Two new clubs ratified, Felicita’s black out blinds, and a $70 000 financial surplus announced in latest meeting
File photo by Belle White, Photo Editor.
A few days after the University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) elections ended, business carried on as usual as the current UVSS Board of Directors met in the Upper SUB lounge to discuss the goings on campus.
The meeting was short — lasting just under half an hour — but covered a lot of ground, with the announcement of two new clubs, a significant financial surplus, and new black out blinds to be installed in Felicita’s pub.
Following the approval of amendments to the agenda, Isabella Lee, Director of Student Affairs, was quick to congratulate Native Students Union (NSU) representative Kolin Sutherland-Wilson for being voted as a Director-at-Large for Hear UVic.
“I just wanted to congratulate Kolin Sutherland-Wilson for being on the board next year as a Director-at-Large, that’s very exciting!” Lee said, which sparked a chorus of applause among the current board members.
Afterwards, in her own board report, Lee announced the ratification of two new clubs. One will be formed around the topic of “Sustainable Development Goals” and another will focus on the Thai cuisine called “Satay”.
Lee congrats Sutherland-Wilson for being named to the board next year as a DaL, and a round of claps fills throughout the room.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
Moving to the main motions, Director of Finance and Operations Curtis Whittla first took the stage to talk about the electoral results and UVSS financial figures.
Whittla says the electoral results are unofficial, pending appeals, and there is at least one complaint regarding one of the referendum questions. He says the electoral report will be in by around the end of March.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
Whittla then carries on and says the finances are up to date as of December, he says as of then the UVSS is at around $70 000 surplus. Today they had a quick 10 minute meeting, which is in regards to a motion to be discussed later.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
“As of the end of December, we are looking at about a $70 000 surplus,” said Whittla. “Which means if all else is equal, at the end of the year we will have an accumulated surplus for the first time in four years.”
Later in question period, Whittla discussed the surplus in more detail and said the excess money is a result of staff shortages and positions that have been hard to fill.
Next, Whittla addressed another main motion, which would see money go towards installing a two-layer blind system for Felicita’s pub to help combat the heat in the summer.
The motion, which reads, "Wheras Felicita's pub is very hot in the summer and the Student Union Building (SUB) does not use air condition for sustainability reasons."
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
He says staff at Fel's have asked for a two-layer blind system which has worked well in the SUB rooms—including the Michael Pujol room. Up to $12 000 will be allocated from the Major Capital Account to adding new black out blinds in the pub.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
Whittla said the two-layer blind system has worked well in other rooms in the Student Union Building — including the Michel Pujol room. Whittla asked the board to approve $12 000 that would be allocated from the Major Capital Account for the blinds upgrade in Felicita’s.
“It wouldn’t be that you put down all the black out blinds and you just pretend that it’s nighttime in the day or something,” said Whittla. “It would be like if the sun is blaring down on one window you put that blind down, but you still have the windows on the adjacent side open so you would still get that natural light through as well.
“This is something the staff at Fel’s have asked for.”
Tyler Arnold asks about the price of the blinds, and Whittla responds that it's reasonably priced. While Kerr asks if there were any concerns about the blinds, Whittla responds that there were more concerns about not putting them in.
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
Whittla said in the summer Fel's can "turns into a sauna."
— The Martlet (@TheMartlet) March 12, 2019
With a little discussion around the table, the motion passed and the board moved in camera to wrap up the meeting.
The next UVSS Board meeting will be on Mar. 25 at 6 p.m. in the Upper SUB Lounge. Readers can follow our live-tweet coverage here.
