Minutes - USC: University Students' Council of UWO : Page not found

Minutes of the 12/13 Council 4th Meeting October 24, 2012
Fearnall advised that the goal of this presentation was to provide Council with an update
on developments on the turf fields issue since the last discussion (see Meeting #3,
September 26, 2012). He advised that the University has decided that a referendum
seeking a fee of $12.00 would probably not be successful and a new proposal has been
received which would see the University coming to the table with fifty percent of the cost
of the turf fields where they had previously offered no contribution to the funding of the
$4.5 million project. The balance would be raised through a fee increase through the
Student Services Committee (SSC) of approximately $5.00 which would be split between
the Campus Recreation fee and the Intercollegiate Athletics fee. He noted that, if Council
agreed, the USC could consider going to referendum for this fee instead of going through
the SSC.
10.7 President’s Speech Follow-up (Appendix 4 – Next Steps)
Fearnall presented a summary of the issues raised in his “Untold Story of Western”
speech and advised that he would work with the constituent council presidents in a
summit to look at the Principles of Collaboration and Commitment document to examine
the relationships between the USC and the University to be more specific on how and
where students’ voices should be heard. This group will look at holding a large open
meeting to discuss and determine the service levels required by students and will consult
with students-at-large and councillors through other means.
Fearnall advised that he hoped to have an outline for the consultation process available at
exam time and hold consultation session in January. He noted that they should have
information available for the USC budget in the spring and to bring into the Western
strategic planning process in September.
10.8 Executive Strategic Alignment
Fearnall provided Council with an overview of the structural changes that he would be
proposing to Council for approval at the next meeting and invited Council members to
provide their input and feedback over the upcoming month. He presented his ideas for
restructuring the governance of the USC or operationalizing the Long Term Plan which
was put in place during the 2011/12 year. Fearnall reviewed the job description of the
USC President and the directives in the Long Term Plan to frame the issues he was
bringing forward. He pointed out that the goal of the President was to implement the
mandate he was elected on in his platform and to meet the needs of his constituents and
advised that the check on the power of the President was in Council’s role of evaluating
whether or not the President was fulfilling that mandate.
Fearnall advised that there are currently two distinct parts to the role of the Executive
Council and those are the responsibility for the political or government side of the
organization; and the role of Directors of the corporation. He noted that these are very
different and potentially conflicting roles and, to address this conflict, he would propose
the creation of a separate Board of Directors comprised of a combination of students and
community members.
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