Studentsfirst Walk out on the Election the Reason for This Decision Was to Ensure That the St

SMC Unionises UTSU RILEY CARTER According to a press release from the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) last Thursday, BOYCOTTthe professors and librarians of St. Michael’s College voted to certify themselves as members of UTFA. StudentsFirst Walk out on the Election The reason for this decision was to ensure that the St. Michael’s faculty ALEKZIA HOSEIN and librarians could claim the After an event at an all-candidates against the incumbent party, it is members. The CFS is rumoured to right to bargain all terms of their meeting Sunday, several candidates impossible to face a free and fair enlist help of students from other employment as per the Ontario from the challenging executive election process,” said Tanoli, a campuses to campaign. Outgoing Labour Relations Act. slate, as well as representatives second-year student, who recalls the members allegedly take their paid While St. Michael’s College from the board of director slates issues that CHANGE faced in last salary during the campaign time is one of the ‘federated’ colleges were disqualified. Disqualifications year’s elections. “Last year, the ballots period to help the campaigns. at the University of Toronto, it were attributed to errors with the were spoiled and this year, candidates All three universities in Toronto is also a separate institution with student numbers that the groups were barred from campaigning.” are affiliated with the Canadian its own board of governors and had submitted, according to CRO, Federation of Students administrators. This means that Daniel Lo. “As an opposition party According to the Varsity’s report, the existing Memorandum of According to Rohail Tanoli, the entering against the groups that have had members Agreement between the faculty and disqualified VP external candidate incumbent party, it is barred are prevented from running administration of the University for StudentsFirst, of his 217 impossible to face a free because all of their promotional of Toronto does not apply to the signatures, about 40 were named as and fair election process.” material had been constructed academic staff employed directly by invalid, according to Lo, putting him with their entire slate in mind. St Michael's. below the minimum of 200. Tonali For the past seven years, Brent Schmidt, VP of internal and On the subject of the ballot, was notified that he didn’t qualify groups endorsed by the Canadian services candidate for StudentsFirst Professor Michael Attridge said, “I a mere ten minutes before the all- Federation for Students (CFS) have explained in the Varsity’s article that am proud of the decision taken by candidate meeting. been elected. The CFS is a group creating new promotional material my colleagues; I believe our actions Although the Varsity reported funded by students of affiliated would eat up a lot of the campaign will lead to an even stronger and three candidate expulsions, according institutes. U of T student CFS period. “Anything that we printed mutually respectful relationship with to Tanoli, four candidates had been membership is funded by ancillary off before now is illegal, we cannot the administration of the University disqualified, all because of inadequate fees included in tuition. be reimbursed for it,” since Tanoli of St. Michael’s College.” signatures. Tanoli explained that the Tanoli explained that the CFS, had been disqualified. In the coming weeks, The Mike CRO would have had to review at the recommendation of the Check out www.readthemike.com later this will have more information on this Rohail Tanoli, the former VP External Candidate of over 4000 signatures and student outgoing executive board, endorses week for UTSU's response to Tanoli and change, as well as an interview with StudentsFirst numbers in a short time span. the group. The Varsity wrote last year StudentsFirst's allegations Professor Attridge. “As an opposition party entering that the CROs tend to prefer CFS 5 7 9 11 2 THE MIKE THE MIKE 3 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR UPDATES FROM SMCSU MASTHEAD Election Season is Here - Cue the Apathy! Editor-in-Chief Communications Report Today I spent some time watching a Unite for Action candidate solicit votes up and down the line at the Tim Horton's at the Medical Science Dan Seljak Hey SMC, building. It's a strange dance between candidate and student, with most students either blatantly ignoring the politician, or mindlessly grabbing their Editor-at-Large pamphlets out of politeness. It upset me that not a single student asked questions about the candidate's policy, or perhaps more importantly, they did March madness is here. Forget the NCAA, SMCSU will keep you captivated on the edge of your seat for the not ask about why the executive is running unchallenged. Alex Greco next two weeks. Everything starts next Tuesday, march 8th in Brennan. Imagine this; 4 cooks, 300 people and I say that I am upset, but I am not surprised. Last year's voter turnout of 16% was one of the highest on recent record. As this year lacks a cohesive, unlimited FREE pancakes. Come celebrate the day before lent in the cultural event of the season, thanks to your mobilized challenge to the slate supported by the current UTSU executive, I would have been shocked if StudentsFirst could have riled up the same Business Manager commuter life commission ( N.B residence students are welcome;) response as last year. What it boils down to is that there has been allegations of how flawed the UTSU elections have been for years, yet the student Ahmed Aljumaa Although this is the event of the season the next event I am about to inform you of is the event of the semester. body as a whole has not felt strongly enough either way to truly turn out en masse to make themselves heard (unless you consider 16% to be a truly The annual double blue formal will be at Liberty Grand Friday March 11th. Tickets are available in the SMCSU impressive figure). News Editor office for $45. The theme is of course Paris. Just think of French, croissants, breathtaking cobble stone streets and Perhaps it will be this boycott on the side of StudentsFirst that truly tips the scales in favour of a non-UTSU endorsed slate and get students out to Rachel Venturo the skyline of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. All of this will be emulated in your formal. vote, but I think the chances are slim. This choice to boycott the elections rather than tough out the process has for many, myself included, fanned flames As the semester is nearing an end, so too is the applications and awards process. For all those looking to be of cynicism that will quickly cool to coals of apathy. What good is a boycott if Unite for Action will now sweep the election uncontested? StudentsFirst Arts Editor Dons next semester, please send in your applications to [email protected]. might be able to get a whopping fraction of 16% upset enough to do something about the elections this year, but I highly doubt it. My predictions for Also, a special message from your education and government commission, this years SMCSU scholarship and UTSU elections this year are that we will have the same short period of heated debate that we did last year, followed by supporters of Unite for Action Cassandra Sottile teacher of the year awards deadlines are approaching. If you are a student in good standing who has contributed celebrating, and supporters of StudentsFirst resorting to petty last ditch efforts to sabotage the victory, or descending into apathy. As someone who Living Editor to the SMC community please pick up an application in SMCSU today. If you have a favorite professor than has never felt strongly supportive of either party in prior elections but convinced that the process is flawed, my question is where were the students of this is the time to show it, nominations for the SMC professor of the year award are also in the SMCSU office. Change and StudentsFirst during the year when attempts to change the system would have had an air of legitimacy rather than reeking of last ditch Sarah-Jane Vassalo Check out SMCTV on facebook this week, visit our website at www.smcsu.com, or send us any questions or effort to salvage an election? Only when these challenging parties are willing to commit themselves over a long period time to their supposedly just comments to [email protected]. causes will I (and perhaps other cynics like me) jump on the bandwagon. Until then both parties remain the same in my perspective; a group of students Sports Editor willing to say or try anything come election time. If the overall apathetic attitude of student voters comes from the same perspective as mine, maybe Sasha Kalra <3 U SMC, it's time for both parties, especially the challengers, to change their philosophies. St. Michael’s College Student Union DAN SELJAK Senior Copy Editors Dan Seljak EDITOR IN CHIEF Oksana Andreiuk Ahmad Hathout CLC Recap Nelish Lalany FRANK FISICO Production Managers Hey SMC! Blair MacDonald James Nahhas Get ready for Pancake Tuesday on March 8th where your CLC will be whipping up some pancakes in Brennan Lounge from 12-2pm. Take a load off and come enjoy some fluffy goodness with your friends. A huge thank Staff Writers you to all of those who came out to the CLC Valentine’s Day event. We enjoyed making waffles and hope you loved the chocolate fountain. Make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for our other upcoming events. Hope Sarah Gagliano to see you on March 8th! 95 Annette Gagliano Sofia Rizzo -Your CLC! Joanne Kwok $ Micah Gold-Utting Randal David EVENts February Melissa Tarsitano

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