4 planet of the arts / december 1997 The large size of the executive committee haunted student politicians during the past two years because of a quorum requirement of fifty percent plus one, meaning that to make legally binding decisions a dozen people would have to cast votes on an executive made up of twenty-three voting positions. Many meetings started late as a result of waiting for more people to show up. The frustration at a continuing lack of quorum played a part in the decision to apply the “forced removal” provisions of the by-laws in April 1996. This move created resentment and hostility that surfaces even today because of the perceived clumsiness and vindictiveness with which these removals were carried out. The subsequent reporting of the removals in the May 1996 issue of Planet of the Arts caused even more resentment rather than spurring a debate over deficiencies in the structure of the students’ union and the excessive partisanship of some people that seemed to manifest itself in continuing rude behaviour. The debate over the structure of student governance did not take place for a further year and a half. One of the added elements to the equation was the excitement generated by having a genuine contest over getting a position on the students’ union. This occurred between the joint candidacy of Monica Tang and Bronwyn Masson teaming up to compete against Kyath Battie for the position of women’s rep- resentative during the October 1996 elections. During the limited hours in which voting took place, there was a visible effort to get stu- dents to vote. People seemed to take the election seriously. One of the problems of representation needing to be resolved was the possibility for indefinite fracturing of social identities posi- tions. What about a position for trans-gendered students or students with a sexual identity that is not expressed by the categories delin- eated in the by-laws? A related problem was students preferring not to be “outed” through the process of standing for election based on sexual identity. Another position that attracted a fair amount of negative com- ment was the “other cultures” position. The position was based on giving a representative voice to students whose common link was not being of European ancestry. The social construction of European ancestry was questioned as to whether it had sufficient theoretical validity to constitute an authentic voice, or whether it was just a back- handed way of trying to bring attention to the issue of ethnicity and student political power that inadvertently fell into reverse-discrimi- natory language. The 1996-97 executive committee adopted a research strategy to gather information before deciding how to proceed with any changes to the by-laws in the area of representation. The student who volun- teered to try to pull together a survey that would delve into student opinion on optional ways of setting up a governing structure spent the better part of September drafting up possible questions to ask. Unfortunately, as academic requirements mounted this volunteer withdrew from his role. The next tactic of the 1996-97 executive was to make the research task a paid job that would be filled after advertising the position and reviewing the competence of potential researchers on a competitive basis. The candidate selected with Tagny Duff, and alumna of the Institute who graduated in 1996. Duff took an interesting performa- tive approach to her work surveying students on options for struc- turing the composition of the students’ union executive. This includ- One of the anonymous respondents to the formal questionnaire circulated by Duff provided an eloquent if somewhat controversial response that is worth quoting at length. In regard to the matter of social constituency representation, this respondent wrote: “I find these positions to be excessive, and detrimental to the functionality of the already slow proceedings of the coun- cil. In a school of 800 or so students, does OCTOBER 23, 1997 RESULTS NOTICE OF REFERENDUM every lifestyle, clique, or differing person need a rep? I don’t think so.” The same respondent put into words the sentiment of disaffection that unknown numbers of other students feel towards student politicians: “I can’t help but feel that none of this (survey work) Vot In Fi Opposed | Abstention Result é : : will make a damn (bit) of difference. The Resolution 1 : Composition| 109 99 a6 4 SEeSch general populace of ECIAD cares very lit- of Executive adopted tle about anything the Students’ Union does. The widespread perception is that the Union is an elitist clique, concerned Resolution 2 <3 Fe External 109 96 "1 2 Resolution more with internal politics and power Accountant adopted struggles than (with) the student body. I cant think of anything the S.U has done Announcement of the Executive Committee of The ECIAD Students’ Union Association for me at ECIAD, or how they have improved anything in any way.” As it turned out, the 1996-97 execu- tive pulled together a package of reforms ed setting up an office in the Concourse Gallery and interviewing students who passed by and were willing to chat for a few minutes. A more formal survey also was assembled by Duff. A compara- tively low rate of response to Duff’s survey made it difficult to assess the accuracy of student thought on matters of representation. that met the test of approval via referen- dum as opposed to the closed door approach to decision-making that tends to alienate students. The feeling among some members of the 1996-97 executive was that students would reject the reform package because of the propos- al to pay student politicians when it is generally felt that the ego boost of being in the limelight and being able to dispense favours is more than a sufficient reward for the job to be done. This aspect of the package had to go the referendum route because of the conflict of interest provision that forbids the executive to use the power of their office to gain personal advantage, notably in regard to paying themselves. The biggest problem with such pay- ments besides the immorality of backroom approval for them is that there are usually no agreed upon standards of performance or processes of accountability to evaluate whether payment truly has been earned. In consideration of this problem, the only members of the execu- tive for whom payment was proposed were the social constituency representatives. It was felt that they would be required to do organi- zational work that simply does not occur among curriculum based sub-populations at the Institute. Moreover, it was felt that members of social constituencies would have a special interest in holding their representatives to account in a way that does not occur in regard to curriculum-based groups of students. To prevent the hollowness of a student being acclaimed to a position in the absence of other candidates vying for the post, the reform package included a provision to require ratification of single candidates. One of the possible weaknesses of the by-laws even after the adop- tion of the foregoing reforms is the failure to continue to hold elec- tions (or ratification votes) whenever there are vacancies. It is presently the case that Foundation students have no representation on the executive committee, and that a total of six of the twelve avail- able spots are unfilled. There is an implicit trust in the by-laws that the executive committee will support all efforts to fill vacant positions through the work of the electoral committee. Emily Carr students will have the opportunity to know how the new executive will handle this trust by watching to see how they handle the second round of elections that are currently necessary. Turn to page 49 for a list of available positions. Ol 4 planet of the orts / december 1997 ‘The large sie of the executive committee haunted student politicians during the past two years because of a quorum requirement of fifty percent pls one, meaning that to make legally binding decisions dozen people would have to cast votes on an executive made up of twenty:-thece voting positions, Many meetings state late asa resul of waiting for more people to show up. The frustration ata continuing lack of quorum played a part inthe decision o apply the “forced removal” provisions ofthe by-laws in April 1996. This move created resentment and hostility that surfaces ‘even today because of the perceived clumsiness and vindictiveness with which these removals were carried out The subsequent reporting ofthe removals inthe May 1996 ise of Planet of the Arts caused even more resentment rather than spucring debate over deficiencies in the tructute ofthe students’ ‘union and the excessive partisanship of some people that seemed to rane itself in contining re behavior. The debate over the structure of student governance did not take place fora further year and half, One ofthe added ements to the ‘uation was the excitement generated by having a genie contest ‘ove geting a postion onthe student union. This occurred between the joint candidacy of Monica Tang and Bronwyn Mascon teaming ‘up to compete against Kyath Hate forthe postion of women’s rep resentative during the October 1996 elections. During the limited hhousin which voting took place, there wat a vsbe effort o get st dents to vote. People seemed to take the election seriously One ofthe problems of representation needing to be resolved was the posit for indefinite fracturing of social identities pos tions What about a postion for tans-gendered students o students witha senual identity that isnot expressed by the categories dln cated in the by ava? A related problem was students preferring not to be “outed” through the proces of standing fr election based on sexual dent ‘Another poston that attracted a fir amount of negative com: rent was the “other cultures” poston. The postion wa based on ving representative voice to students whose common lnk was not being of Buropean ancestry. The social construction of European ancetry wat questioned as to whether it had slficen theoretical ‘lity to constitute an authentic oie or whether twas just aback handed way of trying to bring attention to the issue of ethnicity and student politcal power that inadvertently fll into revese-dcrimi natory language. ‘The 1996-97 executive committee adopted research strategy to ‘ather information before deciding how to proced with any changes to the by-laws inthe area of representation, The student who volun tecred to try to pl together a survey that would deve into student pinion on optional ways of setting up a governing structure spent the better prt of September drafting up possible questions to ask, Unfortunatly, as academic requirements mounted this volunteer The next tactic ofthe 1996-97 ecutive was to make the research taska paid jb that would be filled after advertising the position and reviewing the competence of potential researchers on competitive basis. The candidat selected with Tagay Duff, and alumna of the Institute who graduated in 1996. Duff tok an interesting performs tive approach to her work surveying stdents on options for struc: tring the composition of the students’ union executive, Tis inci (One ofthe anonymous respondent othe formal questionnaire ircuated by Duff provided an eloquent if somewhat controversial response that is worth quoting at length. In regard to the mater of social constituency representation, this respondent wrote “I find ‘hese postions to he excessive and detrimental to the functionality of the aeady dow proceedings ofthe coun «iL. Ina school of 00 ors students does NOTICE OF REFERENDUM RESULTS very lifestyle, clique, o differing person eed rep dn’ think 0 ‘The same respondent pt into words the sentiment of disaffection that unknown numbers of eter students fee towards student politicians: "I cat help but fee that none ofthis (survey work) Votes [ts Favour | Opposed” [Rbetetion | Renal will ake a damn (bit) of difeence. The le e = = re general populace of ECIAD cares ery lit sttxeeative Sorts He about anything the Students’ Union oes. The widespread perception i that ‘the Union isan els igus, concemed ee |e a A esa rote with internal palitcs and power ecoumtant on struggles than (with) the student body ‘ani think of anything the SU has done for me at ECIAD, oF how they have improved anything in any way. {As it turned out, the 1996 tive pulled together a package of reforms ef sting up an office in the Concourse Gallery and interviewing Amore formal survey allo was assembled by Du, A compara tively low rate of response to Duff's survey made it difficult assess the accuracy of student thought on matters of representation that met the est of approval via eeferen dum a8 opposed to the closed door approach to decision-making that tends to alenate students The feling among some meinbers ofthe 196-97 executive was that students would eject the eform package because ofthe propos: pay student politicians when tis generally elt thatthe eg boost. of being inthe limelight and being abl to dispense favour is mor than &suficientreward for the fb to be done ‘This aspect of the package had to go the referendum route because ofthe conflict of interest provision that forbids the executive to.usethe power of ther fice to gin personal advantage, notably in regatd to paying themselves. The biggest problem with sich pay rents besides the immorality of backroom approval for them that there are usually no agreed upon standards of performance oF processes of accountability to evaluate whether payment truly has been earned In consideration ofthis problem, the only members of the exec tive for whom payment was proposed were the socal constituency representatives. It was felt that they would be required to do orga: ational work tat simply does not occur among curiclum based sub-populations atthe Institute. Moreover, it was fl that members of social constituencies would ve a special interest in holding thet tepresentatives to account in away that doesnot occur in reqaed to curriculum:based groups of st ‘To prevent the hollowness of a student being aclaimed to a postion inthe absence of other candidates vying forthe post, the reform package included a provision to require ratification of single candidates ‘One ofthe posible weaknesses ofthe bylaws even after the adop tion ofthe foregoing reforms is the failure to continue to hold elec tions (or ratification votes) whenever there are vacancies, It is presently the case that Foundation students have no representation on the executive committee, and that a total of sx ofthe twelve aval able spots are unfled There isan implicit trust in the bylaws that the executive committee wil support al efforts to fill vacant postions through the work ofthe elec ral committee Emily Cae students will have the opportunity to know how the nee executive wl handle this tas by watching to se how they handle the second round of elections that are curently necessary. Tar to page as, for ast of avalable postions,