Students permitted to vote on tuition fee change
Lakehead University bows to pressure on conflict of interest policy
THUNDER BAY, ON – The Lakehead University Board of Governors suspended its conflict of interest by-law on Friday pending an internal review, allowing students to vote on the proposed tuition fee increase.
“This is a major victory for students at Lakehead,” said Emma Brightwell, President of the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU). “The reinstatement of students’ rights to vote on tuition fee increases is an important step to an appropriate change to the conflict of interest bylaw.”
The Board of Governors’ commitment to conduct an internal review of the by-law has allowed the Lakehead University Student Union to delay its application for a Judicial Review, at least until students are confident they will have the right to speak and vote on the student issues.
While no timeline has yet been given for the internal review, LUSU plans to await the results, provided it is conducted within a reasonable timeframe.
“It is clear that the Board of Governors recognizes that they have made a mistake,” said Michael Snoddon, former President of LUSU. “So long as this internal review is done fairly, we are happy to not move further with legal proceedings against the University.”
LUSU still plans to fight to re-open the Lakehead University Act 1965 to enshrine student positions on any governing body of Lakehead University. The ongoing petition has already garnered 120 signatures, which have been submitted to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario; additional petitions will continue to be presented in the upcoming weeks.
The Lakehead University Student Union unites more than 8,100 students studying at Lakehead University at campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, and is an active member of the Canadian Federation of Students
