The UVSS board of directors spent a long time together (nearly 90 minutes to be exact) for their final meeting of 2018, and who can blame them? Besides the important policies and motions discussed, they won’t see each other until next year, after all.
Missing his trademark gavel, Director of Outreach and University Relations Pierre-Paul Angelblazer started off the meeting with a call for his prized possession before turning the stage over to Director of Events Noor Chasib for an acknowledgment of the territories.
Absent of a gavel, and a call to the board for whoever has borrowed it to return it, Pierre-Paul Angelblazer calls the meeting to order.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Noor Chasib, Director of Events, starts the meeting off with a heartfelt acknowledge of territories, "we have a responsibility to take care of this land as our ancestors once did."
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
The board echoed Chasib’s statement, and Kolin Sutherland, Native Students Union (NSU) representative, took over for his report.
Updating the board about the NSU’s plans for the upcoming Indigenous Resurgence month in the spring, Sutherland said he expects it to be their “biggest event in the school year,” and that the event will serve as a concrete opportunity for the university community to reflect upon and give thanks for the opportunities many take for granted in learning and studying on a campus formed on the unceded territory of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.
Director of Finance and Operations Curtis Whittla then put forward an amendment to the agenda to include a swath of electoral policy motions.
Whittla amends the agenda to include a variety of motions, relating around electoral policy and a new representative for the Women's Centre
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
After the motion passed unanimously, the board discussed a motion which would see a new face sit at the table. Isabella Lee, Director of Student Affairs, motivated Jasmine MacGregor as the new Feminist Collective/Third Space representative.
Isabella Lee, Director of Student Affairs, motivates Jasmine MacGregor as the Women's Centre representative to the UVSS BoD
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
MacGregor is ratified, also unanimously.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Lee also informed the board that the constituency organization would be temporarily changing their name back to ‘Third Space’ until a new name is decided upon after more consultation with students.
Lee says after much deliberation the UVSS Feminist Collective had decided to re-name themselves as the Third Space—temporarily, again. At Clubs and Course Unions day next semester, Lee says they will ask on students on what they prefer the collective should be named.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Other notable mentions from director and constituency organizations included Nathan Ponce of the Students of Colour Collective, who announced that a poetry workshop with local artist D’bi Young is in the works, and Whittla, who reminded board members of the renovations at Cinecenta that will be taking place in January.
The board then shifted their focus to Whittla’s amended portion of the agenda.
Whittla then takes over for the amended part of the agenda, stating that Electoral Policy hires the Elections Adjudicator and Arbitration Panel, he says 'they all have experience relevant to the position.' The motion carries.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Next, Whittla motivates the motion for the duties of the Senior Elector Officer, it brings the language in line with what the other job descriptions say. Whittla says the motion will bring it in line with the Adjudicator and Panel.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
The motions would bring the roles of the Senior Electoral Officer (SEO) in line with other jobs within the student collective.
“It’s a lot of information, but actually very few changes,” Whittla said.
Next, Whittla motivates the motion for the duties of the Senior Elector Officer, it brings the language in line with what the other job descriptions say. Whittla says the motion will bring it in line with the Adjudicator and Panel.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
After the motions pertaining to electoral policy passed, Angelblazer temporarily relinquished his seat as chair to Chasib, so that Angelblazer could motivate the agenda for the upcoming UVSS Semi-Annual General Meeting (SAGM) on Feb. 9 and propose a couple of motions.
It carries. Next, Chasib, with gavel in hand takes Angelblazer seat as (under Robert's rules of Order) the lead of the meeting, and Angelblazer motivates the next motion which talks about agenda and by-laws for Feb. 9's SAGM. pic.twitter.com/c5v37ZJ2ja
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Pulling out the long lost previously-mentioned gavel, much to the dismay of Angelblazer, Chasib pounded it multiple times on the table to assert his new dominance as temporary chair of the meeting.
Discussing changes to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)’s responsibilities, and more name changes to different director titles, Angelblazer motivated the proposed idea of a ‘UVSS Supreme Court’ which will be voted on at the SAGM in February.
Along with both the titles of 'Director of Outreach and University Relations' be changed to 'Director of Outreach and Governance', along with 'Director of Campaigns & Community Relations' be replaced with 'Director of Campaigns'.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
The proposed Arbitration Panel, a student-centric system of appeals, would act as a place for board members or directors to appeal decisions and where appeals can be placed specifically regarding elections or electoral policy. It would also serve as a check on the board of directors, said Angelblazer.
Next, Angelblazer motivates the decision to create a new Arbitration Panel—which he calls 'the Supreme Court of the UVSS'. Specifically, the role of the panel is created by three separate people (two external and one possible student) to create a student-centric level of appeals
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
The panel will also act as a final step in the appeals process for disputes arising from the Electoral Policy, in order to be a step in the appeals process separate from the Elections Office and current board. "It rights any potential wrongs that may have happened."
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
The panel would be comprised of three unbiased members—two external members and one student. Angelblazer said the UVic Arbitration panel would be a hybrid between two other student panels he studied in Canada and the United States.
The current Board may never appoint members to the current Arbitration Panel, and directors who ran (and even lost) must also abstain from all discussion relating to the nomination of the panel. They'll be appointed for one year terms, starting May 1 – April 31.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Angelblazer says they looked at Queens University and Arizona State University, who actually have a student Supreme Court for their appeal process, in the making of the UVSS Arbitration Panel.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
"The Arbitration Panel is a check on the Board of Directors," Angelblazer says.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
With little discussion, the SAGM agenda was adopted and will be discussed in full in the new year.
Chasib then gave up his seat at the head of the table — and the gavel — to Angelblazer, who led the board through the final motions of the meeting.
After passing a couple of motions clarifying election spending requirements and third-party endorsements, the board moved in camera — otherwise known as the Martlet’s cue to leave.
With that, the board moves into recess, then in-camera, and it's my time to hit the road! Thanks for tuning in, I've been @joshkozelj27 pic.twitter.com/vFcBqRT8Ve
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) December 11, 2018
Follow us on Twitter @TheMartlet to read along with our next UVSS live-tweet coverage, (and entertaining GIF session). The next UVSS board meeting will be held on Jan. 7, 2019 in the Vertigo Lounge of the Student Union Building.
