The Athenaeum

Tag: decoded

  • SRC Decoded: What You Missed March 26th

    SRC Decoded: What You Missed March 26th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.

    On March 26th the council met in order to vote on the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year. During the meeting, a project proposal was received and George Philp, President, presented three notice of motions to the council. The council spent the majority of the meeting discussing the proposed Kings Transit UPass Agreement.

    Budget

    Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year at the council’s last meeting on March 19th. The meeting was primarily called today in order to vote upon the budget, which needs to be passed before April 1st. The council had no comments or questions for Craig and the budget was passed unanimously.

    Notice of Motions

    There were several notices of motions that were presented to the council by President George Philp, in preparation for next week. Philp first presented Operating Procedure #3: Policy Development, which underwent minor changes. Chairperson was added under the responsibility of policies and the language was cleaned up and made more direct regarding policy ratification. The changes additionally clarified that if a policy is ratified then it is in action for 5 years and after that period, the Policy will be deemed inactive.

    The Student Organization Registration Procedure was also presented by Philp at this meeting. Philp noted to the council that there were slight issues earlier this year regarding the registration procedures for student organizations and the procedure document lays out any and all procedures clearly for any student organizations in the future. Philp encouraged council to read over the procedure document before the vote next week.

    Lastly, Philp presented the Student Organization Funding and Services Procedure which details how student clubs apply for funding and who qualifies for that funding. The document outlines and clarifies what student organization events the ASU is capable and willing to give money towards and what student organization events it isn’t.

    Project Proposal

    A Pop-up Shop was proposed to the council during this meeting. The purpose of the pop-up shop is to promote healthy and safe, sex education by offering students resources that may not be otherwise available to them. Acadia Women’s Health Center will be partnering with the ASU to execute this pop-up shop which will be hosted somewhere in the Student Union Building (SUB). Details regarding the time and date of the event are not yet confirmed.

    Kings Transit University Bus Pass

    There were multiple audience members, including Meg Hodges, an elected Councillor for the Municipality of Kings and Board Chair for King’s Transit Authority, who showed up in anticipation of the SRC voting on the Kings Transit UPass Agreement that was proposed to the council last week. As the agreement was opened up to a discussion, multiple council members expressed concern from students that the UPass is to be ‘mandatory’ and noted that multiple students whom they have discussed the UPass with, would rather buy into the service for a higher price than have to pay a mandatory fee. Hodges responded to these concerns by assuring the council that if the student body does not want the UPass than it will not be voted in by the students in the fall.

    “I ask that you please have open minds and open hearts” Hodges urged the council, going on to explain that if the agreement gets shut down in this room by the council, students will not even have the opportunity to share their opinions by voting on the matter themselves.

    Philp suggested the council focus on the MOU on the table and the specifics of the agreement. It was also made clear that resources will be made available for the student body to become accurately informed of all the facts if the Upass makes it to a student election.

    A large discussion took place as council debated the matter at hand and it concluded with any changes or approval of the MOU being deferred to the next meeting due to the low number of council members who were able to attend today’s meeting. This decision was made so missing council members can also voice their opinions and concerns regarding the UPass.

    Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and Columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What you Missed March 19th

    SRC Decoded: What you Missed March 19th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.

    On March 19th the council met primarily to be presented with and discuss the Kings Transit UPass Agreement, presented by ASU General Manager, Ian Morrison and Kings Transit General Manager, Glen Bannon. Additionally, the Council received updates from the Student Life Committee and on the Hours of Work Policy followed by the proposal for the new budget by Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations. The meeting received various project proposals from committee members along with a look at the Acadia Athletics Complex’s future projections.

    Kings Transit University Bus Pass

    The Council spent the first part of the meeting discussing the details of the Kings Transit University Bus Pass (UPass) agreement and service. As Ian Morrison, ASU General Manager, began to show the proposed agreement to Council he noted that he, along with Kings Transit, feel as though this agreement is a solid first step towards the process of implementing a UPass as well as being fully transparent with the Council. The agreement presented dictates the UPass fee will be $180 and can change by maximum 5% year to year for all full-time university students and any part-time or co-op students will have the ability to opt out of the fee if they like.

    Morrison stressed that this is a two-tier agreement, meaning that in order for the UPass to become permanent it needs to pass through two referendums, one in the fall and one in two years. The UPass requires 25% of the student body to vote it in and provided that happens, Section 2 of the agreement states the term of this agreement will last from 2020-22, at which point a referendum must take place before the agreement is up. The agreement also highlights the perks of students being able to add a dependent onto the program along with a refund mechanism that will be in place in case of circumstances on campus where students do not receive a service.

    Glen Bannon, Kings Transit General Manager, then took over the presentation as he showcased the service end of the UPass to Council. There are three main aims to this program: (1) Enhance student experience (2) Enhance distance and travel opportunities for a discounted price (3) Promote public transit to the students on campus. Bannon believes that the service will be able to successfully meet all three aims over the course of its run.

    There will be year-round unrestricted travel on new transit routes, and the one travelling to Kentville will have a bus leaving every 30 hours during the extended hours of 10pm-12am. UPass will additionally offer round trip transportation between August 15th – May 15th from Acadia University to downtown Halifax with a minimum of two departures every Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon (Monday on the event of an extended holiday). Bannon also notes that four-day advanced booking is required and a stand by option will be available on the off-chance a student doesn’t show up.

    The SRC responded to the service and agreement with reasonable questions which were answered by Morrison and Bannon effectively and justifiably. The agreement will be voted upon at the next council meeting.

    Student Life Committee 

    Kyle Vandertoorn, VP Student Life and chair of the Student Life Committee (SLC) , provided the Council with an update of the ongoing SLC meetings that have been frequently taking place. Vandertoorn shared that the most recent meetings have revolved around preparing for the next year school year, particularly focusing on house council. Hiring for house council was supposed to take place Sunday, March 17th but due to a low number of applicants, the SLC has made the decision to reopen applications and to do interviews later on this month. The goal for the house council interviews is to make them more interactive so the applicants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills to the hiring committee. Additionally, the SLC went over the updated House Council Constitution and has been discussing that.

    Regarding Cheaton Cup the SLC has been discussing various ways to get all the residences on campus involved and not just Chipman and Eaton. There has been a Chipman fan club started as a way to get these other residences involved as well as events such as pancake breakfasts taking place. The SLC is striving for Cheaton Cup to be a campus focus event uniting everyone through a healthy rivalry and not a party focus.

    Hours for Work Policy

    The Hours to Work Policy underwent some significant changes that ASU President, George Philp, highlighted to Council. The definition ‘Mental health day’ got changed to ‘Personal day’ which encompasses needing a break from meetings and duties in order to take a break to rest, focus on schoolwork etc. Philp noted ‘Personal day’ was more reflective of what the definition actually said. The changes also included the possibility for a leave of absence in any of the roles along with the implementation of ‘Sick days’.

    Budget

    Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented the budget for the next fiscal year. This budget addressed the minimum wage raise in Nova Scotia and how it affects paid individuals in the ASU along with the full-time staff wage gap and decreasing the gap significantly. Craig noted that his team recognized how dated the ASU website is and created a budget specifically for improving and updating the website in cooperation with the University. Regarding student fees, Craig discussed how they kept all service fees that they deemed necessary to the University and student fees will only increase from $187.4 – $193.85. The goal was to keep student fees relatively low and Craig expressed his content with the final number.

    Craig stressed to the Council that as per usual, money is tight at Acadia and due to the amount of lost money from being closed during bar renovations at the end of last year and the ban that took place at the beginning of this year, we need to figure out how to address this loss. The goal for Craig is to have this new budget passed within the coming two weeks.

    Acadia Athletics Complex Future Projections

    It was announced to council that the Acadia Athletics Complex is looking into a 10+ year projection. Gabrielle Bailey, VP Events and Promotions, attended the original meeting regarding the projection and noted to council that the University views the pool as the biggest concern. It is currently very old and leaking and the University is looking for a good way to move forward with the concern. There is a push for the town to be paying more due to the fact that 75% of the individuals who use the pool are community members and not students.

    In addition to the pool, Bailey was tasked with asking council for any suggestions on how to improve the Complex. Councillor Christopher Vanderburgh suggested the track become a few lanes wider to limit traffic and run more efficiently. With the increased popularity Sustainability Officer, Hannah Machat suggested a bouldering wall would be a key addition and it was also noted the locker rooms be redone. An audience member commented that the workout facility is too small and it would be a good idea to expand the gym later down the line along with a studio space be built for dance, yoga etc.

    At the moment nothing is solidified and the 10+ year projection is currently just a ballpark estimate but could range anywhere from 5-15 years. The discussions are in their early stages and so far nothing regarding the Athletics Complex is set in stone.

    New Business

    All of the new business that was to be voted upon at this meeting was all projects and changes proposed at the last SRC meeting with the exception of Katie Winters’, Arts Senator, Culture Show which dealt with proposed changes discussed later in the meeting. Everything voted upon at this meeting was passed unanimously.

    Project Proposals

    The meeting dealt with numerous project proposals, the first coming from First Year Officer Blake Steeves who proposed Acadia’s First Annual Freshmen Games to be held in the Acadia Sports Complex. Each residence can enter as many teams of 5 people as they want although 4 students must be freshmen on the team. Teams are required to be made from within your residence, there will be no mixing residences. The games will consist of physical and mental challenges and prizes will be awarded to the winners.

    Hannah Machat, Sustainability Officer, proposed the implementation of lanterns in the Michener Lounge. These lanterns also serve as diffusers and it will spruce up along with providing light and comfort to the lounge. The money for these lanterns will be coming from the wellness budget.

    A charity dodgeball tournament was proposed to take place on March 31st between 8-10pm. It will cost $2 per person and all proceeds will be going towards an alzheimers disease rehabilitation initiative. There is hope for 8 teams to enter but there is the expectation for more teams. Any money donated towards this fund is highly encouraged.

    Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and Columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What You missed March 5th

    SRC Decoded: What You missed March 5th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.

    On March 5th Council met to discuss the financial update as of March 4th, Ad-Hoc Committee’s March report, Amendments to the Athenaeum Constitution, and House Council Committee. Sacha Russo presented Council with the general election re-cap long with an outline for the upcoming special election. In addition, the Council received numerous project proposals from members regarding various activities that will be held around campus.

    Financial Update

    Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented council with the ASU’s most recent financial update as of March 4th. Most services are performing at an expected average net income loss such as the Information Desk and Union Market, however, two areas took a much greater than anticipated loss in this update. Perkin’s net income loss came in around $15,220 which is $12,372 more than Perkin’s was expected to lose. Additionally, bar services only profited $19,847 during this past period which was a significant hit compared to the estimated profit of $59,404 that was expected. Craig attributes some of the bar’s loss to the fact that the bar can’t get enough people there on Saturdays and reached out to the Council in a request that they brainstorm ideas to increase the bars net income. Overall, Craig believes that the ASU is doing average financially with a total net income loss of $4,450 and is pleased with most of the ASU’s services.

    Ad-hoc Committee Report

    As per requirement the Ad-hoc Committee, which was established in order to respond and propose changes to the new bylaws, must give an interim report of their progress as of the first Council meeting in March. Molly Anderson, SRC and bylaw committee chairperson, presented Council with a report update updating them on the work that has been done within the Ad-hoc committee to address the concerns of students about the newly implemented bylaw 3 regarding impeachment and referendum. Through research, the committee has discovered variety across institutions regarding the procedures of impeachment and referendum. There have been student members appointed the the committee and Anderson believes that wider consultations will begin within the coming weeks. Anderson stressed that the committee is aware of the time constraints and will be meeting o a regular basis to accomplish what is needed.

    Amendments to The Athenaeum Constitution

    Council discussed the recommended suggested amendments (2019-03-04) to the current Operating Procedure 11 of The Athenaeum Constitution. It is recommended that all hired personnel of The Athenaeum ‘shall attend all required meetings of The Athenaeum unless excused by the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor’. There were no questions nor arguments to the proposed changes which will be voted upon in the next meeting.

    House Council Hiring Committee

    Applications have been distributed for the 2019-2020 house council positions Kyle Vandertoorn, VP Student Life, announced at the meeting. Vandertoorn is hoping to do interviews on Sunday, March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) and requested two people from the Council help to conduct the interviews on that day. All candidates will be brought to the SUB and the interview will be an interactive group one, in order for the hiring committee to acknowledge the candidates potential and talents. Vandertoorn emphasized that it was an amazing experience to have, and the Council then voted on the two volunteered members that will join her.

    Election News

    Sacha Russo was present at the recent SRC meeting in order to provide the Council with a recapitulation of the 2019 General Election and Winter By-Election, as well as to discuss the upcoming special election. Regarding the past election, all positions were open and a total of 23 candidates were running in both elections. There were four acclaimed positions, one withdrawal and one disqualification. The election followed Russo’s timeline which was proposed in January and commenced with the results first being distributed to the candidates and then the general student body. There was also a total of seven complaints concerned with campaign violations against three candidates that triggered two Elections Committee meetings during this election.

    Regarding the upcoming Special Election for the 2019-2020 school year, Russo explained that the VP Finance and Operations position was not filled by a candidate in the past election and it is required a student fill this role before May 1st, 2019. The nomination period will open March 5th and close March 8th with an All-Candidates meeting taking place in the Michener Lounge at 5pm. There will be the usual candidate’s debate along with candidates written statements being published in The Ath. Voting Period will last from March 14th to March 19th and the results will be distributed in an all students email shortly after voting concludes.

    Project Proposals

    There were several projects proposed by council members in the recent meeting. The first project proposed was from Katie Winters, Arts Senator. Winter proposed a Culture Show that will take place in the Mackeen Room sometime in late March/early April. The Culture show carries the same premise of a traditional talent show and emphasis’ encouraging students of all cultures to perform. Winters believes this event will allow students to celebrate the variety of talent and diversity we have at Acadia.

    Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations proposed an event that will focus on the financial considerations for students before and after university. Partnering with Investors group, there will be a presentation on budgeting along with a question period for any lost or confused students. Craig is currently unsure of when this will take place but wants students to have the resources required to make financially stable choices.

    The third proposal came from Councillors Christopher Vanderburgh and Jonah Van Driesum. The two proposed an open discussion regarding the state of politics in Canada at the various levels of government. The discussion will take place April 1st at 7:30pm in the KCIC Auditorium featuring engagement from students and professors on campus. Vanderburgh and Driesum will be the moderators of this discussion and hope it will provide an ‘analysis of what politics in Canada might look like in the near future’.

    Mackenzie Jarvin, incoming VP Academic and External and Dahlia Chahine, Student Board of Governors Representative proposed a mock LSAT and MCAT which will be provided by Princeton Review. The LSAT is currently scheduled for March 20th 4:30pm-8:30pm (4h) in BAC 132 but Jarvin and Chahine are thinking about changing it to the following Sunday instead. The MCAT will take place March 23rd 9:30am-5:00pm (7.5h) in BAC 132. Both tests will be proctored by Jarvin and Chahine and scantrons will be sent off to get marked.

    Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What You missed January 29th

    SRC Decoded: What You missed January 29th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.

    On January 29th, Council primarily met to discuss the proposed Kings Transit UPass, presented by ASU general member and Councillor for the Municipality of Kings, Meg Hodges. In addition, two projects were proposed in the meeting, one presented by Councillor Sebastian Farkas and the other presented by Theology Senator, Zach Goldsmith. The meeting ended with a short announcement from George Philp, ASU President.

    Kings Transit University Bus Pass

    Council spent the majority of the meeting listening to and discussing the Kings Transit University Bus Pass (UPass). Meg Hodges, an elected Councillor for the Municipality of Kings and Board Chair for King’s Transit Authority, presented the UPass to Council with hopes that the pass will move forward to a referendum. The proposed UPass is a bus pass that allows students to ride transit between September 1st – April 30th for a small fee that will be added to yearly student fees, saving a regular transit rider a significant amount yearly. The UPass will increase access to various activities in neighbouring communities as well as increasing the potential for students access jobs outside of Wolfville. Hodges managed to get an impressive 10% of the population’s signatures within two days and is asking that the UPass petition moves forward to a referendum and that a vote for the UPass be issued on the general election ballot scheduled for February 10th – February 14th.

    Responding to Hodges proposal, George Philp, ASU President, announced that the ASU needs to deeply consider all proposals that will require student fees. In accordance with the consultation agreement between Acadia University and the ASU any requested fees must be brought to the attention of the University before December 31st of the previous fiscal year to be placed into effect for the next one. Due to the fact, the UPass requires student fees, it is too late for the UPass to come into effect for the 2019-20 fiscal year. Although Philp stressed the importance of nailing down the specifics regarding the UPass before it moves to a referendum, he assured Councillor Hodges that there will be a fall by-election and it is likely the UPass petition will move to a referendum with enough time for the UPass to be placed on the fall by-election ballot.

    The UPass will be taken over by the incoming executive team for the 2019-20 fiscal year. If things go according to Hodge’s plan and the UPass is approved in a referendum and by the majority of the students, then the UPass will be in effect for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

    Project Proposals

    Councillor Sebastian Farkas proposed a guest lecture by Dr. Victor Muniz-Fraticelli, associate professor of law at McGill University, titled “What is freedom of religion? A pluralist view”. This event will be co-hosted by the ASU and Acadia Pre-law Society in conjunction with the Institute for Liberal Studies. The event will take place in the KCIC Auditorium 6:00 March 21st. The Council accepted the proposal unanimously.

    Theology Senator Zachary Goldsmith proposed an organized panel discussion, that talks about the perceived conflict of Science and God. Goldsmith believes it will benefit students by providing an academic perspective on a public point of conflict. It will be moderated by three professors within the science and theology departments and there will be snacks provided at the discussion. The panel will be held on Wednesday, February 27th at 6:00pm in the Fountain Commons. The Council accepted the proposal unanimously.

    Announcements

    George Philp made one short announcement before the closed session, Zach Goldsmith has been appointed to continue to serve as Theology Senator. Goldsmith is the first official member of the 2019-20 Students’ Representative Council.

    Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and Columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What You Missed December 4th

    SRC Decoded: What You Missed December 4th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

    Council met on December 4th to discuss the financial update as of November 30th, to vote on the new bylaws and to discuss the creation of an ad-hoc committee. Council also received a project proposal from Blake Steeves, First Year Officer. George Philp, ASU President, presented changes to co-op student membership of the Union, and Makenzie Branch, VP Academic and External, informed council of her involvement in CASA. The meeting received a large audience turnout, composed of students and Town of Wolfville Mayor Jeff Cantwell.

    Financial Update

    Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented the ASU’s financial update for the last fiscal year (April to November). While most services were operating at an expected net income loss, such as the Info Desk and the Union Market, there were a few areas that saw a loss greater than anticipated. Bar services saw a profit of $26,277, which Craig attributes in part to the bar ban that took place at the beginning of the school year. Perkins was also an area of concern, with a net income loss of $8,234. Overall, Craig states that the Union is pleased with Cajuns, the Info Desk, and the Union Market.

    By-Law Discussion and Voting

    The Council spent a fair portion of the meeting discussing the new bylaws, which are a result of an extensive $10,000 dollar review. The Council was informed by Molly Anderson, in her role as Chair of the Governance Committee, of the creation of an ad-hoc committee, that will consist of either the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson, four non-executive council members, and two regular union members (i.e. students). Councillor Chis Vanderburgh expressed his disappointment with the decision to move forward with voting, and Arts Senator Katie Winters defended this decision, stating that the creation of the committee would result in more extensive research into these issues. Following these discussions, all three By-laws were moved to be accepted as is, bylaw 1 (Council Positions) and Bylaw 2 (ASU Committees) come into effect of May 1st, 2019 and Bylaw 3 (Elections, Referendum, and Plebiscite) come into effect immediately.

    Ad-hoc Committee

    An Ad-hoc committee was created specifically to conduct research and consult with students about the controversial changes made in the by-law review, which removed the petition process, and the process of impeachment by constituents. This committee will be composed on the Chairperson, four non-executive members of council, and two regular members of the union. Dahlia Chahine, Student Board of Governors Representative, motioned to amend this committees’ terms of reference to include three regular constituents instead of two to enhance student involvement. This motion was passed unanimously, and Council also decided to include a mandatory progress report, to be presented to Council at the first meeting in March of next semester in hopes of keeping students engaged and ensure that progress is being made. Council then appointed Molly Anderson as Chair of the committee, as well as Chris Vanderburgh, Katie Winters, Zach Goldsmith, and Dahlia Chahine to fill the four council member positions.

    Co-op Student Membership

    George Philp informed council that in the past, co-op students have not been considered members of the ASU, despite their enrolment in one course during their work terms. Philp noted that the University still considers them students, and therefore motioned that the ASU also “interpret” them as students. This would mean that co-op students would be changed the part time membership fee of $10.30 per work term. This would ensure that these students can vote, sit on Council, and access student services offered by the ASU. Philp notes that he has consulted with the co-op office on this issue, and states that they support this change. The motion was unanimously accepted by council.

    Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA)

    VP Academic and External Makenzie Branch informed Council that over the break, George Philp and herself attended meetings in Ottawa to discuss the current focuses of  CASA. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations is a federal advocacy group, which represents over 350,000 students across Canada. Branch listed the main issues that this organization is advocating for this year, which is the improvement of Study Permits for international students, as well as recommendation that Canadian post secondary institutions be allowed to assist students with immigration consultation. The organization is also focusing on increasing funding for work integrated learning, since current funding is mostly going towards STEM students. Brach was admirably passionate about the group’s involvement in Sexual Violence Prevention. The organization is hoping to instate a minimum requirement for post secondary institutions to provide resources for victims of sexual violence. CASA’s other main focuses revolve around student research, which would increase the amount of funding that goes directly towards students, as well as changes that would allow graduate students to apply for grants.

    Project Proposal

    First Year Officer Blake Steeves proposed a “Last Class Movie Night” which will be taking place in the KCIC, on Dec 5th at 7:30pm. They will be screening the 2011 version of Footloose, and Steeves states that this event is a “Last Class Bash” for people who aren’t in the mood for the bar scene, are underage like himself, or are die hard Footloose fans.

    Announcements

    George Philp made several announcements to Council, the first of which being that a request has been put out for food service providers. Prospective companies will be coming in to tour the facilities before the break and will hopefully put in bids. Also, Philp announced a new policy, approved by the President’s Advisory Council, which allows students to change all university documents to show the name they prefer. This is a monumental change for students whose given name is not the one which they choose to go by. Finally, Philp announced that the budget advisory process for the university has begun, and there is talk of a 3% tuition increase. Philp states that Council will be highly involved in this process.

    Following these announcements, Molly Anderson announced that there will be an event on Dec 6th at 4:30, for the Nation Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.

    Town of Wolfville Mayor Jeff Cantwell also announced that on New Years Eve, there will be several events going on around town to ring in the new year, including a free brunch provided by local businesses and chefs! Cantwell encourages any students who will be around to join in on the festivities.

    Ailish Bergin is a second year Politics student and Columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What You Missed November 20th

    SRC Decoded: What You Missed November 20th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

    Mayor of Wolfville Speaks to Council

    Mayor Jeff Cantwell had a brief discussion with Council, primarily to acknowledge the difficulty of conducting of a by-law review and to acknowledge the hard work put in by ASU President, George Philp, along with the rest of the SRC. Cantwell mentioned the current petition in favour of implementing a Kings Transit U-Pass, which would provide students with unlimited use of enhanced Kings Transit services for $20 per month per student. With this suggestion, ASU President George Philp laughed and stated that “it never goes away”. Cantwell concluded his talk by encouraging everyone to contact the Town of Wolfville and Town Council Members with any comments, questions and/or concerns. He also shared that the Town has a wide variety of staff and programming that can provide quick and easy answers for students and community members alike.

    Students Nova Scotia

    Tristan Bray, Executive Director of Students Nova Scotia, and Makenzie Branch, VP Academic and External and one of Acadia’s representatives to SNS, shared information Founded in 2003, Students Nova Scotia is a member-driven non-profit organization that represents over 20,000 students across the province. The organization aims to identify and research student issues, come up with solutions, and lobby the provincial government to seek better learning environments and supports for post-secondary students across the province. Their four main pillars are accessibility, affordability, quality, and student voice and these values guide the organization throughout its decision-making process. The current priorities of the organization including student financial aid, health care for international students, sexual violence prevention and promotion, increased mental health supports, and increased student employment opportunities.

    Project Proposals

    With the semester coming to a close, several council members brought forward their project proposals to be accepted by council. The first was from VP Finance and Operations, Jared Craig, who proposed a financial literacy event that will teach students about budgeting, credit card use, student loans, debt, etc. This will be taking place on Thursday, November 22, 2018 at 5:00 PM in the Michener Lounge and will be facilitated by representatives from Enactus Acadia.

    The second proposal was by Theology Senator, Zachary Goldsmith, who proposed the promotion of Chapel Lunch on Wednesday, November 21st, 2018, which takes place from 11:30 AM-12:15 PM the Acadia Divinity College.

    Student Board of Governors Representative Dahlia Chahine proposed a semester re-cap, which will go over the main events that have taken place so far this year. It will be a document which will be circulated around to students, to be completed by the end of the semester.

    Councillor Alyssa Hall proposed putting condom containers in the bathrooms of The Axe, which will run for a two-week trial period.

    Arts Senator Katie Winters and Councillor Sebastian Farkas are planning a career building event primarily directed towards Arts students. There will be professionals available to review cover letters and resumes, help with interview preparation skills and take professional headshots for participants. It will take place on Monday, November 26th, 2018 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM in BAC 138.

    Professional Studies Senator Amar Randhawa proposed a student meet-and-greet at the Axe Bar & Grill on either November 26th or 27th, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The goal is to allows students from all faculties to build relationships with one another.

    Science Senator Mackenzie Jarvin will be bringing in therapy dogs from St. John’s Ambulance. It will be taking place on December 3rd in the MacKeen Room, from 4:30 PM to 7:30PM.

    Sustainability Officer Hannah Machat will be organizing a workshop involving “The Tare Shop,” which is a waste free shop in Halifax, NS. Kate Peppler, owner of the shop, will be present at the event, and the goal is to teach students about plastic free initiatives that focus on a waste-free holiday season.  It will be taking place on December 1st, 2018 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Wolfville Farmers Market or the SUB.

    Equity Officer, Kate Hamre, will be showing “The Hunting Ground”, a sexual violence film series, followed by a discussion period. It will take place in the KCIC Auditorium on November 26th, 2018 at 6:00 PM.

    All events will be promoted through Acadia Students Union social media with location and dates/times to be confirmed in the near future.

    By-Law Overview

    The majority of the meeting consisted of discussion with ASU lawyer, Tom MacEwen, about the current By-Law Review and the draft by-laws. For a full overview of the proposed changes, check out the ASU website.

    For the most part, MacEwen provided his rationale behind each change in the proposed by-laws. Discussion ensued with several Members of Council expressing their displeasure with proposed changes that remove the petition process for referenda and impeachment of Council members by their constituents. MacEwen stated that the decision was made to prohibit the potential logistical issues that may come with vague referenda questions. An example that was given was the Kings Transit U-Pass Program, which, if passed, will require the Acadia Students’ Union to set up a new student fee, collect fees from students and remit these fees to Kings Transit.

    Councillor Chris Vanderburgh contested the removal of the process stating, “you don’t set up a framework for democracy because it is easy, you do it because it is right.” Students who attended the meeting, Ruvimbo Chipazi and Kyle Thompson-Clement (Arts and Culture and Opinions Editors of The Athenaeum, respectively) also raised concerns with this decision. Chipazi pointed out that, even though most Council members are elected, only roughly 35% of the student body votes, so the Council may not reflect the true wishes of the student body. Thompson-Clement stated the possibility of a future Council being complicit, thereby reducing the opportunity for impeachment. MacEwen raised the point that if enough students are willing to get together to complete the process of impeachment by petition, it is likely that they should be able to convince at least one Council member to bring it forward instead. The discussion concluded with ASU President George Philp motioning to send this issue to the ASU Governance Committee to review and consult with students.

    Council adjourned without completing the entire overview of all by-laws, which will continue on Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 at 5:15 PM. The proposed bylaws will be considered for adoption at this same meeting after being introduced on notice of motion at this meeting.

    Ailish Bergin is a second year Politics student and Columnist for The Athenaeum.

  • SRC Decoded: What You Missed on October 30th

    SRC Decoded: What You Missed on October 30th

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

    Council met on October 30th, 2018 to discuss the upcoming By-Law Review, which was presented by ASU President, George Philp. There was also discussion around the Acadia University Strategic Planning Task Force, Provincial funding for electronic Mental Health Resources and Upcoming On-Campus Events and Consultations.

    By-Law Review Update

    Started at the end of the last academic year (2017/2018), the Acadia Students’ Union authorized funding in the amount of up to $10,000.00 for the ASU lawyer to conduct a thorough review of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Acadia Students’ Union to eliminate redundancy and contradictory language and to ensure efficiency and equality moving forward. ASU President George Philp brought the results of that review forward to Council and highlighted the main proposed changes.

    Under the proposed changes, By-Law One (Students’ Representative Council Positions) would be amended to replace the existing elected Equity Officer position with a hired Diversity and Inclusion Representative. By hiring this representative, Philp shared that this would allow the ASU to ensure that they represent a minority group on campus. He also shared that he believes that such a position would ensure the diversification of Council into the future. The proposed changes would also aim to shrink the size of Council by eliminating two Councillor positions and making the Student Board of Governors Representative non-voting. Other proposed amendments would require the election of the sustainability officer, the mandatory attendance of certain executive members at Council meetings, and an improved changeover process between the outgoing and incoming Councils in April of each year.  Members of Council would also not be allowed to hold any other positions in the ASU to avoid conflict of interest.

    By-law Two (Students’ Representative Council Committees) would be amended to eliminate redundancies and to increase efficiencies on some committees. It is proposed that the Presidential Affairs Committee be eliminated, and the Financial Affairs Committee be combined with the Student Funding Committee. It is also proposed that the Review Board, instead of the Integrity Commissioner, will be the body to review complaints under the Council Code of Conduct, enacted under the 2017/2018 Council to govern the behaviour and conduct of Members of Council and Committee Members during their terms.

    In By-Law Three (Union Elections Act), the electoral process will undergo extensive changes with the expansion of campaigning locations and the shrinking of the campaign period to ten (10) days. The proposed changes will also separate the Deputy Chief Returning Officer position from the Deputy Chairperson position, institute a coin toss in the event of a tie, and allow for acclamations, instead of yes/no votes for positions where only one candidate has come forward by the deadline.

    By-Law Four (Referendum and Plebiscite Act) will undergo changes that will attempt to mirror By-Law Three (Union Elections Act) as close as possible. It will remove the petition process entirely, redefine the spending limits for referenda campaigns and eliminate the requirement that Members of Council remain officially neutral during referenda campaigns. Philp shared that this is because Members of Council are typically the ones leading such campaigns and are also the most knowledgeable on these subjects.

    Acadia University Strategic Planning Task Force

    Acadia University is in the process of creating a new Strategic Plan for the university and the ASU has appointed VP Academic and External Makenzie Branch to sit on the committee to represent students. The committee, comprised of Acadia faculty, staff, students and administrators, will discuss what Acadia University will look like in 2025. More information on the Strategic Plan Process can be found on the President’s website.

    Upcoming Campus Events

    ASU President George Philp shared that there are multiple upcoming events later this week and early next week where students could share their comments, questions and concerns on issues ranging from sexual violence on campus to food services and quality to the ASU By-Law Review.

    Update on Electronic Mental Health Supports Funding

    VP Academic and External Makenzie Branch provided an update to Council on her meeting with representatives from the Province of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has approved funding for electronic health tools for Acadia’s campus with more information to be shared on ASU social media channels in the near future.

    Ailish Bergin is a second year Politics student and Columnist for The Athenaeum.

  • SRC Decoded: What you missed October 16

    SRC Decoded: What you missed October 16

    The Students’ Representative Council is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf. 

    On October 16th, the SRC was presented multiple updates from council members. VP Finance & Operations Jared Craig presented a financial update. VP Student Life Kyle Vandertoorn presented the Student Life committee update. ASU President George Philp gave updates on the Student Government Round Table and the Board of Governors. VP Events and Promotions Gabrielle Bailey gave an update on the success of Homecoming. Graduate Studies Senator, Sarah Dunn, presented an event to teach students how to get their work published. Council members read and discussed their goal documents, and they voted to fill positions of the Bookstore Advisory Committee and the Town and Gown committee.

    Updates

    VP Finance & Operations Jared Craig presented a financial update as of September 30th. Craig stated that many services offered by the ASU did better than the budget predicted, such as Cajuns, and the Bar Services. However, Perkins saw large losses, which could be due to their efforts towards fair trade. In total, the net income of all services was $67,400. The financial update was unanimously accepted by the Council.

    VP Student Life Kyle Vandertoorn notified the Council that the Student Life Committee has ratified the almost all the clubs for the year, with a few pending ratifications due to form or fee submissions. Vandertoorn noted that clubs can be ratified at any time throughout the year.

    ASU President George Philp and VP Academic and External Makenzie Branch informed the Council of their attendance at the Student Government Roundtable. They met with the Deputy Minister of Education to discuss funding for mental health initiatives, in hopes of securing future funding. Philp and Branch also discussed improving MSI coverage for international students, due to the fact that a student must stay in Nova Scotia for 12 consecutive months to obtain as of right now. They also presented the Memorandum of Understanding, which would recognize the ASU as a valid voice at the table when in discussions with Acadia University and the Town of Wolfville.

    VP Events & Promotions Gabrielle Bailey updated the council on Homecoming celebrations, which took place on October 13th. Bailey stated that the Backyard Bash went well, with a few hundred people in attendance, and no major issues or injuries occurred. Bailey also noted that she received good feedback from the Town of Wolfville, the RCMP, and Food Services, who all said that most students were polite and respectful.

    Philp also notified the council that the documents concerning cannabis legalization, and its regulation on campus, have been approved by the Board of Governors. Philp emphasized the portion of the document that stated students will not be written up or fined for seeking help from campus staff.

    Student Board of Governors Representative Dahlia Chahine, along with George Philp and Jared Craig, attended the Board of Governors meeting at which they passed the MOU and the Tuition Consultation Agreement. Both documents will be made available on the ASU website. Acadia University President, Peter Ricketts, notified the Board that Acadia is now in stage 2 of planning for the 2025 campus planning process.

    Project Proposal

    Graduate Studies Senator Sarah Dunn presented a project proposal by Dr. Pier Pufahl, who is a professor at Acadia and the Editor in Chief of a major Earth Sciences magazine, Sedimentology. Pufahl suggests giving a talk on how to publish a successful paper. Its aim is to help students navigate the peer review process, and what constitutes a good paper. The event will take place at the University Club, 17 Westwood, on October 25 from 4:30-7:00pm. The Council voted to accept the proposed event.

    Goal Documents

    Each SRC member was required to submit a goal document, outlining what they hope to accomplish during the fall semester. The goal documents were read and discussed by Council, and then unanimously approved.

    Position Appointments

    First Year Officer, Blake Steeves, was appointed to the Bookstore Advisory Council as the student representative.

    Community Relations Officer Gordon McLaughlin was appointed to the Wolfville Town and Gown committee, after being nominated by Philp and unanimously voted in.

    Announcements

    Philp notified the Council that the Campaign for Acadia, a $75 million-dollar campus improvement initiative, was launched on Thursday at a private event, and that a public event for students and community members will happen on November 27th. All are encouraged to attend.

    Philp also stated that on Nov 5th, there will be a public consultation for food services, from 5:00-6:30pm.

    Kyle Vandertoorn informed the Council of an event taking place on Thursday, Oct 18th, in the Innovation Pavilion to show support sexual assault survivors. There will be an open mic for poetry, singing, etc. This event was sparked by the outrage after a StFX student’s sexual assault case was poorly handled and resulted in her leaving school.

    Chairperson Molly Anderson announced that application have closed for the volunteer associate positions, however, due to a low number of applications, they will likely all be reopened at a later date.

    Ailish Bergin is a second year Politics student and a columnist for The Athenaeum

  • SRC Decoded: What you missed September 25

    SRC Decoded: What you missed September 25

    The Students’ Representative Council is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

    On September 25th, 2018 at 6:00 PM, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) began their meeting by reading the new Statement of Autonomy for the first time since its recent adoption.  Council then discussed an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Acadia Students’ Union and the success of Welcome Week. Finally, following a closed session, Council unanimously voted to accept the Review Board’s recommendation to adopt Executive Board and Chairperson honoraria for the summer semester.

    Amendment of Articles of Incorporation

    Council began discussions about the amendment of Article 5(b)of the Articles of Incorporation (An Act to Incorporate Acadia’s Student Union). Currently, the provision states that “The Union may make by-laws not inconsistent with this Act or any law in the Province of Nova Scotia relating to: … (b) The election of officers of the Unions and the Council and the election and appointment of members of the Council;” The proposed amendment is to clarify the provision, in order to align itself with the ASU’s process of appointing certain officers and Members of Council (VP Finance and Operations). According to George Philip, ASU President, this item will again be brought up at next week’s meeting.

    Welcome Week

    Gabrielle Bailey, VP Events and Promotions, informed Council that Welcome Week, called “FestiVally”, was an overall success. Bailey stated that most events had higher turnouts than expected, and that she had received much positive feedback. She added a special acknowledgement to Acadia Athletes who helped on move-in day.

    Adoption of Honoraria

    After deliberations in closed session, Council unanimously voted to adopt a motion to accept honoraria disbursements which acknowledge the work done over the summer by the Executive Board and the Chairperson in accordance with the Constitution of the Acadia Students’ Union.

    Meeting Dates

    Council will be meeting again next week on October 2nd, 2018 at 5:15 PM, where an official vote will take place to solidify the bi-weekly schedule of meetings (as opposed to weekly meetings). The rationale behind this decision centers around a lack of discussion items for Council to consider during weekly meetings.

     

    Ailish Bergin is a second-year Politics student and staff writer for The Athenaeum.

  • SRC Decoded: What you missed September 18th

    SRC Decoded: What you missed September 18th

    The Students’ Representative Council is the body of students who are elected by their peers to run the Acadia Students’ Union. Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). All of their meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to learn more about their representatives and the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

    The September 18th, 2018 Regular Meeting of Council touched on several items brought forward by ASU President George Philp including a Tuition Increase Consultation Agreement, an ASU Statement of Autonomy, and a Memorandum of Understanding between the ASU, Acadia University and the Town of Wolfville.

    Tuition Consultation Agreement

    Following last year’s tuition increase of 6%, ASU President George Philp explained that questions had been raised about how proper consultation with students can be ensured in the future, which is a requirement for any tuition increase above 3% under the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Acadia University and the Province of Nova Scotia.

    A draft Tuition Consultation Agreement, unanimously approved by Council, was brought forward by Philp and VP Finance and Operations Jared Craig in hopes of protecting the student body when it comes to future tuition changes. The memorandum addresses three specific instances where student consultation should be prioritized: increases in tuition, changes in ancillary fees (including residence, meal hall and other student fees) and the introduction of new fees. The document aims to create more accountability when it comes to implementing adequate student consultations.

    ASU Statement of Autonomy

    ASU President George Philp also brought forward a Statement of Autonomy for ratification by Council that outlines the legal autonomy of the Acadia Students’ Union and its authority to collect student fees, carry on businesses and to represent the student body of Acadia University. Philp suggested that this statement be read at the beginning of every future meeting to give it more recognition. Philp explained that the purpose of the statement was to ensure that it was understood by the university that the ASU has a legal right, especially when the Students’ Union Building is renovated.  

    Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Wolfville, Acadia University, and the ASU

    This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the first of its kind in Canada according to Philp, will ensure that the Acadia Students’ Union has “a seat at the table” when it comes to making decisions and planning events that will be equally beneficial to the community and the university. The MOU is a relatively broad document that will be helpful in the future because it acknowledges the validity of the ASU’s perspective. It is worth noting that the original draft did not include the ASU but has since been re-negotiated to involve the interests of the Acadia Students’ Union and its members.

    Not all Members of Council were supportive of the draft MOU, with Christopher Vanderburgh and Alyssa Hall voting against its adoption. There were specific concerns about individual provisions and the impact of them on the university community that were identified; however, the document is slated to be adopted by the Town Council later in the evening and by the Acadia Board of Governors at their October meeting.

    Ailish Bergin is a second-year Politics major and Columnist for The Athenaeum

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