November 2012
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AGENDA Semi-Annual General Meeting of the Members Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) - Local 24 Canadian Federation of Students Thursday November 15, 2012 – SCC115, Student Centre Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario CALL TO ORDER –6:30 pm 1. WELCOME by the President, Rodney Diverlus 2. COMMENCEMENT A. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS OF CHAIR – 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A. MOTION 2012-11-15 C01: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the 2012 Annual General Meeting, be adopted as presented in Appendix A. MOVED: Rodney Diverlus Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: 4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA A. MOTION 2012-11-15 A01: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the 2012 Semi-Annual General Meeting be adopted as presented. MOVED: Rodney Diverlus Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: 5. EXECUTIVE INTERIM REPORT Members of the Executive will give verbal presentations to expand on sections of the written Executive interim report; the report is provided in booklet format, Appendix B. A. MOTION 2012-11-15 R01: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the mid-term report of the Executive be accepted as presented in the booklet. MOVED: Rodney Diverlus Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: 6. FINANCIAL REPORT A. MOTION 2012-11-15 F01: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Auditors’ Report of Yale and Partners Chartered Accountants LLP and the audited Financial Statements for the fiscal year that ended April 30, 2012, be accepted and approved as presented in Appendix C; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Vice-President Operations and the President are hereby authorised to sign the balance sheet to signify approval on behalf of the membership. MOVED: Rodney Diverlus Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: B. MOTION 2012-11-15 F02: BE IT RESOLVED THAT Yale and Partners be hereby appointed as the financial auditors for the Ryerson Students’ Union until the 2013 Semi-Annual General Meeting or until such time as a successor is appointed, and further that the auditors remuneration be in line with the 2012-2013 budget. MOVED: Rodney Diverlus Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: 7. PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS The following motions were served with due notice by a member of the Ryerson Students’ Union. New text is represented in bold, deleted text with a strike-through. A. MOTION 2012-11-15 M01: WHEREAS University Athletics programs allow for opportunities to build campus life, school spirit, community and camaraderie among students, staff, and faculty; and WHEREAS Ryerson has a proud athletic tradition dating back to the 1940s; and WHEREAS the Rams operate 12 varsity teams that compete provincially in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and nationally in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). These include competitive teams in men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, volleyball, soccer, badminton, fencing, figure skating, and rowing; and WHEREAS Ryerson Athletics also support non-Varsity sports clubs that are open to all students, including Cheerleading, Dance Pak, Badminton, Capoeira, Cricket, Dragon Boat, Quiddich, Karate, Water Polo, and others. These provide an opportunity to build community and school spirit; and WHEREAS the Ryerson Rams are gaining reputation and notoriety since the opening of the student- funded Mattamy Athletic Centre; and WHEREAS as a commuter campus, it’s difficult to engage students with Athletics as a means to develop school spirit; and WHEREAS in addition to supporting Varsity teams, support to athletics should be extended to student- run clubs, fan zones, and initiatives; and WHEREAS there needs to be a greater effort to connect the average student to the Athletics community; and WHEREAS current initiatives to support Athletics and bring out people to Ryerson games, including the 6th man Club for Residence Students, RyeSpirit, and others, have not been able to reach the full breadth of campus; and WHEREAS the Students’ Union represents all full-time Undergraduate students and all Graduate students and has the ability and resources to reach out to all students and is the leader in building campus life; and WHEREAS the Students’ Union has a long history of supporting the Ryerson Rams through many different initiatives, but doesn’t have a dedicated point person to organize student-lead initiatives to increase student participation at games; and WHEREAS on many other campuses, the central students’ union plays a role in bringing together student groups, average students, student athletes together to form community, including dedicated fan zones, athletic committees, spirit squads, etc; therefore BE IT RESOLVED THAT the following Bylaws be adopted as article 5.6 G) g) The Sports and Athletics Commissioner shall: I. In conjunction with the President, Vice-President Student Life & Events, and Events Coordinator, acts as a liaison between the Students’ Union and the Athletics Department of the University; II. In conjunction with the President, Vice-President Student Life & Events, and Events Coordinator, work with the Athletics Events Coordinator and other relevant staff people the Athletics department to organize joint events and student initiatives; III. Organize the official Student Blue and Gold Fan Zone in collaboration with Ryerson Athletics and other relevant bodies and departments; IV. Coordinate campus groups sports tournaments and collaborative sporting events in conjunction with the Vice-President Student Life & Events and Events Coordinator; V. Make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding initiatives relating to athletics and school spirit; VI. Organize events and initiatives to increase student participation and Students’ Union presence at athletic games and tournaments; VII. Organize campaigns and initiatives to discuss issues of equity and diversity as they pertain to sports teams and athletics, including homophobia/transphobia, sexism, ableism, in hopes of making space for queer, trans, disabled, and other students who are typically excluded from mainstream sports to participate and have their issues heard; VIII. Report once per month to the Board of Directors; and IX. Perform such other duties as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. MOVED: Danielle Brogan Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: B. MOTION 2012-11-15 M02: WHEREAS the Students’ Union Board of Directors maintain 10 standing sub-committees; and WHEREAS four out of these subcommittees are open to any member of the Students’ Union; and WHEREAS two of these subcommittees have titles that are outdated and not reflective of their work; and WHEREAS new names have been tested and received positive feedback from committee members, staff, and students; therefore BE IT RESOLVED THAT the “Educational Issues” Committee be changed to “Student Action” Committee, and the “Equity Issues” Committee be changed to “Equity and Social Justice” Committee; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT all reference to the Educational Issues and Equity Issues committee in the bylaws reflect this change MOVED: Melissa Palermo Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: C. MOTION 2012-11-15 M03: WHEREAS the Students’ Union funds and supports 5 Equity Service Groups, including the Centre for Women and Trans People, RyeACCESS, RyePRIDE, Racialised Students’ Collective, and the Community Food Room; and WHEREAS these groups are referred to as service centres on other campuses; and WHEREAS students oftentimes confuse them with student groups; therefore BE IT RESOLVED THAT the “Equity Service Groups” be changed to “Equity Service Centres” BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT all reference to the Equity Service Groups in the bylaws reflect this change MOVED: Marwa Hamad Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: 8. MOTIONS A. SUPPORT FOR ATHLETICS MOTION 2009-11-15 M04: WHEREAS bylaw amendments do not take into effect into the following academic year; and WHEREAS there is a desire to build connections between Athletics and the broader community within the current academic year; therefore BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Sports and Athletics Commissioner be elected among the current Faculty Directors of the Board at the November Board Meeting of the Ryerson Students’ Union; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Sports and Athletics Commissioner does research into best practices and models in convening a student-run sports and athletics council or committee to be presented to the members at the next General Meeting MOVED: Danielle Brogan Seconded: RESULT OF VOTE: B. COMMISSION ON STUDENT LIFE AND FUNDING MOTION 2012-11-15 M05: WHEREAS The Ryerson Students’ Union is funded by every full-time undergraduate and all graduate students at Ryerson; and WHEREAS this fee was democratically decided on by a referenda; and WHEREAS the Students’ Union currently supports and funds 3 business centres, 5 Equity Service Groups, 150+ campus groups, staff, and campaigns, events, and initiatives; and WHEREAS there has been a drastic increase in the number of campus groups that are started, including student groups and affiliate groups; and WHEREAS base funding for the campus groups have slightly increased in the last 5 years, but is reaching a maximum in the amount of funding available; and WHEREAS many campus groups have memberships of upwards of 500 students and hosting events with budgets of $5,000-$20,000; and WHEREAS many campus groups have maxed out their funding allocations; and WHEREAS members voted to create the Sexual Assault Survivor Support Line at the 2011 Annual General Meeting; and WHEREAS the Sexual Assault Survivor Support Line, run out of the Centre for Women and Trans People, is a much-needed service for survivors of sexual assault and violence; and WHEREAS the Sexual Assault Survivor Support Line is a student-run, peer-to-peer, anonymous