It’s unfortunate to hear the outcome of recent actions of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) and it makes students’ wonder: does the SCSU actually work and serve the students they proclaim to do, or do they simply work in a narrow field prepping the advancements of their self-interested intentions.

The Women’s and Trans Centre at UTSC do a substantial effort to push its cause forward. I have no questions or comments in regards to their efforts and these comments are in no way of target to their dedication and assistance to make a conference happen. However, at the recent SCSU Annual General Meeting (AGM), the failure of their proposed motion requesting $7,000.00 was a consensus decision made by students— not because of their cause, not because of anyone’s bias, but instead, simply because of an unrealistic amount being asked for. The will of the members was to donate $2,500, which the members agreed upon by way of amendment and voting.

Why is it so that self-interested individuals are able to over-throw the will of the members? At the November 27​ ​meeting, that’s exactly what happened, with Director of Political Science Raymond Dang proposing a motion to donate a further $4,500 to the Woman and Trans Centre notwithstanding and, furthermore, not respecting the democratic process that took place at the AGM. Let’s not forget Leon Tsai, Director of Historical & Cultural Studies, who has direct influence on the organization of this conference. Tsai is listed as the External Coordinator for the Women’s and Trans Centre on Ulife. Tsai is apparently part of the organizing committee toward which the funding is going — can someone smell conflict of interest?

Director of Political Science Raymond Dang and each and every one of the SCSU Board Members who voted in favour of this passed motion considered their self-interested intentions over their members’ — putting disregard to the members who put them in office and an evident uncaring attitude to those who voted at the AGM to not have this motion in its original stance.

These are the elected officials sitting in the SCSU. My comments are not for them all, but, instead, for the slim majority who voted in favour at a meeting, away from the general public, and against the resolution formed at the AGM.

Where is the accountability and transparency? There isn’t any. There will never be any — not if the union continues to neglect its members and their voices.

— Sarkis Kidanian