Carleton's student association is really stupid

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The stupid stupid Students' Association should be completely ashamed of their idiocy. It's funny that the motion itself had a grammar mistake in it. Way to shine, Carleton.

Disease dropped

Cystic fibrosis not "inclusive" enough for fundraiser, Carleton students decide

Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008

OTTAWA - The Carleton University Students' Association has voted to drop cystic fibrosis as the beneficiary of its annual Shinearama fundraiser, arguing that the illness is not "inclusive" enough.

Cystic fibrosis "has been recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men" said the motion read to student councillors, who voted almost unanimously in favour of it.

Nick Bergamini, a third-year council member representing journalism students, said he was the only elected representative present at the meeting to vote against the motion.

"They're not doctors. They're playing politics with this," he said.

The motion did not reveal the source of the claim about cystic fibrosis, a life-limiting disease that affects the mucous glands of the lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines. The median life expectancy for a person with cystic fibrosis in Canada is about 35 years.

Carleton students have fanned out across the city near the beginning of the school year to raise money to fight the illness for years. But according to the motion read Monday night to student councillors, "all orientees and volunteers should feel like their fundraising efforts will serve the their (sic) diverse communities."

Mr. Bergamini said the orientation week fundraiser, which is carried out by students at many universities across Canada, raised about $1 million last year. Shinearama has raised money for cystic fibrosis research for more than 25 years.

"I think they see see this, in their own twisted way, as a win for diversity," said Mr. Bergamini. "I see it as a loss for people with cystic fibrosis."

Meanwhile, he said the vote was an example of political correctness gone too far in student government.

"They're playing racial politics with something that is supposed to bring people together - a charity," said Mr. Bergamini.

He doesn't believe the decision represents the opinion of most Carleton students. "Carleton students are very charitable."

Carleton University Students' Association president Brittany Smyth said student council has been considering rotating the beneficiary of Shinearama instead of always giving the money to one charity.

"It's about people wanting to do something different," she said.

The motion to change beneficiaries was forwarded by Donnie Northrup, who represents science students, and has been active as a volunteer in orientation week activities.

It's up to the individual mover to say why they support their motion, Ms. Smyth said. The wording in the motion itself is "just one person's motivation for it."

In making the decision, it was not the preamble to Mr. Northrup's motion, but "be it resolved" portion itself that matters, said Ms. Smyth.

"The preliminary is the councillor's own motivations and ideas," she said. "Most discussion revolved around rotating the charity."

[Thorgnor]

brutal

[Hartamophone]

Lame. A swing and a miss at the ol' "look how liberal we are" game.

That said, I found it strange when I was in undergrad that one day a year students all came together to pretend to care passionnately about a disease few of us knew anything about and had any experience with, only to all but forget about it the next day. Cystic fibrosis is an awful disease, and I know that money raised honestly for a very deserving cause is not really a bad thing. I just thought it odd that we (note I'm including myself here) turned the misfortune of others into a day-long pep rally. Then we drank.

Hopefully the Shinerama energy can still be harnessed and pointed at another worthy cause.

[ollie]

I was shocked to read this. How embarrassing for our community.

[Schwa.]

Very embarrassing indeed, and very unfortunate.

[Whitey]

I heard this on the radio this morning. Terrible.

[phishtaper]

is it a done deal?

[AD]

Motion to Drop Shinerama Fundraising Campaign from Orientation Week:

Whereas Orientation week strives to be inclusive as possible;

Whereas all orientees and volunteers should feel like their fundraising efforts will serve the their (sic) diverse communities;

And Whereas Cystic fibrosis has been recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men.

Be it resolved that: CUSA discontinue its support of this campaign.

Be it further resolved that that (sic) the CUSA representatives on the incoming Orientation Supervisory Board work to select a new broad reaching charity for orientation week.

[boiler]

Horrible. So, it turns out political correctedness is really just discrimination in disguise.

[Schwa.]

i hope other Universities don't follow this ridiculous precedent.

[Hal Johnson]

A good friend of mine's little boy (happens to be white) was just diagnosed with CF...can you imagine the feeling of hearing this on the news if you were my friend? Disgusting.

[Tissue Man]

Hopefully a lot of rich alumni pull any funding they give to the school immediately.

[Freak By Night]

Ahhh... Last Chance U - what will you do next?

[bradm]

is it a done deal?

According to

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/11/26/7541856-cp.html

The Carleton University Students' Association will reconsider its decision to drop an annual fundraiser that supports Cystic Fibrosis.

Aloha,

Brad

[Schwa.]

From the article bradm linked to:

"Cystic Fibrosis is hereditary and the most common, fatal, genetic disease affecting young people in Canada. It affects girls and boys equally. Many sufferers are non-white and live in northern Africa, Israel, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh."

Brutally misinformed panel of decision makers. Happy to see they will be reviewing this decision.

[c-towns]

Maybe shinerama should spread the love around and change supports yearly or something, just a thought.

[phishtaper]

[color:purple]well, just as long as we get hot babes in bikini's toweling dry my 'vette, im still in. who cares where the money goes.

[bradm]

Maybe shinerama should spread the love around and change supports yearly or something, just a thought.

A case can certainly be made for rotating through charities (which brings up another problem, though: who chooses which charity to support in a given year, and what should the selection criteria be?), but at the same time, supporting the same charity year after year can help "build the brand", so to speak. (The problem here is that the CUSA used the entirely wrong justification for the dropping of CF as the supported charity.)

Aloha,

Brad

[GUITARZAN]

As someone who still exists within the University realm, I can honestly ( and sadly) say that this does not suprise me. If I had to sit down and wirte the stupid things that LUSU (lakehead University Student Union) does, weekly, I would be a very busy boy.

This situation is extremely brutal. I hate to generalize, but i am about to. It seems to me that you get a bunch of elected early twetny year olds together, and they start power tripping...the decisions rarely reflect that of the student population. In fact, they generally go against it.

Diversity...my god. I really want to see the demographics of the calteton student union...see how diverse it is.

Sorry...student unions make me mad

[bradm]

According to

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/11/26/7538841-sun.html

The motion was brought forward by student Donnie Northrup. The whereas parts of the motion were his views, [CUSA president Brittany] Smyth said.

I seriously hope there's a way to force have Donnie Northrup spend some time assisting either health practitioners or parents who deal with CF patients. At the very least, I'd love to see someone from the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (and, ideally, some parents and children affected by CF) to make a presentation at the meeting where the motion is reconsidered, with Donnie Northrup duct-taped to his chair and forced to breathe through a straw while it all goes on.

Aloha,

Brad

[phishtaper]

Diversity...my god. I really want to see the demographics of the calteton student union...see how diverse it is.

that's a really interesting point.

oh, brad?

[M.O.B.E]

It seems to me that you get a bunch of elected early twetny year olds together, and they start power tripping...the decisions rarely reflect that of the student population. In fact, they generally go against it.

Doesnt this hold true for all forms of government and not just twenty something student bodies???

[d_rawk]

Maybe shinerama should spread the love around and change supports yearly or something, just a thought.

My understanding is that this is exactly what those who voted in favor want to do - to support more charities, and particularly to find ways to support some local organizations. They have expressed their desire to continue to work with the CF Foundation, and to have it as one of the rotating yearly organizations that are the beneficiaries of the money raised.

They certainly messed up by voting on the motion as worded though, rather than denying it until a better resolution was drafted and put forward for a vote.

[Birdy]

Horrible. So, it turns out political correctedness is really just discrimination in disguise.

Not entirely, but I think it's failed it what it was intended to do and has, in some respects, the opposite effect.

[boiler]

Horrible. So' date=' it turns out political correctedness is really just discrimination in disguise.

[/quote']

Not entirely, but I think it's failed it what it was intended to do and has, in some respects, the opposite effect.

I disagree. Political Correct ideas are simply that, political. It's all put forward on a basis of discrimination based on whatever political ideas of equality are at the time. Something like, "lets try end discrimination by being discriminatory ourselves." It's time to get over such practices and just "be", you know what I mean?