As a student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, you expect the student association to safeguard your interests: fees collected should be spent transparently, equitably and in ways that enhance student life. Instead, in the past three months rumours and emerging evidence suggest the KSA board, lead by Ishant (Goel) Goyal, President and VP University Affairs Paramvir Singh, VP Finance and Operations Manmeet Kaur under the oversight of Executive Director Timothii Ragavan, may have veered far from that standard. This is not about minor budgeting mishaps; this is about institutional accountability, governance and whether student funds are being used in ways that reflect their stated purpose.

What we’ve heard

Silver coins for a “44th anniversary”

The board authorized the purchase of ten silver coins, each weighing under 10 grams, celebrating the KSA’s “44th anniversary”. These coins feature Sikh and other religious symbols and, by reports, were purchased at approximately CAD $70 per coin. By comparison, the spot price of silver in Canada today is approximately CAD $2.33 per gram.

If the coins truly weigh 10g each, then the raw metal cost would be around CAD $23.30 per coin (10 g × $2.33/gram). If under 10 g, the cost would be lower. That means paying CAD $70 is about three times the metal‐value alone.

On its face: if the rationale was a simple commemorative coin for the KSA’s 44th anniversary, the symbolism fails for two reasons: the coins don’t clearly tie to the “44th anniversary” motif (they instead appear more aligned with Diwali and religious representation), and the cost premium appears excessive given the metal value.

Hanging Basket Chairs

You may have seen these hanging basket chairs on campuses. We have heard allegations that the cost of these were approximately CAD $1,950 each (total ~CAD $20,000). But current wholesale listings on major procurement platforms for the same model are in the $300-600 range.

What justified the association spending $2,000 per unit on these chairs?

Overpriced nut baskets and dresses distributed to students

For Diwali celebrations, large expenditures on “nut baskets” and dresses which were given to students was alleged. Details (quantities, vendor quotes) remain vague; however, the pattern of gifting combined with high unit cost raises valid questions about procurement, tendering and justification. Who were the vendors who were contracted for this? Why is this not being disclosed to students and campus reporters?

$250 plants that look like Ikea palms in Rona pots

A further allegation: that the association spent CAD $250 each on plants that appear to be repotted Ikea palms placed into CAD $28 pots sourced from Rona. If true, this suggests markup and perhaps a lack of competitive sourcing.

Nearly $10,000 on Diwali decorations across campuses

The board allegedly spent nearly $10,000 on Diwali decorations just for the installation across campuses. The decorations themselves were purchased separately by the association, adding even more cost on top of the installation fee. Students effectively paid twice: first for the decor, then for the labour to put it up. This is yet another opaque expense pushed through by a board and Finance VP who appear to exercise little scrutiny over vendor pricing, procurement practices or whether spending aligns with the association’s mandate.

Why this Matters

Our student fees are not a slush fund for luxury items, overpriced decor, or vendor contracts that nobody outside the board has ever seen. They are paid with the expectation of responsible stewardship and transparency.

The examples above point to a pattern:

• High-cost purchases without clear student benefit
• No competitive procurement process
• No public vendor information
• No accountability from the Finance VP Manmeet Kaur or Executive Director Timothii Ragavan
• A culture of secrecy rather than service

But questionable spending is only half the picture. The governance failures behind it are just as serious.

A Board That Barely Shows Up

The Runner’s recent reporting highlights an equally alarming issue: the board’s growing inability to even run its own meetings.

At the Nov. 21 council meeting, the KSA failed to vote on three key election-regulation changes, not because of disagreement, but because councillors simply didn’t show up.

Zero councillors attended in person, despite the room being booked specifically to avoid connectivity issues.

Attendance dropped from ten online participants to seven, below the quorum of eight.

This marks the third meeting where critical governance items were delayed due to lack of quorum.

Councilors receive an honorarium of $125 per meeting, yet many appear to:

• log in silently
• sit muted,
• write a line or two in chat (mainly to vote yae or nae)
• and disappear before the meeting concludes.

These honoraria are meant to defray any commuting costs so that these meetings are held in person. They are not just an extra source of income for clicking on a meeting invite and sitting quietly in chat.

Meanwhile, these same elected officials oversee procurement, student-club funding, election rules, and the millions in student fees flowing through the association each year.

If the people responsible for oversight aren’t present, oversight doesn’t happen. And when oversight doesn’t happen, waste, mismanagement, and unchecked spending become predictable outcomes.

KPU Students Deserve Better

Good governance is not complicated. It requires councillors who:

• attend meetings in person,
• participate meaningfully,
• stay for the full agenda,
• and uphold their responsibility to the students who elected them.

Good procurement is also not complicated. It requires competitive pricing, transparent reporting, proper documentation, and accountability to the student body.

Right now, the KSA appears to be falling short on both fronts.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT

For years, students have paid millions in mandatory fees with little transparency, accountability, or oversight. Yet these funds continue to be misspent while students across Kwantlen campuses receive uneven and inconsistent services.

It’s time to demand better.

We the KPU students need to organize, speak out, and call for a FULL, INDEPENDENT, FORENSIC AUDIT of the KSA.

Please share the following link with every body you know: sign and share the petition for accountability and reform: https://c.org/FzsKZB7gMZ

We also call on the Province of British Columbia to amend and strengthen the B.C. Societies Act to ensure student-funded organizations can never again operate without transparent, democratic governance.

Enough is enough.

— A Concerned KPU Student

Your words do carry weight. When used with intent, they can shift policies, spark dialogue, and protect what matters. 📩 Email KSA and KPU today.