THE MODERN MAGNUM P.l. PAGES 10 & 11
T r ib u n e
ublished by the Students' Society of McGill University
Volume 28 Issue 12 • November 18,2008
www.mcgilltribune.com
i/P Silverstein details reasons for resignation jSMU vice-president finance and operations will stay on until January 2 J ames G ilman & B ernard R udny Tobias Silverstein, the Students' Society vice-president finance and aerations, has explained that he resigned last week due to professional ancerns with his portfolio. In statements to SSMU Council and theTribune, Iverstein explained that he was unable to remedy discrepancies between le constitutional and day-to-day interpretations of the VP finance and opations portfolio. "I cannot fulfill the responsibilities of the vice-president finance and perations as they are outlined and detailed in the SSMU Constitution and y-laws,"Silverstein told Council."! cannot be responsible for the portfolio rid therefore must resign." Last Tuesday, Silverstein tendered his resignation to the SSMU Execuve, effective January 2, 2009. At Thursday's Council meeting, he recomlended that the position remain vacant after his departure. "Because the issues I have had with the position are professional, and ot personal, any individual who assumes the role will undoubtedly have ie same issues," Silverstein said in an interview with the Tribune. "I don't elieve they should assume the responsibility and the liabilities until the osition can be looked at further." Silverstein made his announcement to Council in a closed session, resenting a short statement while going into only minimal detail. According to several councillors that the Tribune contacted, Council ras largely accepting of the announcement. However, there was a great eal of frustration over the reticence of Silverstein and the rest of the Excutive. Many councillors felt unprepared for the election of his successor, iven the lack of detailed information provided to them.
Vice-President Finance and Operations Tobias Silverstein explained some of the reason for his departure last Thursday at the Students' Society Council meeting.________________________________ ________ ______
ee PORTFOLIO on page 2
Voting begins on proposed fee increases Referenda period opening with one less question than planned Y\Yt .
M att C hesser The Students'Society's fall referenda period begins today, fter four days of advance polling, but it will do so with one ewer question than originally planned. At a SSMU Council meeting last Thursday, councillors oted to remove a question on a proposed increase to the uniersity's Administrative Charges fee. The approved draft of the gestion called for a $5.25 increase to the fee per academic ear, but on Thursday afternoon an administrator emailed SMU Vice-President University Affairs Nadya Wilkinson to nform her that they had intended the question to request a 5.25 increase per semester (as opposed to per annum). "The by-laws don't allow for changes within 10 days of he polls opening," Wilkinson said. "We wanted to uphold the pirit of the by-laws, particularly because Elections McGill's im
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M artlet H ockey
St. Mary’s vs. McGill Thursday, Nov. 20 at 19h00 (McConnell Arena)
McGill ATHLETICS & RECREATION
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partial campaign team had already been getting the word out about what improvements students would get for an increase of $5.25 per year. Obviously McGill had promised things that could only be achieved with an extra $5.25 per semester, and so changing the question wasn't really an option." The SSMU ancillary fee by-laws, which were passed at the October 2 Council meeting, require that a "question shall be approved by Council no less than 10 days before the open ing of advanced polls.'The original draft of the Administrative Charges question was approved at the October 28 Council meeting, but the request for a change to the question came less than 24 hours before advance polls were set to open. "It's really unfortunate that this had to happen/'Wilkinson said. "This fee had gone through several drafts, where the ad ministration and I were sending drafts back and forth on what these fees were for and how they should be presented ... It's really worrying to consider that they hadn't proofread them."
St. Francis Xavier vs. McGill Friday, Nov. 21 at 19h00 (Glenfinnan Arena) „ Dalhousie vs. McGill Sunday, Nov. 23 at 13h00 (McConnell Arena)
TU -x /-I Ir i n r o H r"\\ / The administration is/“Irequired by provincial law to receive student approval if the total increases to ancillary fees exceed $15 per year. The proposed increase to the Administrative Charges fee could be covered within that $15, but according to Wilkinson, the administration had indicated they would not increase fees without putting them to referendum as an indi cation of good faith. Five questions regarding fee increases or renewals remain on the ballot for the fall referenda period. One such question is the renewal of the $10 Athletics and Recreation Facilities Im provement Fund, which was created in 1982. The ARFIF pro vides for the creation of additional space for student activities at the McGill Athletics Complex. "Somewhere around 70 per cent of McGill students will use the Athletics Complex during their time at McGill," said
See QPIRG on page 2
Redm en H ockey,
Toronto vs. McGill Friday, Nov. 21 at 19h00 (McConnell Arena) Ryerson vs. McGill Saturday, Nov. 22 at 19h00 (McConnell Arena)
redbîrd
SP*R TS SH *P
Hoodies starting at $25