Principal Suzanne Fortier and Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens made an appearance at the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Council meeting on January 14 to field students’ questions and discuss negotiations between AUS and the administration over their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Councillors also formed a contingency plan to fulfill the newly-vacant VP Internal position’s responsibilities, and VP Finance Li Xue presented a review of the AUS budget.

Deficit to be covered with idle funds

The 2014-15 AUS budget includes an operating deficit of $12,703, which Xue attributed primarily to unforeseen Frosh week expenses. The AUS currently has over $265,000 in idle funds from the operating surpluses of previous years, which will be used to balance this year’s budget.

President Ava Liu argued that a lack of surplus is indicative of the organization better serving the needs of its constituents – a substantial surplus would indicate that, as a not-for-profit organization, AUS was overcharging students for its services.

Xue acknowledged that work can be done to reduce deficits while increasing the value of services. “We’re trying to streamline our internal processes,” she told The Daily. “We have an internal audit we’re conducting right now.”

Administration talks MOA

With Fortier and Dyens present at Council, councillors took the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with the current status and enforcement of the MOA – the document that outlines AUS’ legal relationship with the University – which is set to be renegotiated later this year. Councillors were particularly concerned with the newly-enforced ban on the sale of sandwiches and prepared foods at the student-run food outlet SNAX.

Dyens emphasized students’ responsibility to respect the existing MOA. “I think the University has shown flexibility in not coming down very quickly on students,” he said, while also noting a desire to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement when the MOA is renegotiated.

Concerned that the University views SNAX as a liability, a SNAX staffer told Council that they are working to get health and safety certification for employees, have undergone a health inspection, and are insured under AUS.

One councillor asked Fortier to reconcile the increasing support for divestment and her apparent commitment to engaging with the McGill community with the fact that McGill still has financial holdings in fossil fuels.

Fortier replied that she did not have personal authority over this type of decision, which must proceed through official channels, namely the Board of Governors’ Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR).

“[Many expect me] to impose, and to act in fact as a dictator, that is not the way we work,” she said.

No replacement for VP Internal

Council once again grappled with the logistics of a vacant executive position, as VP Internal Roma Nadeem will not be at McGill this semester due to health problems.

While Council does have the authority to appoint a temporary replacement in accordance with the AUS constitution, it elected to leave the position vacant for the time being at the suggestion of President Ava Liu. Aspects of the VP Internal’s portfolio will be distributed among the remaining AUS executives, while the position’s crucial administrative responsibilities concerning room rentals and liquor permits will be taken over by a student employee.

Although this is the fourth resignation the AUS executive has seen this semester, VP Academic Erin Sobat emphasized that there is no need for emergency appointments.

“There is still someone in the position, they’re on leave, and we are filling the administrative requirements of that position through other means,” said Sobat.

On recommendation of the Constitutional and By-Law Review Committee, Council passed a set of changes to electoral bylaws for AUS and departmental associations. Council also voted to add an ad-hoc Event Planning and Implementation Committee (EPIC) seat to Council in order to “strengthen communication between councillors and members of EPIC,” according to the motion.

A previous version of this article stated that Liu would be appointing a new VP Internal in the future. In fact, the position’s requirements will continue to be filled by other AUS executives and an internal student administrator. Additionally, the article originally attributed the argument “a lack of surplus is indicative of the organization better serving the needs of its constituents […]” to Xue. In fact, this was said by Liu. The Daily regrets the errors.

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The AUS executive has undergone significant turnover this year, with former VP Finance Kateryn Kim resigning in August for personal and family reasons, and former VP Internal Leila Alfaro resigning in September as she will be away for the Winter 2015 semester.

Despite the disruptions, AUS President Ava Liu was confident in Council’s ability to perform its duties, noting that administrative transitions have gone very smoothly. “Things have happened, and we’ve dealt with them in a very timely manner, so nothing has left a gap in services,” said Liu to Council.

Council decided to forgo the lengthy by-election process due to the time constraints with respect to upcoming final exams. Instead, the new VP Social will be appointed from a pool of applicants by Council at its next meeting. In accordance with the AUS constitution and electoral bylaws, all members of AUS standing committees are eligible to be appointed as the new VP Social.

Liu and VP Finance Li Xue noted that students who wish to learn more about the details of the potential implementation of a student fee to support the Arts Internship Office (AIO), discussed at the last Council meeting, can attend a town hall discussion with the Dean of Arts at the next Council meeting on November 26.

Council passed motions to approve ASEF allocations, as well as to form a “yes” committee for the ASEF renewal referendum question, which was approved by Council on October 29. The ASEF supports academically-based employment opportunities for Arts students.

Councillors also submitted ballots to create a shortlist of possible choices for the renaming of the Jack Daniels and Champagne rooms of the AUS lounge. In September, Council decided to rename the rooms so as to not promote a drinking culture. All Arts undergraduate students will be able to vote for their favourite name after the shortlist is finalized.

Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) Access Services Advisor Tanja Beck also gave a presentation to council on inclusivity in student events.

The number of students registered with the OSD has seen a significant increase over the past decade, currently numbering 1,600, compared to 400 in 2004. Beck stressed the importance of a social model of inclusion, shifting the focus from the disabilities of a student to awareness of the challenges presented to that student within a given environment.

According to Beck, this is especially important for student events, which can present unique challenges. Beck concluded her presentation by reiterating that successful and inclusive events require planners to “really think about the environment. Do not so much think about individual students, or individual barriers. Think big, and outside the box.”

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AIO financial stress

AUS president Ava Liu, in her report to Council, identified the sustainability of the AIO as a primary concern for this academic year.

AIO currently receives its funding, which must be renewed each year, from the Ministry of Education, Recreation, and Sports (MELS). This grant, following a review by the Quebec government, has been cut as part of ongoing provincial cuts to education.

Council discussed the possibility of a new student fee, of roughly $2.25 per credit per student, that may be voted on in a referendum in the spring. In the first phase of the fee, which would take place over five years, $1.50 per credit would initially go toward covering the AIO’s deficit. The remaining $0.75 per credit would be used to cover the Office’s operating costs.

In the second phase of the fee, the whole $2.25 per credit would be used as an Arts advising and career services fee.

Liu expressed disappointment that services previously included in tuition may now require further financial contributions. However, she also noted that the fee could have advantages.

According to Liu, as the operation of the AIO would no longer be contingent on an annual renewal of government funding, the Office would be able to plan for the future with a far greater degree of efficacy.

“This provides us, as students, with direct input as to how we want the AIO to be run,” said Liu at Council. “If we are the ones who foot the bill, that gives us a lot more direction as to what’s going on.”

The fee was first proposed to Liu by Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi, who spoke at Council to provide context for the suggested fee.

“I have a great internship program,” said Manfredi. “I have a large amount of money that donors have given us to provide awards for Arts interns, but I am in danger next year of not having an office to administer that program.”

Both Liu and Manfredi stressed that the decision ultimately rests with Arts students, and that a potential vote to adopt these motions would be several months away, likely during a spring referendum.

VP Communications Max Drabkin also addressed Council, noting that the newly-formed Marketing Committee would be putting together a “Know Your Fees” campaign to improve students’ financial literacy and awareness.

Motions passed

Council also discussed and passed five motions pertaining to the AGSEM union drive, the Arts Student Employment fund, and a series of bylaw changes.

Motion to Endorse AGSEM Unionization Campaign
This motion was in support of the AGSEM unionization drive, which seeks to unionize undergraduate TAs and graders. The motion notes that “Arts undergraduate students are often employed as markers, graders, tutors, note-takers, course assistants and similar positions. […] These undergraduate positions may face low and inconsistent pay and working conditions.”

The motion mandates AUS to share information about the campaign through its social media and listserv channels, and serves as a formal endorsement similar to those made by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) in the last month.

Motion to Amend Equity Policy By-Laws
Citing that “filing an equity complaint can be emotionally difficult as writing a report can cause the Claimant to relive traumatic events,” this motion extends the deadline for people to submit equity complaints regarding incidents that occur in the Summer semester from September 30 to the end of the Fall semester.

Motion Regarding Renewal of the Arts Student Employment Fund
This motion proposed a Winter referendum question to renew the opt-outable Arts Student Employment Fund fee of $6.50 per semester for full-time students and $3.25 per semester for part-time students. The Arts Student Employment Fund provides funding for career or academic-oriented employment opportunities for students.

Motion to Convene Ad-Hoc Frosh By-Law Committee
This motion will introduce an ad-hoc committee on bylaws for Frosh, as the AUS Equity Policy dictates that bylaws extend to “all activities and events hosted, funded, and promoted by the Society and AUS affiliated departmental associations and internal groups.”

Motion to Amend the Electoral By-Laws
AUS election bylaws will be amended so that they do not include a requirement to advertise elections in student publications – this advertising cost AUS $905 last year. Instead, advertising will be done over listservs.

–With files from Janna Bryson

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Equity training, update on consent campaign

Tétrault was invited by AUS VP External Lola Baraldi to update Council on various events that she will be involved with organizing this year.

As part of her work on campus to raise awareness of consent and sexual assault, Tétrault has been working with the Office of the Dean of Students on the educational campaign #ConsentMcGill. The event takes place this week, and features information booths at the Y-intersection, as well as educational workshops at both the downtown and Macdonald campuses.

“We’re really looking forward for everyone to come out, to get involved, to raise awareness around consent in regards to sexual activities, and in our day-to-day lives,” said Tétrault.

Recognizing that positive change within the Arts student body requires precedent from within its governing body, Council also received equity training from two employees of SEDE.

Equity Educational Advisor (Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity) Sarah Malik and Equity Educational Advisor (LGBTTQ) Tynan Jarrett led Council members in a workshop discussion on the nature of power dynamics and the ways in which the negative aspects of these dynamics can be reduced.

Focusing on examples regarding the role of Legislative Council, Malik and Jarrett examined the equity considerations required to appropriately plan events, identify aggression, and address oppression.

Councillors also discussed the nature of terminology such as ‘inclusion,’ ‘empowerment,’ and ‘safe(r) space.’

In addition, councillors spoke positively of the equity training given during Arts Frosh, noting its crucial contribution to this year’s relative success. AUS VP
Communications Max Drabkin also cited the popularity of this year’s Frosh’s ‘after movie,’ which garnered 8,000 views in its first 24 hours on YouTube and 17,000 by mid-October, as further evidence of Frosh’s success.

“We couldn’t be more happy with it,” Drabkin told Council. “The feedback we’ve been receiving is overwhelmingly positive, and it’s wonderful to see it doing so well.”

Financial bylaws motion withdrawn, other motions passed

Proposed amendments to AUS’s financial bylaws saw mixed opinions. The motion, which had been tabled at a previous meeting, sought to double the number of hours worked that can be compensated for work-study-eligible executives from ten hours per week to twenty in order to increase the positions’ accessibility. At the previous meeting, concerns were expressed about executives voting on a motion concerning their own pay, as well as about the changes in accountability that could result from higher pay.

Carribean and Latin American Studies & Hispanic Studies Association (CLASHSA) representative Vincent Simboli voiced his discomfort with voting for a motion in a room surrounded by the executives who would be affected by the motion.

“I do not feel comfortable voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ right now in this room because it is very difficult to look any exec in the eye while they’re here and say no, I do not want you to [increase your pay].”

“I agree with CLASHSA representative [Simboli], we shouldn’t decide on this here,” said Arts senator Kareem Ibrahim.

The motion failed to gain sufficient support and was withdrawn by AUS President Ava Liu.

Council also saw the approval by councillors of a new motion instituting additional accountability measures for AUS executives. The motion requires the executives to make their timetables public and provides means to solicit feedback from constituents, such as a formal complaint process and a once-per-semester feedback survey.

Motions to adopt the updated constitution of CLASHSA, and a motion to approve Narmada Gunawardana and Christina Liu as AUS Deputy Returning Officers, who assist in the running of AUS Elections, were passed with nearly unanimous support from Council.

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The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) convened on October 1 for its biweekly Legislative Council meeting. Council passed four motions, including motions to hold an election for VP Internal, to approve Financial Management Committee (FMC) members, to amend AUS electoral bylaws, and to hold a fall referendum period. A motion to amend financial bylaws was tabled until the next meeting. This year’s AUS Frosh Report, delivered by the Equity Commission, was also discussed at Council.

Equity Commissioners report back on frosh

AUS Equity Commissioners Isabel Lee and Vareesha Khan presented a joint report on this year’s Frosh. As both commissioners worked with former VP Internal Leila Alfaro throughout the summer to ensure that Frosh would be a safe space for all participants, both Lee and Khan reported a significant change within Frosh culture this past August.

Khan cited the transition of Frosh’s inaugural event from “Pub Crawl” to “Montreal Crawl” as an example of “the shift from drinking to enjoying Montreal, and having a much more social atmosphere.”

While this and other innovations, such as the banning of stripping games, contributed to a much needed improvement in the relationship between campus and residents of the Milton Parc neighbourhood, Lee and Khan noted that obstacles still remain toward realizing the full potential of the Equity Commission.

The Frosh Report indicated that during the second boat cruise, Arts Frosh coordinators kicked Lee, Khan, and AUS President Ava Liu off the boat once it had reached full capacity to make room for Orientation Staff (O-Staff).

“This was also very problematic because there were O-Staff who were too intoxicated to be of any help, and the O-Staff who were eventually put on the boat instead of us voiced that they didn’t mind staying off the boat for us,” stated the Report.

The Report also revealed that, in the bus on their way to Beach Club on Beach Day, Arts Frosh leaders sitting near Lee and Khan “pressured everyone to drink,” “joked about safe space and saying no to drinking,” and “[performed…] very loud and inappropriate chants that included obscene sexual and racist content.”

While Council as a whole had differing views on the most effective ways to change Frosh in the coming years, there was a general sense that this year’s Frosh was a step in the right direction.
“Holistically,” Lee concluded, “we want people to think that fun and safety are not mutually exclusive.”

Executive compensation

In a motion presented to Council, VP Finance Li Xue petitioned to amend existing financial bylaws regarding the compensation of executives working under McGill’s Work Study Program.

AUS executives are currently compensated $10.35 per hour worked, $10.00 of which comes from the Work Study program and $0.35 of which comes from the AUS operating budget, for up to ten hours of work each week.

The proposed amendment, seconded by Liu, would double the hours of possible reimbursement to twenty hours a week, a number which is already allowed by the Work Study program. The motion noted that “members of the AUS Executive consistently dedicate a significantly larger amount of time to their portfolios.”

“The fact is, every time I fill out my timesheet, I get to like Monday and Tuesday, and I’m done my ten hours. So I don’t even fill out […] the weekend, or not even the work I do in the evening. It’s a lot of responsibility,” Xue said.

The prospect of increasing the accessibility of Council to students of all economic backgrounds was met with widespread approval. However, several councillors voiced concerns regarding the effect the motion would have on the AUS operating budget, which currently contributes a nominal percentage toward executive salaries, and on the increased accountability required of executives should their weekly salary be doubled.

While lauding the spirit behind the proposal, Arts Senator Jacob Greenspon noted that, seeing as a successful adoption of the motion would naturally result in “increasing the transfer of funds from Arts students to student execs, I am uncomfortable with it being voted on solely by this Council.”

In light of these concerns, the motion was tabled until the next Council meeting on October 14.

Elections for VP Internal

In response to Alfaro’s recent resignation as VP Internal due to her upcoming absence during the Winter 2015 semester, Alfaro and Liu motioned to hold an election for VP Internal.

The motion was passed with two abstentions. The polling period for the election will begin on October 28 and end on October 30.

Xue and Liu moved to approve FMC members, who were “selected on the basis of their qualifications and drive.” Council approved the motion.

Council also approved a motion to amend the AUS electoral bylaws. The motion was brought forward by Liu, VP Academic Eric Sobat, and Elections AUS Chief Returning Officer Guillaume Bauchu, because “a number of sections in the electoral bylaws lack consistency and transparency.”

A final motion to hold a fall referendum period over the course of November was also passed. Students must gather the signatures of 150 AUS members by October 31 if they wish to file a petition for a referendum question.

A previous version of this article stated that AUS executives are compensated $10.00 per hour. In fact, they are compensated $10.35 per hour, $10.00 of which is contributed by the Work Study program.

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