Chairperson of the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) board of directors, Nicholas Lu, and UMSU governance administrative coordinator, Lauren Slegers, have both resigned. The announcement was made during the Jan. 16 UMSU board of directors meeting by UMSU president Divya Sharma.
“You’re probably wondering where our chair is,” said Sharma during the start of the meeting. “Unfortunately, our chair has resigned and we will be looking for a different chair,” she said.
No reason for the resignation was provided during the meeting, though Lu clarified to the Manitoban that “I resigned due to changes in my professional life, scheduling became difficult.”
Christopher Yendt, president of the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association, was appointed as chair during the meeting following a motion moved by Sharma.
“One of the things that we’re actually discussing right now is what we are going to do for the position of chair,” stated Sharma to the board. “Right now, Chris is going to lead us through the next couple of weeks.”
Lu was appointed as chairperson of the board during the Nov. 21 board of directors meeting for the remainder of the 2024-25 academic year, ending on April 30, following Motion 0634. The appointment was at the recommendation of UMSU’s selections committee.
The board also approved Motion 0635 during the Nov. 21 meeting which granted Lu an honorarium of $250 per meeting as chairperson. According to the UMSU bylaws, the chair of the board of directors is to be awarded an honorarium at the end of the position’s term with the amount being determined by the finance committee.
Yendt previously served as interim chairperson of the board of directors during the first meeting on May 9, according to the UMSU meeting minutes. Yashas Samtani served as interim chairperson during the following three meetings and then Sharma as acting chairperson.
No reason for Slegers’s resignation was mentioned during the recent board meeting. An automatic reply from Slegers’s UMSU email address indicated that she left her position with the union.
UMSU’s governance administrative coordinator position remains vacant, though Sharma indicated that UMSU is hiring for a new position — administrative assistant — which will have an emphasis on governance.
“If you know anyone, your friends or folks that you know would fit well into this role, please share this job posting with them,” said Sharma during her report to the board.
Sophie George, UMSU’s policy and strategy advisor, helped coordinate the Jan. 16 meeting in absence of the governance administrative coordinator, said Sharma.
