50th Anniversary Campaign
Representatives from the campaign planning and implementation committee for SFU’s 50th anniversary approached board last Tuesday, June 17, to discuss collaboration on events surrounding SFU’s 50th anniversary, which will occur on September 9, 2015.
The committee hopes to host a number of activities around the event, including a Worldwide Week of Welcome — including possible concerts and a Founder’s Ball — a “Show your Red (and White)” day, the release of SFU films and special anniversary mementos, the Shrum Bowl or a similar athletic event, and a Burnaby Festival of Learning, among others.
The committee representatives were particularly interested in collaborating with board on the Week of Welcome and possible concert, citing board’s previous experience hosting similar large-scale events.
VP student services and project lead for the 2014 kickoff concert, Zied Masmoudi, invited a representative from the committee to sit on the SFSS’ fall kickoff concert working group so that they might begin to discuss collaboration.
SFU Week of Welcome
SFU is looking to modify student orientation from its current structure — namely, a big “rah-rah” event with all the activities packed into one or two days — into a Week of Welcome from September 4 to 7 this fall.
Brian Fox, SFU student life coordinator, hoped to include the SFSS “as much as possible” in the week, proposing that the SFSS host a BBQ. While board was optimistic about a partnership, VP finance Adam Potvin raised concerns about blurring the lines between SFU services and services offered by the SFSS.
SFU will still be offering an orientation, called “Welcome days,” on August 27 at Surrey and August 28 at Burnaby, during which students will be able to tour the campus.
Furthermore, SFU is offering a free course available through Canvas for all new high school admits that will serve as a sort of SFU 101. The program has already connected with 1,500 students who will be attending SFU in the fall.
Food and Beverage Services Operating Costs
As part of his financial plan for the year, Potvin brought forward a proposal to shift the operating costs incurred by Food and Beverage Services from Building Operating Costs to the Food and Beverage Service Department (FBS).
Potvin explained that before 2010, the FBS had $90,000 for operating costs, but the previous board took this out in order to to lump the pub deficit in with the other operating costs to make the deficit more manageable.
Both Potvin and SFSS president Chardaye Bueckert upheld the importance of passing this decision in the interest of transparency. The motion was passed, with business representative Shadnam Khan and VP student life Zied Masmoudi opposed.
Fall kickoff concert working group
The university gave the SFSS’ 2014 fall kickoff concert the green light; board voted in favour of striking a working group in order for other board members to become involved with the project.
Project lead Masmoudi said, “I see great avenues of collaboration between the SFSS and the university and we’re already getting stuff done. We’re way ahead of schedule.”
