TCSA VP Health and Wellness, Holly Naraine, has resigned effective immediately in protest of what can charitably be described as an official months-long bullying campaign levelled against her by at least seven members of the TCSA’s own staff and board, including the three other Executives.

Arthur was sent a copy of Naraine’s resignation letter at 10:41 pm on March 6th.

Over the course of February, Naraine was barred from the TCSA office and from all events related to the Association. This included events related to Black History Month—something which Naraine, who is Black-Caribbean, has expressed frustration with.

In late January, an HR Committee was formed to deal with a list of approximately sixty complaints outlined in a ten page document provided to Naraine. 

The HR Committee was made up of TCSA General Manager Tracy Milne, TCSA Board Resource Manager Wendy Walker, Traill Cabinet President Krista Kartick, Champlain Cabinet President Campbell Deck, and Lady Eaton Cabinet Prime Minister, Deondrae Thompson.

Many of the complaints levelled against Naraine include what the complainants deem to be inappropriate and unprofessional conduct. During meetings of the HR Committee, Naraine made it clear that she would work to improve professional boundaries with other members of the TCSA Board and Staff moving forward, however she tells Arthur that she was denied the opportunity to contextualize these events.

Initially, Naraine had intended to draft a public apology to the student body to be published on the TCSA’s website, in keeping with one of the HR Committee’s preferred options coming out of emergency deliberations held throughout February and in closed session. 

The options that arose from the Committee, presented in order of committee favourability, were immediate resignation, a public apology to the student body and separate apology to the complainants while being forced to serve out the rest of her contract remotely, and impeachment.

“Everyone deserves apologies, and I have no problem admitting and owning my mistakes,” Naraine told the Committee in a follow-up meeting to discuss their findings. 

“There’s still language that you’re using that demonstrates that you’re not taking accountability for how we have gotten here,” Milne told Naraine shortly thereafter. “You’re saying that ‘all four [Executives] could have done better, all of us should make a group apology.’ Yes, all four of you could have done better but the complaint package from the seven people wasn’t against all four, it was highlighting issues they had with you.” 

In the same meeting, Deck told Naraine that the Committee’s decision was based on their perception of Naraine not doing her job.

In addition to this, documents forwarded to Arthur show a conversation concerning the nature of Naraine’s initial draft of her apology  in which Milne attempted to pressure Naraine to redraft a section of the apology concerning her ability to carry out her duties as VP Health and Wellness.

“Had I truly underperformed and failed the student body it should have been addressed a [sic] my executive review committee,” Naraine wrote in reference to a section of the apology about her alleged inability to fully represent the student body as VP Health and Wellness.

Milne, who was a member of the HR Committee responded by writing “If you are no longer agreeing to the statement requirements that would mean you are no longer agreeing with the option of providing an apology.”

“This would require me to lie to the student body. If my only option is to be bullied into lying in order to keep my job and not let the student body down further, fine,” Naraine wrote back.

Ultimately, Naraine chose to resign rather than agree to and perpetuate what she considered to be a lie to the students she represented.  

A copy of the Board Reports from the February 13th Semi-Annual General Meetings contain a litany of tangible accomplishments by Naraine while in her role as VP Health and Wellness. These included six events between July 2022 and January 2023 before she was barred from the office and therefore her duties as VP. 

These reports have since been removed from the TCSA’s website. 

Some of the events she was unable to carry out as a result of the official complaints levelled against her included a “Black Mental Health Social Media” and a “Dear Black Man” campaign.

Throughout her term, Naraine worked at consolidating the TCSA’s One Stop Chop Food Bank, was involved in the Wrapped and Ready Campaign, and advocated for increased support for eating disorders beyond a registered dietitian.

When viewed objectively and in the context of the other reports contained in the SAGM document alongside other Executive Reports, it is difficult to suggest that Naraine fell short of expectations as Milne and other members of the HR Committee seem to want students to believe. 

“Against my better judgement, I’m resigning. I hate to give power to the oppressor, and I’m not a quitter, but there comes a point in time where I have to choose myself. Where I have to prioritize myself, my academics, and my sanity,” Naraine told Arthur in an interview following her resignation.

“I don’t think I ever truly belonged nor did I feel safe. I learned a lot about myself and professionalism during my time and I still have a lot more to learn. Like my co-workers, I’m not perfect. I did my best and I’m sorry to those who I let down,” Naraine said when asked about the work environment at the TCSA.

TCSA President Zoe Litow-Daye, refused the opportunity for comment regarding the resignation of one of her VPs. Similarly, both Walker and Milne have been unavailable for comment since Arthur received word of Naraine’s resignation.