CONCORDIA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1980 NOT JUST YET. How a group of students and their supporters went to war to move Quebec. But what are we moving towards? “Let’s face it, this is a victory.” 04 It’s not over ‘til it’s over. 27 + The Netanyahu Riot 10 years later. 08 volume 33, issue 4 • tuesday, september 11 2012 • thelinknewspaper.ca volume 33, issue 4 • tuesday, $1625: FOUNDATION THREATENTS TO TAKE SCHOOLS TO COURT • PAGE 07 Deconstructing ConU New Round of Renos Clogs Up Concordia Buildings “The escalator project has been a sort of running gag. It’s particularly difficult in an occupied building to forecast a budget like this. We never know what problems we might discover, especially when there is asbestos.” —Jean Pelland, Concordia Project Director PHOTO SAM SLOTNICK BY COREY POOL, @COREYRIVER in at $2.7 million, of which Con- ever, as thousands of students “The university didn’t build Though the university com- cordia paid $450,000 to have flood the campus in time for the tunnels for the sake of building munity has been inconvenienced Inside and out, Concordia their part completed. beginning of the semester. tunnels,” said Mota. “That’s one of by the gutting of one of the oldest University is in a seemingly per- In 2003, the city launched The university, however, is the main reasons they were built— and most-used building on cam- petual state of construction. Quartier Concordia, a massive ini- taking some steps towards lessen- to move pedestrian traffic under- pus, Pelland said that the project This week is no different, as tiative in conjunction with the uni- ing the blow of what could be a ground […] The more people we is exceeding expectations. crews began a new phase of the versity and architectural firm hectic and confusing first week of can move underground, the bet- “We are below budget and decade-long Quartier Concordia Groupe Cardinal Hardy that is classes for students unfamiliar ter.” ahead of schedule,” said Pelland. initiative on Monday by shutting aimed at redesigning and reclaim- with Quartier Concordia. “If we want to teach a class on how down and tearing up de Maison- ing the Sir George Williams cam- Organized by the Dean of Stu- The Escalator Project to run and manage a project, this neuve Blvd. W. from Bishop St. to pus. dents office, a group of yellow- In the winter of 2010, Concor- is the one we’ll have to share with Guy St. The Quartier is bordered to the shirted volunteers—appropriately dia embarked on a long-awaited the students.” The section will be closed for north and south by Sherbrooke St. named the Welcome Crew—are project to replace the decrepit es- According to Pelland, the proj- the next three weeks for leveling W. and René-Lévesque Blvd., and out on the streets guiding students calators that have plagued the ect is currently four per cent under and re-asphalting of the busy to the east and west by Bishop St. through these awkward times. Hall Building since what seems budget, and three of its four road. Although this stretch of de and Guy St. The Welcome Crew is in its like time immemorial. phases have been completed. The Maisonneuve has been in fluctuat- The total cost of the initiative third year, but this time around “The escalator project has fourth phase, which includes the ing states of disrepair for the bet- has been estimated at nearly half has been a bit different. been a sort of running gag,” said escalators between the sixth and ter part of a year, not all of it has a billion dollars, and has been re- “In the first week, we got a lot Jean Pelland, explaining the long seventh floors, is expected to be been on Concordia’s hands. sponsible for the creation of Nor- of questions because a lot of peo- and arduous process the univer- completed by December. “Our part is done now,” said man Bethune Square and the ple were confused about the con- sity had to undergo to obtain a “The original schedule was to Concordia’s Project Director Jean underground tunnels that run be- struction,” said Welcome Crew government grant to begin the complete the entire project by Pelland, referring to the sidewalks tween Concordia’s buildings, volunteer Zoya de Frias Lakhany. project. March 2013,” said Pelland. “We’re that run along the front entrance among other projects. “Even second- and third-year “It’s particularly difficult in an almost three months ahead of to the Hall Building. “We paid the A new phase of the plan is set students were confused. In the occupied building to forecast a schedule. Why? We overlapped city to do our part, and it’s done. to begin in the spring on Bishop second week it’s been less, and budget like this,” he said. “We phases three and four this sum- Really the rest is running a bit St. and Mackay St., although the we’re getting more questions like, never know what problems we mer.” late, but they’re doing their best.” project’s budget has yet to be ap- ‘Where can I get my student ID,’ might discover, especially when With the final escalators in That part of the project also in- proved. and, ‘Where can I see an advisor?’” there is asbestos.” place, Pelland says all that’s left cluded replacing the membranes University spokesperson Chris The escalator removal project will be touch-ups to the granite and waterproofing the Hall and Navigating the Blue Fence Mota suggested that students was budgeted at $14.7 million and in the lobby and finishing the the Library Building. The timing of all this concrete looking to avoid the chaos on the includes four phases comprising ceilings around some of the All told, the city project rings smashing is less than ideal, how- street level head underground. the replacement of 17 escalators. escalators. the link • september 11, 2012 Current Affairs 04 thelinknewspaper.ca/news An End in Sight PHOTO SAM SLOTNICK “LIKE TALKING TO A WALL” ConU Scrambling to Prepare for Cancelled Tuition Hike HILARY SINCLAIR, nounced when, or how. is what it is,” said Concordia nancial plan on numbers that are quality of education will not be af- @HILARYSINCLAIR “Budgeting at Concordia is sort spokesperson Chris Mota. “Right set to become irrelevant. fected by the subtraction of the of like giving birth to a small ele- now we need to get the absolute “It’s like talking to a wall,” Kel- funds that they were slated to re- Patrick Kelley, Concordia’s phant,” admitted Kelley. clarification of what we have com- ley said of trying to communicate ceive from the hike. Chief Financial Officer, has been Quebec’s post-secondary insti- ing our way this year. [Kelley] will with MELS. “The one thing that is defi- tasked with putting together the tutions have now been thrust into do what he is expected to do. He The CFO has managed to keep nitely a commitment from the sen- jigsaw puzzle that is the univer- financial limbo. With Premier- will advise accordingly.” ConU’s books in the black for ior administration is that sity’s budget—but the Ministère de Elect Pauline Marois slated to be The only indication of impend- three years running, but faces a academic activities and student l’éducation, du loisir et du sport is sworn in on Sept. 17, university ing tuition talks has come from new challenge in continuing the services should not be negatively holding the final pieces. budgeters across the province will Marois, who promised student streak. affected. That’s the commitment. The Parti Québécois has vowed have to wait until at least then to groups that a summit would be “The goal is to avoid a deficit. So what will be the effect else- to cancel the $1,625 increase in tu- get any directions from the Min- scheduled within the first hundred How that will be done is being ex- where? That’s not clear, but the ition fees instituted by Premier istry. days of the PQ’s term. amined right now, so they’re look- goal is to certainly not negatively Jean Charest’s Liberal govern- “With budgets, there is a con- With tuition fees due on Sept. ing at scenarios,” said Mota. impact those two areas.” ment in 2010, but they haven’t an- stant process of revising because it 30, Kelly is forced to base his fi- She also assured The Link that GENTLEMEN, START YOUR TUITION PLANS MATTHEW GUITE tion is to be taken back from univer- Fédération étudiante sities (after having accounted for it universitaire du Québec / The Upside: Liberal Party of Quebec With the dust finally settling in their annual budgets) then there Fédération étudiante Provides time to analyze how around the political landscape of remains a serious lack of funding collegiale due Québec education could be better funded The Proposal: Quebec following a blistering elec- for higher education in Quebec. without increasing tuition fees, A tuition fee increase of $254 per tion campaign, the subject of the The PQ has indicated plans The Proposal: could help with the poor manage- year over the course of seven years, much-discussed tuition increase is about a forum for discussion and a Creation of a committee to ment of administrator salaries and totaling an increase of $1,778. An back on the table. “slight” increase—for tuition to be oversee the management of uni- retirement packages. increase to the loans and bursaries Pauline Marois and her newly indexed to the cost of living.