Brescia University College Students Council

Brescia University College Students’ Council

Meeting Minutes

March 15th2015

1. Call to Order-7:08PM
   
2. Roll Call -ABSENT: ELYSE, AMANDA D., JILLIAN, NICKI, ELLEN, SUMEET, AMANDA M., RAWAN, LINDSAY, ANGELA, CAITIE
   
3. Adoption of Agenda
   none
   
4. Ratification of Minutes
   no changes, minutes ratified
   
5. Speaker’s Announcements
   Congratulations Taryn on your USC win!
   
6. Comments and Questions from the Brescia Community
   Sarah: End Of The Year Reports are due March 27th, you have less than two weeks to complete them, but you can do it! Mental Health Awareness Week was a success.
   
7. Executive Updates (30 minutes)
   Taryn(President):
   -Thank you for endorsing me for the USC election, thank you for the support, I have an office at the USC so come visit me next year!
   Past:
   -Met with Sheila, talked about frames for bathrooms
   -New TV system coming, we can promote our events on it, will be more modern
   -Continued SLRE meetings
   -Launched VPSE campaign
   -Incorporation meeting
   -Board of Trustee meeting
   -Began meetings with USC members (50+)
   -USC AGM I
   -CRC meeting, almost done!
   -Pints and Politics, city talked about Rapid Transit, got a free pint.. paid by the City of London!
   -Change Camp, discussed experiences
   -OPC meeting
   Upcoming:
   -Preparing to graduate soon
   -SLRE meetings, VPSE meetings, CRC meetings
   -Incoming council interviews ongoing
   -Relay for Life on Saturday
   -Soph Rally, Inaugural (March 28th)
   -Survey has 272 responses so far
   -Council Pub is March 26th
   -We have an extra meeting next Sunday for the BUCSC, please attend
   Rachael (VP Academics):
   Updates:
   -Meetings: Educational Policy (talked about need for new faculty, spoke about Intent to Register, Learning Outcomes, how to support diversity globally), CRC meeting
   -Sad news: Lights will not be coming, she has declined our offer to come to Brescia, so the money will be going back to the Special Projects Fund
   -Award of Excellence in Teaching, helping a professor complete her dossier
   -Academic Council meeting coming up, interviews for general members, meeting with Josie
   Marie B. (VP Events):
   Past:
   -Attended: SLRE meetings, Pints and Politics, New Bee Graduation, March Break Open House
   -Updated Alcohol Policy
   Upcoming:
   -SLRE meeting and Leadership event (happening soon)
   -Inaugural is in two weeks, please RSVP by Friday
   -Student Appreciation Week is coming up
   -Saving important emails for the new VP Events for transition
   Amanda D. (VP Finance):(Her recorded voice playing, Amanda D. is absent)
   -Helped with BUCSC Merchandise Sidewalk Sale event put on by Angela
   -Had incorporation meeting with Taryn
   -Had a Grants Review Committee meeting, approved two Student Initiative grants, one grant is pending approval tonight's motion
   -Budgeting Workshop in the works
   -Attended: Institutional Planning Committee (looking at Brescia's mission statement, Western and Huron have made a deal to start building on Huron's corn field close to Ursuline Hall), CRC, Pints and Politics, Mental Health Table, Yoga event, Budgeting Committee (Zero-based budgeting has been completed, looked over 2016 budget, Brescia is doing well, First year projected enrollments going up 8%)
   -Income Tax Clinic update, it will now be an information day (to avoid possible liability on council if we prepare students' taxes...)
   -Finish planning Income Tax Awareness Day
   -Finish final preparations for budgeting seminar
   -completing VP Finance interviews
   -Review last of BUCSC grant applications, last day to apply is March 23rd
   Beth (VP Student Affairs):
   -Lights has been cancelled as mentioned..
   -Meetings: CRC, Sheila and Marianne regarding bathroom signage and Poster Policy, Focus group with Heart Business Magazine, Elections Committee,
   -Attended: Pints and Politics, Change Camp- we need more Gazette coverage, New Bee Grad
   -Election season, speeches Wednesday, voting is Thursday and Friday
   -Back room will be completely booked starting Tuesday for interviews
   -Continuing to take feedback on the website and my email
   -Relay For Life fundraiser
   -Bake Sale
   -Stand Up For Mental Health Comedy Show, continue to promote, it's free!
   -March 20th-April 3rd will be Digital Services Week, about 2-3 services will be promoted per day
   -Meeting with Dilani Logan, incoming USC VP
   -Planning a meeting with Events Review Committee to discuss Clubs next year
   -Rick Mercer is April 1st, continue to push tickets!
   
8. Questions Arising from Executive Updates
   Josie: Beth, for the bathroom posters, once we get the frames, will faculty be allowed to put posters up in the bathroom?
   Beth: This will be ajoint project with the BUCSC and Brescia, the BUCSC cannot stop the promotions happening and the posters going up. We have decided that promotions will be based on the monthly themes (For example February: Eating Disorder Week will be promoted), there will be less promotion in the bathroom than now but it will still happen.
   Josie: What's happening with Digital Services Week?
   Beth: We're having trouble finding a space so it will likely be an online thing.
   Caitie: The back office will be fully booked so please don't hang around the office if it's not your office hour.
   Mays: With the Lights cancellation, did you not talk to her about a date previously?
   Beth: Josh (USC promotions) gave us two possible dates and we got back to him saying we wanted her to come in late March and he sent that to the agent and she replied saying it wouldn't work for her because she's touring worldwide. She gave us an alternative date... April 7th but that's too late for us because we'll be starting exams around then.
   
9. Members Updates (5 minutes)
   Caitie: This week was New Bee Grad, which was successful. On Wednesday, Soph candidates will be getting calls.
   Lindsay: This month we will be having yoga nights, we have a great instructor so hopefully more of you guys come on Thursday!
   Josie: Thank you for coming to Mental Health Awareness Week, pizza was really good. Stay tuned for more food! For the Stand Up Comedy event, I'm hoping to order food. Its open to all. I have a documentary that you can promote to psychology professors aswell.
   Carissa: My Laser Quest event is on Thursday, let first years know about it. There's a signup sheet in the office.
   Kate: Representative speeches are on Wednesday in the living room. Be respectful of interviews this week.
   Emily: My event for the Second Year Social Potluck was approved. I'll have posters up soon.
   Anna: The Food Handler's Certificate training is on Saturday and the signup sheet is almost full. Wednesday is the last day for refunds.
   Kirsty: I'm using the rest of my budget for the Sugar Bush event with Christina Lord.
   
10. Motions
11. Student Opportunity Grant Application Motion

Whereas all grant applications $500.00 or more must be approved by the BUCSC,

Whereas this BUCSC Student Opportunity grant application is requesting funding from the BUCSC for $2,000.00,
Whereas the Grants Review Committee has provided their recommendations and do not recommend the approval of this grant application,

Be it resolved that the BUCSC not approve this Student Opportunity grant application for $2,000.00.

SEBESTA/Scripnick
Rachael: I assume that everyone has read the grant application. It is a swimming company called Summer Swim Academy that would provide swimming instructions in private back yard pools in Burlington. The founder would employ three instructors and expects she would work 20 hours a week. Profit projections are $5000. I will read some of the comments from the Grants Review committee: Majority said they would not approved (3 said no, 1 said unsure, 1 said yes). They said they thought it was well thought-out but it wouldn'tbenefitBrescia or her education at Brescia. If this business was done on a smaller scale she would not need the money.
Marie: The objectives confuse me because it says she will be employing London students but the business is based in Burlington.
Sarah: They could be Burlington residents who go to school here during the year.
Mays:Shouldn't this be a StudentInitiative Grant not a Student Opportunity Grant?
Rachael: An Opportunity Grant should be increasing educational opportunity and improving the person as a student, it should look to improve professionalism of a Brescia student. The outline is on the BUCSC website.
Katie: Where is the requested $2000 going?
Sarah: I think investments; advertising, insurance, Red Cross partnership, table cloth, uniforms, ...to help start up the business.
debate...
Beth: Against the motion, they already have a Red Cross partnership, I feel like this does develop the student professionally and we have approved lower grants to people who have wanted to become photographers and event planners.
Marie: In favour of the motion, I think the student needs to bring moreinformation. It's well thought-out but it doesn't really explain how they would develop professionally. A concern for me is that the expenses aren't explained enough.
Josie: Do the operating expenses make sense from a business perspective?
Natalie: I'm not sure about the tablecloth, but advertising does cost a lot, but if they are projecting to make $5000 then it makes sense. Insurance seems like a low ball though.
Carissa: I know someone who did something like this and insurance was more than $460.
Beth: About the tablecloth, that is a realistic amount. They already have insurance but the fact they thought about insurance is smart and shows that they have put a lot of thought into this.
Marie: My concern is, as a student, you have a limited amount of summers, so this company may not last.
Carissa: At this pointI'm against the funding because as a life guard, they are missing some key elements in their proposal, for example floatation devices... which are expensive.
Taryn: I think there's a lack of information.
Mays: I'm curious and concerned, if we have passed grants for lower amounts similar to this then why are we denying this grant?
Taryn: The lower ones, are for example: someone who is passionate about event planning, so they have written up an application with a breakdown of things they are buying for their business. But, the amount of money this student is requesting is larger so it needs more attention and information.
Beth: I think this motion should be tabled because the Grant Committee should have asked of more information if they were planning to deny the applicant.
Natalie: Against the motion, (being in Food Management) it's important to give students an opportunity to start a business even if they do fail. They will learn from the failures and successes. As for the concern about longevity of the business, it could be passed on to younger siblings.
Kate: Against the motion, it's a good opportunity business-wise, it may appeal to parents who want to have private lessons for their kids, at home and not have to take them to a public pool.
Taryn: My worry is that if we vote now, the application will be denied, so I rather table this to allow the student to gather more information.
Beth: We should come up with a list of questions to ask them for our next meeting.
Mays: At the USC, they have a specific fund for start up businesses, I can look into that so that if we cannot fund this, we can refer them to that fund.
MOVE TO TABLE TO NEXT MEETING, SCRIPNICK/Jackson
ALL IN FAVOUR, TABLED MOTION

• BUCSC Constitution Review Motion

Whereas the Constitutional Review Committee continues their review of the BUCSC Constitution,

Whereas the following changes are important to improve BUCSC transparency and clarity of current policies,
Be it resolved that the following edits to the BUCSC Constitution be approved for current future use on the BUCSC.
SCRIPNICK/Jackson

Taryn: We are updating Committees of Council as many committeesdon't exist or have changed.
Beth: Nothing to add.
ALL IN FAVOUR, MOTION CARRIES

1. New Business
2. Next Meeting: March 22nd2015
   
3. Roll Call -ABSENT: ELYSE, JILLIAN, NICKI, ELLEN, SUMEET, RAWAN, AMANDA D., AMANDA M.
   
4. Adjournment - 8:16 PM