MASU Students’ Administrative Council
Meeting Minutes
October 4th, 2020
1. Call to order: 5:30pm
2. Land acknowledgement
3. Approval of Agenda
BE IT RESOLVED (moved by Councillor Burke, seconded by Councillor Ferguson) that the Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Agenda of the Students’ Administrative Council be approved.
• ALL IN FAVOUR of agenda, AGENDA APPROVED
4. Reports
President (Councillor Ferguson)
o Investigation into voter suppression
o In contact with investigator, they will be coming here in person this Friday and Saturday in MASU Boardroom
o Will ensure social distancing for these interviews and accommodate for people who are uncomfortable meeting directly
o Working hard on the website
• Vice-President Academic Affairs (Councillor Burke)
o Nimbus is going well with over 100 hours of tutoring through the app
o Open Educational Resources (OERs)
o Campaign starting next week including a social media push and potential table in the student centre
o Senate
o Met the previous day (Tuesday, Oct. 13)
o Reports from University Planning and Academic Affairs
o October graduates were voted through
o Committee Work
o Library 2025 Vision committee started back up on weekly basis
o Provost Council meeting biweekly, working on program proposals
o Goal of prioritizing indigenous hires
o OER committee meeting weekly
o Prepped for academic affairs committee
• Vice-President External Affairs (Councillor Thorburn)
o Working alongside Councillor Ferguson on the investigation into voter suppression
o Community Food Smart
o Reached new record with 99 orders in total
o Were able to subsidize membership fees for 50 new student members with generous donation
o Surprise giveaway for 3 students, these students were each given $20 in grocery gift cards to the Independent
o NBSA
o Councillor Ferguson and Councillor Thorburn meeting with NBSA Board biweekly
o Systemic Racism and Indigenization Committee met for the first time to discuss consultations for policy and protentional ideas for the year
o CASA
o Meeting biweekly with EDIC, focusing on competency development and EDI policy in CASA
o Councillor Thorburn focusing on EDI resource creation and accessible and inclusive CASA documents
o Registered for online Advo-Month, happening Tuesdays and Thursdays in November
o Continues to sit on Mount A-Town Working Group
• Vice-President Finance & Operations (Councillor Nolan)
o Continued work on the new set of bylaws
o Had meeting with Board of Trustees and Governance Committee
o Fall Hiring and Committee applications now closed
o Met alongside Councillor Burke with graduate students
o Opted to implement tech-plan given the financial situation being more secure, will get help from Operations Committee for this task
• Vice-President Student Affairs (Councillor Penney)
o Clubs and societies
o Lots of work done, lots that is still unknown
o Came up with new risk assessment form but now we are back into Orange Phase so adjustments need to be made
o Aiming for virtual events only for the time being
o Setting up a Q&A next week for executive members of the clubs and societies
o EDI
o Sending out a call for the anti-racism education and response team hiring panel again
o Agreed to dedicate WMSC 125 as a BIPOC safe space, will be collecting feedback from students for how to use this space
o Working on getting together a Pride committee
o Working with Hannah Crouse on EAF, met with Anne Comfort to discuss possible project proposals
o Health and Wellbeing
o Continuing to sit on BOR Covid-19 committee
o Considering hosting a second Covid-19 Q&A with Dr. Betti
o Meeting with Maggie Brewer to discuss mental health initiatives
o Putting out graphic on flu vaccines happening on campus
o Restarting the #MountiesWearMasks
o Residence
o Organized and attended residence executive training
o Met with Adam and Karen to discuss the IR process
Questions
• Councillor Tobin: What improvements are you aiming for in terms of the IR process?
o Councillor Penney: We were unaware about lack of resources regarding the IR process. We are working to improve the process so students know where to go when they need help.
• Councillor Mittal: What is the function of the Pride committee and are you collaborating with Catalyst?
o Councillor Penney: Pride committee was originally meant to be a collaboration with the town and students but because of orange phase we are now just looking for student engagement. I have reached out to many of our societies and have heard back from a few that are interested in collaborating.
• Chief Returning Officer (Councillor Richardson)
o Fall elections were successful this year with a significant increase in voter turnout, especially with first-year students
o Looking to surpass 50% in voter turnout in future elections
o There was a problem with Microsoft, so many students were getting their email reminder sent to the “other” folder. This has been worked out with CSD so hopefully this will not be an issue for future elections
• Indigenous Senator (Councillor Bubar)
o Focusing on the push for indigenous hires, only one indigenous faculty member at the moment
o Aiming to develop the indigenous studies minor
o Hoping to raise awareness about her position in general
o Collaborating with student representative to decolonize council
o Hoping to have an on-campus elder
o Working on the National Indigenous Advisory Council with CASA
o Registered for advocacy week
o Meeting for policy and strategy
o Aiming to reduce barriers to post-secondary education
Questions
• Elaborate on what you’re aiming for by having an elder in residence?
o Councillor Bubar: Currently Patty does the work for all issues on campus. Having an elder accessible on campus will help with student mental health and ceremony.
5. New business (no items)
6. Open forum (no items)
7. Announcements and reminders
• Councillor Burke
o Academic newsletter coming out soon
o Should be getting an email with a survey attached regarding the academic thus far
o Agendas are still available in the student centre
• Councillor Thorburn
o Looking for volunteers as additional lobby delegates for meeting with the legislature for NBSA Advocacy season, keep an eye on your email for more information
• Councillor Ferguson
o If anyone would like to be included in voter suppression investigation or know someone who might, contact him as soon as possible
• Councillor Penney
o If you are interested in join the Pride committee send her an email
• Councillor Williams to finalize committees tonight
8. In camera
Motion to go in camera (moved by Councillor Penney, seconded by Councillor Thorburn).
9. Adjournment
SAC adjourned at 6:29pm
Minutes submitted for approval by Kayla Blanchard on October 17, 2020.
