What Even Is Accreditation?

The truth about accreditation: 

Where you told that without accreditation there would be no more clubs? No more events? No more support from the VCSA?

Where you told that you must vote yes or otherwise you're voting against all your rights?

Thing is, accreditation is neither. Accreditation as defined in the "Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students’ associations"  is actually a process focused on the legal and financial implication of student associations.

An accredited association gets three important rights:

1) The right to collect fees from students to fund its operations

2) A guaranteed room with furniture free of charge

3) The official and legal recognition to act and negotiate on the behalf of the students

So what is more important?

Every year the VCSA Executives sign a contract with Vanier College which outlines what the VCSA gets (club rooms, advancement of funding, etc). 

This contract isn't only for formality, its the terms of conditions the VCSA must adhere to to continue having the freedoms that allow it to do everything it does for students. What does the VCSA have to do in return? The VCSA must obviously respect Vanier policies, ensure students remain safe 

Our opinion? Ask the VCSA Executives for the contract. For the past 40ish years it has been the thing making clubs and events possible. 

If clubs and events cease to exist, that would be from the negotiations between the VCSA and Vanier College and not as a direct result of not winning the accreditation vote. 

Is it all bureaucratic then? 

No. Arguably the most important difference between the VCSA being accredited or not is Right #3. This right recognizes a formal distinction between what Vanier does and what the VCSA does. The implication of this? This allows students, through the VCSA, to take independence stances and opinions on various subject matters (internal, external, political, cultural, etc). 

Meaning the VCSA can then officially act as the student body's official voice. In turn, the VCSA also becomes responsible itself for what it does.

You could in some way say that this is the right that protects the VCSA's freedom of speech.

However, this right is only useful if the VCSA actually honors the [majority student opinion] on the various subject matters.  

What else is gained for clubs?

If Right #1 and Right #3 are gained, then yes the extra possibilities allowed to the VCSA could extend to clubs too if VCSA Executives want to.  With or without accreditation, our option is that it would be in a club's best interest to support a movement that will allow them to negotiate better club funds transparency, checks and balances for less risk of favoritism and more. 

It is even more nuanced!

• Even if accreditation ensures Right #1, Point 56 says it is still possible for the VCSA to negotiate and establish funding for clubs, events, and everything else without accreditation. Again, no accreditation does not mean no clubs!

• In our opinion, it is realistic for non-accredited negotiations to still allocate an office space of the VCSA. So no accreditation probably doesn't mean that the VCSA will be homeless. Nevertheless, we recognize that without accreditation, Right #2 is not guaranteed. 

• In promotional videos, you can hear "Vote for the VCSA", or else what? Is there another option to vote for? Matter of fact, there could be but that's outside the purview of this movement. 

• And there is so much more administration involved! If you are curious on details ask them in the discussion form. 

Now ask yourself this?

Did you know all these details? Did you have this understanding of accreditation or did you think it was for something else?   

Both Vanier College and the VCSA dictate what happens in the negotiations, yet we're only hearing one of them say clubs are at risk if they don't get what they want....

If you are not content with potentially superficial information and believe you should be more aware of what the VCSA has been doing this semester, please consider filling out the petition form (your name will not be shared with the VCSA).