Meeting highlights
PRESENT
Ruby Sycamore-Smith (Chair), Ryan Edgar, Laura Harris, Nick Tenci, Henri Faulkner, Mariana Te Pou, Brydie Ockwell and Kamil Saifuddin
IN ATTENDANCE
Sue Heap (Observer), Darel Hall (General Manager), Zane Pocock (Critic Reporter), Neill Ballantyne (Queer Support Officer) Fiona Nicoll, Adam Rance (Queer Support) and Donna Jones (Minute Secretary)
APOLOGIES
Nali Lee, Kurt Purdon and Hamish Barker
Kamil Saifuddin for lateness
Moved from the Chair
99/14 THAT the above apologies be accepted.
CARRIED U
STUDENT BEHAVIOUR
Moved from the Chair
100/14 THAT Sue Heap be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED U
Sue Heap addressed the meeting expressing anxiety that some students in the North Dunedin area had been calling her names and causing what she named harassment.
Sue has lived in the north end for many years assisting with gardening and other tasks.
Campus Watch have spoken with Sue many times about her issues.
Sue was thanked for her attendance and the executive would review her concerns.
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Moved from the Chair
101/14 THAT the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 1 April 2014 be accepted as a true and correct record.
Harris: Abstain
CARRIED U
MATTERS ARISING
Nali Lee yet to provide fuller executive report.
GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS
Moved from the Chair
102/14 THAT Neill Ballantyne, Fiona Nicoll and Adam Rance be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED U
Neill, Fiona and Adam addressed the meeting hoping to gain support from OUSA and the University of Otago for gender neutral toilets at the University.
They explained the importance of this for a minority group who don't feel comfortable using non gender neutral toilets as a result of negative experiences from some people.
They are hoping that when new buildings are erected or refurbished that gender neutral toilets will be installed. Most of the colleges have gender neutral toilets and disabled toilets are gender neutral.
A precedence coming out of USA is for more gender neutral toilets. Neill Ballantyne said he was going to research this.
Ockwell/Tenci
103/14 THAT the OUSA Executive support in concept the creation of more Gender Neutral Bathroom spaces on campus.
CARRIED
Kamil arrived at 5.43pm
EXECUTIVE QUICK ROUND UP
SPEAKING RIGHTS
Moved from the Chair
104/14 THAT Darel Hall, Donna Jones and Zane Pocock be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED U
BY ELECTION RESULTS FOR EDUCATION OFFICER
Laura Harris 227 36.09%
Matthew Schep 161 25.60%
Henri Faulkner 121 19.24%
Kullasit Chutipongpisit 96 15.26%
No confidence in these candidates 24 3.82%
629
Laura Harris was welcomed to the meeting. The Secretary will request a written report from the Returning Officer for the next meeting for a paper trail and consistency.
RATE MY FLAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
As attached. The Executive support this in principle. Darel and Nick can confirm there is sufficient funds in the initiatives line but will investigate it.
Edgar/Ockwell
105/14 THAT the Common Seal be affixed to the partnership agreement document between Rate My Flat and the Otago University Students' Association.
CARRIED
APPOINTMENT TO THE GRANTS PANEL
Owing to James Grubb resigning his successor Matt needs to be appointed to the Grants panel.
Saifuddin/Faulkner
106/14 THAT Matthew (Matt) McFadyen be appointed to the Grants Panel for 2014.
CARRIED
QUALITY ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT CHANGE
Te Roopu Maori executive member would like to sit on this committee in place of Mariana Te Pou. Donna has notified the Quality Advancement Committee Secretary of this change.
Tenci/Saifuddin
107/14 THAT Jessica Massey of Te Roopu Maori be appointed to the Quality Advancement Committee for 2014.
CARRIED
CLUB AFFILIATIONS
Saifuddin/Faulkner
108/14 THAT the OUSA Karate-do and Kobudo Club be affiliated to OUSA.
CARRIED
Saifuddin/Faulkner
109/14 THAT the GLI-C-e-nitiatives be affiliated to OUSA.
CARRIED
INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL COUNCIL MINUTES
Kamil invited questions.
Tenci/Edgar
110/14 THAT the International Cultural Council Meeting and President's Meeting Minutes of 17 February 2014, 12 March 2014, 25 March 2014, 26 March 2014 and 2 April 2014 be received.
Abstain: Saifuddin
CARRIED
WELFARE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Tabled.
FINANCE AND EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Tabled.
AUTISM NEW ZEALAND FUNDING REQUEST
Request denied as not relevant to students.
CAROLINE PLUMMER FELLOWSHIP
Ockwell/Saifuddin
111/14 THAT Laura Harris be appointed to the Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance Advisory Board for 2014.
CARRIED
NZUSA UPDATE
Ruby gave a verbal update from her recent visit to NZUSA. NZUSA are working on the National Elections coming up in September. NZUSA President is writing up an elections policy for OUSA. There is going to be a drive to ensure that students are enrolled so they can vote.
It was discussed that an easy 'how to vote' video could be made to encourage voting.
An idea was to set up a debate on campus between Hon Steven Joyce, National Tertiary Education Skills and Employment Minister and Grant Robertson, Labour Party Tertiary Education Spokesperson at the Otago Campus.
City Councillor Jacinta Adern is playing her part in the drive to get people on the electoral roll and 'get voting' through the colleges. Hamish is also pushing for students in colleges to vote.
University Council Representation - Each executive member is encouraged to write a submission opposing the idea of less representation on university council.
DCC ANNUAL PLAN SUBMISSION
Darel and Ruby are working on a submission.
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
A team of five have been selected. The challenge to start in July. The executive have asked to be kept updated.
STUDENT NUMBERS FOR SEMESTER ONE
The Secretary notified the meeting that the number of students was 19,600. This will be used for quorum count at the student general meetings or referenda.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Student Job Search - Ruby explained there are proposed governance changes and a submission is going to written.
Executive Get-together - it is hoped that the executive can have a gathering on 26 or 27 April. A Bring your own (BYO).
BBQ at Market Days - Ruby has suggested the Executive have a friendly BBQ at each Market Day and ask for a gold coin donation to give to our charity. Ryan was asked to organize the food, gas and BBQ.
Free breakfasts - Darel suggested the executive try and attend the free breakfasts at the Recreation Centre to show their support.
University text books - Ryan wanted the executive's opinion on the prices of new text and if they could be in circulation longer than one year to save student's money. He had received an email about this and wanted to check it out. Laura Harris could ask at the next BUGS meeting for their feedback.
Warning prompt - a student enquired if there could be a pre-warning in lectures if a sensitive topic was to be shown. For example if a rape victim is warned of this topic this could help prevent pain and anxiety. Laura is going to investigate this.
Policy Committee (PolCom)- Ryan is getting ready to set up the first meeting. He has been inundated with students keep to sit on this committee and needs to narrow it down.
Meeting closed at 6.33pm