The Only DSU President to Resign?

In some good news, Dalhousie Student Union President Sagar Jha resigned. To quote him,

My reason to resign is simply that I see the direction the DSU council wishes to take the union, and I cannot be a part of it. I have advised council against this direction; ultimately they have decided to not take any form of that advice. I cannot lead the organization to the direction council is setting forward, which I believe goes against the best interest of Dalhousie Students, and the union’s own sustainability as an organization with integrity.

I have seen a shift in culture and attitude, where solid governance, reason and consideration of the entire membership are being sacrificed in the name of personal political and philosophical ideologies. Every motion that comes forward seems to have a hidden agenda and not to have been given proper consideration on its implications. It seems that the union and council are determined to make this agenda the priority over students and the long-term implications on the health of the union.

This has been a year where students have been alienated by the operations and politics of the union. We see this in our 10.9% voter turnout, the lowest in a decade. The Dalhousie Student Union has normalized the practice of making rushed decisions, disregarding its own policies and constitution, and deliberately shutting out opposing arguments against some ideal society or vision that hasn’t been articulated. If the union’s governance does not lend itself to understanding as many diverse perspectives as possible, how can it be considered a deliberate democracy?

[……..]

This is a plea for next year’s council and executive to restore the relevance and integrity of the Dalhousie Student Union. Councillors, your personal opinions are not to be considered at the table, your job is to represent your constituency. Do not forget that you have legally obliged to oversee the best interests of the Union. If you have not read the constitution and all of the policies, you do not have the right to criticize any of them (as each policy or by-law does not exist in a vacuum but effects other policies and by-laws).

Why is this good news? Because DSU execs are known to keep swimming in a pool of their own piss until they drown. The above case was an exception.