Expanded flu clinic proposal voted down

By Scott Strasser, September 24 2015 —

Student’s Legislative Council voted against approving $6,880 in additional Quality Money funding for an on-campus flu clinic last week.

The initial Quality Money proposal was for a three-day flu-shot clinic for students. Quality Money committee approved the original application of $7,350 last year.

The vote on the recent proposal was split, with 10 voting in favour of the funding increase and 10 against. A majority of 50 per cent plus one was required to approve the funding.

Quality Money is a partnership between the SU and the university that hands out roughly $1.5 million to “projects that will enhance the overall student experience.”

Project creators Andrew Stewart and SU vice-president academic Stephan Guscott originally aimed to vaccinate between 300–500 students.

Guscott said Stewart applied for the extra funding in order to increase the scope of the clinic. According to the new proposal, the funding would have allowed the clinic to last 10 days and vaccinate approximately 2,500 additional students and staff.

The adapted application would have also allowed staff and faculty members to receive a vaccine.

Vice-president operations and finance Sarah Pousette brought the new proposal to SLC and voted in favour of granting the additional funding.    

“Because this was a significant change in scope, there were questions [from SLC members] as to whether they believed it was following the original idea of the proposal,” Pousette said.

Vice-president student life Kirsty McGowan was one of the 10 SLC members who voted against the
request.

“I was extremely supportive of the original project because of its clear focus on students,” McGowan said. “I didn’t feel comfortable approving a funding increase that was for the primary purpose of adding staff to the project.”

Guscott abstained from the vote due to his personal involvement with the flu clinic project.

Although the increase in funding wasn’t approved, Pousette said the SU is still working alongside the Wellness Centre to make sure the event still happens with the original scope and budget.

According to Guscott, the event will be the first physical flu clinic for students on campus.

“The closest Alberta health services clinic is in Brentwood,” Guscott said. “From what I know, the clinics that were on campus in the past were organized by staff wellness and were for staff only.”

The flu clinic is slated to take place in late October.