Build SFU working group reports on steps forward
Board members were tasked earlier this month to recommend ways to move forward with the Build SFU projects following the Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 19. At the meeting on Wednesday, they presented the results of their discussions.
At-large representative Rebecca Langmead clarified that the recommendations were based on the assumption that the No to Build SFU campaign will be putting a ‘revoke the levy’ question for the Spring referendum.
The group recommended that the board refrain from asking any question related to the debenture (loan) in the Spring referendum. Instead, they emphasized the need to reevaluate the project as it currently stands, as well as consider increasing financial support for students through the Build SFU bursary.
The board moved to task the existing working group to look into financial assistance options as well as to develop potential referendum questions in case they become necessary.
Personal attacks referenced in discussion of Appreciation Gala
VP student life Kayode Fatoba began a discussion with reference to an SFSS Appreciation Gala that he had begun to organize through the events committee. Fatoba stated that at the events committee meeting, business representative Shadnam Khan had moved to postpone the event indefinitely, and asked for an explanation.
At-large representative Rebecca Langmead replied, “The events committee felt as though it was inappropriate for the committee to approve the event as it was our understanding that the event would not be open to all of our membership.”
She then went on the address the nature of the discussion itself. “To add this to the board agenda as a way to make a personal attack on a committee member and a board member is very unprofessional, and I would advise against it,” she said. “This is not the first time personal attacks have been made, and I would ask that those who have been victimised by such personal attacks understand that they have legal options and health and counselling if they need it.”
SFSS president Chardaye Bueckert echoed Langmead’s sentiments. “This is the third straight board meeting where there’s been unnecessary conflict that could be resolved with one-on-one conversations,” she said. “Students are paying hundreds of dollars right now to have this meeting. Let’s not hash out interpersonal stuff at the board table.”
Partial surrender of lease for the MBC office space
Considering that the SFSS plans to eventually move its offices to the proposed Student Union Building (SUB), the society approved the future surrender of a portion of its square footage in the Maggie Benston Centre (MBC) back to the university.
The SFSS would surrender 1,174.86 square metres of space to the university in September, 2017, in return for $3,500,000.
Reflecting the recent uncertainty regarding the Build SFU projects, the paperwork declared that should the SUB project not proceed, the agreement would be nullified.
