News brief: KSA ends membership with ABCS, the alliance plans to place the student union in bad standing

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The Kwantlen Student Association withdrew its membership from the Alliance of BC Students (ABCS) effective immediately during a council meeting on Oct. 25 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus. 

The alliance is a coalition of student organizations across B.C. that advocates for accessible and affordable post-secondary education at the provincial level.

Associate President Ishant Goyal had resigned as ABCS chairperson on Oct. 9 after the alliance’s board of directors requested him to do so or risk being removed by a special resolution, according to a news release.

The ABCS board has also started the process of placing the KSA in bad standing and condemns the student union’s alleged misconduct, the alliance announced in its news release.

Goyal abstained from voting on the motion to end the ABCS membership.  

Jasmine Kaur Kochhar, chair of the KSA external affairs committee, said while advocacy is important for student organizations, being independent from ABCS would help the KSA meet “certain aspects” and targets.

“In the past one year … we have come across certain challenges regarding how we actually want to move forward,” Kochhar said. “With all due respect … we as an organization that felt we can actually step up on those.”

While a vote wasn’t conducted for the wider KSA membership — KPU students — before council decided to suspend the ABCS membership, Kochhar said it is still crucial to work in students’ best interests. 

“It’s unfortunate that we’re in this position,” Policy and Political Affairs Coordinator Diamond Obera said, “but I’m hoping we can continue to have conversations about the work that can be done as it relates to our provincial advocacy because organizations like the ABCS and [others] are really important.” 

Obera also said lobbying at the provincial level is especially important because it directly affects policies regarding universities, and he hopes there is a plan in place to replace the work the KSA does in association with ABCS.

“It’s important that as we’re charging members that lobbying fee, we have a plan moving forward as to what can be done with that money,” Obera added.

Each KPU student is charged $0.44 per credit for the student association’s lobbying fund.

In a joint report emailed before the meeting, the KSA announced that KPU students are now eligible for a 25 per cent discount on first aid courses from St. John Ambulance to make safety training more accessible.

The association will also be organizing its annual clubs day event on Oct. 31 at the Surrey campus and is sponsoring this year’s “Men’s Mental Health 24-Hour Bike-a-Thon,” taking place from Nov. 21 to 22 at the KPU Tech campus.

“By sponsoring this event, we are not only helping break the stigma around men seeking

mental health support but also showing that KSA is a proactive partner in fostering well-being across our community,” the report read.

Executive committee meeting

The KSA held executive committee meetings on Oct. 16 and 25.

On Oct. 16, executives approved $21,450 in funding for the association’s “Nightmare Maze” event at Maan Farms for about 120 people. From this funding, $9,000 will go towards tickets, $5,500 will be for bus transportation, $5,000 will be for food, and $1,950 will be set aside for contingency, according to the event’s planning tool. Details for the event are still to be finalized, the joint report noted.

The committee also approved $17,500 for the KSA’s Oct. 25 Diwali celebration at the Empress Palace Ballroom in Surrey and $6,000 for providing dry fruit trays to students on Diwali.

“The distribution of these trays will help spread the joy of Diwali, while also fostering a sense of community on campus,” the joint report read.

Executives approved $6,100 to go towards the KSA’s “Mid Semester Stress Buster” event at Playhaus Nightclub.

They also carried motions to give the KPU Badminton Club $3,500 for a meetup and training session for its members, as well as $896 to the Hindu Student Association for “print elements.”

At the Oct. 25 meeting, executives approved $3,260 in funding for attending the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) 2024 annual general meeting.

They also approved funding for clubs day — $700 for the Hindu Student Association, $550 for the KPU Political Science Club, $300 for the Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild, $200 for the KPU Cricket Club, $150 for the Kwantlen Sustainability Club, $150 for KPU’s African and Caribbean Students Association, and $135 for the KPU Dance Club. 

The committee also gave the KPU Dance Club $560 to support its members at Diwali Fest’s Surrey City Hall event on Oct. 20. The funds went towards buying Indian dance costumes for 10 student performers, the club wrote in an email to The Runner.

The Accounting Students of Kwantlen (ASK) also received $175 for its “Coffee Chat with Sarah Lee” event.The next KSA council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 8 at 11:00 am, with the executive meeting set to follow at 1:00 pm. Interested students can email info@kusa.ca to join.