In the first EngSoc meeting of this term (May 15, 2013), a motion was passed which disallows students that switch streams from running for the positions of VP-Education and President of the Engineering Society (A) of the University of Waterloo. This means that there is a 0% probability of the President or the VP-Ed of EngSoc Stream ‘A’ being from Nanotechnology Engineering or from the 4S stream of ECE.
This practice is discriminatory in its very spirit. Discrimination is the prejudicial and/or distinguishing treatment of an individual based on their actual or perceived membership of a certain group. In this case, the perceived membership of either the 8S or 4S stream disqualifies ALL Nanotechnology Engineering students. This means that the academic issues pertaining particularly to students with double academic or work terms would be inadequately represented.
When asked about this decision, the President of the Engineering Society (A) stood by that decision claiming that it was for the greater good of the engineering society. This is also in violation of the basic principles of justice. The different principles of justice put forth by John B. Rawls in his Magnus Opus: A Theory of Justice states that for justice, the worse off in a society be compensated for these naturally occurring inequalities. Thus, in this scenario, the worse off section in this case would be students who switch streams. Because of their smaller population, the worse off often are not able to adequately be represented in a true democracy due to their smaller numbers.
In conclusions, I would like to re-iterate the fact that the motion thus passed is discriminatory in spirit. Instead of suppressing the mixed stream students, it would be more appropriate to find a remedy to the solution that includes their best interests.
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