Dechinta 'bush university' hasn't had an official board of directors in 7 years

The board members of the N.W.T.'s celebrated "bush university" were surprised to learn recently that they were never officially appointed.

Dechinta is a registered charity that teaches university-accredited courses through land-based programming. In 2016, the group took in about $750,000, almost half of which came from taxpayers.

"It was a big surprise to myself and the current board that for the last three and half years, we were operating in space where we weren't legal board members," said Candice Lys, who joined the board in 2014 and held the position of chairperson until a few weeks ago.

Lys learned recently, from the group's executive director, that Dechinta hasn't been followingits own bylaws.

According to Lys and Larry Innes, a lawyer hired by the original board, new board members were elected to their positions, but those elections never became official, because Dechinta has never held an official annual general meeting.

That meant the five original board members, who initially incorporated Dechinta, have been legally responsible for the organization for the last seven years even though most of them have resigned and were not aware of they were stillresponsible.

AGM held on Tuesday

Dechinta held its first official AGM on Tuesday night to elect a new official board of directors.

CBC News was refused entry to the meeting.ADechinta consultant explainedit was for members only. When CBC offered to pay the $1 membership fee to get in, its reporter was told shecould only enter as a member if shepromised not to publish anything said at the meeting.

A press release from Dechinta lists the new board members as Glen Coulthard, Cheryl Mandeville, Leanne Simpson, Lois Edge, Siku Allooloo, Gordie Liske, and Tyler Tsetta.

Coulthard, the new board chair, said the mistake would not affect Dechinta programing.

Innes, who attended the meeting, said the new board will not hold the original board responsible for the actions taken while they weren't aware of their legal commitment.

A conflict of interest?

But Lys, the former chair, has another concern about the new board, pointing out that three of the members are also being paid by the organization.

Coulthard, Simpson, and Edge are listed as faculty on the Dechinta website. They work for Dechinta on a contract basis in curriculum development and are compensated for it, Coulthard said.

There is nothing in the Dechinta bylaws that restricts paid faculty from being on the board.

"My concern with the new board are just that there are several board members who receive remuneration from the organization," said Lys. "That is something just to keep an eye on. It's not necessarily a conflict of interest."

The original board was made up of Kyla Kakfwi Scott, Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox, Shirley Tsetta, Allice Legat, and Erin Freeland-Ballantyne.

Legat is listed as faculty under the Dechinta website and Freeland-Ballantyne is the executive director/dean, according to the 2016/2017 notice of directors.

Dechinta plans to hold a second AGM on Sept. 8 in order review itsmost recent audit.