Photo by Belle White.
In an extensive UVSS Board of Directors meeting on Aug. 10, the student society elected a new representative to the Faculty of Science’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council, approved a Special Projects Grant for the UVIC Fashion Society, and revived a previously defunct University Relations Committee.
The meeting’s land acknowledgment was provided by Director at Large Alena Gavrilenko, who said: “As students here, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn, live, and grow on this land alongside the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples — and we recognize this as a community where all who gather here recognize a responsibility to care for it with respect.”
The meeting agenda was revised to include late director’s reports and missing motions, while the adoption of July 20 meeting minutes occurred without changes.
Further discussion concerned a motion anchored by Director of Campaigns & Community Relations, Tam Aljundi, to reinstate a “forgotten” University Relations Committee.
The idea had previously been introduced on July 20 by Director of Events Mojan Selvarajan, prompting disputes around graduate student representation, before being delayed for policy revisions.
On Aug. 10, after receiving alterations during a policy development meeting on July 29, the board reviewed the committee’s new terms of reference attached to the evening’s agenda.
The committee’s purpose was defined as seeking to “develop lobbying strategies to represent and protect students’ interests to the University…[and] act as a collaborative working group that aims to support all students.”
Director of Outreach and University Relations Matthew Curtis noted that the committee’s exact membership numbers remained undefined. Later, Curtis also clarified that, as currently written, the committee would not include graduate students, with only tentative potential for future inclusion.
After a vote, the re-establishment of a University Relations Committee was confirmed. (Hannah Brown, the Graduate Student Society Director of Internal and University Relations, has since confirmed their appointment as a non-voting member on the committee — resulting from a cross-society meeting on August 13.)
The subsequent motion, proposed by Aljundi, stated that the Faculty of Science Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council sought an undergraduate student representative for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Terms of reference were included in the uploaded agenda, and the sole nominee was Aryan Sethi, who was officially appointed after a vote of confidence.
Joining the meeting mid-session, Director of Student Affairs Maddy Vanderhooft moved a motion to consolidate the Clubs and Course Union policies into a single joint policy, which was subsequently adopted.
She then introduced a Special Projects Grant (SPG) request of $600 on behalf of the UVIC Fashion Society for their third annual fashion show, Solstice, which took place August 16th. The funds were ultimately approved.
Multiple board members asked about the nature of SPG grant funding, and Vanderhooft provided a short explanation of the program.
As the UVSS website explains, “Special Project Grants are available to any active UVSS club to access additional funding for a special project or event.” She then clarified any SPG spending would be verified through the typical cheque requisition process.
Next, Vanderhooft proposed a motion to ratify clubs Hands for Humanity Foundership and UVIC Entrepreneurship Club (UVEC). The motion carried, and both clubs were ratified without funding.
Vanderhooft introduced one final motion to approve publication funding of $500 each was then granted for two course unions — the Biology Undergraduate Society (BUGS) and the Physics & Astronomy Student Society (PHASERS). The motion carried
Highlights of the evening’s portfolio updates included the general completion of preparations for Campus Kickoff in September, as well as an open field trip to the Beacon Hill petting zoo on August 24 (a collaboration of all UVSS advocacy groups, the Campus Community Garden, and UVic Sustainability Project.)
Of particular note come this fall, the UVSS Food Bank will debut a food insecurity survey to better understand usership and community needs.
Following the portfolio updates, the meeting moved in camera.
