Many topics concerning students were brought to the table during the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) meeting on Oct. 29.
Firstly, the SRC is looking towards changes and updates with their bi-laws. Jonathan Cogger and Brad Trecartin will be on the bi-law review committee.
The SRC will post the new bi-laws and updates in The Baron, as well as their website. “Yes, [the bi-laws] affect students. If anybody approaches you, bring it up and let [students] know what we are doing” says Trecartin. The bi-laws will be tabled until the next meeting.
Syed states that in September, the Associated Alumni sponsorship was passed and they will be sponsoring UNBSJ’s Safe Ride van for five years, with $25 hundred each year. Enman adds that the SRC is currently at $5 thousand in expenses since the beginning of the year. SRC is looking into running Safe Ride on Monday and Sunday nights. They will run Safe Ride on Monday nights in order to see how much interest they receive from students.
There were some concerns on how far Safe Ride goes within the Saint John region. For example, Safe Ride doesn’t go past Rothesay, although, students living in the valley can get Safe Ride to Rothesay in order to save money on cabs. Before the Safe Ride program, Syed worked on getting a better student discount for taxi’s, however, they were not willing to work out a deal with him.
Ashley Macosky has been working towards providing information on clubs and societies on SRC’s newest website. Students can now click on a club and all of their information will be provided. Club and society events are also being provided for students when they visit SRC’s website.
World University Services Canada (WUSC) was then brought to table. Enman explains that four years ago, WUSC came to the SRC and asked for a referendum to be held for them to collect $5.00 a year per student to help fund the program. WUSC is now at its expiration and they have to come back this year for another referendum if they want to continue to collect those funds.
Enman states, “we have some concerns about where the monies being spent and how it’s being spent and the accounting of it. […] We are going to be holding back that money until we can see some proper accounting procedures for that money.” SRC is responsible for collecting money on behalf of the students and they are accountable for the fact that they are collecting it and cannot show where that money is going.
“We do not have that accounting. So we need to know, because we are not holding onto those funds. We are collecting them and than giving them to [WUSC] and they are putting them in their bank account and administering the money onto refugees. We are taking the proper [procedure],” says Enman.
Ashley Macosky, Brad Trecartin and Anthony Enman will be meeting with WUSC’s faculty advisor, Dr. Jefferies, to discuss some of these issues and get some clarification. If students are having questions, please contact Brad Trecartin.
Trecartin updates the council on the status of the walking trails, which are located behind the University. “It’s going slow, but it’s going,” says Trecartin. UNI1003 classes are going to be helping the SRC with the trails to raise money. SRC would like to purchase garbage cans, picnic tables and signage in order to make the best for the beautiful trails that UNBSJ holds.
SRC has been working towards making the T.J. Condon building more of a place for students. After all, it is known as the ‘student building.’ Students can now enjoy comfy couches and pool in the Whitebone Lounge, TV’s in the cafeteria and quiet study rooms around the SRC office.
After managing to snag a whopping $15 hundred towards a Christmas float, it is expected that the SRC will be taking part in both the KV and Saint John Christmas parade this year.
The last topic that was brought to table was student life on campus. For more on this topic, please see my editorial titled “We need more students who give a shit.” The next student council meeting will be held on Nov. 12. For more information on any of these topics, please contact unbsrc@unb.ca.
