Live Blogging from the Dal Student Union AGM (Part Deux)

david parker — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:35:23 +0000

April 1st, 2009. Dalhousie Student Union Building, Halifax

MacInnes Auditorium

6:32 pm - People are filing into the room. Approximately 40 pizzas have arrived, and they are being eaten as quickly as they are brought in. Attendance is at least 100 students, media, Sodexho staff, security, and others. The auditorium is three quarters full.

6:45 pm - Some students have faces painted from the carnival and concert, held earlier in the day in front of the Killam library, featuring bands, stilt walkers, clowns, and more. The line-up, according to Shannon Zimmerman (incoming DSU president), extends out to first floor lobby and out the front door.

6:57 pm - Mat Brechtel, chair of the meeting, has begun his preamble. "There was a tool called the challenge to the chair that was abused at the last meeting (March 11th).... It is not intended to procedurally do what you democratically cannot do. I encourage you all to achieve your democratic ends, through the use of a vote."

7:03: From the back of the room in the press booth, it looks like all the chairs are full.

7:28 pm - DSU Vice President Education Mark Coffin is presenting his portfolio, consisting mostly of lobbying nationally and provincially through CASA and ANSSA. Tony Seed, editor of Shunpiking Magazine and former candidate of the Marxist-Leninist Party, sitting beside me, says the lobbying model is selling out students' interests.

7:51 pm: DSU Vice President Student life Kris Osmond is interrupted during his presentation on white rock bands coming to Dal, by a black man from the floor, who says, "How do we reduce racism and discrimination on campus? Why is it that we didn't have anything to address inclusiveness on campus during the whole year?" Osmond responds with, "We have over 250 societies on campus.... Our doors were always open." The question, more or less unanswered, hangs in the air.

students' movement

Live Blogging from the Dal Student Union AGM (Part Deux)