Timeline of the Sfss student space crisis

INTRODUCTION
We are representatives of the Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA) student group at Simon Fraser University. We are a racialized and equity-seeking group in the Rotunda Community who are advocating for the reconciliation, the redressing of wrongs, social and racial equity though values such as inclusivity, representation, social-justice and community-building.

BACKGROUND ON SOCA

• Represents the Black Community and allies; provides a safe space for students through our black community services centre which we have occupied since Fall of 1997.
  
• Advocated for SFU to hire black professors in 1998
  
• Raised awareness about various issues concerning the African Continent and Diaspora.
  
• More information can be accessed at sfusoca.ca/about
  
  
  

CONSULTATIONS in 2013/14
After consultations with the BuildSFU project in 2013/14, the SFSS assured the various groups that the process would be smooth and that the groups housed in the rotunda would be allocated space in the organizational suites of the new SUB.

ARCHITECTURAL REPORT
In the architectural report it can explicitly be seen that the rotunda groups are allocated space, alongside other bookable rooms such as the 22 booking rooms that can be found on various other floors of the building. Six rooms were to be allocated for the Rotunda Community and one for the napping room. The 6 groups to be allocated space in the Rotunda are FNSA, SFPIRG, CJSF, SOCA, Women's Centre and Out On Campus.

SFU extended SFSS’s sublease with only one view in mind, that groups, especially SFSS groups housed in the Rotunda would be saved. But for the CEO to communicate in our meeting that SOCA 'just can not have dedicated space' is disingenuous.
News article 2013/14: https://the-peak.ca/2014/05/build-sfu-presents-sub-architectural-designs/
REPORT: http://www.sfusoca.ca/uploads/1/1/8/5/118513699/sfu_sub_architectural_report_dd_small.pdf


Institutional Racism
The term "institutional racism" describes societal patterns that impose oppressive or otherwise negative conditions on identifiable groups on the basis of race or ethnicity. Oppression may come from the government, schools or the court.

Institutional racism shouldn't be confused with individual racism, which is directed against one or a few individuals. It has the potential of negatively affecting people on a large scale, such as if a school refused to accept any African Americans on the basis of color.


SOCA's DUE PROCESS
SOCA has exhausted all available avenues to get our voices heard.

• In 2013/14 we were a part of the consultation process. However, it appears that this consultation process was just to obtain a wide range of support in order to get the building approved.
  
• The Architectural Report released in May 2014 showed 7 organizational suites.
  
• Due to the consultation process which we were involved in before, it was assumed that our group would be one of the groups to be allocated space to continue operating our Black Community Services Center.
  
• In 2017, we heard that there was a Request for Expression of Interest in SUB spaces. SOCA assumed that this was a formality. Moreover, this Request for Expression of Interest in SUB spaces was issued without first making the groups which were initially consulted with in 2013 aware of the process. Nevertheless,in September 29, 2017 we sent in our Request for Expression of Interest.
  
• On November 1, 2017, we got a response saying that the SFSS were 'overwhelmed by responses'. [Obviously people would send out requests if they thought rooms were available]
  
• On Dec 1, 2017, we got the following email: After careful consideration, the SFSS Board of Directors has determined that four out of the five available suites in the SUB will be allocated to SFSS clubs and student unions. In the next steps, we will be developing a shared usage model to ensure that clubs and student unions will have the space they need, when they need it. This will allow a larger number of student groups to benefit from designated space than would otherwise be possible, and will ensure that undergraduate students are the primary users of these spaces. Additionally, the SFSS has met with external groups that currently lease space from the SFSS and whose current leases, in some cases, will end next year. We have offered alternate space to most of these groups in other SFSS spaces.
  
• As we were concerned and due to the fact that our situation is unique, we also reached out to Hangue Kim, the President of the SFSS at the time, to ensure that there were steps to specifically allocate spaces to the groups in the Rotunda.
  
• On March 6, 2018, we took the extra step and again reached out to the President Hangue Kim as the SFSS had still not reached out to the groups that would be affected by their decision. As a response, we were told by Kim that "I have asked staff to get in touch".
  
• On March 20, 2018 we were emailed the following:
  I am writing from the SFSS regarding your space and your request for new keys. I apologize for the time that it has taken to respond.
  

Martin Wyant (SFSS CEO) and I are interested in meeting you to discuss your requests as well as your eventual move-out of your space in the Rotunda.
Would you be able to meet us on Wednesday, April 4th, or Thursday, April 5th, in the morning?
Please let me know ASAP as Martin's calendar fills up quite quickly. We would meet in the Maggie Benston Centre, room 2234.

• On April 5th, we had a very tumultuous meeting with the CEO and the BuildSFU General Manager - Marc Fontaine. We were being treated as if we were disposable. The CEO had a very condescending attitude. He used divide and conquer tactics were to differentiate the groups in the Rotunda Community, we were spoken down to, other marginalized groups were used as pawns in a plan to get us to be silenced. We were told not to go to The Peak or conversations will be shut down.
  

Martin's Behaviour in April 5th meeting

• April 6th, We emailed Martin a synopsis of SOCA and other things agreed to in the previous meeting.  Not only were we ignored, we instead received an Eviction Notice
  

New Board Elected

• On May 11, We set up a meeting with VP University Relations Jackson Freedman, VP External Relations Jasdeep Gill, and President Jas Randhawa
  
• On May 22, This meeting was much better, we drew up a proposal that we believed would work. Three earmarked groups in one of the organizational suites given to groups a part of the rotunda community and the other remaining organizational suites for PIRG, FNSA, CJSF.
  
• On June 12, We sent in this proposal after the meeting. In response we were told that there will be no permanent spaces even though we have been in dialogue with groups. We tried all that we could. Sent out to everybody. Articulated our issues. Everything.
  
• We explained what we meant by the permanent/long term dedicated space
  
• On June 28, 2018, we went in a clarification meeting with the President. We wanted him to clarify because there were no decisions made, and that their previous emails are conflicting. Also, the President felt offended by Teresa, SOCA and SFPIRG member stating that white people can be a part of SOCA too. We also raised concerns around Martin and the President stated the CEO can have a direct approach
  
• On July 3, we got a very shocking email from the SFSS. We were condemned that we were 'hateful, racist or otherwise demeaning'. We were also condemned with the SFSS stating Verbal harassment in the workplace is a serious concern, and any form of threats, bullying, and condescending language is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
  
• On July 5, 2018, SOCA clarifies our position stating that we support deconstructing issues and race and clarified the issue and talked about how best to go forward as partners.
  
• Then on July 7, SFSS then doubles down stating that this is a 'justification' a minimization and a misappropriation of what occurred.
  
• After exhausting all steps we realized that there were no other option but to start reaching out to allies internally and externally letting them know of the situation.
  
• That's how it came to us being a full on campaign.
  
• On August 24, We sent out a letter of our concerns to the SFSS stating our concerns as well as the Concerns of the board. [Took us over a month to really prepare emotionally and to get ready for verbal and racial attacks and also to be prepared for our explanation of these issues]
  
• On Sep 2, We released public statements to SFSS and SFU outlining our concerns and launched a petition.
  
• September 14, 2018 met with SFSS to discuss all these concerns in person alongside the other groups in the Rotunda Community.
  

SOCA's actions in the whole situation

• We have tried all internal avenues
  
• We have been transparent, fully open, sending everything to all board of Directors.
  
• We explored every outlet to get our voices heard.
  
• SFSS should be representing the students and the actions of the SFSS led us to being vocal
  
• We have tried everything to get the SFSS on board and understand.
  
• You are representing students, you need to represent students of all race and creed.
  
• SFSS needs to understand the specific need of an organizing space, and advocacy space and a support mechanism for the Black Students on this Campus.
  
  
  

SOCA OPEN LETTER TO SFSS
Many groups having concerns:

• Not limited to our groups but every group having interactions over the last three years have problems with how they have been treated
  
• Constant disregard for less powerful groups and the institutional roadblocks you erect for groups that have challenged your decisions
  
• We need to continue to have a space that we may continue to raise awareness, and educate the campus community on issues of race, as well as to maintain the fellowship and provide resources and support services that we do as an organization. We call on the well-meaning members of the board to feel free to reach out to have a conversation as to how to respond to persons that are uncomfortable.
  
• We implore the board to never condemn people for expressing their concerns, especially concerns from students that have been raised.
  

We call on the SFSS:
1) To provide an extension to the leases for all Rotunda Groups Spaces
2) To vote to provide spaces for the Rotunda Groups in the Students Union Building
3) If the SFSS refuses to make amends to the situation we call on all board of Directors to apologize and resign due to the embarrassment of the SFSS and this Artificially created SUB Space Crisis.
4) To Remove Martin Wyant as CEO of the SFSS