CCSC

Last Thursday, the Columbia Elections Commission notified University Senator-elect Heven Haile, CC ’21, that someone had reported her for publicizing a false endorsement from the Columbia University Mental Health Task Force, an offense that could be ruled as a major rules violation according to election policies.

Following a failed motion to impeach the current Columbia College Student Council student services representative for alleged rules violations during this year’s election cycle, four council members—University Senator Alfredo Dominguez, CC ’19, University Senator Toqa Mohamed Badran, CC ’19, Race and Ethnicity Representative Heven Haile, CC ’21, and Vice President for Communications Isabella Lajara, CC ’20—resigned from their current roles during the Sunday night meeting.

The Columbia Elections Board announced results of the Columbia College Student Council election late Saturday night, ending weeks of debate and campaigning for the over 50 candidates who ran for positions on council.

Dear editorial board,

Candidates for the Columbia College and Engineering Student Councils emphasized the need to expand resources for underrepresented groups on campus, increase club inclusivity, and call for initiatives that build community on and off campus at the student council debates on Sunday.

Columbia College Student Council voted to increase the allocation of funding for its pilot MetroCard program by $4,100, increasing the likelihood that nearly the full student demand for subsidized MetroCards will be met.

Alongside academic policy, food insecurity, and mental health reform, students have voiced one defining issue in the upcoming elections for the Columbia College Student Council: the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which calls for the University to divest from companies that “profit from or engage in the State of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.”

This year’s spring elections are coming up in early April, and positions are open in all four undergraduate student councils. If past years are anything to go by, the races in the Columbia College and Engineering Student Councils will probably be dominated by unopposed incumbents—students who’ve been involved in student government for one, two, or in some cases, even three years who do not face any democratic challenges.

Following a four-hour meeting that attracted over 150 spectators, saw two student representatives threaten to quit the council, and drew tears from attendees, the Columbia College Student Council shot down a referendum to gauge student support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement via an anonymous vote Sunday night.