Council - University of Waterloo · 9/13/2017 · Peace & Conflict MPACS Matthew Morales 1 Philosophy Chris Wass 1 1 ... Civil & Env Jessica Achebe 1 1 Electrical & Computer Takin

GSACouncilMeeting September13,2017 Page 1 of 9

Council Date: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Time: 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Place: DWE 3517

AGENDA & Minutes Item Action

1. Chair’s Welcome and Opening Remarks -

2. Adoption of the Agenda (Changes, if applicable, will be noted with **)

For Approval

3. Declarations of Interest-none -

4. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting a. August 9, 2017

For Approval

5. Consent Items+

a. Board Reports b. Executive Reports c. Committee Reports

For Information

6. Council Membership Report For Information

7. University of Waterloo Committee Membership Report

For Information

8.

Delegations a. Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE)

Svitlana Taraban-Gordon b. Ontario Graduate Student Alliance (OGSA)

Lucas Dotto

For Information

9. Presentations

a. UW Budget Report b. Vital Signs Survey-moved to next meeting**

For Information

10. Discussion Items

a. UW Budget Report b. Vital Signs Survey**.

Discuss

11. Motions For


a. Motion to ratify the University of Waterloo Committee Appointments

Approval

12. Notices of Motion -

13. Other Business -

14. Adjournment -

+ Consent Items are those items that in the judgment of the Executive Committee require the attention of Council but that neither require nor imply a decision by Council on any procedural or substantial matter. By adopting Consent Items, Council formally receives information for entry into the minutes. Council may discuss Consent Items at its pleasure. Lindsey Daniels Chair of the Council GSA-UW September 6, 2017

DELEGATIONS

Svitlana Taraban-Gordon Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) will provide information to the Council on the services that they provide. The CTE will give a general overview of their office and the programs that they offer to graduate students. Lucas Dotto Ontario Graduate Student Alliance (OGSA) The Ontario Graduate Student Alliance (OGSA) will be presenting an overview of what the OGSA is, the lobbying they do to the provincial government, past ‘wins’ the organization has helped attain, and the current issues/topics they are focusing on for the upcoming year.

RESOLUTIONS

11a Motion to ratify the University of Waterloo Committee Appointments

BIRT the GSA-UW Council ratify the appointments as detailed in the report for item 7.


Council Notice of Meeting Date: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Time: 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. DWE 3517, University of Waterloo

Present: GSA-UWCouncilAttendanceList Active Present

TotalmembersofCouncil 42

Quorum= 14 26

Fall2017

Meetingdates= 13

Board/Officers

Sep

ChairofCouncil LindseyDaniels 1 1Officers President RobertBruce 1 1 VicePresident MaxSalman 1 1Board Chair NormanKearney 1 1 Director MatthewMorison 1 Regrets Director RichardO'Brien 1 1 Director SerxhoSelmani 1 Director RamyTannous 1 1 Director BethTimmers 1 Regrets Director EvanAndrews 1 1 Director SondraEger 1 Director AllisonSachs 1 Director AmandaJoynt 1 Director JulieCook 1 FAC. DEPARTMENT

AHS AHSDean/SocialWork* Kinesiology DanielMartel 1 1 Rec&Leisure NaimaSamuel 1 1 SPHHS JuliaGoyal 1 1ARTS AccountingandFinance Anthropology ClassicalStudies Stratford DigitalExp.Innovation* BarbaraLukasz 1 Economics EnglishLang&Lit JasonLajoie 1 FineArts FrenchStudies German&Slavic GlobalGovernance ClayDasilva 1 1 History RussFreure 1 1 Peace&ConflictMPACS MatthewMorales 1 Philosophy ChrisWass 1 1 PoliticalScience Psychology EmilyCyr 1 1

Wat. PublicService,Master*


ReligiousStudies Sociology&LegalStudies Camb Architecture* MichaelLee 1 ENG Chemical GuratamSinghAhluwalia 1 1 Civil&Env JessicaAchebe 1 1 Electrical&Computer TakinTadayon 1 1 ManagementSciences AlisonJennings 1 1 MBET

Mech&Mech KissanMistry 1 1

SystemsDesign ENV GeographyandEnv.Mgmt VickyVanthof 1 Regrets SchoolofPlanning GarrettMombourquette 1 SEED SERS PatriciaHuynh 1 RegretsMATH MathDean AppliedMathematics

Combinatorics&Opt ChrisvanBommel 1 1 ComputerScience DavidChoi 1 PureMathematics

Stats&ActuarialSci DanqiaoGuo 1 1SCI Biology EmilieSpasov 1 1 Chemistry RyanAmos 1 1 Earth&EnvSciences MariaDigaletos 1 1 PhysicsandAstronomy JenniferReid 1 1 Optometry DaniaAbuleil 1 1

Kit. SchoolofPharmacy* THEO CatholicThought AHS AHSDean/SocialWork* Non- GraduateStudent/Senator SamanthaShortall Voting GeneralManagerS/T RoseVogt 1

1. Chair’sWelcomeQuorumispresentandtheChaircalledthemeetingtoorderat4:06pmTheregularmeetingroominNeedlesHallwasnotavailable.Thisisatemporarylocationfortoday’smeeting.

2. TheAgendaisadoptedwiththeamendmenttomovethe9btothenextmeetingofCouncil.(Amos/Reid)Approvedasamended.

3. Declarationsofinterest–none

4. BIRTCouncilapprovestheminutesoftheAugust9,2017meeting.

(VanBommel/Cyr)Carried,Kearneyabstains


5. ConsentItemsBIRTCouncilapprovesthereportssubmittedtotheConsentitems.(Amos/Martel)SalmanandTadayonabstain.

a. BoardReportsb. ExecutiveReportsc. CommitteeReports

6. CouncilMembershipReport:

RyanAmos,willcontinueforChemistry,KissanMistryreturnsforMME,NewCouncillorsarewelcomed:AlisonJennings,inManagementScience,MariaDigaletos,inEarthandEnvironmentSciences.

7. UWCommitteeMembershipReportCouncillors/graduatestudentsmaycompletetheStatementofInterestforcommitteevacancies.

8. Delegationsa. CentreforTeachingExcellence(CTE),SvitlanaTaraban-Gordon

Councilheardapresentationabouttheprograms,certificationsandresourcesavailableatCTE.RegistrationisthroughanonlineformandregistrantswillbeaddedtotheCTElistserve.Registrationfortheworkshopsisindependentofregisteringforthecertificate.TrainingsessionsarerecordedintheMyHRinfotrainingsummarysectionofindividualfiles.The“block”programsarepopularandthereisconsiderationofaddingaprogramattheendoftheterm.The“block”hastobecompletedinthetwoweeks,buttheregularprogramhasnodeadline,althoughitisbettertodothecoursesmoreimmersive.Theprogramshavetobecompletedbeforegraduation;otherwiseCTEcannotposttotheirtranscript.Thecourses,andworkshopsarereallyuseful,wellfacilitated,andanyonecanfititintotheirschedule.

b. OntarioGraduateStudents’Alliance(OGSA)-LucasDottoMr.DottowasnotavailableinpersonandavideopresentationwassubmittedfortheCounciltoview.HewasavailablebySKYPEtoanswerquestions.Councilagreestoacceptthevideodelegation.Mr.Dottoansweredthepre-arrangedquestions:


• TherewasnoorganizationthatworkedspecificallyforgraduatestudentsinOntario.

• 7members:eachinstitutionhasadirectorontheBoard+oneexecutivedirector(LukeDotto)

• OGSAisinvitedtosubmittotheprovincialbudgetannually,meetwithadministratorsandMPPs,andwritespolicypapers.

• ThisyearOGSAisworkingon:A.)WorkingwithOntarioUndergraduateStudentAlliance(OUSA)andRegroupement étudiantfranco-ontarien(REFO)onajointsubmissionaboutchallengesfacedbystudentswithdisabilities.B.)WorkingwithCanadianAllianceofStudentAssociations(CASA)tojoinintheirfederallobbyweektomeetwithMPsinOttawa,andpromotegraduatestudentprioritiesthatthefederallevel.IncludesadvocacyforinternationalstudentsandindigenousstudentsC)Provincialelectionisin2018-meetingwithMPPs.Workingwithallthreepartiestodeveloppolicies.D)Workingonaneweasilymanageablewebsiteformat.Currentlythereisoutdatedinformation.Apologizesthatithastakentoolongtogetupdated.Whatarethetangiblewinsforgraduatestudents?

• TheOSAPtransformationandwhatitmeansforgradstudentsandtheOSG(OntarioStudentGrants).Twoyearsagoitincludeda30%tuitionrebatethatwasabenefitforundergraduatestudents,duetotherequirementtohavebeenoutofhighschoolforamaximumof4years.

• OGSAlobbiedfortwoyearsonthisissueandnowgovernmentchangestotheprogramallowgraduatestudentstotakepartinthegrants.Noaidshouldbetiedtohowlongastudenthasbeenoutofhighschool.

• OGSApresentedtheargumentofwhythispracticepreventedgradstohaveaccesstofundingandtheyagreed.

• Theamountthatcanbeearnedisnotincludedinthestudentaidassessment,noristheamountofspousalcontribution.

• OGSAwasoneofanumberofstudentgroups,thatlobbiedtoincreasefundingtothePSSSP-aboriginaleducationfundingof60M-askedfor90M.

• Workingonapolicyonstudenthealthissues,10hourworkrule,offsettoraisetuition.

• DevelopingpolicytolobbyduringfederaladvocacyweekinOttawa.


• TheGSAmembershipfeeisabout$8,000relativetothewinof4milliontograduatestudentstobeabletoaccessaidfunding.

• Mr.DottocouldnotinferwhattheimpactswouldbetotheGSA-UWifitexitedfromOGSA.

• ForOGSAtoloseWaterloo,asthelargestschools,beststaffedandresourced,andeveryonewantstoknowwhatUWisdoingsowelltoproduceexemplarygraduates,howtheyattractstudentsetc.ThevirtueofOGSAisthattheyrepresentgraduatestudents.Losingoneofthebiggestmembers,andthepresidentandhomeofficeoftheOGSAwouldeffectivelyloseitsabilitytolobbyforgraduatestudents.

• OGSAhasaBoardofDirectors,eachDirectorsisonestudentfromeverymemberschool.Ifthereisaproblemoraschoolisdispleasedwiththepositionsthatarebeingtaken,thenthereisafailureofeffectivecommunication.

• OGSAbylawswereantiquated.AttheJune2017AGMtheBoarddecidedtoaddressthebylawsinorderofimportance.Neededtochangethebylaws,whichifexploitedcouldhurtotherassociations.Therewasaprovisionthatdidnotmakesense.ThechangesweremadetogiveOGSAtimetoprepareitselfforthedepartureofamemberschool.Alsotoaskwhytheyareleavingandtohaveopportunitytocorrect/providemediation.Wanttoknowifthereissomethingthatcanbedone.OGSAdoesnothaveasmuchasfundsathebiggeru/gorganizations,andworksonamuchthinnerbudget.Thedecisionwasnotinconsultationwiththeschoolmembers,becausetheyassumethedirectorsoftheorganizationsareappropriatelyrepresentingtheirstudents.Trustthatdirectorshavegoodrelationshipswiththeirschoolsandspeakingintheinterestsoftheirstudents.

• OGSAisagraduatelobbyorganizationattheprovinciallevel,andwillalwayshaveadoordiementality.Itisdifficulttoachieveanythingpoliticallyasasoleschool.Itiseasiertogainaudienceandwanttobeatthetablewheredecisionsaremade.RecentlyOGSAhasbeenatthetable.We[graduatestudents]deservetobetreatedfairly.OGSAisgettingbetteratthisprocess.OGSAwillcontinuetolobbyonbehalfofallOntariograduatestudents.LosingUWwouldbeabiglossforOGSAandgraduatestudentvoice.


Motionfor5minuterecessat4:58pm(Kearney/Amos)Carried.DirectorsrefrainedfromdiscussingtheOGSAissuetodaytofacilitateCouncillorstohaveaconversation.Mr.DottowasnotawareoftheGSACouncildecisionandsubsequentdraftingofGSAPolicy16withreferencetotheGSAopposedvotetotheOGSApolicyonthe10-hourrule.OurdelegatewasdirectedtoopposethepolicyintheWinter2017term.Councilorsexpressedtherewerethreateningstatementsregarding“dueshadtobepaidbeforewecanleave”,curiousabout“nottakingtime”tobesurethateveryonewasinformed,andcuriousabouthowtointerpret“hedidn’twanttosuepeople.”CouncilorappreciatestheeffortOGSAmadetokeepWaterloo.IsOGSAtryingashardtogetotherschoolsinvolved?Perhapsmembershipfeesmaybereducedtobemoreattractiveformembers.

AdditionalquestionsmaybedirectedtotheCouncilChair.

9. Presentationsa. GSABudgetReport

TheBoardChairreportshighlightsofthebudgetandtheassociatedfeerequests.TheBoardhasapprovedtheBudget.Thetechnicalitiesofthebudgetarecomplex.AreportwassubmittedtothisCouncilmeeting.

b. VitalSignsSurvey–deferredtonextmeeting.

10. Discussiona. GSABudget

Councildiscussedvariousaspectsofthebudgetscenarios.TheBoardisweighingwhetheritshouldpulloutofonelobbyorganization,allorneitherofthem.(CASAOGSA).TheamountbudgetedforCASAreflectstheduesowingforthebalanceoftheyearinwhichtheGSAwouldexit.Thatis,itismembershippaymenttotheendofApril2018.IftheGSAfeeincreaseisnotapprovedattheGeneralMeeting,theBoardwouldmakedecisionsofwhatwillneedtobecuttobalancethebudget.Thepotentialcutswillbeidentifiedatthegeneralmeeting.TheGSAworkedouttwoscenariosandtheyareavailabletoviewonthespreadsheet.


FortheGradHouseBudget,afewdifferentmodelswereconsidered.Theaveragefeeincreasewasadaptedtofitacrossthevariousscenarios.Thegreatestimpactistheincreasetominimumwage.

11. Motions:a. BIRT the GSA-UW Council ratify the appointments as detailed in

the report for item 7, University of Waterloo Committee Appointments. (Bruce/Cyr) Carried, Tadayon abstained.

12. NoticesofMotion–none

13. OtherBusiness–ThereisanopenseatonCECforScience

14. Meetingadjournedat5:41pm. LD:rv

Documents

Council - University of Waterloo · 9/13/2017 · Peace & Conflict MPACS Matthew Morales 1 Philosophy Chris Wass 1 1 ... Civil & Env Jessica Achebe 1 1 Electrical & Computer Takin