SLC meeting approves major SU policy updates and gears up for 2024 by-election
By Vama Saini, August 28 2024—
An SLC meeting took place last week and focused on significant amendments to the Students’ Union (SU) policy and laying the groundwork for the upcoming 2024 by-election.
The first topic of discussion was the approval of Resolution 82.08, which proposed a series of amendments to SU Policy. The resolution, presented by VP Internal Naomie Bakana aimed to update various committee terms of reference and streamline operational procedures.
One of the key changes highlighted was the elimination of references to the roles of VP Operations and Finance and VP Student Life, which have since been consolidated into the Vice President Internal position.
“Now that the transition has been completed, there’s no need to keep it mentioned in these terms of references,” Bakana explained.
Another significant adjustment was the reduction in membership for the Programs and Services Committee from eight to six members. Bakana noted that this change was necessary to ensure quorum during the less active spring and summer months.
“It’s usually harder for the committee to meet, and quorum is usually harder to reach,” she said.
The resolution also redefined the responsibilities of the Governance and Oversight Committee, removing its involvement in handling official complaints due to concerns about quorum and information management.
“The Governance and Oversight Committee has some updates as it will not be involved in official complaints anymore due to information implementation concerns,” Bakana stated.
The resolution was put to a vote and was passed unanimously.
The meeting then shifted focus to the upcoming SU By-Election, scheduled for October 2024. Bakana presented the pre-election report, which outlined the key dates, procedures and expectations for the election.
“The main things to just mention are that our Chief Returning Officer has provided the report for the by-election,” Bakana informed the council.
The report detailed everything from election timelines to procedural guidelines, ensuring that all council members are well-prepared for the upcoming election period.
VP Academic Jessie Dinh reminded members that Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) Applications are now open.
“If you know anyone who has done research or if you’ve done research, please sign up. It’s a great way to get free money and scholarships for your research that you’ve already conducted,” she said.
Dinh also stressed the importance of completing the Faculty Council seat survey, which is critical for ensuring proper representation and advocacy within the university.
“This is very important because I need to determine whether or not our faculty representatives are on the Faculty Council and if they’re able to vote on them as per the Post-Secondary Learning Act,” she explained.
Bakana reminded council members of their obligation to apply for committee positions, as mandated by the bylaw.
“Each and every one of you are required to be on a committee, so be sure to apply for those committees as the applications are open,” she said.
Bakana reminded members to sign up for the “Know Your Ship” sessions, designed to help new council members familiarize themselves with SU operations.
For agendas, minutes and upcoming SLC meetings, visit the SU website.