The following provides a brief summary of the recent Council meeting on July 27. The complete Council package, which includes the agenda and reports, can be accessed online. Full minutes of the July Council meeting will be available in the August 2017 Council package.
This summary is provided to increase transparency, and to support Councillors in completing their obligations under Bylaw 2.3.5; “shall regularly communicate with his or her constituents concerning the activities, programs, and decisions of the Society”.
If you have any questions, please contact our office or the Speaker.
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Announcements
- SOGS is proud to be part of London Pride (July 28-30)
Upcoming dates of importance
- July 20-30: London Pride
- August 11-13: PSAC 610 hosts the Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions (CGEU)
Motion decisions
Reminder: Motions generally include several clauses providing the background or justification of a motion followed by one or several resolutions. The resolutions are the specific actions being proposed. For brevity, resolutions use the initialisms BIRT (be it resolved that) and BIFRT (be it further resolved that).
Motions arising from the President/Executive
Motion 1 (VP Academic)
WITHDRAWN
Whereas SOGS committee chairs receive honorariums for their service that is divided into two fiscal years;
BIRT committee chairs receive full amount of the honorarium in one fiscal year
Motion 2 (VP Academic)
PASSED
Whereas Chloe Carter served as GSTA chair from April 2017 through June 2017;
Whereas GSTA Committee Chairs spend a large part of their time sending student feedback not only to awardees, but also to nominated TAs;
Whereas much of this work happens between April and June;
Whereas the standard honoraria procedures does not adequately account for the peak labour period that was overseen by Chloe Carter
Whereas the VP Academic and GSTA Committee would like to reward Chloe Carter for their attentive and considerate execution of their Chair duties
BIRT Chloe Carter receive $250 honorarium for her service as chair for serving as GSTA chair in April to June 2017
Motion 3 (VP Academic)
DEFEATED
Whereas Academic Committee (AC) has two committee chairs (co-chairs);
Whereas AC Co-chairs perform independent tasks throughout the year, each for one major event, namely the organization of the conference and the organization of the publication;
Whereas the transition to publishing online with Scholarship@Western has involved additional labour on the part of the AC Co-Chairs;
BIRT the co-chairs each receive the full $500 honorarium for their service
Motion 4 (VP Academic)
PASSED
Whereas the VP Academic portfolio assignments continue throughout June;
BIRT the election of the Vice-President Academic occurs at June Council, to take office July 1.
BIFRT a by-election be held in April 2018 to elect a VP Academic to serve from May 1st 2018 through June 30th 2018.
Motion 5 (VP Advocacy)
PASSED
BIRT the following land acknowledgement be read at each Council meeting after the SOGS mandate statement:
Western University is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak and Attawandaron peoples, who have longstanding relationships to the land and region of southwestern Ontario and the City of London. The local First Nation communities of this area include Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee Delaware Nation. In the region, there are eleven First Nation communities and a growing Indigenous urban population.
SOGS values the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations and all of the Original peoples of Turtle Island.
Motions arising from Other Committees
Tabled motions
Motion 6 (Health Plan Committee)
TABLED INDEFINITELY
Whereas Student Care has taken the HPC’s and Council’s feedback and provided an option,
Whereas the HPC would like council’s input on additional potential changes to the health plan,
BIRT SOGS change the health plan to the 60% coverage option for paramedical services (excluding mental health which will remain at 80%).
New business
Motion 7
PASSED
Whereas no communication was sent out notifying members of this month’s election for the position of Ombudsperson;
Whereas such miscommunications make SOGS elections less accessible to members;
Whereas an election for an officer position was postponed last month in the name of accessibility;
BIRT the election for the position of Ombudsperson be postponed until the August Council meeting;
BIFRT nominations for the position of Ombudsperson be reopened and be accepted until 4:00pm on Tuesday, August 15th.
Motion 8
PASSED
Whereas Western’s postdoctoral researchers are currently in conciliation with the university;
Whereas postdoctoral researchers are an integral part of Western’s world-class research environment;
Whereas some postdoctoral researchers have seen decreases in their financial compensation this year;
BIRT the SOGS President send a letter of support for Western’s postdocs on behalf of SOGS to Amit Chakma and Hanny Hassan before July 31st.
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