By Larissa Liepins
The most powerful positions at Ryerson are now up for grabs – and already the race has nearly killed one campaign.
Days before the vote for Ryerson’s next Board of Governors, Glen Kerr, a part-time marketing student, announced his resignation.
Kerr was running on one issue: A scheme to burrow a tunnel from the Library Building to Dundas Station. Kerr said he was discouraged by “too many negative attitudes” about the idea.
But then, two days later, Kerr said he was still running and pledged to find “one or more sponsors to foot the bill.”
Candidate Dave MacLean, a fourth-year business student and RyeSAC president-elect, said, “I wonder why we don’t do that, considering the number of commuters at the school.” Ryerson planner Manny Ravinsky, who called the idea “absurd” because of pipes and wires under Gould Street, said “anything is possible” with unlimited funds.
Tunnels aside, 13 candidates are fishing for ideas to combat Ryerson’s funding woes.
Part-time architecture student Richard Allan says Ryerson should “invest in massive buildings for fish farming so the ocean can replenish itself and we’d have sea creatures to sell.”
Christina Ribeiro, who is seeking re-election to the board, suggested putting “advertising across the school, like they have in the washrooms already” and “maybe changing the supplier of soap.”
Robert Carmona, third-year ITM, said Ryerson should “look to the private sector to pay off our debt.”
Nida Kazmi, fourth-year business, and Nora Loreto, first-year journalism, say students are kept ignorant of the board’s spending decisions, which, they say, should be more open and inclusive.
Nicholas Gauthier, first-year arts and contemporary studies, wants to make Ryerson greener by installing a rooftop garden and a community kitchen.
Gauthier has criticized Ribeiro and MacLean, saying, “They want to pad their resumes, and I’ve seen nothing to contradict that.
“Dave’s essentially about kissing ass. He wants a good relationship with the administration, but that’s a conflict of interest.”
Gauthier was referring to the fact MacLean and Ribeiro were elected to next year’s RyeSAC executive.
Gauthier ran for RyeSAC vice president of finance and services, but lost to Derek Isber.
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