Revisions to executive commissioner position take centre stage
The University of Guelph Central Student Association (CSA) held a regularly scheduled board meeting on March 2, 2016. The meeting was chaired by former human resources and operations commissioner Joshua Ofori-Darko. Current human resources and operations commissioner Matthew Campbell was once again absent from the meeting.
Following revisions made to the evening’s agenda, no comments from the chair, brief introductions, and no ratifications or de-ratifications, the board proceeded to approve the minutes from their previous meetings. The board was unable to approve the meeting minutes from their Feb. 10, 2016 meeting. As such, the minutes will be approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Reports from the CSA’s executive commissioners highlighted the added workload that each individual commissioner has had to personally acquire due to the absence of Matthew Campbell, as well as the resignation of former external affairs commissioner Asia Barclay.
Policy and transition manager (PTM) Sarah Cooper expressed that her workload had also increased, due to her position on hiring committees. PTM Cooper also mentioned that illness and busy directors meant that policy bylaw review committee meetings had been cancelled.
Following director reports, the board entered camera to discuss an item titled “Motion to rescind previously adopted motion.” The board entered camera at 6:28 p.m., and exited camera at 6:54 p.m.
Communications and corporate affairs commissioner Sonia Chwalek and academic affairs commissioner Peter Miller then discussed a lobby document that had been presented to the university’s board of governors on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016.
A brief discussion emerged regarding the inclusion of the Black Liberation Collective’s (BLC) demands to the university.
“How do we ensure that we’re not just focussing on black students and also increase representation across the board?” asked Graeme Laberge, the student senate caucus representative. “Obviously, these aren’t issues that happen in silos.”
Commissioner Chwalek responded by explaining that, when discussing BLC issues, the board should focus exclusively on BLC demands—and not the needs of other student groups.
“When we’re talking about BLC demands, we should focus on BLC demands,” said commissioner Chwalek. “It’s the same argument that we have ‘black lives matter’ and not ‘all lives matter.’”
When asked whether the CSA should present solutions for the issues raised in the document, commissioner Miller responded by explaining that it is the university’s position to aid students as much as possible.
“There’s a lot of administration at this school and a lot of people on the [board of governors] who should be tasked with finding solutions when we make our demands heard and our voices heard,” said commissioner Miller.
Commissioner Chwalek echoed commissioner Miller’s arguments.
“Administrator salaries have increased exponentially,” said commissioner Chwalek. “One of the things is, if we have so many administrators being paid so much…we’re not paid full-time to find the solutions for the problems students are facing.”
Following a notice intended to inform the board that policy must be revised to include a general manager, the CSA board began discussing a policy change intended to rename and revise the human resources and operations portfolio. Instead of focusing on a wide portfolio of operations, the commissioner would be primarily responsible for financial matters.
At-large College of Arts representative Zoey Ross briefly spoke about the nature of the changes.
“[The changes] put the [human resources and operations commissioner] as a liaison between the executive commissioners and the general manager,” explained director Ross.
PTM Cooper explained that, other than a renaming of the position’s official title, the major changes would occur at a semantic level. Instead of taking full responsibility for human resources, operations, and finances, the human resources and operations commissioner would simply take on a supportive role.
Discussion briefly continued before the board of directors almost unanimously voted on reducing the human rights and operations commissioner’s portfolio. The human resources and operations commissioner title was also officially renamed to finances and operations commissioner.
The board then began discussion on an action item to enact official policy capable of removing executive commissioners from office at the board level.
Commissioner Chwalek was especially vocal about her concerns regarding the policy.
“I think that if we’re allowing for a unanimous vote, it needs to be for sensitive or confidential matters,” said Commissioner Chwalek. “Otherwise, I think that having this in place undermines that we have a system already in place for ratification, by referendum.”
Commissioner Chwalek referred to policy that allows members of the student body to vote on removing a commissioner from office. The policy on the table, however, added an extra layer of scrutiny, allowing the board of directors to remove an executive commissioner, as long as the board unanimously approved of the action.
Discussion continued until a 10-minute recess that began at 8:03 p.m. Discussion resumed following the recess. After more arguments for and against the motion, the board voted on the item.
Ironically, the board unanimously approved the policy to remove executive commissioners from office.
The board proceeded to discuss an action item regarding a policy change to emergency meeting policy. Discussion was brief, and the motion was passed. The CSA board must now provide justification for an emergency meeting 48 hours in advance of a meeting—compared to the previous 24 hours requirement.
The board entered camera to discuss hiring committee reports at 9:03 p.m. The board exited camera at 10:18 p.m.
Following an action item to approve the hiring committee for next year’s policy and transition manager, the board entered camera to discuss an internal executive issue. The board entered camera at 10:24 p.m., and exited camera at 10:33 p.m.
The board officially adjourned at 10:38 p.m.