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P u b lis h e d b y th e S t u d e n t s ’ S o c ie t y o f M c G ill U n i v e r s i t y
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Fringe program onthe verge B y Ja y Po u lt o n
The African Studies program, not unlike many others at McGill, is facing an uncertain road ahead, faced with continual budget cut backs and a lack of support from both the government and the University. As a result, students in African Studies are having to rely on each other for financial support. The program, begun thirty years ago under substantial student pres sure, continues to struggle, to find money and members today. S e tt in g a p r e c e d e n t The African Studies program, the only one of its kind in Canada, tries to deal with issues from across the continent with limited resources. McGill’s program cur rently sits without a chair; it is run by a rotating program co-ordinator. Ray Murray, a U3 African Studies minor who sits on the stu dent-run African Studies Committee, says that the program is in "a constant battle to survive." As it stands, the program receives support from the university in terms of relatively minimal "pro motions;” in terms of funding, however, African Studies is often overlooked. "At the committee meetings, many professors rarely show up for support," Murray stated. The African Studies Committee has been left to its own devices to keep the program afloat in many cases. Throughout the month of February, Black History Month, the committee launched awareness campaigns geared at schools across the country. Measures included sending out pamphlets and appearing on uni versity radio shows with the hopes C o n t in u e d o n p a g e 2 2
RebeccaCatching
C a rly M o h e r a n d E la in e P e n n y c e le b r a te a fte r w in n in g th e ir g o ld m e d a l in th e 4 x 8 0 0 m r e la y a t C IA U n a tio n a ls .
McGill StudentsFundapprovedinreferendum N e w $ 3 8 p e r s e m e s t e r f e e m u s t c le a r J u d ic ia l B o a r d h u r d le b e f o r e b e c o m in g r e a lit y By Stephanie Levuz
Despite counting delays and a fire alarm, Elections 99 finally came to an end last Thursday at 4:30 a.m. Central to this year's election was the referendum on the McGill Students' Fund, a $38 per semester fee that will be split between the libraries, the Shatner building and an access bursary. Since its inception in late January, the MSF has been a continu ous source of debate both within the Students’ Society and on campus. In addition to lengthy debates on all aspects of the fund in Society council meetings, the MSF motivated mem bers of the Namby Pamby Positive Action Committee to occupy SSMU offices two weeks ago. By the time the last poll was counted, the MSF had been approved by 1,669 students. 1,219 students voted no and there were 112 spoiled ballots — the least number of spoiled ballots in any race. Duncan Reid, SSMU president, thinks the passage of the new fee marks a step forward for students. "It hasn't truly sunk in yet it but I think this means a truly big change for students, the SSMU and the universi ty. This fund will make an appreciable
difference in student resources and I can't wait for it to become a reality." Brock McDonald, science repre sentative to SSMU and a major part of the yes campaign for the fund, was also pleased. "The students in the end support ed the MSF regardless of the protests. It is a true victory for the student body," he stated.
MSF goes to the Judicial Board Although the student body has approved the MSF, there is still one more step to go before the fund becomes a reality. Last month, the Law Students Association voted to contest the MSF on the basis that the question was unconstitutional. Although Chief Returning Officer Drew Cormack approved the legality of the question, members of the LSA, including Francois Tanguay-Renaud Civil Law rep, feel that the question was unclear for the student body, and as such, violated the constitution. Consequently, the LSA has chosen to appeal to the Judicial Board, a group of upper year law students who have the last say on all matters pertaining to the SSMU constitution. “As the question stands and
regarding the awful management and decision process, we are going all out against a questions and a process that violates student rights,” said Renaud. Should the Judicial Board decide that the referendum question was invalid, the MSF will be overturned and the SSMU will have to seek fund ing elsewhere. Reid is confident, how ever, that this will not be the case. "[The LSA] is reaching out through multiple arguments that are weak and they are compensating for their weakness with the many argu ments. 1think the J-Board will see this and decide in our favour." The decision of the J-Board is expected within the next few weeks. Once it has been given, the current SSMU council will be spending the final part of their mandate ironing out the rules and regulations governing the new fund, specifically the bursary. "There are a lot of procedures that remain to be legislated," said Reid. "But we expect to have every thing running, including the bursary, by October of this year."
Students just say 'no' In addition to the question on the MSF, students were presented with three plebiscite questions designed to
gauge popular opinion on a fee for First Year Students Association, smoking space in Shatner and security on campus. 78 per cent of students were in favour of more non-smoking space in the Shatner building, but noted down the idea that first year students should pay a one time fee for the FYSA. On the subject of campus security, a major campaign issue, students were clearly divided. 54 per cent said they felt security was adequate, while 45 per cent think it still needs some work. Because of a photocopying mixup, students who voted in the morning of the first polling day did not receive the plebiscite questions, one of several problems that plagued the election process from the beginning. In addition to running out of bal lots at several major polling stations in the first few hours of voting last Tuesday, many students were unaware that they could vote for two Arts Senators, as opposed to one. The ballots were changed later on in the day to clarify the problem. S e e
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Dr. Spencer Boudreau, Director of the office of Student Teaching & Profin the Faculty of Education, McGill University will be reading from his new bopR^Mtholic Educatioèm The ^ u Æ tK x p ^ riè ftc é at 5pm in the McGill Bookstore - 2nd floor Café - refreshments will be served.
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