Cedar brushing ceremony
A motion put forward by VP external relations Kathleen Yang on May 29, proposed a traditional Coast Salish cedar brushing ceremony for the SFSS board offices. The traditional ceremony will serve to cleanse the space and acknowledge that the offices are located on unceded Coast Salish territory.
The ceremony is to take place on Monday, June 1. The requested honorarium will go towards purchasing a gift for the people who perform the ceremony, as is traditional in Coast Salish culture.
Student engagement strategy
Communications coordinator Irma Arkus spoke about a tentative strategy to consistently and effectively engage students. She pointed out SFU clubs days as a prime opportunity for collecting feedback and creating a database of information.
“It’s easier for them to come to you than for you to go to them,” Arkus explained. “Engagement is not just about having personal conversations [. . . it’s] about building a body of knowledge.”
Arkus suggested weekly engagement reports from each board member to ensure all clubs and student organizations are being reached.
Executive director Colleen Knox added, “What this allows us to do is to reduce inefficiencies in the organization,” and to avoid “reinventing the wheel” every summer by compiling data to work from for the incoming board.
Board members discussed their experience of engaging with students at events such as clubs days. VP student services Darwin Binesh said of approaching members, “That first time, when I go and introduce myself, I’m not doing it from the perspective of collecting information. I’m doing it from the perspective of establishing a relationship.”
Health sciences rep Larissa Chen added that people are more hesitant to answer questions and engage in conversation when approached by someone with a clipboard.
President Enoch Weng noted that this may be more of an internal issue and a matter of communicating with each other. He suggested that it is less about a lack of engagement and more about circulating data to all board members.
Revision of minute taking process
A proposal to update the minute taking process for the whole society was brought to the table for discussion. The proposed changes involve recording audio of all board of directors, committee, and council meetings, and making them available online to the membership.
This would make the SFSS more accessible to the visually impaired, in addition to relieving some of the burden on the society’s minute taker, who currently must attend several weekly meetings. They then would only have to listen for pertinent information and need not include the sometimes lengthy discussion revolving around agenda items.
Arkus reasoned that this would make the minute taker’s job easier, as they would not need to be physically present at all society meetings. “This position is horrible. It’s the worst job in the world,” she said.
Farewell Colleen
This meeting was the last ever for long time staff member Colleen Knox. She is leaving her position of Executive Director for the society after years with the society. She thanked the board for the goodbye party they threw for her: “I had a really good time and I was on cloud nine all night.”
Weng said on behalf of the board, “We’re so thankful for you being here. [. . .] We wouldn’t be in the place we are today without your help.”
