resulted in the creation of Concordia University.
The CSU was originally named the Concordia University Students’ Association (CUSA). It was incorporated in 1982 as the Concordia University Students’ Association Inc. The name was changed to Concordia Student Union Inc. in 1994 and the “Inc.” was dropped from the name in 2002.
Strike of 1999
As the 1990s progressed, students began growing . Recently, in the heart of downtown Montreal, gangs became more militant, coming to a head in 1999 with the election of the first in a series of radical slates to the Concordia Student Union. Under the presidency of Rob Green, a referendum regarding of another strike garnered 2,284 votes of support. This was an unusually strong show of support, as student governments at Concordia are often elected on the basis of less than 1000 votes in their favor. The strike lasted from November 3 to 5th and targeted a range of issues, including student representation in the university senate, corporate presence and advertising on campus, and government became evident. There were several demonstrations in which both protesters and police were reported to be injured.Accreditation
In 2001, CSU undertook an accreditation drive, to legally represent all undergraduate students at Concordia, and was successful in its endeavour, though heavily opposed by the accredited faculty undergraduate student associations for Engineering and Commerce.In Quebec, the Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students' associations provides for the accreditation of student governments by way of referendum, which requires the educational institution to recognize the association as representative of the students and to collect the membership fee from all students. The Act allows for separate accreditations at different levels in an educational establishment (e.g. departments, faculties or institution wide).
At Concordia University, the CSU is the university-wide association. There are both accredited and un-accredited faculty associations on campus.
Orientation
The CSU has hosted many popular musicians at the Orientation (Frosh) at the beginning of each year, including the Violent Femmes, Wyclef JeanWyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, The Wailers, K-OS
K-os
Kevin Brereton , better known by his stage name k-os , is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer...
, Matthew Good
Matthew Good
Matthew Frederick Robert Good is a Canadian rock musician. He was the lead singer for the Matthew Good Band, one of Canada's most successful alternative rock bands in the 1990s, before dissolving the band in 2002...
, Metric
Metric
Metric may refer to:* the metric system of measurement** International System of Units, or Système International , the modern form of the metric system** Metric ton, a measurement of mass equal to 1,000 kg...
, Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 1989. They have currently released five studio albums, with their album The Greyest of Blue Skies bringing them into the mainstream...
, Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
and K'Naan
K'naan
K'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
. The 2011-2012 CSU Orientation hosted almost exclusively local musicians under the banner of "Your Montreal."
Speaker Series
The CSU has also brought many prominent figures on campus to speak to students on various issues, including Nobel Peace Prize winnersElie WieselElie Wiesel
Sir Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel KBE; born September 30, 1928) is a Hungarian-born Jewish-American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He is the author of 57 books, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz, Buna, and...
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya...
and Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
, political figure and activist Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
, director and actor Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, 2008 U.S. Presidential candidate Ralph Nadar, Liberal politicians Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau, MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented the Montreal electoral division of Papineau in the Canadian House of Commons since 2008 as a member of the Liberal Party and currently serves as the party's critic for youth, post-secondary education, and amateur...
and Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
.
Netanyahu Protest
On September 9, 2002, a scheduled visit from former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was cancelled after protesters supported and organized by members of the CSU clashed with police inside the building.There were indications prior to September 9 that the speech would face opposition. Organizers were warned by campus security against allowing the talk to proceed. A security assessment done for the university administration deemed the event an unmanageable risk and recommended it not be held. However, a second assessment was later performed and the event was allowed to proceed, albeit with extraordinary security measures.
Before the speech was to take place, protesters inside the building stormed barricades which had been set up to block access to the building's lobby from the inside and were stopped at the escalator leading to the lobby by police in riot gear. Protesters outside the building began banging on the windows. For the duration of the standoff, ticket-holders pushed their way through a thick crowd of protesters outside the building and entered through a secured access point complete with metal detectors, and were then escorted to the auditorium where the lecture was to take place.
Approximately one hour later, a large exterior window separating the protesters from the police inside shattered, prompting a police officer to immediately discharge pepper spray through the window. The spray entered the building's ventilation system forcing an evacuation. At approximately the same time, a second window on the building's first floor, on the western side and away from police was broken when protesters threw a metal barricade into it.
The immediate result of the protest and subsequent evacuation was the cancellation of the lecture. The university instituted additional measures to avert future incidents, including the temporary banning of any events related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as enabling the use of new student disciplinary rules in case of emergency.
Five demonstrators were arrested and an additional 12 faced internal disciplinary hearings under the University's Code of Rights and Responsibilities.
Following this in November of the same year after accusing Jewish group Hillel of violating policy by handing out flyers that recruiting for the Israeli Defense Force on campus the CSU suspended the club's activities.
Following the Netanyahu protest and banning of Hillel students on campus, a new administration was elected in March 2003 called Evolution Not Revolution.
Council
The CSU is governed by its Council of Representatives (its board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
). Voting members of the Council are elected annually by the undergraduate students of Concordia University, with seats reserved for representatives of the four faculties at Concordia University and for representatives of independent students.
Each year the total number of seats is set by Council and the distribution is adjusted to match enrollment. There are currently 30 seats for voting members of Council: Fourteen (14) from the Faculty of Arts & Science, six (6) from the John Molson School of Business, three (3) from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, three (3) for the Faculty of Fine Arts and four (4) for Independent students.
The Council elects its non-voting Chair and secretary from the members of the CSU. The members of the Executive are ex-officio members and can present and move resolutions and speak, but cannot vote.
Executive
The CSU is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Executive, composed of the President and between 3 - 7 Vice-Presidents. The Executive is elected by the membership as a slate in an annual election held in March concurrently with the elections for Council.CSU Executive 2011/2012
- President Lex Gill
- Vice-President External Chad Walcott
- Vice-President Student Life & Sustainability Laura Glover
- Vice-President Academic Hasan Cheikhzen
- Vice-President Services & Loyola Melissa Fuller
- Vice-President Clubs & Student Space Gonzo Nieto
- Vice-President Finance Jordan Lindsay
- Vice-President Outreach & Advocacy Morgan Pudwell
Judicial Board
The Judicial Board is appointed by the Council to act as a domestic tribunal to resolve internal disputes. It can be overruled if Council overrules the decision by a four-fifth majority, and only if the board's decision was racist, sexist, homophobic, exhibiting a conflict of interest, or manifestly unreasonable.Off Campus Housing and Job Bank
The CSU Off Campus Housing and Job Bank provides support for students look for jobs, housing and those with problems dealing with the same. It is regarded by some as one of the best source of housing for students in MontrealAdvocacy Centre
The CSU Student Advocacy Centre is committed to the promotion and preservation of undergraduate student’s academic rights at Concordia University. Their efforts are aimed at helping students who find themselves in difficult situations by accurately identifying their needs and determining and executing the necessary course of action. Essentially, the Center acts as the grievance office of the CSU and assists undergraduate students with internal problems, complaints, and requests (for example, defense against plagiarism charges). The Center also provides access to external resources and occasionally will support students with off-campus issues.Legal Information Clinic
This has been a service provided by the CSU as of September 2007. The legal clinic offers legal information on issues that pertain to human rights, consumer rights, immigration rights, and discrimination cases. The clinic hosts a large number of volunteer law students from several universities who assist greatly in serving the needs of Concordia students. Since its inception, the clinic has played a vital role in defending the rights of students and has been essential to several cases that received city-wide attention.Loyola Luncheon
The Loyola Luncheon is a program operated through the CSU on the Loyola CampusLoyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
which provides several hundred free vegetarian meals daily to students. It is located in the Hive, a student-run venue.