The Real Facts Surrounding The DSU An Editorial Special Travis Paterson, Features Editor On October 27, the Gemini award winning team from Global News dug their investigative claws into the controversy surrounding Joey Hansen of the Douglas College Student Union (DSU). What they failed to mention in their somewhat one-sided assault on Hansen’s credibility, is that a stalemate has developed within the DSU and very little is happening as far as rectifying their financial woes. Other, lesser known news sources have claimed that the Other Press has lacked coverage on the DSU issues in recent months. Clearly they missed the recent Campus Coup issue, as the OP has continued to cover any progress regarding the Student Union’s fail- ure to comply with the Section 21 of the College and Institute Act. At this point we’re only now entering our third month of the fall semester, and there are many new and returning students to the College, including myself, who are unfamiliar with the DSU’s situa- tion. To catch up some of our readers, we’ve noted some key events, reactions and allegations regarding the DSU controversy. The events have been presented in a reverse timeline. October, 18, 2005 A letter from one of many parties at Douglas College expressed dis- appointment in the DSU’s inability to complete their audits. The fol- lowing excerpt is from a letter issued to the DSU by performing arts’ student Crystle Reid, on behalf of the Performing Arts Committee. To all Douglas College Student Union Representatives, “Tt has come to my attention that the current balance of the Performing Arts Committee is zero. I find this disturbing as the bal- ance should be somewhere in the field of $300,000, as confirmed by the draft audits of last year. “The Performing Arts Committee has not spent this money nor given permission for it to be borrowed, I cannot help but wonder what has happened to this large sum of money. This is an account which should have been kept separate from the general student union account.” = 2005 Post Audit Memorandum Unable to complete the audit, the auditors drafted and submitted a Post Audit Memorandum to the DSU suggesting changes be made to account for payroll, revenues, and reporting (citing an unbalanced general ledger). Most importantly, the memo states, “It appears that a significant number of disbursements, primarily relating to the store, consignment books and other ancillary activities were paid in cash.” Other notables are mentioned in the memo, such as taxable honorar- iums that went to members of the DSU but were not reported to the Canada Revenue Agency. The memo, however, only makes sugges- tions for the reconciliation of future returns, and does not go into the specific details of the missing receipts. 4 THE OTHER PRESS NOVEMBER 9 2006 August, 16, 2005 The DSU queried the help of Paula Butler, Barrister & Solicitor, from North Vancouver, to mediate the ongoing issues for the DSU Butler agreed she would accept the job at a “reduced rate for non- profit organizations” of $125 per hour, with an estimate of 40 how August 31, 2002-2004 The DSU failed to comply with Section 21 of the College and Institute Act. The act states that in order for the DSU to receive th funding from the student fees, they must provide audited financial statements to the College board and students within four months fi lowing their fiscal year end of August 31. As stated in the procedures from Section 21 i direct their auditor [from the Accounting Firm] to p vide the auditor’s report and internal control letter directly to the Chair of the College Board; 3. advise students (via a notice posted on the DSU we site) that copies of the current audited financial stat ments are available in the DSU office during office hours. By the end of Dec. 31, 2003, no audited financial statements had been forwarded to the College Board. The last completed audit was submitted to the College Board for the fiscal year of Aug. 31, 2001. August, 16, 2005 The DSU queried the help of Paula Butler, Barrister & Solicitor, from North Vancouver, to mediate the ongoing issues for the DSU Butler agreed she would accept the job at a “reduced rate for non- profit organizations” of $125 per hour, with an estimate of 40 hou August 31, 2002-2004 The DSU failed to comply with Section 21 of the College and Institute Act. The act states that in order for the DSU to receive th funding from the student fees, they must provide audited financial statements to the College board and students within four months f lowing their fiscal year end of August 31. As stated in the procedures from Section 21 1. direct their auditor [from the Accounting Firm] to ] vide the auditor’s report and internal control letter directly to the Chair of the College Board; 3, advise students (via a notice posted on the DSU wi site) that copies of the current audited financial sta ments are available in the DSU office during office hours. By the end of Dec. 31, 2003, no audited financial statements had been forwarded to the College Board. The last completed audit was submitted to the College Board for the fiscal year of Aug. 31, 2001.