Tag: SRC

SRC Decoded: What you missed March 19th, 2021
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
The SRC met last Friday afternoon over Teams for their weekly meeting. After quickly taking attendance and passing the agenda, the meeting began. This meeting focused primarily of the ASU Bylaw review with some conversation also surrounding SOMETHING
The significant matter brought to the floor was the possibility of an annual general meeting (AGM), which was addressed by Lydia Houck, VP Academic, and Robbie Holmes, VP Student Life. Lydia asked the rest of the council for suggestions on the best times/dates that would provide the best turnout for both council members and the student body. Robbie added that this would be a valuable event for incoming members of the council to gain information through student feedback so they can best represent their constituencies next year. The biggest question was whether to host the meeting before or after exams; council members saw benefits and drawbacks to each, but it seemed they were leaning towards holding it shortly after exams. No final decisions were made.

The Ripen Partnership
Brendan MacNeil led this discussion, first explaining that Ripen is a platform for work-integrated learning by allowing employers across any field of work to post a project for students. Students who are registered can then sign up to do this project – these are intended to be done as class projects –, allowing them to gain valuable work experience and be compensated for it (through the Canadian government) while the employer benefits from the work. The ASU has signed up for this initiative as an employer so that they can hire students, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable work experience related to their degree, and get paid for it! Brendan went on to explain that this program is available equally to all degrees, but since it is a government-funded program through taxpayer dollars, it is available only to domestic students. He mentioned that when the ASU met with the program coordinators to register, this issue of opening this opportunity up to international students was a significant topic of discussion and something they are committed to continually addressing. Robbie explained their plans for working with provincial student organizations to help lobby the government into expanding the program. Jordi Chaffer, Science Senator, spoke up, asking whether the ASU would continue with the program if it did not open up to international students, highlighting the unfair advantage this opportunity would give to domestic students.
Lydia Houck spoke up, explaining that what she thought it was the most important remember that this program was in the very early stages of its implementation; the federal government wanted to gather initial data on the program’s functioning and that an expansion to include international students is something that would hopefully be eventually included by the time the program started running at Acadia. Many council members spoke up to stress the importance of ensuring the playing field is levelled for all students at Acadia. As this was just a discussion item, not a motion, the conversation ended shortly thereafter.
Menat Tahoun, Professional Studies Senator, led the next topic of discussion, regarding international student representation on SRC. She explained that although in the past years there has been a much more diverse council, it would be valuable to create a position whose sole purpose is to represent and advocate for international students. Menat reasoned that this would ensure international student representation on the council, regardless of which students fill other roles – international or not. Chairperson Molly Anderson paused the conversation to add that this has been a matter of discussion in previous councils and that during those conversations the final consensus was generally that international students fell under the jurisdiction of the Diversity and Inclusion Representative. Soyini Edwards, who currently fills that position, expressed her concern that by putting these students under her representation, her position becomes a “melting pot” for any diverse representation at Acadia, and agreed that a council member dedicated solely to the representation of international students would be very useful. Robbie Holmes, VP Student Life, spoke up in support of this idea and also theorized about some ways it would work logistically so that international students did not have to choose between running for the International Student Representative and another role on SRC. Lara Hartman, Arts Senator, added how this type of position would also be important for other groups on campus, such as a representative for Indigenous students. Soyini made an impassioned speech echoing what she and other councillors had previously said, and driving home the idea that if the SRC is not doing their job to represent all students at Acadia, then the council is irrelevant.
Lara Hartman spoke up to voice her distaste for the tokenized role that students who are non-white/Canadian have been on council, essentially being given the role or presenting, in Lara’s case all Indigenous peoples on campus, despite her role as the Arts Senator. She problematized this pattern of tokenism and suggested that the solution would be more seats for diverse populations on the council. Robbie Holmes answered, apologizing on behalf of the council if any of their actions made her feel that way, and concurred that this phenomenon of visible minorities representing their population on council rather than or in addition to their official position is something that needs to change. Robbie made the motion to direct this conversation to the Governance Committee, and that motion was passed.
After a few brief announcements, namely a bylaw review happening next week that students are encouraged to go to and a Women’s Conference on the 27^th, this week’s meeting was adjourned.
March 25, 2021
SRC Decoded: What you missed on March 12th, 2021
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
The council met this Friday with some new faces in the meeting! After general housekeeping (attendance, acceptance of agenda) the council opened up the floor for a question period. Colin Mitchell, recent Acadia Alumni, former Editor-in-Chief for the Athenaeum, Board of Governor Representative, and Arts Senator began the question period.
For some context, a hot topic during the past week has been the possible cutting of funding for Axe Radio and the Athenaeum by switching them from Internal Organizations (IO) of the ASU to make them clubs. This idea was brought up because the ASU needs to balance and budget and is currently in a deficit. Robbie Holmes, VP Student Life, clarified that this was not a matter that would be voted on any time soon, and also highlighted some potential benefits that this would give those organizations, in his opinion.
Colin made an articulate speech making the case to retain honoraria for these organizations, highlighting the significance of the Axe Radio and Athenaeum as a part of the freedom of the press at Acadia, saying they were the “the only two sources of union media of Acadia’s campus”. Colin explained that while it may be necessary for the ASU to make changes so as to cure their deficit, cutting these radio and newspapers from the Union only to suggest they ratify as clubs is not the best solution. Colin emphasized the work these organizations do in supporting and representing the voices of students, the great challenges the Athenaeum has endured (from WWI to COVID-19) and the necessity of free press on campus. He asked that anyone who is capable, please vote ‘no’ to any cuts to honoraria for the Athenaeum or Axe Radio.
Robbie Holmes took the floor to answer, clarifying that their intention would be to fund these clubs through grants and that the idea of a levy would be fantastic.
Colin finished by reemphasizing his passion to see the continuity of these organizations, making a personal commitment to do pro bono work making running a referendum to ensure the Ath is no longer a liability to the ASU.
Next up, Chris, an Acadia Alumni from 2019, took the floor. He shared that he shared many similar sentiments to Colin, explaining that while he was involved in many different clubs and organizations while at Acadia, the most meaningful of them was his involvement in the Athenaeum. Chris made an interesting point that while the council members may wholeheartedly and genuinely like to guarantee these organizations the grant money they have spoken of, that word is only good so long as “their butts are in their seats”, meaning when these positions turn over – which most will next year – there is no longer the same commitment. Chris also mentioned that it would be unfair to take this opportunity away from students, especially those to hope to have PR or journalism in their future. Chris finished by thanking the council for having him and asking them to please make the right choice on this matter.
Lydia Houck spoke up and clarify that these conversations being had at the council were not in any way trying to limit or prevent the freedom of the press at Acadia. She mentioned that if in the future there were to be a motion to separate the organization from the ASU she would be interested in making the motion conditional to the ongoing insurance of grants for the clubs.
Blake Steeves, VP Events and Promotions, asked the Alumni attending the meeting what their thoughts were on possible funding from Alumni or the Alumni’s Association. Chris answered that quite frankly he wasn’t sure, but he knew personally he would willingly contribute money to the Ath “for the rest of time” and he had a feeling that if the ASU did reach out to Acadia alumni for financial support of the Ath, they would have no trouble at all with money. He also mentioned that journalists need to be protected as writers and that the ASU offers them a certain degree of protection allowing them to write more honest, important, and perhaps personal articles than they would be able to otherwise.
Mary Tajeddin, Graduate Studies Senator, asked the Athenaeum Alumni two questions; the first being how did/does the Ath ensure the students hear them. Chris volunteered to answer, explaining that while it is really hard, if not impossible to be heard by the student body on the budget the Ath is given, especially as their resources become increasingly meagre. He said matter-of-factly that “it is hard to reach people with next to no money… Being heard comes down to a dollars and cents kind of conversation”.
Kyle, another Acadia Alumni who was an editor and contributor for the Athenaeum during his time at Acadia, spoke next. Kyle emphasized the importance, in his perspective, of the Ath remaining an IO, reasoning that having the ability to say you are an employee is much more valuable than having a club membership status, especially when it comes to future employability. Kyle argued that there are very few opportunities for journalism in Nova Scotia, so the Ath is extremely valuable for students. Kyle added that the job he has now, as a Technical Writer, was obtained in part because of the extensive experience he acquired during his time with the Ath. Kyle also echoed Chris in saying that any decisions made to support these organizations right now, unless made extremely securely and worded precisely, will be vulnerable to future council decisions.
Robbie Holmes answered this, assuring that these motions would be well-written. He then reiterated Mary’s second question, asking about the significance of hard copies, as did the paper online could be a great way to reduce costs. Alex Surette, Sustainability Representative, seconded that opinion, agreeing that going online would help cut down costs, be more accessible to students, and also be more sustainable. Colin subsequently reiterated what Chris mentioned, bringing home to point that the Ath simply cannot, in his opinion, operate the same capacity when they are being continually pressured to cut their budget and function on next to no funds. He added that the value of having print paper lays in its accessibility to the demographic of the Wolfville population who may not be so tech-savvy, and is much more comfortable using printed paper; he stressed that this helps bind the students and permanent residents of Wolfville, which is always a priority.
As the conversation drifted further away from the question period and more into the matter that would only be appropriately discussed with the current Athenaeum staff present, Chairperson Molly Anderson reminded folks to stay on topic and suggested that if a meeting needed to be had with the Athenaeum, that is something they could set up in the future.
After hearing from another Acadia Alumni, Christine who highlighted the historical significance of having print copies for students to read, Lara Hartman, Arts Senator, gave an impassioned speech stressing that this decision mattered, criticizing herself and the council for being so unresourceful that Alumni had to come in and help them solve these issues, and highlighting the importance that Ath has in providing a place for a diversity of voices to be expressed. She notably called out President Brendan MacNeil for writing in an email that “this was an elected council of sixteen students from an intentionally diverse background…” when, as Lara explained, there was no intention behind it. She continued that each member of the council made the decision themselves to run; they were not encouraged by anyone due to their potential diversity. Lara finished by reemphasizing the necessary role the Ath has in supporting student voices and making it clear that she is backing the Athenaeum Alumni one hundred percent.
Brendan MacNeil spoke up, sharing his desire to “speak to what this matter actually is at hand”, explaining how he felt the conversation had become dominated by questions of the Athenaeum, student newspaper, and freedom of speech, while the reason this was brought to the table in the first place was to discuss the monetary partnership between the ASU and its IOs (Axe Radio and the Ath in this case), specifically the consequences of those IOs do not live up to the agreements in their constitutions. Brendan expressed his concern that it seemed the only reason to fund the Ath was that it needed more money to do its job. He explained that the ASU is providing funding to the Ath and is not seeing any outreach on their behalf – be it advertisements, student engagement, other promotional opportunities, or adequate content being published.
Soyini Edwards, Diversity and Inclusion Representative and photographer for the Ath, asked why the organization was not given any notice of this concern before it was discussed in the meeting. Brendan MacNeil suggested she defer to Alicia Johnson who manages the IOs.
There was some debate about the level of independence of the Ath could have while it was still an Internal Organization, as well as about the amount that was being published this year, and how much of the possible lack of publication could be accredited to the global pandemic we find ourselves a year into.
Christine spoke to voice her concern not for the specific future of the Ath or Axe Radio, but rather for the future and vulnerability of IOs at Acadia if they can be turned into clubs so easily upon the perception of a less productive year and without a referendum. Blake Steeves and Robbie Holmes both clarified that they agree there should be student consultation upon these decisions.
Rylie Moscato, current Editor-in-Chief of the Athenaeum, joined the meeting and took the floor to allow attendees to ask any questions they may have. Lara Hartman asked Rylie if, to her knowledge or the knowledge of any other member on her team, the Ath had been warned that it was not functioning to standard, to which Rylie replied no, it had not come to her attention.
Brendan Keeler spoke up to clarify, once again, that this issue was brought up as a point of discussion, not as an item to be voted on, and also stated that at present, all IOs are within budget. Brendan also asked Rylie what the Ath was doing in terms of the available add space on their prints that have the potential of creating revenue for the Ath, to which she replied that while they were reaching out to many businesses in both Wolfville and New Minas, there was not much interest. She also mentioned that while there were some successful advertisements on their online editions, they could not cash that money until it reached 100 dollars.
Molly Anderson necessarily moved the meeting forward, as the discussion was not going to end in any motion or decision, and the council agreed that this would be a good conversation to follow-up on in an organized and planned matter later on.
Lydia Houck, VP Academic, made an announcement regarding her meeting with Academic Affairs. She explained that they talked about the various projects that the Senators are looking to undertake and well as the possibility of academic “mini councils”; their goal is for them to create a formal proposal and plan that they can pass onto the incoming council as there is not much time left in the term. Lastly, Lydia mentioned that they had conservation about potentially making the extended W and F a more permanent decision.
The next topic of discussion was the new Policy document that the Executive created, which was passed by the Governance Committee. Most changes made to the document were conventions that have been in place all along and are now written officially. The council passed the new Policy.
After a few last small discussions, the meeting was adjourned.
March 17, 2021
The End of The Athenaeum is Near
Photo by Maple Sloan (3rd Year Business Major)
For 147 years, The Athenaeum has been the voice of students at Acadia University. It has reported on the comings and goings of the world, debated major issues, and shed light on parts of the institution that had been shrouded in darkness. It has been a launching pad for bankers, educators, lawyers, Senators, Members of Parliament, activists, authors, poets, entrepreneurs and researchers.
That could soon be coming to an end.
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) recently discussed a potential motion to defund The Athenaeum and Axe Radio, the only two sources of student media on campus, by depriving editors and contributors of honoraria. If the SRC goes forward with their discussion in the form of an official proposed motion, this would reduce the status of both to clubs rather than Internal Organizations, allowing them to apply for club grants and ratification year after year rather than receive student funding.
This latest move follows a series of attacks on the newspaper. During my tenure, we were bullied into firing an editor because of our reporting on the SRC. Last year, The Ath’s budget was cut dramatically, and the paper was evicted from the office space it had occupied for over twenty years. Now the ASU is looking to cut loose the only two sources of student media in the name of reducing its deficit. The organization doesn’t post their budget proposals on its website, nor have they minutes since October 2020.
The reality is that this is the latest in a long series of attacks against student journalism. Cutting the honoraria to contributors of The Ath and Axe Radio would amount to barely $5000. The ASU is facing a deficit in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cutting honoraria for the only two sources of already starved union media makes little sense. This move towards supposedly saving students money is nothing more than a systemic assault on free press on Acadia’s campus.
By converting The Ath and Axe Radio into clubs, they instantly lose their guaranteed funding to be the students’ voice across campus. This opens them up to the same process as other clubs to apply for funding, controlled entirely by the ASU and its representatives. If said representatives dislike the writings of the paper, as has often happened when both report on the comings and goings of the ASU, they can simply refuse to fund either.
It astonishes me that I have to make the case for a free press. Societies that lack such are often at the bottom of democracy indexes: Iran, North Korea, Russia, Belarus, Eritrea. It would be a shame for the ASU to join the ranks of these states by completing its assault on The Athenaeum and Axe Radio.
And surely the SRC recognizes that defunding the only two sources of student media on campus would not reflect well on their futures. After all, the ASU’s mission statement as an organization “dedicated to serving its members through effective representation and communication [by offering] innovative and quality services while providing a variety of opportunities which enhance the overall University experience of the students of Acadia” should ring true.
My four years at The Athenaeum constituted the best experiences I had at Acadia. I know I’m not alone here. There’s a reason this paper has lasted for so long. It’s because it has tied the Acadia community together. We’ve written about endemic cocaine use on campus. We’ve written about Acadia’s flirtations with white supremacy and eugenics. We’ve written about the need for democracy on campus. We’ve written about the attempted takeover of the university by the Baptists in the 1960s. We’ve written about the use of sexually violent language in sport and why we need to wake up. We’ve written about the SMILE program and how it changes the lives of its participants.
If the SRC goes forward with their discussion in the form of an official proposed motion, The Athenaeum and Axe Radio may stop publishing altogether. The stories that need to be told will cease in the name of saving a few dollars, and the ASU will have nobody to blame but themselves.
If you care about The Athenaeum and Axe Radio, now is the time to speak up. This isn’t the first fight both have faced, and it certainly won’t be the last.
In the end, The Athenaeum is nothing more than a record of what happened. It does not persist because of a magical institution and aggressive archivists that demand copies of the paper. It persists because we all have stories to share. We are merely custodians of history. Our history has taught us that we will always persist, and we will triumph.
Now is certainly the time to persist. Now is the time to demand freedom of the press and share these stories. Now is the time for action. Email the ASU executive to let them know that this is wrong. Donate to The Athenaeum Journalism Award to support future journalists. Add your name to this ever-growing list and demonstrate that free press won’t go down without a fight.
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Signed,
Colin Mitchell ‘19
Rylie Moscato ‘22
Chris Vanderburgh ‘19
Santana Briggs ‘19
Jeremy Ayotte ‘19
Ellen Merchant ‘19
Emily Ellis ‘19
Hayley Phoenix ‘18
Ailish Bergin ‘21
Sid Kondapuram ‘19
Josée Leger ‘20
Jennah Lay ‘19
Kelsey Crouse ‘21
Alex McKaigue ‘19
Sarah Lavallée ‘22
Oliver Jacob ‘21
Mike Butler ‘02
Sarah Surette ‘19
Ellie del Valle ‘19
Kyle Bower ‘21
Ana Martin ‘19
Philip Davis ‘22
Cali Keating ‘18
Gabrielle Therrien ‘20
Sacha Russo ‘19
Michelle MacDonald ‘20
Emily Ashley ‘22
Chris Saulnier ‘19
Jade Veinotte ‘22
Liddy Greer ‘22
Jenna Bouwman ‘22
Kate Robart ‘22
Sarah Surette ’19
Maple Sloan ’22
Terron Spence ‘18
Sierra Pineo ‘19
Andrew Haskett ‘18
Mckayla Morris ‘16
Katie Chevel ‘18
Nicole Skinner ‘22
Reilley Perrins ‘19
Sarah Hines ‘17
Kayla Mansfield-Brown ‘15 and ‘19
Katie Winters ‘19 and ‘21
Taylor Baker ‘19
Lara Hartman ‘21
Colin Bruce ’21
Luke Stock ’16
Kasey DeVries ‘16
Benjamin Gaskins ‘23
Micah Carruthers ‘18
Rachel Sparling ‘19
Hannah-Grace Morgan ‘19
Victoria Hendrycks ‘20
Kaitlyn Comeau ‘22
Heather Fraser ‘01
Irfana Hameed ‘18
Elektra Papadogiorgaki ‘19
Kyle Thompson-Clement ‘19
Evelyn Hein ‘20
Tomi McCarthy ‘20
Melanie Pos ‘16
Rosemary Herron ‘22
Carter Feltham ‘18 and 20
Madison Hathaway ‘19
Shelby McPhee ‘18 and ‘20
Laura Porter-Muntz ‘19
Jordan Gunn ‘19
Ross Chapman ’02
Sarah Lennerton ‘03
Axel Eschholz ‘24
Carol Ann (Pope) Burden ‘71 and ‘72
Paul Burden ‘72
Samantha Teichman ‘19
In memory-Gerald D. St-Amand ‘72
March 11, 2021
SRC Decoded: What you missed March 5th, 2021
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
The SRC met again last Friday for their weekly meeting, and with some new faces! This week the council members were shadowed by some of the new elects for next year. Attendance was quickly taken; the agenda was passed (after a few new items were added), and the council members who participated in the general election declared a conflict of interest and agreed not to speak during conversations regarding election results.

New Business
The council discussed their election process and brainstormed how it could go more smoothly in future years, as well as ways it went well this year. Of specific concern was ensuring that ballots go out to all students at once, as this year part-time students initially did not receive a ballot. The SRC motioned to accept the election results and it was passed. It should be mentioned that although the Sustainability Representative was successfully elected, he officially resigned and the position will be filled through the by-election next year.

Announcements
Jordi Chaffer, the Science Senator, was looking for suggestions on types of prizes he could give out for the project he has been working on. It seemed that the general consensus was gift cards, but not much discussion relating to the matter was had.
Soyini Edwards announced that she is running an initiative with the women’s center, to host a women’s conference, titled “Women of the World”. She explained that it will be virtual, and will run in about two weeks. The proposal was quickly passed by the council and Kevin George made his proposal, to run a movie night for students at the end of the term to help students relax while exams ramp up. Black Steeves, VP Events and Promotions, mentioned that Kevin will have to be cautious about how food could be eaten and shared, considering COVID-19 restrictions and safety. More, the capacity of the KCIC is extremely limited, which should be put into consideration as well. Keeler suggested that Kevin could show the movie a few times so that more people could participate. Overall, the council was very helpful and supportive in this plan and it seems it has great potential. The motion was made to accept the proposal, conditional on a report back to the council next week with more specific details.
Menat Tahoun, Professional Studies Senator, took the floor next to present her proposal. “Chats with 2020 Alumni”. She suggested that this would be a really helpful way to ease graduating students’ anxiety about entering the world with a new degree while the world is in a global pandemic. She said that she is still working through the logistics of the platform she will use, but otherwise, everything has been planned. The project proposal was passed by the council, and Brendan MacNeil led the next conversation. He explained that he wants to run a bunch of surveys to get good insights into how this year went for students and help prepare for next year. These surveys will be tailored to different subjects, such as finances, orientation week, and mental health. Brendan hopes that this will provide students with the opportunity to provide useful feedback on their feelings about this year as a student, especially throughout the pandemic. Another council member proposed to break the surveys down to more faculty-specific categories, and Brendan concurred that the surveys as they stood would do that by nature. Maria suggested that an area be provided to give feedback on Accessibility Services, as it seems many students this year have had frustrating experiences while trying to work with them. Many other council members agreed that they had heard the same things and that this opportunity for feedback would be an appreciated and beneficial idea. Robbie Holmes suggested that students are given an opportunity to provide feedback on how they felt their classes went this year, considering the student experience this year was completely different. Lara Hartman, the Arts Senator, suggested that there also be a place for Indigenous Students to provide feedback, and Brendan agreed that this was a great idea.
There’s was some discussion about physical accessibility and the council agreed that Acadia’s campus had much work to do to improve its accessibility.

Budgeting
Brendan Keeler, VP Finance and Operations, announced that the ASU was in a deficit, due in part to the pandemic no doubt, and that team had brainstormed the idea to cut the Axe Radio and the Athenaeum from funding and to ratify them as clubs, where they could apply for grants. He reasoned that this would not create any major changes to either program and would significantly help the budget. Brendan explained that this would eliminate the honorariums given to members of these programs would affect some people’s decisions but also reasoned that if individuals have a passion for these types of activities, then doing it as a club or hobby may be beneficial as students would have more time to produce content.
Sadie MacAlear, Community Relations Representative, expressed her concern that if students are putting the time and effort into producing content, then they should be fairly given credit for that. Soyini Edwards, who is a photographer and manager for the Ath, worried that this cut could effectively dissolve the Ath for periods because students are much more accountable to jobs that they must do (in this case in order to be paid) rather than doing something because they like to, especially when the school can be so busy.
Menat, who works for Axe Radio, asked Brendan Keeler to clarify what differences, other than the honorarium, would be noticed if these programs went from internal organizations (IOs) to clubs. Brendan explained that these IOs are receiving funding from the ASU’s operating budget right now and that this change would save that money.
Brendan Keeler added that this was a decision that would ideally be made by next week and that if anyone had thoughts or questions to contact him before then.

Wrap Up
Alex Surette, the Sustainability Representative, announced that the new waste stations are being put up to provide the four-stream recycling program – keep an eye out for them in the SUB! Lydia Houck announced that following her meeting with the Board of Governors, it seems like students who were charged an overload fee who took a year-long 3 credit hour course will be reimbursed. Great news!
March 9, 2021
SRC Decoded: What you missed February 26th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
This week’s meeting began as per usual with a roll call and the approval of the agenda.
Before any discussion began, Chairperson Molly Anderson warned there would be the talk of the election, giving Sadie McAlear and Menat Tahoun – who are both running in the election – the opportunity to declare a conflict of interest and agree to refrain from conservation around that topic.
The first item of discussion was surrounding the Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative, where Acadia students volunteer to assist residents in Wolfville with tasks like yard work, technology, or just provide some company! VP Student Life, Robbie Holmes assured that the event was still happening.
Next up, Jordi Chaffer, the Science Senator, filled the council in on the small-scale turned large-scale project that he has been a part of. He explained that the Research and Graduate Studies Dean who he has been working with, will be proposing their project to the other Deans in the weeks to come and that it seems the university staff see it as a great opportunity to pull in prospective students. Jordi emphasized his desire to ensure this project continues to be student-led, and that there seems to interest and support within the student body to ensure that can happen. Mary Tajeddin suggested that there be two award categories: one for ongoing research and the other for early lit-review proposals. Other council members seemed to think this was a great idea.
Bylaws were the next topic of discussion. Molly announced that the council will be holding several bylaw review sessions with students and that members are expected to be fully versed on those bylaws so they are prepared and can adequately explain and discuss them with students. Robbie necessarily added that if members do not understand the bylaws well enough to discuss them with students, then they shouldn’t be voting on them. Lara Hartman, Arts Senator, gave full disclosure stating that she has a plate fully loaded with commitments meaning she may not be able to attend these sessions, despite her best intentions. Mary Tajeddin echoed those thoughts. Brendan MacNeil added that he is hoping for as much student engagement throughout these sessions as possible so that members should try and advertise them as best they can.
Brendan MacNeil led the conservation into a discussion about the Career Services Centre. He explained how he wanted to bring forward a motion regarding the SRC’s commitment to the centre in relation to Matthew Rios’s presentation last year (refer to SRC Decoded article for October 26^th for a recap). Brendan explained his desire to increase the support – which is currently lacking – that students receive from Acadia. This would be anything from resume and interview workshops, to preparing for the workplace as a professional, to assist with job placements. This initiative is a cooperation between the Alumni Association, the university, and the ASU with the ultimate goal of developing a high functioning and effective Career Services Centre at Acadia that is supported and run by Acadia after four years. Brendan’s proposal is regarding what the ASU can commit to this project.
Firstly, he inquired what amount of work these committees can invest to support this professional development project for the student body. He went. Brendan said that he feels that student-run organizations have a history of doing really good work in this department already, but with a new budget they would have many more opportunities. That being said, Robbie put forward the first motion: to ensure that ASU groups work in an environment of collaboration with the Career Services Centre of Acadia, including but not limited to funding grants available to them as student organizations under the ASU. Brendan seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
The second motion regarded the ASU’s monetary contribution to this project. Brendan suggested that the ASU contribute their own $10,000 each year in addition to the $350,000 across 3 years from the Alumni Association. He explained that the two roles in Career Services at present are funded by the Alumni Association and his proposal is to create four more student positions that are funded by the ASU which are devoted to programming for students. He explained that there is a $150,000 reserve in the Student Wellness Fund which can only be spent on student wellness and that the ASU takes the yearly 10 thousand from there. Alex Surette, Sustainability Officer, asked whether the student positions would remain even after the Centre is transferred to the university and Brendan MacNeil answered honestly that he did not know. He went on to mention the council has the power to make that conditional upon approval; when the power is transferred to the university, they can put in the contract that those student positions must be maintained. Brendan moved this motion: to allocate $10,000 annually for the next three years from the accrued capital of the Wellness Fund to the Acadia Career Services initiative, pending approval by the Financial Affairs committee, with a yearly re-evaluation by the ASU executive, conditional that the ASU make some form of commitment to carry-on these initiatives after year-four. Soyini Edwards seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Next up Molly addressed an issue that occurred during the ballot distribution for the election. General election ballots were accidentally only distributed to full-time students at first, so the council thought it best practice to extend the period of time for the ballots to be submitted so that those students who received theirs late weren’t rushed to vote. Brendan Keeler motioned to extend the voting period by 24 hours for all associate members of the Union, to conclude at 4:30 pm on Saturday, February 27^th, the voting period for all ordinary members of the Union will remain the same, as indicated in the previous election plan that was submitted to SRC. Alex Surette seconded the motion and once again, the council passed the motion unanimously (save those with a conflict of interest).
Molly passed the conversation to Alex Surette, who wanted to discuss his project proposal. He proposed to create a sustainability page on the ASU website which would include past and current sustainability initiatives that have occurred on campus that the ASU have been involved with. This would also provide a place for students to access different contacts and see how they can become more involved. Menat motioned to make his proposal, Lydia seconded it, and the council passed it.
Lastly, Community Relations Representative, Sadie McAlear made a proposal to the council to create a Wolfville Vlog Series that engages students and permanent residents in Wolfville. Some examples would be a video compilation of people in Wolfville answering the question “What is Wolfville to you?”. Sadie emphasized her desire to help bring the residents and students together to create a tighter-knit community and thought this project would be a great way to facilitate that. Alex motioned to accept the proposal, Menat accepted in, and the council passed it.
After a few more short conversations the meeting for this week concluded.
March 2, 2021
SRC Decoded: What you missed February 19th, 2021
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.

Commencement
After a quick roll call, Chairperson Molly Anderson put forward the meeting’s agenda and VP Academic, Lydia Houck, asked to add a motion under new business.
As per usual, Molly asked if there were any conflicts of interest, and unusually, the council had to decide whether some of its members should abstain from the conversation in this meeting, as it regarded the ASU election, which some council members were running in. Sadie McAlear, Kevin George, and Menat Tahoun, who are all running for re-election, declared conflicts of interest and agreed to refrain from speaking in that conversation.
Zach Goldsmith inquired as to the logistics of council members meeting virtually or in-person for council meetings once they were able to do so, bringing up the point that many Theology students are not on campus and it may be more accessible for members to have the option of attending virtually. Robbie Holmes replied that he believed the general consensus was that for the foreseeable future, their hope is that those who can attend in-person will, but those who cannot, will be able to attend their meetings virtually. Molly concurred that the option for members to attend meetings virtually is something that is in the works in terms of being protected by SRC policies.

New Business
The only issues left on the agenda after this was new business, where Lydia had asked to discuss the option for a vote abstention on the election ballots. She explained that historically there has been an abstention option on the ballot (meaning for any given question, you had the option to select abstain, and not vote either way) and that students are wanting that option back. Danish, who runs the elections, agreed that the option to abstain would be beneficial and even get a better voter turnout, according to the feedback he received after the last election.
After this discussion, Lydia moved to include an abstention option on the ballot for all positions in all ASU elections moving forward, including the ASU 2021 election.
Danish clarified that in regards to needing a two-thirds majority to win a vote, an abstention vote would not count as an “against” vote, it would simply not be accounted in the vote at all. Robbie suggested that they instead motion to add the abstention option for only candidate positions, not referendums. This is because they do not want students to choose to abstain from voting in referendums by cause of laziness and think that removing the option to abstain in referendums will help promote more student engagement in their government. This motion was passed unanimously (save the members who declared a conflict of interest).

Announcements
Alex Surette made a quick announcement that he is working to create a video to show how to use the new waste sorting resources that are coming onto campus. Molly quickly reminded members that they were expected and encouraged to attend the general debate and to ask provoking questions. Finally, Brendan MacNeil issued a formal apology to the council about the motions that were debated in the previous meeting, as he felt he had not given the council enough time to prepare and enough context to enable them to effectively and informatively discuss the matters.

Conclusion
The meeting ended shortly thereafter, and the council spend the rest of their time in an informal work period.
February 22, 2021
SRC Decoded: What you missed February 12th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Friday at 1:00 PM on Teams, however, they would usually meet in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
The meeting started as per usual with a role call and the passing of the agenda. Chairperson Molly Anderson ensured there were no questions, presented the previous meeting’s minutes, which were quickly accepted, and stated that there were no presentations or tables of matters.

Report to Council: Board of Governors Meeting
The first matter of business was a report to the council from the Board of Governors meeting which happened on February 12, by Brendan MacNeil. He gave a brief summary, stating that student engagement in the university’s activities was much higher this term, both in terms of their participation in and running of events, as well as their physical presence on campus. Brendan suggested that this means students are feeling much more stable studying during these unprecedented times. Brendan also mentioned that the new vendor for the student health and dental plan has been finalized and that they will be releasing that information within the next week or so.

Updates
The meeting moved on to address committee updates, and the Sustainability Officer, Alex Surette, took the lead. He said that he is currently looking to gain members on his committee and that he is also meeting with the Town of Wolfville Environmental Sustainability Committee to discuss plans with the Dykes regarding climate change-induced flooding. Alex also mentioned that he is working with Acadia’s Sustainability Representative and got funds approved for new waste management in the SUB which is going in this week!
Soyini Edwards, the Diversity and Inclusion Representative followed, giving her updates. Soyini explained that their committee has been more focused on the larger Acadia Diversity and Inclusion Committee but that she is working on making the smaller ASU committee more cohesive too.
Next was VP Student Life, Robbie Holmes, who says his upcoming goal was to reach out to our international student population, as many of them have shown interest in joining the committee at the university.
Blake Steeves, VP Events and Promotions, finished off the updates by explaining that his committee has had trouble coordinating their meetings recently, but that he has been working on organizing more events for students in the weeks to come.

Bylaw Referendum Question
Brendan MacNeil led the meeting into their next topic: the bylaw referendum. He discusses the process that has been happening under the Governance Committee, wherein the bylaws are being entrenched into the constitution. However, the constitution dictates that this process cannot happen without a referendum which acquires at least a two-thirds majority vote from the students, therefore a referendum vote needs to be on the next election’s ballot. The official question would read: “Be it resolved that the ASU by-laws be added into the ASU constitution, referred to as Article 1 of the bylaws, starting at bylaw Article 4”. However, the issue was wording this question in a way that’s accessible for all Acadia students. Zach Goldsmith elegantly suggested a clarity paragraph that could be put above the question, explaining its significance, and other members on the council seemed agreeable to his statement. Brendan MacNeil suggested that these proposed changes go into effect May 1^st, 2021, in accordance with the transition of roles in the SRC.
Tensions rose in the meeting as council members such as Lydia Houck and Blake Steeves brought up their concern with the order of events regarding their changes to the bylaws as well as the amendment of the constitution. To give some context, the SRC is currently working on refining their current bylaws, and the concern surrounds the issue of students voting to entrench a set of bylaws into the constitution which they have not yet seen, and which could be continually changed until April 30^th. Brendan MacNeil suggested that this was inevitable if the council wanted to achieve both before the end of the term. Lara Hartman, the Arts Senator, and a graduating Politics student shared her opinion, agreeing that it seemed “snakey” and that she suspected if students had a full understanding of the situation, the vote may not go through.
Zach Goldsmith spoke next, explaining that though he understood those concerns, he believes the ultimate goal of the referendum – protecting the bylaws from being changed on a whim – is extremely important and suggested adding that these bylaws are still under review into the referendum question. Robbie Holmes echoed Zach, adding that he saw value in ensuring that the bylaws that they were cementing were appropriate and worthy of being entrenched, but also reinforcing the shared concern of having students vote on something they do not know.
Brendan Keeler spoke up, saying he agrees there is reason to ensure the security of those bylaws. Soyini Edwards agreed that so long as students fully understood the implications of this referendum, then that it was a good idea. Brendan MacNeil quickly added that he felt this decision would be empowering to the students, in that it would protect the fabric of their government from rash decisions in the future.
An abstention option was proposed to provide students who perhaps didn’t feel comfortable or knowledgeable an option to abstain from voting on certain issues, which several council members supported, while others worried that providing this option would make the running of elections vulnerable to being redundant.
After some discussion about the logistics of the abstention option, Brendan MacNeil put forward the motion to include the ASU bylaws be added under the ASU constitution, beginning May 1^st, 2021. Lara asked if the question could also include a place for a description of what the question is proposing, to give students context. Brendan agreed and proceeded to propose the motion and included adding a description to the question that is reviewed by the council the following week. Brendan MacNeil abruptly left the meeting, so the motion he brought forward died (as no one seconded it), and a new motion was proposed, which read “motion to add ASU bylaws to the ASU constitution upon the approval of proposed bylaw amendment by the 2020/21 Student’s Representative Council”. Lydia Houck seconded that motion but was opposed by a massive majority of the rest of the council, and the motion failed.
The conversation regarding the election ended as chairperson Molly Anderson said she needed consultation before moving that conversation any further forward.
The meeting ended shortly thereafter.
February 22, 2021
SRC Councillor: Aananya Paatil
My name is Aananya Paatil. I am a second-year Politics major and a Legal studies minor seeking the position of councillor on the Acadia Students’ Union next year. For the two years that I have spent here, it has given me the confidence and exposure to get involved in various activities such as Acadia’s international student Ambassadors Program, First-year Representative of APSA (Acadia’s Politics Student Association).
The ASU is an organization led by students and for the students. I am running for the position of Councillor because I wish to represent myself as a strong advocate for the students and also my passion for the Acadia community. This position requires someone who is willing to stand up for the key issues faced by students and contribute to their well-being. I strongly believe I am cut out for this job as not only am I a good listener, but I am creative with my solutions to problems. My main goals next year will be: accessibility when it comes to mental and physical health, bringing a positive light to mental health issues during such a hard time and all in all to finding effective ways to reach the student body.
February 20, 2021
VP Events & Promotions: Tanvi Dabas
My name is Tanvi Dabas and I am a third-year Psychology and Nutrition major from Delhi, India. I am running for the role of VP Events and Promotions for the year 2021-22. Acadia has given me many opportunities to take up leadership roles and enhance my skills for this role. I would love to be a part of the ASU as this is a student organization that is run by students and for students and being a part of ASU for the past two years has made me even more motivated to run for this position. The positions I have held as VP of Communications in Tower House Council, International Student Ambassador, and Centre for Global Education Coordinator have helped me in organizing various events that are inclusive to the needs and requirements of all students on campus. I also possess strong social media management skills which is an asset while promoting different events.
The past year has shown us that we are able to adapt to change, however, with the limitation that this pandemic has brought us, being social had become more and more difficult. Moreover, self-isolation and social distancing have created a furthermore negative impact on the mental well-being of students. My goals for the upcoming year as the VP events and promotions would be to focus on creating events focused on student’s mental wellbeing.
Considering the negative impact the pandemic, self-isolation and social distancing have created on the mental health of so many students, I intend on using this position to create more interactive, diverse and entertaining events.
I aim at creating enhanced networking in Acadia to keep the students updated with the events on campus. This will not only create a sense of community/togetherness but also encourage networking at Acadia. Keeping students informed of every event will therefore make the event itself more meaningful.
February 20, 2021
VP Events & Promotions: Sheetal Sehgal
Hey Acadia,
I am Sheetal Sehgal, a second year, Business student thriving hard not only to get good grades but also some co-curricular activities to enhance my personality, public relations, communication skills and a fun life. I am standing for the position of “VP Events and Promotions” because I feel like I want to upgrade my game to one level up in this fun field. In my High school, I participated in a lot of school committees. I was always participating in singing competitions and I got my singing lessons done by Indian Idol academy. I also choreographed a mime performance in my school for which I got an award too. I had my own dance academy in India for all age groups. So, I have experience of dealing with all age groups and make healthy connections.
I have some experience of teaching also as I was teaching in an NGO “Noble Foundation” to slum kids for the betterment of the rural and poverty-stricken society. Now that I have a sort of experience in this field, I want to step up my game and start participating and indulging in university. AS a VP events and promotions, I vow to do all my homework, just kidding, I cannot do that. But what I can do is be the voice you want and help students have a nice year with great events. I will introduce ideas for events, and we will work through volunteer work. I want to be that friendly face for new students coming in and a defender for students already here. So, it will be awesome and helpful if you can vote for me.
February 20, 2021
Sustainability Representative: Seth MacLean
Hi, my name is Seth MacLean, and I’m a third-year Biology and ENVS student, and I’m running for the Sustainability Rep position. I’m running for sustainability rep because I’m passionate about the environment and helping us as a university to start practicing more sustainable measures. I have always loved nature, as I am a canoe guide in the summers, as well as being a rock climber, and I want to do everything I can do to help preserve our land so that opportunities like what I experience every summer can continue to be available for anyone who also wants experience nature in a pure way. I want to help the ASU become more aware of not only actions that we can take to be more sustainable, but also look into our finances and see where we could better invest for our future, in an economically sustainable fashion.
February 20, 2021
Community Relations Representative: Sadie McAlear
Hello! My name is Sadie McAlear, and I am running for the ASU 2021-22 General Election to maintain my current position as the Community Relations Representative.
I have learned an abundance of new information since taking on this role a couple months ago after the 2020 Fall By-Election. A few examples are, reading fifty pages worth of bylaws(and actually trying to understand them), learning words such as quorum or referendum in a vocabulary that never existed to me before, and becoming more confident in speaking in front of people. These have all been learning curves for me, however I would never change my decision to run for this position!
The best part about being the Community Relations Rep is that I have been able to connect with so many amazing residents of Wolfville. I hear too often that students believe they are disliked by the community, but from the conversations I have had, this holds to be untrue and quite the opposite. Many residents of Wolfville live here because they want to see students thrive. Not only that, but they want to help YOU in becoming the person you aspire to be. By getting to know your neighbours and being open to simply talking with residents of Wolfville, you never know who you might meet. As students, I believe that sometimes we get lost with the idea that Wolfville is strictly a “University town”, and we fail to acknowledge the people who are growing their families here, or your next door neighbour who has lived here for over fifty years. Acadia University is a part of Wolfville, as Wolfville is a part of Acadia University. My goal over the next year is to help build a culture where we break the barrier between students and residents and simply become “One Wolfville”.
February 20, 2021
SRC Councillor: Jeet
Hi, I’m Jeet! I’m a 2^nd year Economics major born India and raised in the Gulf. I’m standing for the position of Councillor in the Acadia Students’ Union’s General Election. I’ve met a lot of people from different ethnicities here at Acadia and I’m most impressed by them. They inspire me to make a change, do something meaningful. And I want to start with making Acadia better. I want to lead you, help you, and grow with you as a Councillor, student, and person.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family a lot. If not that, then I play pool, read novels, or watch comedy shows. I love comedy and adventure and I’m always up for a hike!
If you have any questions for me or just want to chat, please do reach out!
My Email:[email protected], you can also hit me up on Teams!
Stay safe and healthy!
February 20, 2021
SRC Councillor: Kevin George
I am Kevin George, and I am running for the Councillor Position for the 2021 – 2022 academic year. I am originally from India but I lived in Dubai before flying across the pond to study in Canada. I am a 2nd-year Business Studies student planning to major in finance. I love photography and skateboarding and if I am not doing that, I am probably bingeing Friends for the 100th time. I am currently a Councillor representing the student body of Acadia University at the ASU. My duties as a Councillor revolves around students and representing their voice in the most effective manner. I am running for my current position again because I love working with students and directing their opinions, suggestions and thoughts in the right direction.
February 20, 2021
President: Matthew Stanbrook
Dear Students of Acadia,
My name is Matthew Stanbrook and I am running for President of the Acadia Student Union for the 2021-2022 academic year. I am currently in my fourth year at Acadia doing a double major in Biology and History. I spent the first part of my life in Dartmouth Nova Scotia; however, I have lived in Wolfville for the past four years while I have been at Acadia. A lot of the things I enjoy doing involve the outdoors, so living in Wolfville has made it much easier for me to get to the woods.
Although I am the only person running for the position of President in the Acadia Student Union, I am still interested in engaging students to see an increase in student involvement with ASU as well as the other groups around campus, such as Residence Life, Athletic Recreation, and overall event turnout.
I will look into options to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and I would like to tackle that issue by improving representation within the Student Union, so the people who experience accessibility issues can bring them forward to the ASU. I think another good step to improving accessibility is by reviewing Acadia’s Accessibility Policy so people with disabilities can attend Acadia knowing it is accessible for everyone.
One of my strengths I can offer for this role is my willingness to listen. During my time as president, I will aim to make sure that I am available to hear what students would like to see changed, and do what I can to implement those ideas. If you would like to share your ideas for improvement with me, I am very interested in hearing them in an effort to better represent the student population!
Looking forward to engaging with you,
Matthew Stanbrook
February 20, 2021

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