Last week the Dalhousie Student Union attempted to hold its annual general meeting and barely got past approving the agenda. A procedural debate broke out, fuelled by tensions over a series of motions put forward by a student group known as SMAC – Student Mobilize for Action on Campus – that sought to address issues such as corporate contracts and advertising on campus and whether the DSU should take an active anti-war stance. Critics of the motions blamed the chaotic AGM on the leadership of NSPIRG (Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group) and tabled a counter-motion that would see the non-profit organization – which is largely funded by a student levy – vacate the SUB, terminate non-Dal staff and apologize to the union.
This motion, along with the others, will be voted on when the AGM reconvenes on April 1 (no joke). In the meantime, the fate of NSPIRG has become a hot-button issue on campus. A group called “Stop NSPIRG” has launched a petition, a blog and a Facebook group with over 320 members, all seeking to question whether NSPIRG should receive student funding. NSPIRG, in response, has outlined their own response to the challenges at their website.
What’s your take? Should NSPIRG continue to receive funding from Dal students? Do the organization’s interests continue to align with the interests of students in general?