Students' Union files for judicial review

News Staff - Mon Jan 14, 2013

The University of Alberta Students’ Union has filed for judicial review in response to the Administration’s continued unwillingness to revisit their improper and unilateral changes to Lister Hall. These changes, undertaken over the summer break when most students were off campus, ignored the responsibility that a public institution has to consult with its constituent groups when creating change.

Changes included terminating 46 students jointly employed by the Administration and by the Lister Hall Students’ Association, which had the effect of leaving many floors in Lister dangerously unprepared for the start of fall semester as residents came to campus. The Administration also announced major changes to the character of the student body in Lister and the disciplinary codes of the residence. The decisions were undertaken without proper consultation with the student population, in contradiction to motions approved by the General Faculties Council and Board of Governors and in violation of agreements between the University and the Lister Hall Students’ Association.

Since the Administration first forced the changes on Monday, July 23, the Students’ Union has proposed reasonable and balanced solutions to the situation that have been rejected by the Administration. Students have raised concerns with subsequent actions undertaken by the Administration towards Lister residents, and the Students’ Union is troubled by the way that the Administration has responded to student concerns.

The Students’ Union cannot allow the Administration to continue to ignore the interests of students and agreements that have been made with students. While still holding out hope that the Administration will agree to follow the proper protocol and procedure that it is bound by, the Students’ Union has filed for judicial review to have a court correct the Administration’s actions from this past summer.

For more information, please contact:
Simon Yackulic
External Communications & Media Advisor
University of Alberta Students’ Union
P: 780.492.4236
E: ecma@su.ualberta.ca

---