Discussions of agenda format marks Feb. 5 SLC

By James Falls, February 8 2019 —

Amendments to the Operations and Finance Terms of Reference and feedback on changes made to the meeting agenda format made for a quick Students’ Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 5.

The meeting began with executive reports, with Students’ Union vice-president academic Jessica Revington highlighting ongoing nominations for Teaching Excellence Awards and work attending the various sub-committees of General Faculties Council.

Vice-president external Anayat Sidhu reported on last week’s Canadian Alliance of Student’s Association’s (CASA) #StudentsLetsAct campaign, which focuses on action on student mental health, held on both the main and Foothills campuses.

Vice-president student life Nabila Farid reported attending a number of meetings for the Campus Mental Health Strategy and a meeting of the President’s Consultative Task Force.

During internal business, vice-president operations and finance Kevin Dang proposed amendments to the Operations and Finance Terms of Reference, saying that the amendments better align the terms with SU bylaws and templates. The greatest changes regard the Refugee Student Program, seeking to grant “autonomy to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Refugee Student Board to have discretion regarding amounts below $5,000.” The motion to amend the terms passed unanimously among council members.

SLC then went into committee of the whole to solicit feedback on the revisions to the SLC agenda format made this year. SU president Sagar Grewal observed that this year’s council is the first to use this format, with most of the changes made to streamline meetings.

Prior to the changes, gallery involvement was saved until the end of meetings and internal business was presented earlier. Few members of SLC had issues with the revisions, with Farid remarking that she preferred students having the opportunity to ask questions related to internal business discussed that day. Faculty of Law representative Bassam Saifeddine said that he felt taking attendance was unnecessary and that he preferred “a system of unanimous consent,” for passing motions such as approve meeting minutes and the Agenda.

SLC then moved in camera for discussions on Quality Money projects. Council remained in camera for approximately 20 minutes before the meeting adjourned.

The next meeting of SLC will be on Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the MacHall Executive Council Chambers. Access elected official reports, trimester reports, minutes and all other SLC documents here.