Both of the University of Northern B.C.'s student societies have produced surveys that oppose James Moore's appointment as chancellor.
While the graduate society has written a formal complaint, the undergraduate group emailed its members to say that though students are against the appointment, it would not take action because it "does not want to see our university community divided over this issue."
But the graduate society said the issue has already divided the community and that "official communications" from the Board of Governors and president Daniel Weeks have failed to indicate that "deeper reflection has taken place" or why it reaffirmed Moore as chancellor.
"We are troubled by this, as it displays a lack of transparency, as well as an unwillingness to acknowledge when errors have been made," wrote Jessy Rajan, president of the Northern BC Graduate Students' Society in a letter dated Jan. 25.
The Board of Governors said last week it would not reverse the decision, first announced in November, to make Moore chancellor.
"We know he can help us with our fundraising endeavours, our student recruitment, our government relationships," board chair Ryan Matheson said in an interview last week with the Citizen.
Matheson said the board had considered feedback, both positive and negative, from the community.
"We were able to have the dialogue that we needed to have and ultimately we moved forward with the decision we had made," he said. "I think the board looked at the totality of who the individual was and his qualifications."
In an email Monday to its members, the undergraduate society said it would focus on the future.
"Over the next few weeks, I intend to focus our advocacy on how this process can be improved in the future, rather than reliving past battles, by working with everyone to ensure improvements to the appointment process are made," wrote Duncan Malkinson, Northern Undergraduate Student Society (NUGSS) president.
"This will be in line with the values of our institution and with the top priority of upholding your interests."
In contrast, the graduate society said Moore's history as a Conservative cabinet minister are out of step with UNBC's values.
"We feel very strongly that Mr. Moore is not a suitable figurehead for this institution due to active involvement with and support for a government that undermined core values of this institution and of public education," Rajan wrote.
"The decision was disappointing due to the overwhelming concern voiced by the Senate and the wider university community."
In the graduate poll, 103 of 124 respondents asked the society to "take a stand against this appointment."
"There had been growing concern among graduate students from the outset and the student society sought to engage as many graduate students as possible," Rajan said.
Malkinson didn't include the number of respondents to the NUGSS survey, but said "a great number of students took part, voicing opposition to the appointment and the process that led to it."
At its most recent recent meeting, the board chose to "accept and endorse" those results.
"By endorsing the results of this survey, we oppose the appointment of James Moore as Chancellor, and we oppose the process that has led to his appointment," Malkinson wrote.
An online petition, started by an anonymous member of the senate in November, has more than 2,100 signatures calling for the board of governors to reverse its decision for Moore as chancellor.
