SRA Maroon Minutes - March 8, 2015

THE McMASTER STUDENTS UNION | MAR 8, 2015 | KEY POINTS & UPDATES FROM SRA MEETINGS

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS MOSAIC is Coming Get ready for an exciting change! On March 23rd, SOLAR will officially be replaced with MOSAIC. This new system will no doubt take some time to get used to; however, a number of positives are in store for students. Scheduled course enrolment times will get rid of the hours spent refreshing SOLAR in hopes of getting into limited spots. The system will also make transcripts and work study opportunities available online.

Should we Leave CASA? The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a group which lobbies the federal government on behalf it’s 22 member universities, including McMaster.

While most issues of education fall to Provincial Governments, the Federal Government still has a large impact on post-secondary education. For example, 60% of the funding for OSAP is provided by the federal government.

The MSU currently is expected to pay a far greater portion towards CASA than any other school, despite each school only receiving one vote in the decision making process. This has prompted many to suggest that we leave CASA. However, others are concerned that we will lose out on an opportunity to create positive change for our school in the lead up to the next federal election.

Your City 2.0 What are your perceptions and experiences in the Hamilton community? How safe do you feel in your off-campus house? Fill out the MSU's survey to help the organization identify and address housing issues. You’ll also be entered for a chance to win tickets to the Junos! You can find the survey here.

New Restrictions on MSU Reserves Many students know that the MSU has a lot of money in reserves. Through changes to our corporate bylaws, we now have guidelines on how much money should be in those reserves. This was done so that as the organization grows, our reserves stay in a health range to over our operations in the instance we experience financial hardship.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT

WWW.MSUMcMASTER.CA/SRA

THE McMASTER STUDENTS UNION | MAR 8, 2015 | KEY POINTS & UPDATES FROM SRA MEETINGS

LOOKING FORWARD Even though the academic year is almost over, there are still some exciting SRA meetings to look forward to! All of these meetings will happen in GH 111.

On March 22nd, at 6:30pm Come listen to the progress that the Women and Gender Equity Network has made this year as a pilot service. The SRA will be voting on whether to approve WGEN as a full service for the years to come. We will also be voting on if we want to remain a member of CASA, and on the adoption of a new general accessibility policy.

On April 12th, at 12:00pm Come and find out who will join Ehima, President-Elect, on the Board of Directors next year. Elections for VP Administration, Finance, and Education will be taking place.

On April 19th, at 12:00pm The 2015-2016 MSU Budget will be presented at this meeting. The SRA will also be electing students to various SRA and MSU committees, including the University Affairs Committee, the Services Committee and many more. Contact your SRA Rep or the MSU Speaker for more information about these opportunities.

On April 26th, at 12:00pm SRA members will be deciding which committee they will participate in next year!

GET INVOLVED Job Opportunities!

The MSU has paid and volunteer positions that are open for next year!

Opportunities include becoming a Maroons Representative, SPARK Coordinator, Deputy Returning Officer, or many more! You can find the list here.

FIND OUT MORE You can read all of the supporting documents from this meeting, as well as find complete minutes and next meeting’s agenda here.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for the SRA Mailing List here.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT

WWW.MSUMcMASTER.CA/SRA