University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) executives are now mandated to complete to certified accessibility training, following the passing of Motion 0656 at the April 10 UMSU board of directors meeting.
The motion states that the 2024-25 executive members must “engage in and complete a certified accessibility training session” before the end of their terms on April 30, 2025.
All future UMSU executives are also required to complete accessibility training before the start of their terms, including the incoming 2025-26 executive members before May 1, 2025.
The motion was put forward by the judicial board and was one of the recommendations following the March 27 verdict against vice-president student life Bolu Akindele.
Akindele was ruled to have violated two sections of UMSU’s governing documents, including a clause which states that the vice-president student life must serve as the liaison between UMSU and UMSU’s community representatives.
UMSU has seven community representatives, including an accessibility representative, though the Manitoban has not confirmed whether the certified accessibility training recommendation was directly related to a violation against the accessibility representative.
The Manitoban previously contacted Ekamjit Singh, UMSU’s accessibility representative, for comment but did not receive a response by the publication deadline.
Gurpahul Kaur, vice-chair of the judicial board, stated that the discretion will be left to UMSU staff to decide which accessibility training will be sufficient for UMSU executives.
The board of directors agreed through general consent that UMSU is obligated to pay the costs associated with the certified training.
Motion with additional recommendations postponed indefinitely
Another motion put forward at the same meeting which included additional judicial board recommendations following the verdict against Akindele was postponed indefinitely.
Motion 0657 sought to have the membership services committee (MSC) guidelines added to the UMSU Governance and Operations Manual along with several revisions by April 30.
UMSU president Divya Sharma spoke against the motion, stating that it “is likely unable to happen” due to governance committee not being able to meet quorum.
Sharma added that there are also “several contradictory things in our current governing documents” and stated that a motion will be brought forward at the April 24 board meeting calling for a “full overhaul” of all the governing documents.
UMSU president Divya Sharma (centre) spoke in opposition of the motion, stating that a motion will be brought forward at the next UMSU board of directors meeting calling for a “full overhaul” of the governing documents. Photo by Milan Lukes
Acting UMSU board chairperson Christopher Yendt suggested that the motion could be postponed indefinitely and that the executive committee can “prepare a motion that is inclusive of the spirit of this.”
A motion to postpone the motion with recommendations indefinitely was moved by Andrew Beck, Interdisciplinary Health Program Students’ Association representative and carried by the board.
“It’s very important that the next MSC starts with solid documents to work with,” stated Kaur.
