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RyeSAC women’s issues commissioner resigns

By Vanessa Thomas

A mid-year resignation has left RyeSAC with two vacancies on its board of directors.

Chelsea Balzan, who was elected applied arts and faculty director and appointed women’s issue commissioner in March, handed in her letter of resignation at RyeSAC’s board of directors meeting on Dec. 2.

“Time and time I’ve found my work isn’t valued, my motivations, the volume and even the quality of my work have been questioned,” Balzan wrote in her letter.

“I felt as though I’d been treated unfairly and unprofessionally … the role of the women’s issues commissions is a crucial one, but I feel I can no longer fill those shoes.”

But RyeSAC’s v.p. education Erian George,w ho held the commissioner position last year, said the board expressed their support for Balzan and valued her work.

“I made it clear to her she was appreciated,” said George. “I apologized for not getting the message across to her on a regular basis but she had already made up her mind to resign.”

Balzan was unavailable for comment.

In a letter to RyeSAC’s board of directors, Ryerson’s Women’s Centre commended Balzan’s hard work and asked the board to take measures to prevent future resignations.

The women’s issues commissioner acts as a liaison between the board to take measures to prevent future resignations.

The women’s issues commissioner acts as a liaison between the board and the Women’s Centre. The commissioner also attends all Women’s Centre meetings and helps formulate policies on women’s issues.

RyeSAC’s president David Steele said the board will appoint a new commissioner and an applied arts faculty director. The decision is expected to be made at the board’ meeting this Thursday.

All full-time students are eligible to fill the applied arts position, but the women’s issue commissioner must be elected from the board.

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