BCIT Student Association Monday, February 19, 2007 AGENDA
12.1
Meeting called to order - 5:46
12.2
Acceptance of the Agenda - Moved by Sukh, seconded by Carlo - 23,0,0
12.3
Acceptance of the Minutes 12.3.1 Council, February 5, 2007 - Moved by Rick, seconded by Julia - 23.0,0
12.4
Guest Speakers: FMA presentation - Jennifer invited FMA to present to the Council. Lucas from FMA pitched the proposed club presentation. - Questions for FMA representatives: - Council: Is there are charge for membership? - FMA: No, perhaps in the future, but they want to attract students and build the club first. - Council: Are there fundraising plans? How will deal with expenses? - FMA: Sponsorship partnerships @ $1000 each that exist with other similarly focused clubs at other institutions. - Council: Have you spoken with any potential sponsors? - FMA: Yes, they have expressed interest. -Council: This club has failed in the past for various reasons including a heavy workload in 2nd year. How will you address this and have you spoken with past people involved? FMA: We are 1st students and will be using the remainder of this year to build and plan for next year. The aim is to have the 1st year student members do this each year. This year will be a planning cycle only. - Council: How many students in program? - Jennifer: Approximately 700 students. - Seeing no more questions, Jennifer thanked the representatives from FMA and closed the discussion.
12.5
General Reports: - None
12.6
Progress Reports: - Scott: As submitted. - Carlos: Test bank – Faculty ok with it, but want BCITSA to set up administration to run program. Still looking for feedback. - Ron: Sick
- Jennifer: Met with Lucas from FMA / As Submitted. - Todd: As Submitted. - Julia: Nutrition to be removed as there is nothing new to report. Test bank doesn’t work for Health Sciences due to limited ways to evaluate students. Accidents at Willingdon & Goard Way brought forward by RA to Bryson – Tanya collected info, but has not reported back yet.. - Sukh: Grad party cancelled ACE was not willing to put up that much resources and felt that students will be exam overloaded and not interested in party. Test bank – No feedback yet from faculty – will talk to them over spring break - Rick: Nutrition well under way with pilot for Rez upcoming and second event scheduled in April to rest of students Services Committee – Expect reports to begin coming to Council. 12.7
Question Period: - Council: What About Starbucks? - Todd: Spoke with Nina CFO for BCIT & Terry Wood from Chartwells. No decision yet but Chartwell’s will be bringing back a proposal to BCIT. Others vendors may include Tim’s / Starbucks / others. Not yet decided. - What the Women’s Steamroom? - Rick: Safety concerns: 10 min max/ no clock/ no auto shut off – Met with Jim Mitchell (Director Student Services) – he said would like more information and requested a meeting with student to address concerns. Jim stated that there currently is an auto shut-off. They have also changed cleaning procedures since Christmas break. Further, he stated that the smell is coming from drywall problems not sweat and that it is an ongoing issue to explore. - Council: Men’s Steamroom: Is there going to be one? - Rick: Jim said is still in the plan and has Student Services support. Anybody that would like to meet with Jim is asked to contact Rick afterwards to set up meeting. - Council: Translink. Do other institutions such as Langara subsidize transit? Is it possible for us here? - Jennifer: Langara College subsidizes with student fees to do so. There are many issues to look at, but that would mean that all students would pay for that subsidy. BCITSA is still looking into transit. - Council: Next meeting during exam week. Can it be postponed? - Jennifer: SGM and other important issues need to addressed at that meeting to meet with Constitutional requirements, so it has to stay there, but we will keep it as short as possible. - Council: Can it be moved to this week? - Jennifer: No Constitution requires that general meetings be called must occur within three weeks and appear in two issues of the Link. The schedule is too tight and we cannot contravene bylaws.
12.8
Unfinished Business
12.8.1 Election of VPSA - Jennifer introduced the three candidates for VPSA and explained the process to the Council. She then drew names to determine who went first. - Carlos / Thomas / Bryson. - Questions: No questions for the candidates. Jennifer asked the candidates to leave the room. - 20 votes cast. - Thomas was elected to the position VPSA for the remainder of the academic term. 12.9
New Business 12.9.1 Club – FMA BIRT Financial Management Association is a subsidiary organization of BCITSA as of February 19, 2007. - Moved by Todd, seconded by Carlo -21,0,1 BIFRT $500.00 from the clubs budget be allocated to FMA. - Moved by Todd, seconded by Julia - Questions - Council: How much is left in the club budget? - Jennifer: Approximately $1000.00. - Sukh / Thomas: Talk to past people learn from past. - 21,0,1 12.9.2 Referendum BIRT that the Council calls a referendum. - Moved by Jennifer, seconded by Rick - Questions – Scott - How are students currently appointed? Why does it need to go to referendum? Jennifer: Election that is handled through the Registrar’s Office as per the Institute’s Act. - Julia: - Why president not just exec. - Jennifer: President in communication with administration and others. We must define a specific position. In addition it allows potential candidates to fully understand there role before running. - Council: Is it a paid position? - Jennifer: Yes. - Council: What is a referendum? - Jennifer: As per the Constitution a referendum is a specific question posed to students with a binding result. - Julia: Are we voting on the question or whether the referendum will happen. - Jennifer: We are voting on whether the Council will call a referendum on this issue. - Scott: What the time commitment? Is it fair to ask the student president to take on additional time commitments?
- Jennifer: That is why it is so important to have the question answered before the general election. In addition, faculty is understanding and see role as important commitment. There have been discussions with BCIT Administration who support this change. - Council: Who votes? - Jennifer: All students. Scott: Will this limit who runs for president as different schools have different focus & ability to contribute time. Jennifer: The position is constantly evolving and while it may limit some candidates, the information flow is very important back to students and BCITSA is very important. President best position to do so. It is about information flow and getting it to students. - Council: Is this a voting member? - Jennifer: Yes. - Council: Can we invite the BOG here? - Jennifer: The BOG is made up of a variety of CEO’s, CFO’s and community leaders. Some of which are appointed from the government, others are elected by faculty and students. There is little reason or incentive for these people to come here. There is no duty for them to report to us in any way. - Scott: Can we designate an alternate. - Jennifer: No, only student can elect their representative. We must define a specific position. - Council: Do we still have quorum? - Jennifer: Yes. - Council: Can we get the student to report to us? - Jennifer: No duty or incentive for that. Scott: Can the question be amended and have council appoint a rep. – Jennifer: No, the Council cannot appoint to the Board. The Institute Act requires that students must make that decision. - Council: When do they meet? - Jennifer: Less than once a month for about four hours every 6-8 weeks. - Council: Does the rep have to go to every meeting. Yes or to be excused with cause (exam). No proxy. - Julia: Call the question: - Moved by Julia, seconded by Carlos - 21,1,0 BIRT that the Council calls a referendum. - Moved by Jennifer, seconded by Rick - 16,6,1 12.9.3 Special General Meeting - Will be called next meeting. 12.9.4 Elections – General -Todd went over dates and gave some general information to the Council 12.10 Next Meeting – March 5, 2007
12.11 Meeting Adjourned - Moved by Scott, seconded by Carlo - Meeting Adjourned 7:25pm