Carleton to repeal decision to scrap fundraiser
Updated Wed. Nov. 26 2008 2:13 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The Carleton University Students Association is planning to repeal a motion that cancelled an annual cystic fibrosis fundraiser on the grounds that the disease affects only white males.
CUSA president Brittany Smyth said she will table a motion at the next council meeting that would repeal the decision.
Councillors don't want people to think that the annual Shinerama fundraiser was cancelled because they believe, mistakenly, that cystic fibrosis only affects a specific segment of the population.
"Because of so much confusion, students don't want people to think that that's why we didn't want to go with the cystic fibrosis fundraiser," Smyth told CTV.ca in a phone interview Wednesday. "There seems to be a lot of support among council to just go back to how it was and then open up conversations with students to see what people would like to do in the future."
Smyth said that if the new motion passes, Shinerama will go ahead as planned next September.
Smyth said that councillors believe cystic fibrosis to be a very worthwhile cause and said the decision was a response to the idea some students had to simply switch charities.
"I think everyone at the council really did have the best intentions with it," Smyth said. "Nobody meant any ill will to anyone who has been affected or touched by cystic fibrosis at all. And we really do apologize for all of this confusion. It's not what we meant for Carleton students at all."
The controversy began on Monday night during a CUSA meeting when a councillor tabled a motion that called for the cancellation of Shinerama.
The motion claimed that the fundraiser benefits a disease that affects "white people and primarily men."
According to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, that statement is untrue. The disease primarily affects Caucasians, which includes South Asian, Arab and North African populations, and both genders equally.
The popular event takes place during the school's orientation week and has raised nearly $1 million for cystic fibrosis.
Nearly 60 university and college campuses across Canada hold Shinerama events and have raised nearly $19 million for the cause.
The motion said that students would be happier supporting a more inclusive charity before adding that cystic fibrosis affects only whites.
Smyth originally defended the move, saying it opened the door for next year's orientation week co-ordinators to choose another charity if students wanted a change.
Smyth said the part of the motion that justifies the cancellation of Shinerma is irrelevant and only reflects the rationale of the councillor who brought it forward.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Carleton president Roseann O'Reily Runte said that she personally regrets that the motion was adopted and said the language used to justify cancelling Shinerama was "not appropriate."
"The motion which was approved by the student association contained language which was not appropriate and which has raised considerable concern," O'Reilly Runte said. "I know that Carleton students are fine young scholars who wish to be responsible and considerate. I am sure that they did not intend to offend by the preamble to their motion, but I am also sure that they now understand the effects of that language."
O'Reilly Runte said she is pleased to hear that the student association intends to reconsider its decision.
"I am convinced that our students will do the right thing and take the appropriate course of action," she said.
As far as she knows, no CUSA members will face any disciplinary action following the controversy, Smyth said.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081126/carleton_shinerama_081126/20081126?hub=Canada
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