All but one referenda pass

The Faculty of Science Students Association referendum question, which proposed a fee increase from a maximum of $15 to a maximum of $21.50, failed to pass as part of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students Union elections.

Sunny Chan, president of FOSSA and currently a director on the WLUSU board of directors, was disheartened at the results.

“We accept the results regardless, and we will not be proposing a new referendum question for the possibly next three years,” he said.

“Laurier’s faculty of science is a small faculty in comparison to other universities,
for them to hinder our academic component of FOSSA, they’re not enriching that
Laurier science program unfortunately.”

Chris Walker, chairman of the WLUSU board of directors, said it would be prudent for FOSSA to wait before proposing a new referendum.

“If FOSSA wants to bring back another question for referendum it has to be different criteria or a different amount.”

All other referenda passed, including an inflationary increase to the WLUSU health and dental plan as well as an important constitutional amendment that would require two board members per campus.

“I’m thrilled about the constitutional amendments passing because it shows
students at Laurier are concerned about multi-campus governance.” said Walker.

As for the health and dental plan, it appears the increase may come as a ‘plan b’.

“What it means is that we don’t have to increase it, but we have the option to in case that crisis point should occur,” said Walker.

“It will be up the board of directors as to whether to endorse it or not, and it will be a recommendation coming from management as to whether we need the additional dollars to cover increasing costs.”

In total four referenda were passed.