May 26th, 2009 BOD Meeting Minutes

Minutes for 5/26/09 BOD Meeting
Location  - MUNSU Council Chambers
Call to Order 6:11pm

1. Identification of visitors by chair - Jay Shah and Amelia Fay

2. Checkin / Attendance:

Erin Stevens (Vice President Communications & Research (VP C&R)), Jay Shah (Biology Visitor), Arvindh Viswanathan (Senate Rep), Jessica Huber (English BOD Rep), Tracy Hache (Anthropology BOD Rep), Isabel Costa (Biology BOD Rep), Darek Moreau (Board of Regents Rep), Amelia Fay (CRO/Visitor), Catherine Jalbert (President), Nate Wilke (VP Finance), Heather Wright (Ethnomusicology BOD Rep), Sebastien Despres (VP Academic), Emma Brand (VP Internal)

3.  Move to accept April Agenda

Tracy Hache, 2nd Arvindh

Any changes?

Tracy - remove 9c

Arvindh - merge 9b and 8a

Jay - add to 9a

D - Discuss health and safety issues

E - Discuss previous motions

Erin - add 7c - reports from committees (standing and ad-hoc)

Emma - 9F - espresso machine

Catherine - 9G - staff relations officer

4.  Resignation of Outgoing Directors and Introduction of New Directors

5.  Apologies:  Allie Bryan (Sociology BOD Rep), Ahmed Mostafa (Medicine BOD Rep), Kimberly Gill (WRC Rep), Ben Staple (Folklore BOD Rep)

6.  Ratification of April 21, 2009 minutes

Tracy, Jess 2nd

Changes - Sebastien would like to make a point of clarification.  In discussion about the GSU awards, it was taken that he did not vote at all for the awards.  He wanted to clarify that he did vote but did not vote on the community service award.

All in favor - none opposed.

7.  A:   Work Summaries:

VP Academic - as stands.  Very happy to report that many came back to him for past GSU awards recipients and they will be put on the plaques.

Academic Council meeting and Senate - no very important appeals regarding graduate students.  Senate meeting just voted to have all exams invigilated.  This will mean that the TA's may have more work, will have to keep an eye to make sure TA's are not' expected to do more for the same money. 

VP Finance - as stands.  Received feedback on report and will include table to include specific hours in office

Darek - likes the bulleted form

VP C&R - as stands.  Would like to go paperless and so unless there are  serious objections will no longer be printing out the BOD packages.  If you require a paper copy, you must email me at least 24hrs prior to the meeting.

Isabel - would be a good idea to print out 3 or 4 copies of everything

Erin - possibly even setting up a projector  so that everything is visible to everyone

VP Internal - as stands.  Eurovision had approx 35 people, doubled the normal Saturday spending with no cost to Bitters.  Looking to increase Labatt's relationship via Ryan Stanley.

President - as stands.  Received approximately 30 applications for the GRADSWEP positions (minute taker, events coordinator, and webmaster).  Also, need to have nominations for FMB.  Currently the committee is primarily Doug, Catherine, and Nate.

Darek - can't be someone on the BOD

Keith - the only way to have someone from the general membership hold the position is the AGM, a by-election, or an election. the residence coordinator is a separate seat so currently there is one seat vacant until the next election

Darek - we should be using the employment relations committee for the new residence coordinator position.

Isabel - The ERC is a standing committee that should be doing all the hiring, they can go through the many applicants. In addition, in the Constitution, it states that there can be no by-election held between May 1 and September 1 of any year.

Tracy - then that is something to think about in September, and we should try and get someone from Bitters to sit on the committee so that there is representation.

Isabel - can't have an past or present employee on the committee

Jess - If we are serious about changing the Constitution, we should look at changing that part

Isabel --  it is not necessarily the Constitution that is the concern.  It is part of the lease agreement with the university as to who sits on the FMB committees.  This agreement was signed in 2004 and is up in 2011.

Darek - since we are on the topic of by-elections.  He may not be around for his full term, so would we be able to hold a special general meeting to deal with both his vacancy and the FMB vacancy?

Keith - will check before next meeting

Sebastien - what is the procedure for finding reps for the academic committees if he cannot get people through the emails he sent out.  He has had good responses for most committees but he is having difficult time getting a couple of committees (like the committee on committees)

Amy-could send out info on each committee for individuals saying that we had certain spots available.

Arvindh --  suggestion to send out a list that has the empty positions as well as the positions that have been filled.

Sebastien --  cant' actually send out names until the official nominations occur at the committee meeting and senate committee.

Arvindh - when people that have been chosen for the committees be notified?

Sebastien - When they are selected, they are notified that they have been selected by GSU and the nominations have been sent on to the next step.

Arvindh - how did people get chosen, for example if there were 6 applicants and only 4 spots how did the 4 spots get chosen?

Sebastien - 1st come 1st served.

Darek - Motion to adopt work reports

Arvindh - 2nd.

B: BOD Reports

Darek - The Board of Regents meeting reviewed the university budget cuts.  The cuts are to certain factions of the university.  They will expect the number sessional positions available in each department to decrease. How this will affect LUMUN is uncertain, it might affect TAUMUN.

Jess - the LUMUN collective agreement has specific number of positions per session.  It should have little effect.  The university will have to choose to give students TA or to $ for doing nothing.

Darek - it is just a concern for me.  It seems that there will be less available instructors to do the same workload.  There also may be similar issues with TAUMUN

Sebastien - the agreement between LUMUN and the university is the number of sessional in each academic unit is defined by past precedent.  In this case, they are looking at the previous years sessional numbers.  For example, Archaeology had only one sessional instructor last year and thus that is what the university and departments will base their future sessional instruction numbers on.

Darek - This was not meant to be a debate, just a point of concern

C:  Standing Committees and Ad-hoc Committees Reports

Finance - will be meeting Thursday at 9:30am

Academic - will meet next week, info to follow

Constitution - will be in contact with past members in the next couple of weeks

External - will be in contact with past members in the next couple of weeks

Elections - recommendations were to be emailed to the CRO, one individual sent an email however there were no recommendations in it.  There will be a committee formed to review the election procedures for next election.

Sebastien - would like to motion to accept all reports omnibus

Darek-2nd

Jess - would like to clarify that the election report is as stands

Motion Carries: Unanimous

Catherine - point of clarification on the FMB.

According to Article III, Section 13f:  if one or both of the FMB seats for the members-at-large is not filled by election at the Spring General Meeting, these positions may be filled by the BOD, following procedure outlined in Article IV Section 26 -(The resignation of a Director becomes effective at the time a written resignation is received by the GSU, or at the calendar date and chronological time specified within the resignation, whichever is later.)

This section 26 has nothing to do with the FMB position - so what can we do to get these seats filled.

Darek - we might be able to ignore the rule as it stands, since it does not make sense

Catherine - can we solicit applications?

Isabel - BOD can do it but would like to brought to the general membership

Catherine - can we solicit applications from the general membership without having to have a by-election?

Isabel - if we were to receive more than 2 applications then we would have to hold elections

Sebastien - Would like to move that we interpret Article II, section 13f to be that the President of the GSU will call upon the general membership to fill the FMB board positions.

Darek - 2nd

Motion Carries: Unanimous

8A:  Tabled Motion from April BOD meeting

Catherine - only received the paperwork from the IYA, so now ratification must occur

Jay - there is nothing further to discuss

Isabel - is the motion made and then any discussion?

Darek - was everyone here at the last meeting? -

Can you (Jay) please give the info you had at the last meeting?

Jay - the IYA is a non-academic student organization with 120 members, 40 of which are graduate students, the organization is 2 years old.  The organization would like to bridge the gap between the GSU and the IYA.  The application was submitted with 12 signatures.

Isabel - which departments do the IYA graduate students belong to?

Jay - Biology, Engineering, Arts, English

Isabel - all of those departments have representatives through their academic units, why is it felt that it is necessary to be on the GSU BOD?

Jay - I cannot see representatives of those departments here, the IYA has been active in helping the GSU and TAUMUN and would like more opportunities to volunteer

Sebastien - being on the BOD gives you no more opportunities than voting rights. if you wish to volunteer you do not have to have voting power on the BOD.  Currently there are 38 academic units that have voting capabilities on the BOD, in addition to 6 non-academic positions (Board of Regents, Senate, Residence Coordinator, Woman's Resource Centre, LGBT, Woman's Resource Centre, and ISA)  The current structure is made up of academic units so that each grad student has only 1 vote.

Jess - acknowledge that the structure of the BOD is why it is, but also acknowledge why Jay is looking for representation.

Jay - I agree with what has been said, but the constitution says that non-academic units are allowed to be voting members of the BOD as long as they are ratified by the BOD.

Darek - Agree with what Jay is saying, that the constitution allows for organizations to have voting rights but that this allows for a very slippery slope.  For example, he could start a NHL club and get voting rights.  Enough non-academic organizations and they could drown out the academic voting powers.  In addition, Sebastien made a very good point,  all graduate students and organizations have many ways or participating in the BOD.  Everyone is able to attend BOD meetings, or members of various organizations could join committees.

Nate - I second what Darek has said.  The BOD should be largely academic and personally was surprised when reading the clause in the Constitution that non-academic organizations were allowed to have voting power.   The main concern is that some students are not feeling that they are being represented.  The students that are concerned should look and see how the different departments are being represented and how those individuals are elected.  If they feel that there is an unfair voting process then should bring those specific concerns to the VP Academic and BOD.

Sebastien - reminds that everyone is allowed to sit and participate in the BOD meetings (except when in camera)  Your academic organization can elect you to sit on the BOD.  There is the need to be careful regarding quorum (which is 10).  Darek position (Board of Regents) is allowed because of this specific clause, so we could not eliminate it all together, maybe reword it.

Catherine - Calls the question via secret ballot

2 opposed Emma/Jess

7 in favor

point of clarification - the vote is only on the IYA as they are the only group to satisfy the requirements.

Keith and Jay will count votes

motion to ratify IYA as voting member of the BOD fails.

2 in support

9 oppose

Sebastien --  motion to destroy ballots

Darek - 2nds

Motion Carries: Unanimous

8B:  GSU Events

Emma -- Many things happening in the future.   Social meeting 5pm Monday.

Emma and Ryan Stanley want to sing a song in Hindi - so will need Jay's help. 

9A: Cell phone proposal

Nate - the handout is something to consider, will further talk with the finance committee and budget.  This proposal will be discussed further at the next BOD meeting.  the Exec can make any additions/deletions to the budget as needed.

Sebastien -- Would a line item about cell phones cause the budget to be voted against because of this contentious item?  If the budget fails, would that then have a negative impact on spending for the following month?

Nate - agrees that the exec has the power to make these decisions, however, we are trying to be more transparent.  If the budget is not approved then would it have to back to the Finance committee and then back to the BOD?

Darek - if the budget is not approved in the BOD meeting then there would be no purchasing for at least 1 month until the budget is revised and approved at the following BOD meeting.

Keith - the BOD can make amendments to the budget at the meeting, so point is mute.

Tracy - the Exec is paid for approx 15hrs/week, so you need to make sure that you do not work for more than that.  In addition, some execs don't answer their emails in a timely fashion, so what makes you think they will respond to phone calls any faster?  There is no guarantee that an exec with a cell phone will use them.  In addition, graduate students do not care that the exec is available to them.

Catherine - Tracy makes a good point in that obviously the campus does not know who we are or what we do and having cell phones would allow us to streamline communications and it would be up to the individual exec members to decide when they want their phones on/off.

Nate - Wants to make clear that this is open for discussion for the next month.

This is not being decided tonight.

Jay - It is nice to see that the exec is interested in working and being accessible.

The exec has both rights and duties of their positions.  it is your duty to be accessible, you have access to voicemail via the GSU phones, and if necessary, you can use your own phone.

Darek - It would be nice to see other major carriers in the proposal

Catherine - We are also looking at getting quotes from the other providers (such as Bell which is what the university uses)

Arvindh - What will the primary use be for the phones, being used between the GSU exec or the GSU exec and the general members?

Nate - Both.  There is room for improvement in the communication between everybody.  All the speeches for the positions indicated that one of the main concerns was communication.  The first priority is to be able to get immediate responses between executives, then the 2nd is to get better communication with the general membership.

Arvindh - But what will the primary use for the phones be?

Nate/Catherine - Both.  One compliments the other.  For example, a simple phone call could have resolved simple issues but instead it took a much more complicated route.

Arvindh - The execs have access to the GSU offices and do not actually need to have cell phones as they have access to phones there as well as voicemail.

Emma - a perfect example of why we need cell phones is that the Eurovision poster had the wrong date and even though multiple people looked at the poster, no one noticed it.  Nate's supervisor caught it and no one could get a hold of me before I printed a bunch of copies.  If I had a cell phone then this could have been prevented.

Keith - Just a reminder, this was served with a months notice - there doesn't have to be a full discussion tonight.

Sebastien - as a member of the exec, I am more than a little scared of us having cell phones.  Not because of our exec, but for future execs.  I do not want to be setting a bad precedent.

Jay - is concerned that the exec is trying to use the funds for it's own purposes. We are looking at spending $7000 on cell phones or buying an espresso machine, or getting special sports channels on the TV, but yet we only spend $500 for graduate students to go to conferences

Darek - I would like make a point of policy suggestions:  in the future discussions I would like to see how this be integrated into existing documents.  Also, try to write down when you are not near a phone so that we can see what benefit a cell phone will be to you.

9B:  Health and Safety & Funding Concerns

Jay-was able to attend the Health and Safety workshop at Saint Francis University.  One of the main concerns that he wanted to bring back was a concern among many office workers and can apply to students.  There a need to explain how not taking a rest, or using ergonomic techniques can seriously hurt students.  Would like to see the GSU organized workshops on ergonomics and such.

In addition, simple things like fire routes out of a building are important.  Many people know that they have to get out of a building by that the closest entrance is not always best, because if it is one of the main entrances to the building then a crowd of people leaving can hinder firefighters trying to enter.  Would like to see the GSU work in conjunction with the Safety Community to make MUN a better place to work.

Darek - great to see such interest.  If the GSU were to play a role would Jay be interested in chairing something like that?

Jay - yes, I would be interested.

Emma - so how do we make that happen?

Darek - Do we have to define a mandate, would this committee be just about field hall or everywhere on campus?

Keith - the BOD could come up with it's own mandate.

Emma - Motion to create an Ad-hoc committee on Health and Safety in which Jay Shah is the chairperson.

Sebastien - 2nds motion.  However would like a real name so that in the future it can be an appealing sounding committee. something like GSU Health and Safety.

Motion Carries: Unanimous Vote

Jay - second concern is for students that are working under new faculty members (specific example is in science).  The university has not decided if to give the new faculty startup funds or if it is through CFI.  This poses a problem as students are taken on and then cannot start doing anything concrete (i.e. experiments) because there is no money coming in to buy equipment or such.  Would like the GSU to take up this issue with the university.  Also, looking at costs of equipment.  For example, and eye station to be put in by Facilities Management costs $15000, even though it is required safety and comes out of the new faculty money, if there is any.

Sebastien - Jay will you write a letter explaining the situation (as you have the best knowledge of the scenario) and email it to the VP C&R and the exec will review it.

9C: BOD positions and Awards Info

Jay - wants to know what is going on with the email that was supposed to be sent out listing the BOD positions that were still open.  Also regarding the GSU awards, what is going on to the email detailing why the individuals won (their qualifications)

Sebastien - 1st point. the BOD list is being worked on.  We have a working list that needs to be updated.  We have to clarify academic unit.

2nd point.  Awards email is upcoming.  We are still awaiting 2 responses of the 6 winners.

Darek - point on the academic units, it should be on the university calendar

Sebastien - that is true, however, there are a few questions that need to be resolved.  For example engineering is considered an academic unit (so 1 BOD rep) but has 5 distinct groupings (so should they have 5 votes?)  In addition, there are some academic units that are so small they only have 1 person in the department should that 1 person get a full vote, or would we combine academic units that small?

Jay - in response to the GSU awards - the committee can use whatever was already given to send out to the general membership.  2nd Ping Lu was awarded a $50000 fellowship, but the committee did not feel that he was warranted our GSU award.  This has stirred up the general membership

Keith - there was an agreement last meeting that the procedures would be looked at and that solutions to the current concerns would be looked at so that the issues does not continue.

Erin - Jay there is also the privacy issue, even though these applicants sent the committee their information they did not agree to have it sent out to the general membership.  We have to get their permission before sending out things to everyone.

Emma - Ping Lu was a good applicant, which is why he received an honorable mention.  He was recognized, however the committee felt that there were other individuals better suited for the award.  I cannot stress that the person who was recognized in both categories truly deserved both awards.  If rules had allowed us, she would have won both awards.  If people have issues with this then they should come talk to us directly so that we can explain.

Sebastien - Our awards were for research already done, his fellowship is for a research proposal, not anything he has already done.

9D: Espresso Machine

Emma - presenting report to not buy an espresso machine

Nate - motion to accept report on espresso machine

Catherine - 2nd

Darek - it is a bit strange to not have a discussion on the matter as it is completely out of the blue.

Catherine - it is actually not out of the blue, money had been allocated for the purchase of an espresso machine for quite some time so we moved forward and got a representative of an espresso machine company to come and give us a quote and more information.

Motion Carries: Unanimous

9E: Staff Relations Officer

Catherine - table until next meeting

Sebastien - Point of clarification to either Darek , or Keith.  Do all positions (i.e.

Staff Relations Officer) default to zero at the year-end or does the current people stay on in their role until a new person is chosen?  Heather has been Staff Relations Officer for less than a year.

Erin - can we have her tender her resignation effective of a new person wanting the position?

Keith - yes

Darek - for the future can we get an accurate list of when people start and when their end dates should be.

Tracy - Motion to adjourn the meeting

Arvindh - 2nd

Motion carries: Unanimous  8:17pm