The Toronto Metropolitan Students' Union (TMSU) formerly known as the Ryerson Students' Union (RSU) is the current students' union that represents full-time undergraduate students at Toronto Metropolitan University, (known until 2022 as Ryerson University). All full-time students are required to be members and pay a levy. The money is used to fund student groups, events for students and campaigning.
| Institution | Toronto Metropolitan University |
|---|---|
| Location | Toronto, Ontario |
| Established | June 27, 1967 |
| President | Marina Gerges |
| Vice presidents | Education: vacant Equity: Areesha Quereshi Operations: vacant Student Life & Events: Ozi Molokwu |
| Members | 35,000+ |
| Website | yourtmsu |
Board
editThe board of directors set the direction and the executive manage the day-to-day operations of the corporation. Students elect 2 to 5 members from each faculty, depending on the size of the faculty, to the board, in addition to having ex-officio student representatives from the university's senate, student groups, course unions and residence.
Equity Service Centres
editThe TMSU has eight Equity Service Centres: The Centre for Women & Trans People, The Good Food Centre, BIPOC Students' Collective, Access TMU, The Queer Space, Centre for Safer Sex & Sexual Violence Support, SHIFT Centre and the Trans Collective. These centres serve as a space for students from different marginalized backgrounds to come together and organize equity and social justice initiatives, events, and campaigns.
In 2010, the board of directors voted to change the name from "Community Service Groups" to "Equity Service Centres".
Controversy
editThe RSU has been extensively criticized for its equity centre policies [1] and for banning a men's issues student group on campus.[2] In 2015, former RSU vice-president education Jesse Root was accused of deleting emails in violation of Ontario's privacy laws.[3]
Ram Ganesh misuse of funds controversy
editOn January 24, 2019, photos of credit card statements belonging to RSU President Ramganesh Ragupathy (Ram Ganesh) were obtained and published on Facebook by university political group Rhinoceros Party.[4] The statements alleged frivolous spending by Ganesh of over $250,000, including transactions for alcohol, a casino, various bars and nightclubs, hotel rooms, and at a sporting goods store.[4][5]
In response to ongoing turmoil at the union involving both the above scandal and an inability to renegotiate a new operating agreement, Toronto Metropolitan University terminated its 1986 operating agreement with the union and declared that it would no longer recognize the union as the official student government for full-time undergraduate and graduate students on campus.[6] The courts ordered an injunction preventing the university from severing the agreement.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "White students barred from funded RSU student group event". Ryersonian.ca. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
- ^ "RSU wears the pants :: Ryersonian.ca". Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
- ^ "Prof: emails were illegally deleted". The Eyeopener. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
- ^ a b O'Neil, Lauren (January 28, 2019). "Ryerson Student Union president asked to resign amid credit card scandal". Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ Boisvert, Nick (January 25, 2019). "Ryerson Students' Union under pressure to explain 'baffling' $250K credit card bill". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "Ryerson University terminates agreement with Ryerson Students' Union".
- ^ Jeffords, Shawn (10 March 2020). "Ryerson University must transfer withheld funding to student union, judge rules". CTV News. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Statement from the university on injunction hearing between Ryerson and the RSU". Ryerson University. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.