by Lexey Burns, Editor-in-Chief
Former SGA vice-president Katlyn Kotila is calling out the Students’ General Association (SGA), asking “what they can do to better support students.”
In a Facebook post, Kotila said:
“As a student, the silence coming from my own association… in addition to those from other associations who were elected to represent us has been incredibly concerning considering the devastation that Laurentian University community is currently seeing,” she said.
She then lists certain actions that the SGA could take to assure students are supported by their student association.
The post includes: a list of actions that have been taken by the executives to advocate for students and those results, greater support and involvement with movements like Save our Sudbury, a by-election to have more students involved in Senate, support towards the food bank and rental support services for students losing their jobs or in “precarious situations” and further publicizing and strengthening academic support services.
“I am not looking to bash the people who have been putting their time in to advocate for students but rather want to create an open space for students to express their needs and build a stronger community,” Kotila said.
Eric Chappell, president of the SGA, said that Kotila has not contacted him directly with her concerns about the SGA
“We have focused on working with the University,” Chappell said. “I’m doing everything we can to minimize damage.”
As Senator, Chappell can’t reveal much from the CCAA proceedings in Senate.
He also explained his attempts to provide students with answers for the CCAA process did not go as planned.
“I even did an open table for students to attend and half of the conversation was about how hard it is during Covid to do academics.”
He said “going through my email there’s been less than five students” who have asked about the CCAA.
He said that the SGA email is up to date and that the two emails he had received the morning of April 12th was “about if students can do… a pass fail option this semester then about the CCAA.”
Chappell also says that a “By-election for senators was already in the works,” although that he did not know when it would take place and that the positions would most likely be for next year.
He said he encourages Kotila to apply as “we’ve always had challenges filling those seats.”
“I think the most important thing at this time is for students to support each other,” he said.
“This is going to be a horrible time for lots of people and we need to stick together as a community.”
Malek Abou-Rabia, SGA Vice President of Education, is also one of the 6 senate members involved in the CCAA negotiation and is also bound by confidentiality laws.
The SGA released an email on April 12th saying, “We are continuing to advocate for our students through these unprecedented and uncertain times, and we are working in earnest with administration to amplify student voices.”
“Our actions are reliant on the information that we are given, and we appreciate your patience as we do what we can. We remain committed to keeping you as informed as possible and are working diligently behind the scenes to find steps to be able to guide you moving forward.”