Category: Live Blog

KSU Fall Budget 2022/2023

Hey Everyone! Welcome to the live blogs for today’s council! This will be the last council with the current exec as the changeover for 2021/2022 is tomorrow!

5:03: Meeting called to order. Chris presents the land acknowledgement for those currently residing in the HRM. Isabella presents the land acknowledgment for the territory of the Cosalish people, in BC.

5:05: Agenda adopted

5:05: Minutes from the last meeting approved

5:07: Oral reports of the councillors

Victoria: Attended BAC and FAR committee meetings, met with Jackie about the incoming FVP position. Attended fight the fees meeting, university fee consult and hosted the virtual escape room event with Mason.

Ry and Aideen: Lots of work on fight the fees, reoccurring meetings on Tuesday at 7. Aideen attending the university fee consult, prepping for the changeover. Ryland also attended fight the fees and says thank you to the outgoing exec!

Kaitlyn: Changeover meetings, attended OH&S meeting with Mason. the EDI and university fee consult.

Nathan: Attended the fee consult after consulting with as many students as possible beforehand. Nathan wanted to focus heavily on the change in the quality of education students have expressed this year. Currently trying to set dates for March meeting with society presidents.

Ridge: Reporting on behalf of himself and Kailen. Ridge has been involved with the resident council. Kailen’s main focus has been with the residence council and is continuing work with that.

Emma: Attended committee meetings, has continued acting as a day student representative in several capacities. Had to make the decision to extend candidate deadlines for the Day Student Society executive elections until next week. Emma says reach out if you’re interested! You can email her or reach out through the DSS socials.

David asks why a DSS rep sits at a residence committee. Emma responds that the idea is for the DSS rep to bring experience, collaborate, and sort of act as a “don” for day students.

Stephen: Stephen has had correspondence with the Director and Associate Director of the J-School with concerns from himself and another student re: a workshop 4th years are enrolled in, without a proper syllabus, class recordings on youtube, no clear guidelines for a final project, and concerns around a 10% grade for “professionalism”, Had good conversations with them and saw immediate action taken.

5:19: Concludes the councillor reports. This will be the final report of the current exec, and Chris wants to recognize their work amidst an unprecedented year.

5:20: Reports of the executive: these should be available along with the minutes from this council once they are approved at the next meeting.

5:51: Concludes reports of the executive committee.

Action Items:

5.1. BIRT the CRO be paid $425 for their work in the fall term.
Moved by Isabella MacKay

Seconded by Aideen

Isabella and Nick motivate by the motion.

Isabella moved to amend the motion to read “winter term” not “fall term”

Motion to amend passed

Amended motion 5.1 has passed

5:54:

5.2. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Orientation Week
Coordinator Hiring Committee .
Moved by Isabella MacKay

Seconded by Nick

There are five nominations to fill these blanks.

Motivations are taking place.

A vote has determined that the blanks should be filled with: Hannah Perry, Michael Greenlaw, Neyve Egger

6:08: Vote on Motion. Motion passed.

6:09:

5.3. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Chair hiring Committee.
Moved by Isabella MacKay

There are three nominations.

Motivations are now taking place

Seeing as there are only three nominations, we are moving to fill the blanks with Nathan Ferguson, Adriana Vanos, and Emma Oliver.

Motion passed

6:15:

5.4. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Chief Returning Officer
Hiring Committee .
Moved by Isabella MacKay

Seconded by Stephen

There are three nominations

Motivations

6:23: Vote to fill the blanks with Levi Clarkson, Emily Reid and Lara Van de Venter

Motion passed.

6:24:

5.5. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Scribe Hiring Committee
Moved by Isabella MacKay

There are three nominations

Motivations

6:27: Vote to fill the blanks with Emma Oliver, Patsy Ginou, and Brooklyn Craig

Motion Passed

6:28:

5.6. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Healthy Active Living
Program Coordinator Hiring Committee.
Moved by Mason Carter

There are three nominations

Motivations

6:33: Vote to fill the blanks with Emalyn Armstrong, Hope Moon, and Michael Greenlaw

Motion passed

6:34:

5.7. BIRT ___________, ___________, and __________, be elected to the Equity Officer Hiring
Committee.
Moved by Isabella MacKay

There are three nominations.

Motivations.

6:40: Vote to fill the blanks with Marlee Sansom, Kiera Doyle, and Hope Moon

Motion Passed

6:41:

New Business

Goodbyes <3 From Levi at their last council!

Motivational Speech from Nick! 🙂 <3

Mason saying thank yous and goodbyes <3

6:48: Council Adjourned <3

Hey everyone! The first council of 2020 should be starting up in a few minutes!

5:02pm: Meeting called to order! Welcome to the first council meeting of 2021!

5:03: Chris is going over some guidelines for council for those who are here for the first time

5:05: Adoption of the agenda by unanimous consent

5:06: Approval of minutes from December 6, 2020

Levi has brought up a typo in the minutes

There are no farther amendments to be made

5:07: Minutes adopted by unanimous consent

5:09: Reports of councillors! Victoria (member-at-large) is up first, nothing much to report but if you’re reading along with the live blogs please note there are some technical difficulties happening and the site is occasionally crashing so this blog may not be consistent!

Emma from the DSS is reporting a successful fall GM that happened the end of last semester!

Kailen (residence rep) is fielding a lot of complaints from the residence students from over the winter break and has a meeting planned with Katie Merwin coming up

Kaitlyn (first year rep) is planning on an activity for first years for the winter break and February and is open to suggestions from first years!

Aideen (BOG rep) is pleased to announce that the response to the president’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion report is now available, this response was completed by both Aideen and Ry, the other Board of Governer’s Rep

Ridge (Science rep) is struggling to connect with the Dal Science Society, and like Kailen is receiving many reports from students of issues that occurred over the winter break

Stephen is meeting with Tim Currey about safety and security for journalists, and also attended the anti-o meeting that many of the councillors attended

Nathan (Arts rep) receiving complaints from students who are being required to keep their video on for courses, as it is enhancing struggles with social anxiety. Nathan is not present at the meeting but if any of you have questions for Nathan or any of the councillors please reach out through their emails on the KSU website

5:21: Executive Reports!

Levi (President): Attended Galley Board of Directors meeting, and the Anti-Oppression workshop that ended councillor training.

Participated in discussions about extending winter break, which did not happen, and the continued offering of pass/ill option and concerns for students in self-isolation

Attended Enrollment management committee meeting

The first diversity hire has been hired effective July 1st

Winter elections for BOG reps and the executive are coming up, reach out to the exec team if you have questions about the positions!

Mason’s (Student Life VP) Report:

Meetings with Tim and Katie about student mental health, resources available to students, students isolating etc.

Drafting an email to send to profs about time-zones, synchronous courses, etc. as a reminder of these issues students may face in the semester

Attended academic committee meeting

Nick (Financial VP):

Maintained the finances (aka paid union staff every two weeks)

Budget advisory committee meeting

Another one is coming up that will continue discussions about the increasing university deficit

Hope (external VP)

attended equity committee meeting

vacant position of the equity officer, now the position has been upgraded from part-time to a full-time position. A list of recommendations has been put forward to the president regarding the concern this position may be amalgamated with the accessibility officer.

Attended investment committee meeting

Levi attended a round table that Hope was unable to attend. This meeting included discussions about the issue of International Students quarantining and the financial issues requiring them to isolate themselves in hotels. There seems to have been confusion over the actual requirements by the federal government.

Isabella (Communications VP):

Also attended the meeting about extended winter break, which didn’t happen

Finalized the KSU blurb that is included in the academic calendar

Has continued to keep the KSU Instagram updated and is prepared to release the first TWAK of the year tomorrow!

5:48: Reports are now concluded. There are no action items at this time.

New Business:

Luke Baumgart is proposing a motion regarding the charge residence students were required to pay when they stayed over the winter break.

Students were unaware they would have to pay extra to eat over the winter break, for a meal plan they were required to have.

Students were first told in mid-November that they would be responsible for their meals over break, then told there would be a meal plan, then even later that it would be mandatory.

The conversation on this topic is continuing while the wording of the motion is being worked out.

We’re discussing the motion to amend the original wording Luke proposed

6:30: The conversation is still continuing, residence students are responding to questions from council on specifics of the problem over the break, issues included inedible meals and meals that were inedible specifically because of allergens. Students also reported small portions of vegetables, not being more than corn or a small salad

7:00: The amendment has been struck down

7:04: The original motion is now on the table again

7:07: Nick moves Hope and his amendment of the original motion

7:11: The amendment passed.

7:17: Motion Passed

7:18: Simon moved to change the bylaws and for council meetings to operate under general meeting bylaws

This motion can not go forward because bylaw changes have to occur at a general meeting

7:29: Ryland is bringing forward the statement they and Aideen wrote in response to the President’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Report.

7:36: Motion to adjourn by David, seconded by Kailen, motion passed

Hey everyone, it is the last council of 2020! We are at quorum and the meeting is about to begin!

5:03: Council has started!

5:04: Agenda Adopted by unanimous consent

5:06: Just grammatical errors in the minutes from the last council to fix that Levi is moving to edit

5:08: All motions to edit the minutes have been passed.

5:09: The minutes have been approved by unanimous consent

5:10: Councillor reports! Aideen and Rylan are up first! They have started to draft a response to the EDI report

5:12: Ridge is up next. Not much to report.

5:13: Nathan is next, also not much to report. Reached out to the co-president of the Disabled Student’s Collective, waiting to hear back. Had a meeting with the academic committee.

5:17: My (Victoria’s) report! Nothing much to report.

5:19: Stephen’s report

* I had some technical difficulties during Stephen’s report so please look at council minutes once they are released for more details on that!

5:24: Emma’s report. Day Student Society GM upcoming over zoom.

5:26: Kailen’s report, discussed concerns about the winter break meal plan with Tim, discussions still ongoing

5: 28: Reports of the exec

Levi: Met with Kaitlyn the first year rep for councillor training

In the process of organizing another anti-oppression workshop

Starting prepping with BOG reps for meeting with the board next week

Met with Peter and Katie

5:36: Mason’s report

working on the care packages

did an “ask an exec” on Tuesday

had a meeting with Peter and Katie

changes to residence guidelines for COVID safety

Kailen brought up the biggest change to residence is that the dining hall is takeout only

5:40 Nick’s report

The executive had an anti-o workshop with South House

Took place in discussions about how to make emergency bursaries available to international students

5:44: Hope’s report

Struggles uploading a video about exams for first years due to tech issues

Several committee meetings upcoming

5:50: Isabella’s report

Has been keeping up on TWAK

Busy week for academics

Action items

5:52: Item 5.1, paying the scribe $300 of their honorarium

5:54: Motion passed by a vote

5:54: Item 5.2, paying the chair $425 of their honorarium

5:55: Nick has temporarily taken over as chair due to a conflict of interest

5:55: Item seconded, motivated by Levi

5:56: Motion passed by a vote

5:57: Item 5.3, BIRT the DSS be ratified as a Tier 2 society, moved by Mason

6:02: Motion passed by a vote

6:02: No new buisness

6:02: Motion to adjourned

6:02: Motion struck

6:03: Michael says to remember to do SRIs available through Dalhousie emails!

6:04: Isabella explains that this year SRIs are going straight to professors and not to any higher-ups this semester in light of this year’s difficult circumstances

6:05: Motion to adjourn

6:05: Council adjourned!

See you in 2021 everyone, good luck with finals!

Hey, everyone! This was my first live blog as Member at Large. Today’s Meeting was a bit longer with several action items on the table! Still figuring this whole thing out but I tried to be comprehensive and to the point!

5:09pm AST: Meeting called to order

5:10pm AST: Land Acknowledgement

5:12pm AST: Motion to appoint Levi as Interim Chair

Moved by Nick

Seconded by Isabella

5:13pm AST: Motion passed

5:14pm AST: Adoption of the agenda

Isabella motions to make action item 5.1 and 5.2 into one motion being 5.1

Seconded by Mason

5:17pm AST: Motion Passed

5:18pm AST: Isabella motions to renumber the following motions

Seconded by Mason

5:19pm AST: Motion passed by unanimous consent

5:19pm AST: Isabella motions to move new action item 5.3 instead of Levi, as they are the interim chair and cannot therefore move action items this council

5: 21pm AST: Adopted by unanimous consent

5:21pm AST: Approval of minutes from November 2nd

Adopted by unanimous consent

5:22pm AST: Oral reports of the councillors

Emma met with the bank about the day student society account

Victoria attended the finance committee

5:24pm AST: Nathan attended

5:28pm AST : Ridge attended meeting with Kailen and Tim

Kailen met with Tim about communicating with residence students about restrictions, and about the state of student mental health on campus

Kailen also attended a meeting with Mason to speak with Katie further about communicating with students in a more clear matter

5:32pm AST: Aideen recommends reaching out to South House, they could provide knowledge on how to possibly approach the current mental health crisis and substance abuse problems on campus

5:33pm AST: Stephen has plans to complete projects from the summer. One involves reaching out to Bill Lahey about his statements from the summer regarding advocacy for Indigenous students.

Stephen has plans to reach out to The Watch about how he can help advocate for their needs at this time

Also planning on bringing up discussions on courses that involve safety in journalism and the need for them that began this summer

5:36pm AST: Kaitlyn is our first year rep! It is her first meeting.

5:37pm AST: Ryland delivers report for BOG reps, a last-minute meeting about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Report by the Board of Governors took place both Ryland and Aideen were unable to attend but plan on reviewing

5:40pm AST: David asks what timeline we are on for the KSU response on the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion report

Ryland speaks to finishing the term and then releasing the report

Aideen adds that both Ryland and her want to give it the proper amount of energy

5:49pm AST: Reports of the executive committee

(Levi’s) Report of the President:

Instagram live/Instagram takeover to ask/answer question of students

The exec continues to meet with Peter O’brian and Katie Merwin

Discussed the FASS forum and student mental health crisis

Levi is sitting on the Vice-President search committee as Peter O’brian is in his last term

Levi, Hope, Isabella meant with Jordan Roberts the SVPRO to discuss the mental health crisis

Levi wrote some feedback to Jordan and the committee about changes being made to the SVPR

Levi attended the meeting with the board of governors about the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion policy and brought up issues on behalf of the students.

Attended CFS meeting

6:00pm AST:

(Mason’s) Report of the SLVP:

Hope and Mason working on care packages for students

Attended meetings with Tim and Katie about what next semester may look like for students

Occupational health and safety meeting, an emergency meeting is happening next week to discuss open spaces on campus due to an increase in COVID-19 cases

Mason attended a student, staff, and faculty alliance meeting. No updates from Dalhousie faculty at this meeting.

6:05pm AST: Report of financial VP

Nick discussed the finance meeting which resulted in the action items from today being brought to the meeting

6:07pm AST: Report of external VP

Attended meeting about FASS forum with Roberta Barker

Meeting with Peter and Katie

Attended CFS meeting

6:11pm AST: Report of CVP

Isabella has been releasing TWAK

Was in a meeting with Katie and Tim and the rest of the exec

Met with Jordan along with Levi and Hope

Attended the CFS annual meeting

6:15pm AST: Action Items!

Action 5.1 $132.25 should be allocated for the purchasing of a zoom premium account for the remainder of the school year, and $228.28 for the otter transcription service

Nick motivates this motion, explaining the need for when multiple groups are using the current zoom account some are getting kicked off. This zoom account would be useful for societies, the intention was for it to be a dedicated society zoom account

Aideen seconds the motion

Discussion took place about whether or not there was an established need for the otter service on the second account

6:23pm AST: Vote. Motion passed

6:23pm AST: Action item 5.2

Be it resolved that the KTS receives $300 in society funding to subsidize their honoraria for their ongoing workshop series

6:25pm AST: Vote. Motion passed.

6:26pm AST: Action Item 5.4

Be it resolved that the CRO be paid $425 for their work running the fall councillor elections

Moved by Isabella

Seconded by Ryland

6:27pm AST: Vote. Motion passed.

6:28 pm AST: David motions to adjourned

There is a discussion about whether David is allowed to do this as a general member

The answer is yes.

6:29pm AST: Mason seconds this motion. Vote. It passes! Meeting adjourned!

Hello! This is the (likely) last council meeting before the break!

We’re just waiting on quorum to start!

Meeting has been called to order and the land acknowledgement has taken place

1.1 Adoption of Agenda

Hope moves to add 5.11, Emma seconds

BIRT the KSU write to the King’s administration asking them to officially condemn Dalhousie’s failure to act and protect students while urging a tighter policy; and

BIFRT we ask the King’s administration to reiterate their commitment to protecting students on such matter in light of this event

Motion passes

Agenda adopted by unanimous consent

2.1 Emma not in minutes as a voting member, added by unanimous consent

minutes adopted.

3.1 Aideen met with Katie Merwin, some wins some losses

Wants another meeting in December

Room check procedure posted to facebook

Protested Laura Lynn Thompson

3.2 Me! Went to Finance Committee, and helped Aideen w/ residence work

3.3 Emma met to clarify waiver problems

3.4 Lindsay attended several events and committee meeting

3.5 Sam went to Academic Committee Meeting and the Anti-O workshop with Frank from South House

3.6 Tessa brainstormed work around accessibility, went to Academic Committee, etc.

3.7 Izzy and Adrianna brainstormed for the upcoming BoG meeting

4.1 Report of President

4.1.1 Tabled with CFS and Mason to give out ISICs

grant with NSCAD student union denied for curious reasons, a new proposal has been submitted for workshops around sexualized violence

4.1.2 Outcomes panel for Sexualized Violence and Prevention Committee, also did half-day retreat to discuss related things to the outcome panel – Bill requested their presence, Implementation of Bystander training, lots of work around sexualized violence!

4.1.3 CFS meeting, ask Levi or Hope about the minutes! Levi is at CFS AGM in Toronto and there is a BoG organizing meeting on the 27th!

4.2.1 Nick and Patsy met with Katie on mental health – not a lot happening on the school’s end. Patsy thought it went well. 2 Healthy Active living events happening, 1 before break and 1 in january on bullet-journaling. More to come!

Society training still in process.

4.2.2 Met with a committee about the Tri-Bay renos – mostly confidential but if you have questions ask Patsy!

Athletic stuff is in the works

4.2.3 Not much! Academic Committee happened!

4.3.1 All the regular stuff! People got paid, levy checks are going out, finance committee met

4.3.2 BAC met, Tri-Bay renos also a hot topic there!

4.3.3 nothing in external – other to report

4.4.1 Hope hosted 2 workshops facilitated by some awesome folks! Trauma informed Active listening with Jordan Roberts and an anti-o with Frank from South House.

4.4.2 ESG committee met, frustrating time. Any questions, feel free to ask! Final Policy meeting on the 29th, focus on regulation of fund managers and sustainability.

4.4.3 Went to a climate strike! Just a small one but its good to remind the province!

Went to Student Government Roundtable – lots of work there, also frustrating as large emphasis on correcting superficial problems rather than the institutional ones creating them.

Released the statement approved last council denouncing white supremacy on campus

4.4.4 There’s another Climate strike on the 29th! and a BoG organizing meeting on the 27th and the RSC Dance Party is soon as well!

4.5.1 Office-y things. minutes, agenda, etc.

Updated description of KSU in the academic calendar

Updated By-laws and formatting

Made name-cards and updated the chalkboards!

4.5.2 Made an extra TWAK! Normal Social media and poster stuff

4.5.3 Not much

5.1 BIRT no December meeting

passes unanimously

5.2 BIRT the scribe gets paid $300 for their work this semester, moved by Isabella

Seconded by Izzy

motion passes

5.3 BIRT the Chair be paid $425 for their work this semester

PoO: Chair surrendered to SVLP as motion directly impacts chair

Nick seconds

Motion passes

Chair given back to Chris

5.4 BIRT King’s Students For Sustainability be ratified as a Tier 1 society for 2019-2020 academic year

Seconded

motion passes

5.5 BIRT Le Salon receives $16.00 for their movie night

Seconded by Madeleine

All for movie snacks

no q’s or debate

motion passes

5.6 BIRT King’s Dance Collective receive $517.50 for pole-dancing

Seconded by Patsy

This is a regular thing at King’s! A bulk cost for up to 20 people!

Patsy does extra motivation.

Motion passes

5.7 BIRT RSC receive $80.00 in non-contingent funding for their event, RSC Dance Party on the 29th

Seconded by Hope.

No questions or debate

Motion passes

First approval for a resource centre!

5.8 BIRT King’s Jewish Bookclub receive $112,00 in contingent funding for their event, Wardy Jewish Book Club Party on December 9th, 2019.

Seconded, and passes.

5.9 BIRT Pride Society receive $164.00 in contingent funding for their event, Gender Celebration on the 26th.

Seconded by Sam.

PoC: Sam and Tessa are active listeners, are being paid – no quorum here

Waiting to locate someone to call in.

We got a hold of Levi!

No q’s or debate

Motion passes! Thank you Levi!

5.10 BIRT the Unconcious Collective Ensemble receive $363.18 in contingent funding for their event, #Mood, on November 30, 2019 and December 1, 2019

Seconded by Tessa

Motioning to amend some errors in the agenda.

Nick apologizes for the errors

Motion to amend errors passes

No q’s or debate

Motion passes

5.11 BIRT the KSU write to the King’s administration asking them to officially condemn Dalhousie’s failure to act and protect students while urging a tighter policy; and

BIFRT we ask the King’s administration to reiterate their commitment to protecting students on such matter in light of this event.

Seconded by Isabella

It’s important to release campus specific statements! – Isabella

Motion Passes

6.1 Nick moves to adjourn

Aideen seconds

And we’re done!