The Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) Board of Directors failed to confirm candidates on two board vacancies at its monthly Board of Directors meeting on September 21. After three rounds of voting by board members, the positions of community services and early childhood education centre representative and health sciences educational centre representative each finished in a tie. The positions will remain vacant until the upcoming November election, in which students will vote on the candidates.
“The candidates presented their case very well,” said Director of Communications and Internal Manisha Punjabi. “So I think there can be a confusion between whom to choose. Some people liked one or the other.”
Robby Thompson, a candidate for the position of Preparatory and Liberal Studies Educational Centre, was confirmed for his position. He will begin his role in October.
The SAGBC funds the Dialog.
The positions were voted on by board members, the SAGBC’s team of student leaders, in a series of votes. After two consecutive ties, General Manager Rosalyn Miller pleaded with the board to evaluate whether the current board members were representative of the student population and consider what different perspectives the candidates offered. But after a third ballot was distributed, the vote remained deadlocked.
After the meeting, Miller expressed frustration that the board was not able to come to a conclusion themselves.
“I think, to some degree, personal interest trumped the organization’s interest,” she said.
Miller says she believes the board of directors needs to have a more diverse group of representatives and perspectives.
“We’re looking at a college which is so diverse and a board of directors that is extremely racialized,” said Miller. “And while there’s nothing wrong with that, we have the opportunity now to dig deeper and have more diverse representation and to cover the gaps.”
When questioned, Miller did not want to call this election process a failure, but she did emphasize her disappointment.
“I was just surprised that they did not look around and approach it from a lens of ‘What are we missing? What would strengthen us?’ And make a decision from there. So I was disappointed.”
Stefan Enrique Joseph Kallikaden and Paul Salvatori are the candidates for the community services and early childhood representative position.
Dhwani Bhalavat and Anisa Young are the candidates for the health sciences representative position.
The election, which will also decide the positions of director of operations and director of communications and internal, will be held in November.
