The Martlet

A proposed referendum on removing the current UVic Student Society Board of Directors failed to make it onto the UVSS Annual General Meeting agenda on Oct. 16.

José Barrios, who initially petitioned that the removal of the board be brought to a student vote, had his request turned down at a special UVSS board meeting, but attempted to amend last Thursday’s AGM agenda to include a special resolution that would put the question of removal on the table.

Barrios, who had less than the needed five per cent support, said the special resolution should be allowed because of a UVSS bylaw which states that a special resolution needs a one per cent support quota from the UVic student population.

Meeting chair Amanda Aziz declared the move to amend out of order because of a second UVSS bylaw stating that a special resolution specifically for impeachment needs to be supported by five per cent of the student population.

Barrios appealed the ruling and the chair’s decision was put to a vote.

Sixty-five of the students present voted to uphold the chair’s decision, while 42 voted in disagreement. The AGM agenda was not amended to include the special resolution.

Barrios said he sought the referendum in response to the board’s failure to end the Student Union Building workers’ strike. He believes that, as part of a democratic society, removal of the board should be brought to a student vote.

“I am not asking for the removal of the directors,” said Barrios. “I am just asking for a vote to be brought on it.”

Like Barrios, many of the students who came to the AGM to vote are striking workers.

Acting union president Micheal Ryan insists that the union does not support the petition or impeaching the board.

“I agree they have the right to do it, but don’t agree that removing the board is a good idea,” said Ryan. “It’s really not our place [as a union] to tell our members what they can and can’t support.”

Barrios plans to continue petitioning students until he has five per cent support, or 800 signatures.

“The reason the petition got rejected is because they ignored my knowledge of bylaw 10.4 a,” said Barrios.

The bylaw in question said he needed only one per cent support for a special resolution. Barrios added that he’s willing to meet the board’s interpretation of the bylaw which includes having five per cent support from the student population.

Barrios had 561 signatures at press time. He plans present at least 800 signatures at the next board meeting on Nov. 3.

According to UVSS bylaws, this would be one way to initiate impeachment proceedings, either through a general meeting or a referendum.

“My fear,” Barrios said, “is that they’ll find another technicality.”

  -with files from Sam VanSchie