The Alliance of BC Students condemn the KSA’s alleged misconduct, plan to take further action
The KSA has terminated its membership with the ABCS and aims to advocate independently
The Alliance of BC Students (ABCS) board of directors has condemned the Kwantlen Student Association’s alleged misconduct in a statement released on Oct. 25.
The ABCS also announced it’s in the process of placing the student association in bad standing.
“The alleged behaviour is incompatible with the standards of good governance, service, integrity, leadership, and democracy that are core organizational values at the ABCS and our member associations,” the statement reads.
“The allegations represent a significant departure from the selfless service and hard work of student leaders at the ABCS and student associations around the province, and have shaken the trust that KPU students had in the KSA to work on their behalf and in their best interest.”
The allegations, which have been reported in the media, include misuse of student funds, councillors abusing their powers, restricting KSA members’ rights, and attempting to suppress criticism from students and The Runner, the statement reads.
“The KSA has not refuted any of these allegations,” ABCS Director of Finance and Operations Wendy Redhead told The Runner. “That’s really why we’re calling for an inquiry, an investigation.”
The KSA had a council meeting on Oct. 25, prior to the statement’s release, where it ended its ABCS membership. The decision was proposed by the KSA’s external affairs committee.
Jasmine Kaur Kochhar, chair of the committee, said the KSA wanted to meet “certain criterias,” which convinced the student union to terminate the membership.
The ABCS’s advocacy varies in terms of how the association wants to connect with students, she said, adding that being independent of provincial and federal student advocacy organizations would help the KSA achieve these targets.
While students weren’t consulted on this decision, Kochhar said it is crucial to do what’s in the best interest of KPU students.
“We realized that we as council can be achieving more at the provincial level, and do we really need the aid of someone?”
Kochhar also said that students likely don’t need external organizations for advocacy and that the KSA is the best outlet to resolve their problems.
The decision comes less than a year after the association withdrew its membership from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), a federal-level student advocacy organization, during an in-camera session. Former KSA president Abdullah Randhawa was permanently banned from the organization in August last year due to a sexual harassment allegation.
In an interview with The Runner earlier this year, when the association terminated its CASA membership, Kochhar said the KSA would be focusing on the ABCS.
“It’s unfortunate that we’re in this position,” KSA Policy and Political Affairs Coordinator Diamond Obera said during the Oct. 25 council meeting. “The lobbying work the KSA does is very important, especially at the provincial level, because the provincial government is more directly responsible for policies in relation to the university space.”
KSA Associate President Ishant Goyal had been appointed chairperson of ABCS in May, and, during a meeting on Oct. 9, the ABCS board requested he resign or risk being removed by a special resolution, the ABCS statement reads. Goyal immediately resigned.
As per the ABCS bylaws, a member of the alliance should withdraw membership for the upcoming fiscal year by March 1 of the current year. If the decision is made after the specified date, the association is responsible for membership fees owed for the upcoming year.
On Oct. 4, the KSA executive committee passed a non-meeting motion to approve ABCS membership fees for the 2024-25 fiscal year, amounting to $19,849.22.
The ABCS is a coalition of student associations across B.C. which include the Capilano Students’ Union, University of British Columbia Graduate Student Society, Royal Roads University Student Association, and formerly the KSA.
The benefits of membership include collaboration with other student organizations, exclusive access to meetings with MLAs, ministers, government staff, and stakeholder groups like TransLink and BC Transit, training for advocacy on the provincial level, and access to support for student leaders.
The alliance advocates for accessible and affordable post-secondary education for students across the province.
In an email statement to The Runner, Goyal wrote that when he submitted his resignation from the ABCS, he did not know the alliance was planning to place the KSA in bad standing.
“My decision was independent and driven entirely by my commitment to ensuring KSA remains focused and aligned with the best interests of KPU students,” he wrote. “My priority was, and remains, supporting KSA’s mission without distraction from external politics.”
Goyal also wrote that resigning now was a strategic choice for a seamless transition within the KSA to ensure success in the future and focus on KPU students’ needs.
The KSA had no prior knowledge that the ABCS was planning to place it in bad standing when the council put forward the motion to terminate its membership on Oct. 25, KSA President Yashanpreet Guron wrote in an email statement to The Runner.
According to the ABCS statement, the alliance’s board of directors instructed the executive director to issue the KSA notice during a meeting on Oct. 22, initiating the process of placing the student union in bad standing.
Two KSA board members were present at this meeting, Redhead said, and formal notice of the decision was issued to the KSA on Oct. 23, before the council meeting took place on Oct. 25.
On Oct. 29, the KSA released a media statement to address the termination of its ABCS membership.
“The departure from ABCS follows a series of recent developments within the organization, including accusations that lack substantive evidence and were not approached with the accountability or responsibility that KSA expects from its partners,” the release reads.
“KSA believes these actions run counter to the values of integrity, clarity, and action that the association holds in its representation of KPU students.”
In an email statement to The Runner, Redhead wrote that the reference made to the ABCS is inaccurate.
“The ABCS has not made any accusations; it has called on the KSA to investigate and respond to allegations made by others,” she wrote.
“The ABCS very much stands with the students of KPU, and we would continue to call for that independent third-party investigation, irrespective of whether the KSA are members of the ABCS or not,” Redhead said in an interview with The Runner.
Goyal wrote that while the KSA is no longer part of the ABCS or CASA, the association is looking forward to expanding its advocacy.
“KSA is committed to working closely with regional leaders, educational institutions, and community organizations to uphold and elevate our students’ interests on the issues that matter most to them,” he wrote.