Issues to watch out for in on-campus politics this year :
Fee Diversion
The UTSU building at Hart House Circle. FILE PHOTO: CAROLYN LEVETT/THE VARSITY
A decade old conflict between the University of Toronto Student’s Union (UTSU) and opposition student groups on campus rose to a fevered pitch last year, with students at Trinity Colleges and members of the Engineering Society voting overwhelmingly to leave the union. Students at Victoria College also voted to leave, but their referendum fell short of the required voter turnout. The opposition student groups cited what they describe as an unfair election system, which has seen an incumbent Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) backed slate win every election for the past ten years. Claiming internal reform is no longer possible, they are trying to divert the fees that they pay away from the union towards their respective student societies, effectively leaving the UTSU. The union denies these allegations and does not recognize the legitimacy of these referenda. The administration weighed in on the conflict, setting up a series of mediation sessions over the summer to try and foster a compromise. While all undergraduates will be paying fees to the UTSU this year, some student societies remain deeply dissatisfied with union, and it is unclear what the ultimate resolution will be.
Student Commons
The proposed site of the new Student Commons. FILE PHOTO: CAROLYN LEVETT/THE VARSITY
The Student Commons is an entirely student run facility that will contain space for clubs, studying, alternative food options, and common space. First approved in 2007, the commons location was confirmed as 230 College St. late last year, with construction set to begin in September. In a surprise move over the summer, the Executive Council of Governing Council postponed the vote on the Student Commons, citing the ongoing fee diversion controversy. The agreement that would have governed the Student Commons had a provision that the Student Commons would revert to the university if the UTSU no longer represented all full-time undergraduates. At present, the future of Student Commons seems contingent on the resolution of the fee diversion controversy.
New Senior Administration
Simcoe Hall, where most senior U of T administrators have their offices. FILE PHOTO: BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
This fall will see a major shift in the university’s top leadership as President Meric Gertler will assume his new role on November 1 and Provost Cheryl Regehr will take hers on September 2. From a student’s perspective, the president and provost are the two most influential leaders of the university. Prior to being selected as President, Gertler was the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science. Gertler’s interim replacement is David Cameron, who will serve until June 2014 or until a replacement is found. The Faculty of Arts and Science is the largest undergraduate faculty.
Access Copyright
Access Copyright is a non-profit organization that collects fees from the university on behalf of copyright holders. The university’s agreement with the organization has been controversial, with student groups and some law professors criticizing it as unnecessary and expensive for students. In June, the provost cancelled the current agreement which saw students paying $27.50 per semester and entered into negotiations with Access Copyright to, among other things, lower the fee paid by students The negotiations represent more than just potential savings for students, as copyright law is undergoing a fundamental transformation in response to the internet and the increasing dominance of digital forms of communication. Many universities have cancelled their agreements with Access Copyright, and a series of recent legal changes have been cited as strengthening the case of the universities. That being said, Access Copyright is in the midst of a legal battle with York University arguing that their interpretation of what is copyrighted is against the law. U of T and Access Copyright have until January 1 to determine a new deal.
