The Chair of the Canadian Federation of Students NL says he’s very concerned should the Graduate Students Union at Memorial University be dissolved.
The GSU issued a statement on March 9 indicating that a motion will be put forward at this week’s AGM to dissolve the union, citing financial mismanagement and significant debt to other organizations.
The union currently owes $1.6 million to Greenshield and another $350,000 in dues to the CFS.
Members say while students have lost faith in GSU leadership, dissolving the union will have “disastrous consequences” for grad students including the loss of health and dental insurance, the loss of institutional, provincial and national representation and difficulties in forming a new union.
Dissolution could also mean the loss of the opportunity to further investigate past financial mismanagement.
Nick Keough speaking with reporters (VOCM News)
CFS-NL Chair Nick Keough says the current GSU leadership is working hard to resolve outstanding issues.
He says as someone who’s been involved in student unions for a number of years, he’s seen “a lot of great work from the current GSU executive.
“I’ve seen them work really hard to get their finances back in order, and we’re really close to negotiating a plan that can help alleviate a lot of this debt and make sure that students don’t have to suffer, and don’t have to be without representation, or without health insurance.”
Members will vote on the future of the union this Wednesday.
