KSA council appoints new president despite initial resignation

The Kwantlen Student Association removed Gurdit Singh as president and vice president (VP) finance and operations at its Aug. 26 council meeting.

A member of the executive committee may be removed by a two-thirds resolution of council based on a joint recommendation from the governance and internal committees, as per the KSA’s regulations.

The executive must also be given at least 72-hour notice, provided brief reasoning for their removal, and given an opportunity to speak or write to council before the vote.

But, during the meeting Singh sent a resignation letter to Executive Director Timothii Ragavan.

He wrote that he was resigning “effective immediately, due to personal health reasons.”

Anmol Bansal, who was associate president in the 2025-26 council term, was elected VP finance and operations, and later president at the Sept. 3 executive committee meeting.

“I’m honored to take this responsibility and look forward to working with staff and the executive and the board members as well,” Bansal says.

“I believe that when students contribute fees to the KSA, they deserve transparency, accountability, and action returned from the KSA.”

Since Bansal’s election, he says he has been focusing on understanding the KSA’s budget, expenditures, contracts, and operational processes as well as other ongoing matters.

On Aug. 14, The Runner received an email statement that Bansal was resigning as Science and Horticulture representative. A signed letter was attached to the email sent to Executive Director Timothii Ragavan.

“Due to my academic and personal commitments, I have decided that it is the right time for me to step down from my position,” Bansal wrote in the email. “Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position with the Kwantlen Student Association, effective immediately.”

During the August meeting, he said he resigned because he was planning to take a large course load during the fall 2026 semester, but decided to keep his position after discussing with other council members.

“I registered [for] five courses for the next semester — that’s why I decided to step back from my position. After that, … I dropped two courses out of five, and now I only have three courses. That’s why they asked me to reconsider your position.”

The association’s bylaws state that an elected official’s resignation is effective once they either submit a signed letter of resignation to the KSA or verbally declare their resignation at a meeting.

The KSA’s bylaws or regulations do not mention if an elected council member can reconsider or revoke a resignation once it has been submitted or declared.