All four referendums pass in CSU by-election

by Jason Gondziola

Former Concordian news editor Tim McSorley breathed a sigh of relief when he learned he was among the four students elected to the Concordia Student Union in the latest by-election.

“I'm happy to have this seat,” said McSorley, who took 247 of the 965 votes cast for Arts and Science. “I'm surprised, especially with the low number of votes that I won by.”

He added that he plans to be a voice for student rights, advocate student space, and push strongly for an independent inquiry into racism.

Annie Dumont, elected for Arts and Science with 241 votes, echoed those sentiments.

“The most important thing is the independent inquiry into racism and fighting intolerance,” said the former VP External for Amnesty International.

Dumont, who also sits on the Arts and Science Faculty Council for Curriculum and who is co-president of the Sociology and Anthropology Students Union, said she places student space high on her agenda, and hopes to encourage more student-run initiatives on campus, citing the People's Potato as an example.

The remaining two seats were unopposed, and ratifications were won by Melissa Gruber for Fine Arts and Ruthie Cadesky for the Independent Council of Representatives.

In addition to the council seats, all four referendum proposals were successful. The Media Fund fee transfer will give 9 cents per credit to the Concordia Student Broadcasting Corporation, which funds both CJLO radio and CUTV Media.

The continued survival has been ensured of both Concordia Français, the French-language campus newspaper, and the International/Ethnic Associations Council, which provides funding and support to 15 ethnic associations on campus. Each will receive a six-cent-per-credit levy, starting in the winter 2004 semester.

The final referendum item demanded the formation of a committee to oversee and control the operations of the Concordia Department of Security, and will now allow students to begin pursuing that goal through official channels.