Correction: The date for a town hall meeting was incorrect in our print issue. The correct date for Our Dollars, Our Future is Tuesday, Jan. 13, not Monday, Jan 12.
RATIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
Brought to the table by UVSS Chairperson Kayleigh Erickson, the Board carried a motion to accept the resignation of Board of Directors SOCC representative Leat Ahrony and ratify Lucy Hagos as the SOCC interim representative for the remainder of the 2014–15 term.
OUR DOLLARS, OUR FUTURE
Director of External Relations Greg Atkinson announced that the UVSS is co-hosting an event entitled Our Dollars, Our Future, a town hall meeting on ethical investing. The event, hosted by Victoria city councillors Jeremy Loveday and Ben Isitt, will focus on topics like GMOs and food security, weaponization, and climate change. Speakers include Kelsey Mech, national director of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (and former UVSS chairperson), and Nathalie Chambers of the Madrona Farm and Farmland Protection Coalition. It will take place Tuesday, Jan. 13 at the Downtown Community Centre at 755 Pandora Ave. at 7 p.m.
UVISION PRESENTATION
Representatives from UVision, an organization focused on providing a student voice in developing the 2016 Campus Plan, presented amendments to their recommendations to the Board. UVision’s recommendations fall under six main themes: the territories, conservation and restoration, food growth, transportation, gender inclusivity, and accessibility.
UVision’s current report proposes that the 2016 Campus Plan, set to begin its review process this semester, consult with the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples for input on campus planning. It advocates for the conservation and protection of the Garry Oak Meadow, Cunningham Woods, South Woods, and the Bowker Creek headwaters, while calling for the restoration of natural areas on campus and a cap on the expansion of parking in proportion to the student population. UVision further urges UVic to establish a policy to support student and faculty food growth projects, a permanent location for the Campus Community Garden, priority landscaping for edible native plants, and the inclusion of spaces for food production and restoration projects in the Cedar Hill Corner property.
Highlighting the importance of bike safety on campus, UVision suggests that the University work with the surrounding municipalities to create safe bike routes leading to campus, establish a network of bike-only paths and more covered bicycle racks, and improve the signage at campus access points.
UVision’s report also recommends that all newly constructed buildings include gender-inclusive washrooms and that all existing single-stalled washrooms and showers be made gender-inclusive. Furthermore, UVision suggests that UVic further integrate accessibility and inclusivity for persons with a disability.
Greg Atkinson encouraged the Board to endorse UVision’s report and its subsequent recommendations, actively lobby for UVic to adopt said recommendations, allow the use of the UVSS logo in the UVision document for the endorsement page, and refer the report to the Campaigns Committee and Policy Development Committee for possible incorporation into the UVSS Issues Policy. The motion passed with one against.
