World War I happened largely due to a culture of suspicion, hidden alliances, and private messages. On campus, Scarborough Campus Student Union (SCSU) elections are plagued with the same issues. These past weeks have seen a shameful cycle of secrecy shared equally among the SCSU, groups against SCSU president Zuhair Syed, and individuals afflicted by SCSU decisions. As a campus newspaper, all we can do is sit back and look at the facts on all sides.
Flyer campaigns were organized by an anonymous group on campus. A man in a hooded sweater was seen delivering said flyers to all residences Tuesday night. The next morning, the same group posted flyers on windshields in the campus parking lots. The group had been organized out of an on-campus office which SCSU officials were trying to locate.
“I think a lot of the information the people have been getting is propaganda,” said Syed. “But I think freedom of speech should prevail.” Funny, when the student union is under fire for secrecy. Syed screened answers during the campus radio debate and refuses to answer questions about Ministry of Labour complaints, a missing alcohol inquiry, the firing of SCSU’s accountant, meetings with U of T administration, and an uncompleted audit.
After rising tension on Facebook groups and web forums, SCSU decided to speak up. Last Monday saw the release of “A report into allegations and questions surrounding the SCSU and Bluff’s,” a document welcomed by our reporters, which clarified the union’s decisions and included last year’s financial statements. “We will not flash the confidentiality card to avoid answering hard questions, but will limit it to where it applies from a legal standpoint,” reads the report. In response, students organized a sit-in at the soon-to-be-closed Bluff’s restaurant last Thursday, where many voiced questions and criticisms to SCSU officials.
One of the event’s main promoters was a student under the Facebook pseudonym “Buttons D Kat.” Kat has become notorious online for leaking information and raising criticisms. On last Wednesday’s campus election radio show, Kat was accused of “talking a whole bunch of smack” and being “the biggest coward on campus.” The day after the radio show, one DJ sent a message to all listed on the event’s Facebook posting to inform them of Kat’s identity. Kat has since told The Varsity that the leaked name was incorrect. Meanwhile, another Facebook account with the same name was created and posted contradictory comments before being exposed as a fake. Online rumours have run rampant. With poetry, prose and wisecracks, The Varsity’s recent article comments and Facebook groups are sure to entertain and disgust.
Many have accused our reports of biased and untruthful reporting. But we can confidently state that we published whatever information could be attributed to actual people. This is really where the last source of secrecy lies. Over the past three weeks, many have spoken with Varsity staff. Most remained anonymous. People come to us in secrecy, but then expect us to spread information unattributed. In doing so, reporting the facts becomes impossible. This intensifies when students unions allude to suing the media. Some sources had valid reasons, but most kept a veil of secrecy out of convenience.
Congratulations on keeping yourselves, and some truths, comfortable and out of sight. Last week, UTSC students voted for campus executives in an election based on accountability. It is encouraging that our notoriously apathetic campus submitted 1,540 ballots in this election, compared to October’s 325 votes.
Students opted for another year of Zuhair Syed. While the results leave us baffled, we can only hope Syed lives up to his assurances of free speech and transparency. We hope that UTSC and U of T as a whole can develop a new culture; one of truth and openness. One that will lead us into a better future and not wars of suspicion.
