This version of the story corrects the spelling of Nikita Jariwala’s name in paragraph four and seven, as well as changes the wording of the headline from “ousting” to “outser”
The Ryerson Arts Society’s (RAS) semi-annual general meeting (SAGM) on Jan. 26 included two motions regarding the recent impeachment of its former president Nikita Jariwala.
The two motions – both of which passed – changed the minimum time lapse between board meetings, along with the reasons and number of times board members can impeach.
Jariwala was impeached Dec. 1 after being accused of violating RAS’s constitution and bylaws, including: unexcused absences and non-performance of duties, unbecoming behaviour, wrongly promising funding to course unions and not appointing society representatives.
In the board meeting’s minutes, the society’s new president, Axel Smith (former RAS vice-president finance), called Jariwala’s actions a “gross violation of the spirit of the constitution.”
According to the society’s SAGM agenda, the motion limiting the board’s ability and reasons to impeach was introduced to “prevent harassment” on the board. Before this, there hadn’t been a cap on the number of times the board can impeach a member before the motion.
Impeachments can still be filed if the motions come once a month, if there are subsequent meetings to complete the motion and if complaints have been made to the board before the motion’s filing.
A 24-hour mandatory time lapse between impeachment-related board meetings was also introduced. The motion’s purpose was to allow time for parties to critically think and build “compelling cases” on an impeachment. The decision to oust Jariwala was made in the second of two meetings held two minutes between one another.