A short UVSS meeting on Oct. 5 sees four motions passed with limited discussion, notes Tuesday’s municipal election debate and “Stocktober”
File photo by Belle White.
A short UVSS board meeting on Oct. 5 elected a director to the UVic Convocation Committee, approved the draft agenda for the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), accepted the resignation of a board member, and approved the changes to the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.
Matthew Curtis, director of outreach and university relations, started the meeting with a land acknowledgement. As this was the first board meeting after Truth and Reconciliation Day, Curtis called upon others to keep in mind the lands on which they resided throughout the meeting and the harm caused by “colonial institutions like the UVSS.”
The agenda was amended to include two motions, one about the resignation of Director-at-Large Artem Kuklev, and the other about the changes to the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee Terms of Reference. The agenda as amended passed unanimously.
The minutes of the previous meeting were adopted, with two board members abstaining from voting.
The first main motion, brought forward by Tam Aljundi, director of campaigns and community relations, opened nominations for directors to fill vacancies on the UVic Convocation Committee. The committee provides advice and input on changes to convocation, installations of presidents and chancellors, and special convocations, as well as advises the president on the appointment of convocation officials, the improvement of convocation, and procedural and operational matters.
Director-at-Large Donovan Wood-Gaines was the sole nominee for the position and was elected.
Another motion by Aljundi moved for the board to approve the draft agenda for the 2026 AGM.
After a brief discussion on where some information is organized in the agenda, the motion carried.
Next, a motion was put forward to accept Kuklev’s resignation for “personal reasons.” The motion carried with no discussion.
The final motion, again moved by Aljundi, was to approve the changes to the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee Terms of Reference as recommended by the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee and Policy Development Committee. The changes will include requiring a one-month meeting notice, clarifying the second chair position and how they are picked, and adding sections about member and chair duties and absences, and how they can lead to losing committee membership.
In short, the motion was put in place because people were not showing up to the advisory committee, Curtis said. The motion carried.
Following no questions in question period, the meeting moved on to reports. A board member moved to table non-essential reports to the next board meeting, and the motion passed.
Essential updates included noting the municipal election debate for local candidates, which was hosted by the UVSS on Oct. 6 and moderated by members of the Martlet, with 44 candidates registered to participate, as well as proposed changes to electoral policy at the next meeting, and the upcoming “Stocktober,” UVic’s 14th annual fundraiser and food drive for the UVSS Food Bank taking place in October. The food bank noted in the meeting that BC Dairy Farmers will match donations to the student food bank up to $15 000.
Following brief reports determined to be essential, the meeting moved in camera at 6:37, ending the public portion of the meeting.
