Search Results for “ausma malik”

Two “cis, straight Indian dudes” talk 2062
Victoria College’s Isabel Bader Theatre hosted “2062: Beyond a Cartoon Future for Millennial Workers” on January 23. Ausma Malik, U of T alum and the Director of Social Engagement at the Atkinson Foundation, moderated a “seriously funny” conversation between US-based comedian Hari Kondabolu and Canadian Roots Exchange Executive Director and nêhiyaw activist Max FineDay. The two discussed the future of work in the context of millennial anxiety about access to decent and fair employment. The event attempted to be innovative, being recorded in a live podcast format with audience participation.The Jetsons — a cartoon series that aired in 1962 and is set 100 years after — framed the conversation for the kind of dystopian future that we might want to avoid: technology and robots as a stand-in for disposable labour that used to be performed by poorly paid racialized workers; departure from an Earth beyond saving from environmental disaster; and isolated, non-communal living in space. On successKondabolu and FineDay demonstrated remarkable comedic chemistry as they brought their individual racial identities and professions — one a South Asian-American in the entertainment industry and former human rights organizer, the other an Indigenous youth leader at the helm of a national non-profit charity — to the discussion. No matter how successful they have become in their careers, though, Kondabolu and FineDay are kept grounded by their families. It can be difficult to convey to them how big they’ve made it. “I’m a stand-up comedian, which is hard to explain to relatives in India, first of all, and then I’m a podcaster, which you don’t really mention to relatives in India at all,” explained Kondabolu. “I’m like a shitty Renaissance man.” On complexityKondabolu described improvements in the stand-up comedy industry over the last decade, namely the acknowledgement that his community — which he specifies as “straight, cis, Indian dudes” — are multi-layered, complex human beings. Poking fun at how Indigenous peoples and South Asians are ‘identified’ in the same way, FineDay went on to joke about how he and Kondabolu had “really bonded over being cis, straight Indians” backstage.At the same time, other subcommunities, whether women or trans folks, continue to struggle with barriers. The “complexity of identity” for Kondabolu is to recognize that people of colour are “not all victims.” “Some of us are assholes,” he said. “The oppressed can also oppress others…You can be a victim of racism and then still be homophobic and transphobic.”On commodification For FineDay, the increasing recognition of his community can be problematic. It is often non-Indigenous people who have access to funding, resources, and networks, and who ultimately decide what reconciliation should look like. For Kondabolu, the trendiness of being Indian or Asian American is a product, not just because people of colour have been pushing for more diversity, but because those at the top — producers and directors — are realizing that there is money to be made through these heretofore neglected communities. Hence, both negotiate between the opportunities that come with diversity and the commodification of their identity that often comes as a price.But diversity is, nonetheless, an inevitability. In anticipation of the fact that white people will become a minority in Canada and the US in 2036 and 2042 respectively, Malik and FineDay acknowledged that Indigenous communities are the fastest growing ones in Canada. Kondabolu gleamed at the prospect to “fuck colonialists out of the country.” On disposability Kondabolu described the impact of the recent US government shutdown on labour as “embarrassing,” while acknowledging that “it’s a part of a proud, American tradition of not paying its workers — which I believe began with slavery. So it’s a little retro.”Malik focused on problematizing a capitalist version of automation, in which technology is used to dispose of labour rather than make our lives easier. As FineDay points out, unlike in our parents’ generations, finding decent, well-paying employment or owning property may be out of reach. On the future of the sharing economy, Kondabolu is more supportive of socialism than the current version concerning “Uber and shit.” While many skills may become obsolete, FineDay expects that telling stories is something “no machine will ever be able to do.” Kondabolu is less optimistic, fearing that the human ability to create art might become something that is easily duplicated by artificial intelligence and therefore no longer be as valued. He stressed the need for re-training workers and investing in new industries. “It’s not about investing in coal,” he noted, criticizing the current political reluctance to divest from fossil fuels for climate change.On empowerment To change the power dynamics of the future, Kondabolu hopes to see people of colour become leaders who call the shots — in the case of stand-up comedy, producers and directors. People who belong to a certain community should tell the stories of that community — not just anyone who claims to be ‘woke.’ He cautioned, “People do lots of shitty things when they’re awake. Just because you know what’s going on doesn’t mean you’re going to do the right thing.” For FineDay, the “Mr. Spacely” of Indigenous peoples has always been Canada. The country continues to break treaties, while portraying itself as an international defender of human rights.Yet, while many systemic challenges remain, FineDay is focused on changing hearts and minds on a one-on-one level. Informing and encouraging Canadians to learn about youth suicide rates, residential schools, or lower health outcomes in Indigenous communities is part of what he calls “little wins.” On organizing Reconciliation, for FineDay, means that space is made for Indigenous peoples in higher education and workplaces that don’t require them to sacrifice culture and pride. He takes inspiration from the generosity of youth and communities who, despite Canada’s ongoing wrongdoings, are still willing to reconcile.If we are to take anything away from the discussion, it’s that an alternative, just, and diverse future, one that overcomes colonialism, racism, and capitalism, is possible — if we take organized action. And that starts with any number more than one. At some point, Kondabolu told FineDay, “We should be friends, man.” I don’t really listen to podcasts, but if the two of them were to organize one called “cis, straight Indian dudes,” I would definitely jump on that bandwagon.
Published by Ibnul Chowdhury on 01/26/2019

“Women Win TO” encourages greater diversity in public office
On June 7, five current and former elected officials and past candidates gathered at the University of Toronto’s Multi-Faith Centre to celebrate the launch of Women Win TO, an organization that aims to support and teach women and gender nonconforming people how to thrive and succeed when seeking election for public office. As part of the Toronto Women’s City Alliance, Women Win TO is intended to make women and gender nonconforming people feel more welcome in the political realm. The initiative comes prior to the 2018 municipal election.Speakers and their experiencesFormer MP Olivia Chow delivered the opening remarks at the event, reflecting on the messages she wished to imbue during her 2014 bid for Mayor of Toronto and what parts of her platform were lost in the campaign process.The panelists in attendance were Alejandra Bravo, the Director of Leadership and Training at the Broadbent Institute and former Ward 17 candidate; Ausma Malik, Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Ward 10 Trustee; Tiffany Ford, TDSB Ward 4 Trustee; and Kristyn Wong-Tam, Ward 27 City Councillor.Jennifer Hollett, head of news and government at Twitter Canada, digital director of Olivia Chow’s 2014 mayoral campaign, and the NDP candidate for University—Rosedale in the 2015 federal election, moderated the panel.The panelists, many of whom had several intersecting identities, noted how many unanticipated problems accompany the campaign process.Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam described her work on implementing a gender responsive budget at City Hall, which applies an intersectional feminist lens to take all residents’ needs into consideration when making budgetary decisions. As the only openly gay woman elected to the position of city councillor, Wong said it has been challenging for her to convince the council to invest more in policies affecting minorities and youth. Won-Tam expressed the difficulty that she faced in having to explain and deconstruct these problems and their consequences on society as a whole.Trustee Ausma Malik provided an account of discrimination on her campaign, during which she and her team were harassed online by racist and Islamophobic trolls. While she had not expected online harassment to become so central to her campaign, she thanked the groups that stood in solidarity with her throughout the ordeal and ultimately helped her to win the election.Directly responding to the discrimination Malik faced on the campaign trail, Malik said she was able to let it fuel her campaign. She noted that while being the first elected official in Canada who wears a hijab is indeed a feat, it's important that she not be the last.The idea of solidarity was consistently raised by the panel at Women Win TO — that strong support networks, whether personal or professional, are essential to wellbeing and success in politics.Talking 2018When The Varsity asked what the panelists would like to see on a mayoral campaign platform in 2018, their responses varied.Hollett highlighted the rate at which people are being priced out of the city, which has made it increasingly inaccessible to new immigrants and impedes the diversity that the city is known for.Bravo asked for greater focus on providing living wages, affordable housing, transit, and childcare.Many of the participants and attendees that The Varsity spoke to felt hopeful about the kind of collaboration that has been fostered and encouraged by their elected officials. Event attendee Hanan Mohamed expressed interest in applying to the program, but stressed the necessity for hands-on workshops, such as mock canvassing, to give women a greater advantage when they eventually go through the process themselves.Overall, the panelists encouraged a diversity of women to run for public office, and to make public offices more representative of the city’s diverse population.Women interested in running for political office were encouraged to register for the Women Win TO workshop program. The application process to be part of the Women Win TO program runs from June 8 to July 17.
Published by Helena Najm, Nouran Sakr, Natasha Ramkissoon on 06/22/2017

Waverly Hotel to be redeveloped
The dilapidated Waverly Hotel located at 484 Spadina Avenue is to become a privately-owned student residence, with the adjacent Silver Dollar Room, a club and music venue, being restored as a heritage site.The City of Toronto reached a resolution with the property owner, Wynn Group of Companies on the redevelopment of the two buildings, bringing a dispute that lasted nearly two years to a close.The resolution comes as U of T anticipates the need for over 2,200 new residence spaces by 2020.According to Althea Blackburn-Evans, director of news & media relations at U of T, the university is following the lead of other post-secondary institutions in North America by increasing residence spaces in partnership with the private sector. Examples of such on-going projects include the space leased to Knightstone Capital at 245 College Street, which is currently under construction. There is also a project in the proposal stage at the corner of Spadina and Sussex.The university, however, is not involved with the Hotel Waverly project.Joe Cressy, city councillor for Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina; Ausma Malik, trustee for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Ward 2; and Tim Grant, chair of the Harbord Village Residents' Association, struck the resolution.The new settlement confirms the construction of a 15 storey building, as well as provides for heritage restoration of the Silver Dollar Room. The restoration is set to include adjustments designed to “emphasize the architecture of the Silver Dollar Room and the surrounding area.”In exchange, the city will waive an agreement made under Section 37 of the Ontario Planning Act. Section 37 is a provision that allows cities to negotiate for funds from the developer that then go to public amenities and projects in exchange for changes to current zoning policies.The proposal was brought to the city in August 2013 and required an amendment to a zoning by-law due to the proposed height of the building. The development’s original height restriction was 16 metres and the proposed height of the new building was 70 metres.Local residents have heavily criticized the proposed size of the building. The Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) rejected the proposal at the beginning of last year. The Toronto District School Board accepted $1 million in exchange for not opposing the proposal at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), a provincial tribunal with the power to overrule municipal planning decisions. The controversial move upset parents at the nearby Lord Lansdowne Public School, who feared that the shadow from the building would be cast on the school playground.The Wynn Group appealed the application with the OMB, which led to a hearing in November. In the months leading up to the hearing, the city designated the Silver Dollar Room under the Ontario Heritage Act, a designation that TEYCC requested in 2011. Two years later, the Wynn Group announced plans to redevelop the site. The heritage designation request also included the Waverly Hotel; however, city staff did not deem it worthy.
Published by Tamim Mansour on 05/25/2015

Former candidates say: “We Belong!”
“It was unprecedented.”This was how Ausma Malik, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee who ran for office in last year’s municipal elections, described the “co-ordinated, well-funded barrage of hate, lies, and innuendo” that she faced during the last election cycle in a statement that was read to the audience.Malik was invited to attend We Belong!, a discussion panel on “the hateful incidents and discriminatory climate in the last Toronto municipal elections” organised by the Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP) with support from the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) and the Equity Studies Student Union, alongside mayoral candidate Olivia Chow, city councillor Krystin Wong-Tam, and city council candidate Munira Abukar.Malik was unable to attend the event, although a statement read on her behalf re-iterated her belief in the need for an equitable public education system.Rebecca Wolfe, coordinator, community development at the CCP, said that the aim of the panel was to provide “an opportunity to learn” from the previous election and to work towards “building an equitable and inclusive city.”Wong-Tam noted that, after the election of mayor Rob Ford in 2010, the discourse in the city changed. “We saw language that surfaced that was extremely homophobic, and we saw that we had a mayor who was playing up racial stereotypes and was pitting communities against one another,” she said.Chow offered an explanation for the change in political discourse. “When it comes from people in power, then it gives a licence to hate, licence to hurt,” she said.For Abukar, the fact that political discourse in the city had taken discriminatory overtones was not surprising at all. She said she was “frustrated” that others had found it so shocking.“The reality for someone like myself, as a young, racialised Muslim woman... is that’s the everyday behaviour of certain people,” she said.Abukar added that this stems from the fact that political leadership does not adequately reflect the diverse demographics of the city, saying, “Our city slogan is ‘Diversity Our Strength.’ If diversity is truly our strength, why don’t I see that reflected in our politics?”Chow also spoke of the class divide in the city and country, saying that class division leads to insecurity that manifests itself in bigoted attitudes.The candidates also spoke about personal threats that they had encountered.Wong-Tam said she received threats to the point that she had to change her walking patterns. “What they do is not attack your idea, but attack you personally,” she said.These included attacks on her sexual orientation and her race, as well as her immigrant history, with comments telling her to “go back to country.”Wong-Tam also said she once received a death threat from a resident of “a very prominent neighbourhood that represents” when one of her canvassers was at his door. The resident had said that if he had a gun, he would “put a bullet through her head.”She noted that throughout her predecessor Kyle Rae’s 19 years in office, “he volume of hate mail that he received was astronomical compared to what little I received.”Munira had been told by a teacher that she would become a dropout and “have... 30 kids.” But rather than accept that comment, she took it as a strong motivation to succeed, “So I had two opportunities: the opportunity to give him what he wanted... or I can be ‘Munira’ and look forward to the end of my high school year and having the highest average in the high school and photocopy every award and stapling them on his door,” she explained.The panelists also criticized the media for not adequately covering personal attacks. “I did not see the mainstream media unpack what happened to Olivia and the overt racism and sexism that was being levelled at her, and this was a city-wide race so the issue is on the forefront,” Wong-Tam said.Najiba Ali Sardar, UTSU vice-president, equity, said she was thrilled at the turnout for the event, adding that it was “important to have this conversation.”She also said that, later in the term, the UTSU will be holding a conference that will invite women in politics to speak about their experiences.
Published by Tamim Mansour on 01/26/2015

Provost names committee on democracy in student government
U of T administors have struck a committee to set guidelines for student governments in order to ensure democracy and transparency. Cheryl Misak, VP and provost, ordered the committee after she froze the Arts & Science Student Union’s student levy funding this semester, citing improper conduct in their spring elections.U of T admin is responsible for collecting and distributing student union levies, but has exercised the power to withhold funding if they suspect that its processes are not democratic, according to the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees.“Nothing changes in terms of what the provost can and cannot do. Rather these guidelines will provide clarity on what the provost expects,” said Misak. The advisory committee appointed by Misak is made up of 10 students, seven professors, and two administrators. They will brainstorm recommendations for fair and democratic processes. Misak will take these suggestions to construct a final set of guidelines, used by both student societies and administrators.“The issue with ASSU was one of the prompts for this committee,” said Misak. Former ASSU president Ryan Hayes resigned in September, after leaked emails obtained by the Varsity revealed collusion with elections officer Ausma Malik to ensure his election to presidency. However, the administration has seized union funds on other occasions.Misak referred to a case in which Governing Coucil voted to transfer the membership and levy money of part-time UTM students to UTM’s full-time student union, instead of the downtown-based Association of Part-time Students. A total of 52 students voted in the referendum. The decision was rescinded after Ontario courts found that the referendum did not follow APUS rules.But APUS representatives said their case has nothing to do with why the committee was struck. ”In our case it was the university ignoring and not following their own rules about membership changes and fees,” said Joeita Gupta, APUS VP of internal affairs.”According to their policy, a referendum by another student union on APUS’ membership is illegitimate.Jill Matus, vice provost for students and a member of the committee, said the initiative is a step in the right direction. “Many students are craving this kind of guidance of transparency and clarity,” said Matus. “Guidelines that work with broad principles and are mutually agreed upon are much more useful. Nobody wants to impose concrete rules.”Colum Grove-White, committee member and the new ASSU president, said the committee’s discussion is an opportunity to prevent the administration from intervening in student affairs.“The onus now is on student leaders,” said Grove-White. “The way to prevent funds from being withheld in the future is for organizations to strengthen their constitutions.”The student democracy committee will meet this Wednesday, and invites suggestions. Send your ideas by Nov. 21 to [email protected], by mail (Room 225, Simcoe Hall), or by fax at 416-978-3939.
Published by Natalie Nanowski on 11/17/2008

ASSU goes bottom-up
Within the span of two days, the Arts and Science Students’ Union has lost its student fees and its president.Interim VP and provost Cheryl Misak has decided to withhold ASSU’s funding for the time being after she reviewed their two controversial elections from last year, as she informed the union Tuesday. On Wednesday, Sept. 17, ASSU president Ryan Hayes resigned via an emailed statement.Both decisions came after The Varsity uncovered the collaboration between then-candidate Hayes, elections chair Ausma Malik, and then-exec Alanna Prasad on elections procedures and reports. Leaked emails and chats cast doubt on Malik’s neutrality, showing that Hayes and Prasad decided to put forth Malik as a candidate for election chair.As chair, Malik threw out the initial election that Hayes’ rival, Colum Grove-White, won. The second election was pushed as far into the exam period as possible to “avoid an appeals process after the elections,” reads an email message from Prasad. Malik also asked Hayes and exec Alanna Prasad for input on her decisions and let them edit her verdict and the election report. When Grove-White lost the second election, he appealed to Jim Delaney, director of the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students. The investigation was handed over to Misak because Delaney is a claimant in an unrelated investigation involving ASSU executives.In her decision, Misak invoked the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees, which allows her to withhold funding “if the Office of the Vice-Provost Students has reason to believe that a student society is not operating in an open, accessible and democratic fashion.” Her office, the Office of the VP and Provost, is responsible for U of T’s academic and budgetary matters.Part of the dispute over the initial election stemmed from ASSU’s lack of official written rules for its elections. Hayes said he operated under past practice that disallowed campaigning. “Those were always the rules,” he said. Grove-White received written rules from an ASSU staffer stating that campaigning was permitted. Hayes and those who ran alongside him have claimed that ASSU staff, who are in the midst of a labour dispute with the execs, were not neutral in the election and supported the Grove-White slate. Misak’s letter to ASSU exec Sheila Hewlett, dated Tuesday, Sept. 16, voiced concern over the lack of written rules. “There was an absence of specific rules or procedures that might have brought openness and democracy to the situation,” the letter reads.In an interview that took place immediately after he resigned yesterday, Hayes rejected the validity of the policy governing ASSU’s funding from student fees, which he said has a vague definition on the student society’s undemocratic conduct.“They only need reason to believe, not definitive proof. The administration as an entity is biased in a referendum or election. The administration has interests because we negotiate with the administration,” he said. “The point that was made to her was that procedures already exist within ASSU to deal with any disputes.” The ASSU constitution states that instances not covered would be addressed by Bourinot’s Rules, parliamentary-style rules of order and procedure. Misak’s letter said referring to Bourinot’s is insufficient.Sandy Hudson, president of UTSU, agreed with Hayes. “Under no circumstances should the administration withhold funds based on internal student union governance matters,” she said. “When there are electoral improprieties, it is the members, that is the course unions of ASSU, who have the responsibility to ensure that the organization is running smoothly.”Grove-White called Misak’s decision “a double-edged sword.”“On one side it will result in a transparent democratic process,” he said. “But on the other it jeopardizes funding for those course unions who really work on behalf of their students.”In her letter, Misak said the ASSU constitution does not describe “a clear procedure for dealing with complaints from members” and later noted that “ASSU has no rules for the conduct of elections for President.”When asked whether ASSU should have specific rules for complaints and the election, Hayes said, “If you want to do something, whether it’s a complaint, or something else, it’s the same policy. It’s all the same, because it’s all democratic. It would be redundant.”Hayes’ written statement of resignation does not admit any unethical behaviour on his part. “This has resulted in sensationalized reporting largely revolving around petty personal politics and gossip, which I feared would be used to distract from the important work of ASSU for the remainder of my term,” it reads.According to ASSU’s constitution, the exec can select a replacement for vacated positions until a by-election can be held. Regularly scheduled elections for four exec positions will take place next Monday, Sept. 22. Exec Edward Wong said the presidential election will not be held on that date, because there is little time for nominations. At press time, the chief elections officer position has not been filled.Grove-White isn’t sure if he will run. “I think I need to talk to some course unions,” he said. “I’m a little worried because of ASSU’s current predicament and about who is willing to step up to the plate if I don’t.”Both of ASSU’s remaining execs, Wong and Hewlett, declined to comment on Hayes’ resignation and the fund freeze. Wong said the execs would meet and would respond to Misak’s letter, as requested, by noon on Friday, Sept. 19.
Published by Jane Bao, Natalie Nanowski on 09/18/2008

ASSU’s crooked election
The Arts and Science Student Union is in deep trouble on three separate fronts. Documents have surfaced proving their sitting president conspired to overturn an election he lost and retake control of the union, aided by a chairperson he helped appoint and another powerful ASSU exec. Meanwhile, a poisonous atmosphere in the ASSU office has administrative staff filing grievances against elected executive members who are locking staff out of meetings and restricting their role in running the union. ASSU does not have a voice in choosing the Arts & Science Dean, and none of its executive members have office hours, though the union is active in social advocacy groups outside the university. Ongoing issues have polarized the union in debate over how well it represents the will of its members—the 41,000 Arts & Science students who pay the union roughly $615,000 per year in dues.—ANDRE BOVEE-BEGUNRyan Hayes, last year’s ASSU president and the winner of this spring’s scandal-ridden elections, manipulated election results with the union’s CEO and another exec, documents obtained by The Varsity reveal. Emails and chats ranging from March to May 2008 show Ausma Malik, who served as CEO briefly to conduct a review of the disputed election, received instructions and improper input from Hayes and exec Alanna Prasad throughout her tenure.ASSU is the union representing the university’s 40,000-strong Arts & Science undergrads. They receive roughly $600,000 in annual funding from a student levy, produce the Anti-Calendar, and have representatives from the course unions of every Arts & Science faculty.Hayes lost ASSU’s March 8 election to Colum Grove-White, causing an outburst that threw the meeting into recess. After Hayes demanded a review of the meeting and alleged that that Grove-White violated pre-campaigning regulations, ASSU launched an investigation. The chair of the meeting, Noaman Ali, annulled the vote and stepped down.In a March 26 email conversation, Hayes and Prasad pursued the idea of having Malik put forth as a candidate for elections chair and CEO during the investigation. Prasad asked Hayes in a email, “Confirm Ausma as the chair: Ryan can you see if she’s up to this?” Hayes also wrote of Ausma, “I would trust her 100 percent.”Throughout her review, Malik consulted Hayes and Prasad on her decisions and allowed them to edit her written verdict on the disputed election that Hayes lost. Emails sent between the three show Malik’s final report on the election to be a collaborative effort between Hayes, Prasad, and a handful of others.“I’m also coming up with an extensive list of points change it.”The three discussed how to dismiss dissenting parties. Grove-White and Adler both emailed Malik, questioning her neutrality. “I do want you to know that the choice of you as an ‘un-biased’ chair/CEO had me deeply suspicious,” wrote Grove-White. “The majority of the Executive appointed you as Chair, directly undermining Council’s decision to instate Terry as Chair at the last meeting (and breaching the Constitution.) Why do you think they are doing this? Is this equitable?”Prasad told Malik: “We have to give some opportunity to contribute now (in terms of writing a statement), otherwise they’ll just use that against us.”Malik emailed Adler’s and Grove-White’s formal statements on the first election to Hayes and Prasad, warning them “please delete after reading/use.”Various student politicians copied on and forwarded many of the emails include former ASSU president Ali, then-UTSU VP Michal Hay, and Sheila Hewlett, current ASSU council member and then president of the Fine Arts Students’ Union.The Varsity has attempted repeatedly to contact Hayes over the past week. Hayes refused to comment, and Malik and Prasad could not be reached by press time. Hewlett approached The Varsity to comment, denying that any interference occurred. When confronted with emails showing it had, Hewlett stated that Malik was merely checking with Hayes and Prasad over guidelines to be followed. The emails, however, include detailed strategy discussions planning for the verdict and anticipating any challenges to it. They also marginalize input from Hayes’s rival candidate.On April 8, Hayes emailed Prasad and Malik about overturning the initial election, stating it was “difficult to challenge that the election was unfair” and asking, “How is the appointment of the new chair and CEO legitimate?”Furthermore, the three pushed the recessed meeting as far into the exam period as possible in order, wrote Prasad, to “avoid an appeals process after the elections.” As course union representatives received word of a late meeting, former CEO and current ASSU executive assistant Terry Buckland emailed Malik advising her to reconsider. Buckland stated that ASSU had previously overturned course union elections “for holding them the last day after classes and during exam period.” At the April 23 meeting, Malik dismissed the Hayes’ pre-campaigning charges, citing multiple conflicting versions of campaign rules that left the issue unclear. She then called for a second election.Malik may have read the decision, but the verdict was already fixed. Earlier that day, Prasad had emailed Malik requesting her “ruling asap” so that the ASSU pair could make the appropriate changes. With a majority of his supporters present, Hayes managed to win 23-21, raising suspicions among many ASSU members. “They knew that the vocal critics of Ryan Hayes could not make it on ,” wrote White-Grove to Malik in an email dated April 10, 2008.Following the election, Grove-White supporters then took their grievances to the university administration, filing a complaint with Jim Delaney, director of the office of the vice-provost, alleging an undemocratic election process. These grievances and others led Delaney to consider freezing ASSU’s funds. Delaney has since left the investigation, which is currently in the hands of U of T’s VP and provost Cheryl Misak.The provost’s office, which handles budgetary matters, can withhold funding if ASSU refuses to follow its assigned recommendations. The leaked emails and chats could have implications on Misak’s ruling, now that they are allegedly in her hands. Hayes and Prasad enlisted the help of several ASSU execs to edit the minutes from the March 18 and April 23 meetings. In a Google chat, a former ASSU exec editing minutes, Krystyne James, said she had “no idea what was said” because she was not present during the April 23 meeting.In an interview with The Varsity last week, Misak said she could not comment on the matter, but confirmed that she had been called on to determine whether ASSU was “dealing in an undemocratic manner.” Misak said at the time she expected to settle the issue shortly. The emailsUpdate - September 19: The Varsity has received complaints that the correspondence originally posted with this story contains information that is impertinent, and implicates persons other than those involved. In light of the complaints, we have removed the documents and are currently reviewing them.
Published by Natalie Nanowski on 09/15/2008

Dept. of Electile Dysfunction: Hayes Vs. Grove-White
The divisive showdown for the ASSU presidency just got messier. Thanks to a lack of clear rules, two controversial elections between incumbent Ryan Hayes and challenger Colum Grove-White have sparked complaints to admin, who have threatened to withhold funding to the student union.Grove-White was elected ASSU president by a narrow vote of 25-21 at the March 18 council meeting. Hayes, however, presented a formal complaint to CRO Ausma Malik, alleging pre-campaigning violations on the part of Grove-White.Malik threw out the election results on April 23, on grounds of “procedural issues” and libel in campaign material and held a re-election. This time, council voted 23-21 in favour of Hayes.At that meeting the council debated over muddled rules—and who’s to blame for them. While Malik dropped the issue of pre-campaigning, she noted that the CRO of the initial election failed to provide all candidates with rules. Sheila Hewlett, council member, then pinned the problem on the executive, who she said “failed to let the CRO know that he was CRO for the election in question.”According to executive member Patrick Adler, no election rules actually exist. Hayes and Grove-White both took the opportunity to give their interpretation of proper election procedures.Reading an excerpt from an MSN conversation with Saswati Deb, Hayes said that the only set of rules that were ever generally accepted had to do with pre-campaigning. Grove-White responded that since neither the ASSU constitution nor the operating Bourdinot’s Rules of Order have rules for elections, no rules were broken.Following Hayes’ victory in the second election, Grove-White’s supporters, Adler among them, filed a complaint with Jim Delaney, director of the Office of the Vice-Provost. Accusations include undemocratic process in electing the president, executive, and chair of the meeting, as well as failure to inform council members of the April 23 meeting and election.These objections, along with a complaint on the ASSU’s spending habits, prompted Delaney to send a formal letter to Hayes, requesting a response to the allegations and minutes of the meeting, by May 2. The letter also cites the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees, which states that further installments of student fees may be withheld if constitutional problems are not reviewed.Hayes argues that the administration is infringing on the rights of a student union, and likens it to “the management of a corporation withholding the core funding of their workers’ labour union.” Admin interference, he said, is not unique to this situation and has involved numerous legal threats over the years, including a lawsuit over the CFS referendum. “ASSU is a democratic body that follows its own by-laws and constitution. Any disagreement can be brought to our executive or addressed at council meetings.”Council member Adler expressed reluctance at the admin’s involvement, but said they are best suited to mediate as the ASSU can’t seem to settle the matter on its own. The next step, he said, would be to establish concrete policies for elections in the ASSU constitution.
Published by Shaun Alphonso on 05/12/2008

Students hold forum against islamophobia
"On Our Own Terms: Muslim Youth Speak Out," was a public forum organized to give the campus community a chance to voice their thoughts on Islamophobia to members of the press and a diverse panel of speakers. Many participants spoke out in support of political discussion and activism. The event was held on June 29 by the SAC Equity Commission and recently-formed advocacy group Students Against Islamophobia (SAI), and saw a large turnout of Muslim and non-Muslim students.In the wake of islamophobic incidents on campus and negative news stories, many felt that Muslim students were being targetted by media stereotypes of angry and misguided youth. With last month's arrest of 17 individuals involved in an alleged bombing plot, the accused, including UTM student Saad Khalid, are being labelled "homegrown terrorists."Campus groups including the SAC and the Muslim Students' Association resent the implication of these labels, that terrorism is rooted in the Muslim community. These groups are also frustrated by what they see as assumptions that Muslims accused of terrorist acts are automatically guilty, or that their defenders are complicit. "We are deeply concerned by how the media represents Muslims and their alleged connections to terrorism," said SAC vice president equity Ausma Malik.Malik's introductory remarks, telling the audience that speaking out is part of being a good Canadian and a good Muslim, set the tone for the evening's discussion. Later on, the audience applauded as the news media was scolded for portraying Canadian Muslims as having divided loyalties. One panelist bemoaned not being able to go camping or paintballing ("or as we call it, training,") without appearing suspicious.Such worries aren't as baseless as they may seem. CSIS recently investigated a U of T student after he converted to Islam, as part of the agency's program of "disruption techniques" to frighten people identified as potentially dangerous. Professor Wesley Wark calls the program "quintessentially Canadian -- a stern lecture to the parents," but participants in the forum saw it as part of a growing suspicion towards Islam.The event was somewhat marred when a photographer from a major Toronto newspaper was allegedly overheard telling his editor he had a good picture of a participant who "looks like a scary one." Organizers responded by saying that if that remark was actually made, it only underlines the importance of promoting sincere and respectful communication.Some complained about being made to feel like radicals after speaking in public about injustices against Muslims. "It's not radicalism, it's response," declared a woman encouraging political activism as a path for youth frustrated by Islamophobia. The statement received enthusiastic approval."People were confident," said SAI representative Gengiz Seyhun. "It was clear it was unacceptable for the media to redirect accusations against the Muslim community in general." According to Seyhun, the meeting's open format sent the message that instead of any one person speaking for Muslims in general, community dialogue is essential to overcoming the climate of fear and disrespect felt by many Muslim students.Participants in the forum agreed that U of T is fortunate to be able to host such an event. Several speakers and audience members rejected the terms "extremist" and "moderate" as divisive and poorly-defined. Instead, they called on Muslims to make it clear their community does not have a "terrorist problem" and that suspicion of Islam is the result of misrepresentation. All who spoke during the evening urged Muslim communities to show solidarity and to affirm their political, legal, and social rights.A similar event on the UTM campus is in the early planning stages.
Published by Andre Bovee-Begun on 07/24/2006

Victory yawns before Hassum slate
Jennifer Hassum & Co. seem poised for a win at the polls that would mirror the election sweep by the "Progress" slate-some members who are running again this year, including chairperson Paul Bretscher-last year. Full-time undergraduate students began voting yesterday at 9 a.m. for a new SAC executive and board of directors, as well as for the two student members of the Governing Council. For positions that are uncontested, students will be limited to a 'yes' or 'no' ratification vote.Executive candidates struggled to answer nagging questions about the absence of opponents in the SAC election, questions which dominated what was supposed to be a debate about equity and social justice issues at the Women's Centre on Tuesday. "The irony is there was more advertising done this year than any other year," asserted Hassum. They said that the SAC elections committee postered the entire campus-"hundreds upon hundreds of big colour posters," said Bretscher-as well as sending repeated messages out on SAC's listserv and posting messages on the SAC website.Hassum, who is running for the chairperson ("formerly known as president") position, pointed to her "modest gains" as VP External this year, mainly regarding transit developments such as freezing the SAC metropass price and getting a higher quantity of passes. "We're a commuter student university and so saving student money and student transit is actually an accessibility issue," she said. VP Equity candidate Ausma Malik, VP Internal & Services candidate Andrea Armborst, VP External candidate Bretscher, and the two Governing Council student candidates Saswati Deb and Coralie D'Souza, the latter of whom is running for re-election, also gave run-downs of their achievements.Of all the candidates, Deb, who has been endorsed by several student groups, displayed the most dazzling campaign promises. She pledged to fight to drop the lowest mark on graduating students' transcripts."Other peer institutions have already done this," she said, though she didn't mention which ones.She also pledged to reduce the price of food on campus. Indeed, if the students have their way, it seems that the picture of food services on campus will be going through some impressive changes."Because of what we've discussed on the food vendor next year," she said, citing both the end of the corporation's contract and their poor treatment of employees and bad food quality. As with the previous debates, chairperson candidate Marc Fernandez did not show, but Hassum cautioned against underestimating him. "He's running his own campaign, going around to different clubs," she said.Multiple questions about the lack of an opposing slate-which were submitted to the debate anonymously-had candidates rushing to defend this year's election process. One anonymous student asked whether they thought it was "undemocratic" to be running so many candidates uncontested. Hassum countered this view."SAC is actually more democratic since our decision over the summer, when we actually made it so no executives could be acclaimed, so it's a 'yes' or 'no' vote now," she said.Hassum emphasized that because of her candidacy, she has not formally been a part of the committee that handles election advertising and outreach. She said that she had informally mentioned the upcoming election to many people. "Personally, people have come up to me saying that they were thinking of running but they decided not to. They felt that because I was running this year, that they wouldn't be likely to win."
Published by Sarah Barmak on 03/09/2006

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