Society for Students with a Disability (SSD)

Council Meeting

March 18th 2024 at 1:30pm-2:30pm PDT

Zoom link: https://uvic.zoom.us/j/81252771765?pwd=MWJxdi9NYk5qZWtmNi9HY1BSaURldz09  

In attendance: Adrean, Julia, Marissa, Hannah, Anika, Alison, Grace, Cate, AJ

  1. Call to Order/Welcome – Chair calls meeting to order at 1:32 PM

  2. Land Acknowledgement – Chair offers land acknowledgment.

  3. Access Needs Check-In

    1. Break at 45 minutes

    2. People need to eat!
    3. It’s hot, people may need to move around and get air.
    4. DANCE BREAK – 5 minutes.

  4. Adoption of Agenda/Minutes – Cate/Anika

    1. Adoption of today’s agenda – adopted

    2. Ratification of 25 Jan Council Minutes – Alison/Julia

      1. Ratified

  5. Reports

  1. Staff

    1. Office Coordinator

      1. Adrean
        1. We have been supporting students and having a good time!
        2. Working on end of fiscal year, reports, and using all the work study hours by the end of April.

    2. Research & Communications Coordinator

      1. Diana – absent

    3. Education & Administration Coordinator

      1. Marissa
        1. We have funding requests today.
        2. The SSD is launching a cookbook!
          1. There is a form for people to submit their recipes
        3. Next Monday – 5-6pm on Zoom. PWD workshop. This is specifically for people in BC.
        4. Food security – we have fully used the budget. Allie has approved up to $1k more since we’re under budget in cooking class.

  2. Campaigns

    1. #Access4All

      1. Adrean – we’re moving more toward action and less branching out for collaborators. We’re waiting for a campaign director to step in.
      2. Planning regular tabling and working on a petition.
      3. For more information join Access 4 all meetings!

    2. Disability Isn’t A Bad Word

      1. Adrean – We’re looking for more people to join in!
      2. This is based on student/lived experience.
      3. We’re encouraging people to be more direct and destigmatize disability.

  1. Discussion

    1. Team Building

      1. Jackbox Games Night – fill out this poll

    2. Council Training & Professional Development

      1. Lobbying Training

      2. Anti-Racism Training

      3. Other ideas?

    3. Committees

      1. Funding Request Policy

      2. Parking Pals with Pat

      3. SSD Accessibility Committee 

      4. Other ideas?

  1. Business

    1. Motions:

MOTION 2024/03/18: 01 – Julia/Anika

WHEREAS AJ Wasserman was elected into the Student Liaison Council position at our most recent AGM, and;

WHEREAS they are interested in being ratified as Executive Council, therefore;

BIRT AJ Wasserman is ratified as an Executive Council Member. 

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 02 – Alison/Julia

WHEREAS Anika deViller was elected into the Secretary position at our most recent AGM, and;

WHEREAS she is interested in being ratified as Executive Council, therefore;

BIRT Anika deViller is ratified as an Executive Council Member. 

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 03 – Anika/Alison

WHEREAS the iMac in the SSD space has reached end-of-support as of October 2023, and;

WHEREAS Apple products have embedded accessibility software, and;

WHEREAS these accessibility features are helpful for many students in our space, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $2000 for the purchase of a Mac Mini + 27 inch monitor to replace our outdated iMac Retina 5K 27-inch computer.

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 04 – Alison/Julia

WHEREAS the SSD has recently hired a new Research & Communications Coordinator, and; 

WHEREAS the previous and current coordinator in this position shared that an iPad and Apple pen would support their work with the SSD, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1600 for the purchase of an SSD work iPad, Apple Pencil, and keyboard for the Research & Communications Coordinator position to support their ongoing graphic design goals and visions. 

  • Amended from $1300 to $1500 to include Apple Care –
  • There is a suggestion to get the Apple iPad Air (with 2nd generation Apple Pencil) instead of the 10th gen iPad. 
  • Amended to $1600.

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 05 – Julia/Grace

WHEREAS the SSD is committed to supporting students’ wellbeing and nutritious eating on and off campus, and;

WHEREAS the SSD has run the Food Security Program in the past, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves the Summer 2024 Food Security Program policy, and;

BIFRT the SSD approves a budget of $16,000 for the Summer semester. 

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 06 – Anika/Julia

WHEREAS the SSD supports students’ skill development, including kitchen skills and opportunities to network and connect with other disabled students, and;

WHEREAS the SSD launched the Accessible Cooking Class collaboration with Dan Caron from the Health Food Bar this past Spring semester, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $4000 for expenses related to the Summer sessions of Accessible Cooking Class, including costs associated with purchasing accessible kitchen tools. 

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 07 – Anika/Julia

WHEREAS the SSD strives to support students’ social lives through actively exploring the Greater Victoria area in addition to the UVic campus, and;

WHEREAS the SSD enjoys leading excursions for the explicit purpose of supporting students and building their community and social network, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1000 for a Brunch & Bug Zoo trip, including the cost of admission and one brunch entree and a non-alcoholic beverage for up to 15 students in May 2024. 

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 08 – AJ/Anika

WHEREAS the SSD is committed to presenting students with ample opportunities to create relationships with each other through community building activities, and;

WHEREAS our SSD students have enjoyed similar events in the past, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $500 for the cost of a Hybrid Clay Bake Event for up to 15 student participants in April 2024.

CARRIES

Julia abstains.

MOTION 2024/03/18: 09 – Anika/AJ

WHEREAS the SSD is home to several houseplants that are due for some love and care, and;

WHEREAS the SSD seeks to collaborate with other advocacy, affiliate, and other businesses and offices within the Student Union Building, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $500 for a plant repotting party with the Campus Community Garden for supplies, including bagged indoor soil and larger pots for our plant babies. 

-Amended – to clarify, this is a plant repotting party and collaborative effort with the Campus Community Garden.

CARRIES

MOTION 2024/03/18: 10 – Julia/AJ

WHEREAS the SSD strives to support students with access to snacks, easy meals, and hydration while they’re in the space and for easy take away as well, therefore;

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1000 for the purchase of space snacks for the Summer 2024 semester. 

CARRIES

  1. Email Motions:

Email Motion 2024/03/08: 01

WHEREAS the SSD acknowledges that providing living wages for student-staff and non-student staff, lower-cost food options, and effective operations in the UVSS benefits UVic students; and,

WHEREAS as an advocacy group of the UVSS, the SSD’s values align with the UVSS values of fair wages, lower prices, and sustainable operations; therefore,

BIRT the SSD endorses Referendum Question 1 (UVSS fee change) for the March 18-20, 2024 UVSS elections cycle.

MOTION CARRIED – 2024/03/13 

Email Motion 2024/03/08: 02

WHEREAS the SSD acknowledges that we are the highest funded of the five Advocacy Groups at the UVSS; and,

WHEREAS supporting other groups of marginalized students to provide more programming options is important for building student community; therefore,

BIRT the SSD endorses Referendum Question 2 (Students of Colour Collective fee change) for the March 18-20, 2024 UVSS elections cycle.

MOTION CARRIED – 2024/03/13 

Email Motion 2024/03/08: 03

WHEREAS the SSD acknowledges that we are the second highest funded of the eight Advocacy and Affiliate Groups at the UVSS; and,

WHEREAS supporting other communities of students to provide more programming options is important for promoting change and fostering belonging; therefore,

BIRT the SSD endorses Referendum Question 3 (UVic Sustainability Project fee change) for the March 18-20, 2024 UVSS elections cycle.

MOTION CARRIED – 2024/03/13 

Email Motion 2024/03/08: 04

WHEREAS the SSD acknowledges that we are the highest funded of the five Advocacy Groups at the UVSS; and,

WHEREAS supporting other groups of marginalized students to provide more programming options is important for building student community; therefore,

BIRT the SSD endorses Referendum Question 4 (Gender Empowerment Centre fee change) for the March 18-20, 2024 UVSS elections cycle.

MOTION CARRIED – 2024/03/13 

  1. Future Meeting Times

    1. Council Meetings

      1. Fill out this poll by the end of the week please!

    2. Weekly Staff/Exec (Thrive) Meetings 

      1. Rotating between Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 2pm until April 11th

        1. Next meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday March 19th at noon 

      2. Poll for Summer semester: https://lettucemeet.com/l/xe8Ol 

    3. #Access4All Meetings 

      1. Every other Monday at 1:30pm PDT – next meeting March 25th 

  1. In-Camera – AJ/Alison

    Out of camera – AJ moves, Alison seconds

  1. Adjournment – 3:36 PM

Thank you for coming!