Tensions ran high at the U of T Students’ Union’s annual general meeting Thursday evening. College council representatives expressed dissatisfaction with UTSU, citing what they regard as inappropriate priorities, lack of transparency, and most importantly, lack of consultation and communication with the colleges. Several St. George students complained of preferential treatment to UTM.

So many students wanted to speak—and some spoke at length—that the chair finally motioned to cut the speakers list. It was put to a vote and passed.

The annual general meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It started at 6:45 p.m., because students from UTM were stuck in traffic, and ended around 11 p.m. Steve Masse, president of Woodsworth College Students’ Association, stayed until 9 p.m. “I was here on time and I have to leave when it was supposed to end. By delaying it, they’re disenfranchising me and all the students who came on time,” said Masse.

Gabe De Roche, a Trinity student, spoke about what he called a “special arrangement” between UTSU and UTMSU. The bulk of fees that UTM students pay to UTSU are returned to UTMSU. At St. George, students’ UTSU fees are not passed on to college councils. UTMSU is also allotted their own student commons and seat on the Canadian Federation of Students, a privilege that no college councils share in.

“Most of their campaigns come from the CFS, and not the other way. A lot of the campaigns do affect St. George. They are student concerns, but they’re being imposed on us, not coming from us,” Masse later told The Varsity, adding that many people on WCSA don’t support UTSU campaigns because they don’t feel connected to them.

Masse emphasized that he supports the content of some UTSU campaigns and recognizes that the executive works hard. But he took a step back from UTSU involvement after the Nov. 5 drop fees campaign last year. “I didn’t see the commitment to the St. George campus that I wanted,” he said.

UTSU president Sandy Hudson said UTSU’s relationship with CFS is just the opposite. She gave the drop fees campaign as an example. When U of T students wanted to call on the government to let students without immigration status stay in school, CFS liked the idea and included it in their campaign.

Francesca Imbrogno, president of the St. Michael’s College Student Union, said defederation is a possibility. “I really can’t speak officially on behalf of my council because we haven’t discussed it, but opinions around SMC are pretty serious because no one sees the cons of defederating,” she said.

“A lot of students have been asking me, ‘What does UTSU do for us—why do we even have to be attached to them?’ It’s really hard for me to come up with answers other than health benefits and Metropasses, because on this side of campus we don’t see any benefits coming from them, only detriments.”

“The process is very collaborative and from the grassroots,” Hudson told The Varsity in a later interview. She said UTSU has reached out to college councils, going to their meetings. “We’ve told them to come and air your grievances so we could have a working relationship, and they don’t come to any of the commission meetings,” Hudson said. “I don’t think it’s a priority for the folks at the colleges to mend these relationships.”

College council reps gave homecoming as an example, arguing that the event would have been far better if UTSU had included them in the planning. Danielle Sandu, VP campus life, responded that aside from a few exceptions, the heads of college councils did not respond to emails and text messages inviting them to get involved.

Catherine Brown, president of the Victoria College Student Administrative Council, pointed out that around $500,000 in student fees intended for health and dental care weren’t spent last year. UTSU’s budget auditor confirmed that that money went into UTSU’s general surplus. “I really question the fact that they are profiting off student health care plans,” said Brown. “This is a service they provide and it shouldn’t be surplus for them.”

Doly Begum, a St. George student, defended UTSU. Begum said she was disappointed with the divisiveness, saying, “I think we need unity across colleges—we all need to work with each other and the UTSU to make a difference.”