MINUTES OF THE OUSA EXECUTIVE MEETING HELD IN THE OUSA CLUBS AND SOCIETIES CENTRE BUILDING, ALBANY STREET, DUNEDIN ON MONDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2016 AT 4.33PM

PRESENT

Laura Harris (Chair), Jarred Griffiths, Alexia Cochrane, Jesse Hall, Sean Gamble, Rachel Goh, and Bayden Harris

IN ATTENDANCE

Debbie Downs (Chief Executive Officer), Donna Jones (Minute Secretary), Joel McManus (Critic Reporter), Joe Higham (Chief Reporter) and Alice Sowry (OU Debating Society President)

APOLOGIES

William Guy and Bryn Jenkins

Mariana Te Pou for lateness

Moved from the Chair

300/16 THAT the above apologies be accepted.

CARRIED U

SPEAKING RIGHTS

Moved from the Chair

301/16 THAT Debbie Downs, Donna Jones, Joel McManus, Joe Higham and Alice Sowry be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.

CARRIED U

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

Moved from the Chair

301/16 THAT the minutes of the executive meeting held on the 12 September 2016 be accepted as a true and correct record.

CARRIED U

Rachel arrived at 4.35pm

OTAGO UNIVERSITY DEBATING SOCIETY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

The Chair requested that this item be moved up the agenda to allow Alice to leave the meeting early.

Alice addressed the meeting requesting funding for the Otago University Debating Society through a memorandum of understanding with OUSA.

They wish to seek $12,000 of funding for activities coming up explaining the Vice Chancellor’s office has reduced their grants from $25,000 to $16,750 and this funding has been spent on attending the Australasian Intervarsity Championships in July and the upcoming Australasian Women’s Debating Championships coming up at the end of this month.

Galloway Cook Allan are still funding them, but it covers a small amount of the total budget and they are not going to increase the amount.

Alice noted the OU Debating need to keep up their excellence and gain experience which means trips overseas which are expensive.  Paul Hunt professionalised the debating back in 2011-2012 and assisted teams to participate in the Worlds.

Their projects were listed in order of priorities to the total of $12.000.

Some Executive members disagreed with this application as there is isn’t a process for funding through MOU’s.  Also it was thought they could apply through the OUSA Grants process and seek funding through other means as well.

Harris/Goh

302/16 THAT OUSA grant the Otago University Debating Society $7,500 to attend the Worlds on the proviso they use OUSA branding, and they apply for other funding.

Against:           Griffiths

CARRIED

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS UPDATE

Sean announced there will be a forum tomorrow in the Main Common Room at noon with Dunedin City Council candidates. Jarred is the Moderator and has 3 set questions each, then there will questions from the floor.

Pledge cards will be handed out to encourage students to sign up to vote.

Sean and Jarred met with the Dunedin City Council and now have a polling booth on campus. Well done guys!

BUDGET RELOCATION AND BUDGET 2017

Harris/Cochrane

303/16 THAT the meeting move into Committee of the Whole for reasons of commercial sensitivity.

CARRIED

Harris/Gamble

304/16 THAT the meeting move out of Committee of the Whole.

CARRIED

Debbie went through the latest budget and asked for final feedback by 10am Thursday before it is submitted to the agenda for the next Executive meeting scheduled for Monday 26 September 2016 at 4.30pm.

HONORARIUM WORKING PARTY

Gamble/Harris

305/16 THAT Paul Hunt, Claire Ramsay, Mariana Te Pou, Bayden Harris, Bryn Jenkins and Laura Harris be appointed to the Honorarium Working Party for 2016.

CARRIED

EXECUTIVE THIRD QUARTER REPORT REMINDER

The Secretary wished to remind the Executive the third quarter reports are due at 1pm on 22 September 2016.

GENERAL BUSINESS

Elections 2017 – Alexia addressed the meeting pointing out the Executive are to ensure the election are held in a manner that upholds the integrity and reputation of OUSA.

She thought there were online comments that sounded liked we weren’t taking the elections seriously and the elections policy was being made a mockery.

Some Executive members said they used disclaimers when making comments on social media, and this was fine as long as they made it clear their comments were in a personal capacity and did not imply support or endorsement from OUSA.   In the examples discussed, the correct disclaimer was used.  Fine as long as it’s within the spirit of the elections policy.

Meeting closed at 5.24pm