As Undergraduates trickled in and out of the Federation of Students (FEDS) Winter Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, March 29 major issues concerning student day to day live were discussed, policies voted on, and complimentary dinner enjoyed.
General meetings take place twice a year to provide public oversight and give undergraduates the opportunity to participate in important decisions of their student federation, beyond the typical faculty level student society representation.
Major Agenda Items:
- Auditors report,
- Election ratification for the 2017-2018 Executive and Board of Directors,
- FEDS Teaching Award,
- CPI Fee adjustment (inflation matching),
- FEDS fee increase of $0.35,
- Bylaw change ratification.
The first few agenda items were conducted quickly, however, debate quickly arose between Council Chair AJ Wray and Science Councilman Marcus Abramovitch regarding increase FEDS fees even for inflation when FEDS was running a deficit. Another contention arose when a proposed $0.35 Feds would increase honoraria for service coordinators and provide more club support with the creation of a part-time administrative student role.
At this time a student made a quorum call, however President Lolas warned the student that should he proceed with the quorum call, time would be spent counting heads and sitting without progress. He encouraged the mover to reconsider. The motion was dropped.
While a number of Feds service coordinators came to the microphone to share their experiences, citing their intense work hours and the need for the additional support, ensuing debate focused on the Feds bureaucratic structure and management problems that some claimed existed already.
To resolve concerns regarding bureaucracy and increasing student fees, but not leave coordinators under paid and overworked, MNS President and incoming Councilman, Seneca Velling, added an unfriendly amendment stipulating that the fee must go towards increased service coordinator honoraria and a part-time student staff position. This amendment required that the fee increase could not be spent elsewhere in the budget, as other auxiliary fees typically can. While Councilman Wray fought this amendment, Sacha Forstner, the Academic Affairs Commissioner for FEDS, defended the idea and cited his support for the amendment. The fee with the amendment to support the creation of a part-time student role was subsequently approved.
Following this, the meeting lost quorum as Bylaw revisions were presented and became a sore spot between the balance of council and board powers. Member Velling called for the General Meeting attendees to abstain from voting and move that the Board hold an online vote so that 150 students were not making the decision for 30,000. However, Councilman Abramovitch noted that a single yes vote could cause the revisions to pass, and called quorum noting low attendance. A new count was made, and it was determined that quorum had been lost and the meeting had to be adjourned.
Soon after it was it as announced that the results of At-Large Board of Directors election were: AJ Wray, Vaishnavy Gupta, Matthew Gerrits, Zhe Tang, Abdullah Barakat won the five seats.
For more information visit FEDS.