Because whistleblowing is a serious check on corruption, the establishment of whistleblowing protection is something worth considering moving forward with the University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSU).
Vanessa Dorimain
University of Ottawa students filled the Sala San Marco Centre Conference Centre on Feb. 27 for a night showcasing cultural and artistic displays from the black community. This year’s theme, “Surviving Violence,” was punctuated by a keynote address by Keke Palmer on her experiences as a black woman.
With the UOSU’s March elections around the corner, students Connor Chase and Hanna Methot debate whether previous SFUO executives should be allowed to run.
Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) executive coordinator Vanessa Dorimain is alleged to have created a fake Facebook account under the name of Gabriella Auguste to boost the SFUO’s online image.
A forensic report from PwC says the fraud allegations levelled against three SFUO executives were not factual.
Rachiq’s resignation was announced at the start of the meeting, along with the resignation of Gaga, and Emily Seguin, the board’s Indigenous representative.
The SFUO may well be the first post-secondary student union in the country to have their university terminate their contract.
The letter highlights a series of recommendations for a new student union: a constitution that can only be amended at an annual General Assembly with a majority vote, elections managed by an independent third party, a model of governance which includes mechanisms for punitive action should trust be breached, and accountability to its membership.
The SFUO announced that three executives will vacate office, and their intention to continue operations in light of the university’s contract termination notice.
In a document recently obtained by the Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa administration has said that they expect the resignation of all SFUO members involved in the recent fraud allegations until the completion of a forensic audit.
The SFUO held their monthly Board of Administration meeting to discuss the ratification of the constitutional committee’s choice of forensic auditor, a letter received from former SFUO president, Hadi Wess, and the announcement of an executive’s resignation.
Around 50 students gathered in front of the SFUO office on Sept. 6 to protest and call for impeachment of the SFUO executives named in recent fraud allegations.
On Sunday, there was an opportunity for members of the BOA, on behalf of the students they represent, to stand up and do the right thing. What happened? BOA members failed to protect students and fight for us at the table, leaving myself and many others feeling frustrated and angered.
The resolution, pertaining to the forensic audit, would ensure that results from the audit cannot be used in a prosecution unless approved by the BOA. Further, the board would call upon Wess to pay the federation $994 in external legal fees by Oct. 1.
“Allegations against Dorimain range from fraudulent use of SFUO funds under the guise of office cleaning and the catering of the SFUO Leader Action event on April 28, while Rachiq is accused in the report of possibly forging the certification of a “faulty” club called Testing Restaurants UOttawa and claiming funds for personal use.”
A video shortly began circulating on Facebook that showed Dorimain forcibly removing ballots from the students’ hands who were accused of cheering. By Thursday morning, the video had over 6,500 views and 40 shares.
On Wednesday, Jan. 31, and Thursday, Feb. 1, candidates for this year’s general election for the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) went head to head in the annual debates.
The BOA’s disciplinary committee found that Dorimain had a U-Pass despite not being qualified for one. However, the committee said it was obtained under special circumstances, taken from a group of passes that were not distributed due to errors.
Although this group may be small and oft-overlooked, their experiences at Canada’s post-secondary institutions may become more and more common as our society and economy changes.
Until you acknowledge all the ways in which academia intersects with our identities, our lived experiences, our health, and our socioeconomic status, then there is no way you can be “fully committed to ensuring the well-being of our students.”
Meeting sees talk on freedom of the press, Dorimain’s March 5 statements.
According to la Rotonde editor-in-chief Frédérique Mazerolle, the SFUO members in attendance at their AGM included Hadi Wess, Rizki Rachiq, Axel Gaga, and Vanessa Dorimain.
This notice alleges defamation by six different parties, including three executives, one incoming Board of Administration (BOA) member, a proxy, and the Fulcrum.
SFUO food bank hosts Paul Dewar to talk unpaid internships, food insecurity.
While the SFUO seems ready to put the U-Pass scandal all behind them, there are still fundamental questions that must be answered to ensure something nefarious did not happen.
