Council Meeting Minutes

May 29th at 1pm-2pm PDT

Zoom link: https://uvic.zoom.us/j/82572447549?pwd=bUNvWkZHYndkM3NUbEVzR3pvTC9DQT09 

  1. Call to Order/Welcome

  1. 1:05pm PDT

  1. Land Acknowledgement

    1. Chair offers acknowledgement
    2. Acorn adds their positionality 

  2. Access Needs Check-In

    1. Break at 45 minutes

    2. Chair reminds folks to check in as they need

  3. Adoption of Agenda/Minutes

    1. Adoption of today’s agenda (Hannah/Acorn)

    2. Ratification of 2024 April 30 Council Meeting Minutes (Acorn/Vanessa)

  4. Reports

  1. Council

    1. Chairpersons

      1. Julia
        1. NEADS panel on CripUtopia in Post-Secondary
          1. Mobility aid lending library 
          2. Disabled Students Advocates Summit (maybe for the Fall)
        2. Disability Justice work – remind yourself to rest and set example of prioritizing wellbeing
          1. Rest is Sexy for Everybody
      2. Hannah
        1. Conference last week
        2. Connections with campus liaisons
        3. GSS Referendum Support
        4. Workshops
        5. Less capacity, and that is okay due to health stuff

    2. Treasurer

      1. Grace
        1. Absent

    3. Student Liaison

      1. Acorn
        1. Health stuff as well, lower capacity
        2. Meeting with SSD office coordinators for Fall planning soon
          1. Julia offers support and to join the conversation

    4. UVSS’ SSD Representative

      1. [Vacant]

    5. International Student Representative

      1. Kush
        1. Absent
        2. Juice boxes – expanding juice flavours? Juice tasting?
        3. UVSS International Student Reps

    6. Graduate Student Representative

      1. Alison
        1. Absent

    7. Secretary: 

      1. Anika
        1. Absent

    8. General Members at Large: 

      1. Lola
        1. Absent
      2. Mya
        1. Low spoons, apologizes for disappearing, health stuff
        2. Notes Thrive was cancelled last week
          1. Send notes via email as well as Teams
      3. Vanessa
        1. NEADS Board Meeting – Mental Health First Aid Training
          1. Discounted rate for non-profits ($160/participants up to 25)
          2. Minute takers being hired
            1. Hannah is interested

  2. Staff

    1. Office Coordinator

      1. Adrean Meuser
        1. Limited capacity, health not in the best place
        2. A bit discombobulated but wants everyone to know that everyone is rocking it! I went through an emotional slump so if my capacity was limited that was why, but feeling better now. 
        3. Excited to talk about CKO things!
        4. Excited for tomorrow, going to the Bug Zoo. Reminder to anyone to register if they would like to come. We are going for brunch at 1 at Frankie’s Modern Diner and then Bug Zoo at 2. Insta livestream at 3.

    2. Research & Communications Coordinator

      1. Diana Viafara
        1. Very excited about new projects & plans for Fall
        2. Social media materials – editing videos
        3. Image descriptions available less in more recent posts 
          1. Charles (Media & Marketing workstudy) is supporting
        4. Hate Crime Workshop & BC Transit Investigator ally 
          1. Open to speaking with us and working together (security team to address community issues)

    3. Education & Administration Coordinator

      1. Marissa Donaldson
        1. Annual Report 2023-24
          1. Some APs for executive council members & staff
        2. Craft Cafe every 2 weeks – this afternoon’s topic: gratitude 
        3. Workshop on Accessibility in the Workplace on Zoom with Niels
          1. Trainings with Council & Community Members: 
            1. Mental Health First Aid
            2. Transferrable Professional Development Skills Training (e.g. barista, etc.)
              1. Cinecenta, Health Food Bar, Kim Monkman etc. 
              2. Employment opportunities with the BC government for disabled students (WorkAble): there is the chance to get in contact with some strategic actors. 

  1. Discussion

    1. UVic encampment

      1. Affinity Survey 
        1. The survey is anonymous. There is an encampment at UVIC requesting the university to divest investment and stop investing in the Israeli army. The objective of the survey is about the way that SSD want/can support/ or not in the activities regarding the accountability 
        2. We can share (With a non-endorsement UVSS/SSD disclaimer):
          1. Rallies in the GVA
          2. Educational posts
          3. Food not bombs

    2. UVSS Representative

      1. Cate has left the role. 
      2. Undergraduate student who goes to biweekly board meetings + ARC meetings

    3. June workshop

      1. Email Marissa ideas for what you’d like to see in June

    4. Goats? Juice boxes?

      1. Early June for goats
      2. Juice box tasting in the fall

    5. Summer cooking class

      1. Even more hybrid than usual
      2. Email vote to be sent out

  2. Business

    1. Motions

      1. Email Motion 2024/05/23: 01 – Motion carried 

WHEREAS the SSD supports all disabled students at the university, including graduate students and;

WHEREAS the Graduate Student Society (GSS) is having a referendum on the Health & Dental coverage for graduate students, where changes would include gender affirming care and increase in amounts for vision exam, physiotherapy, and dental coverage and;

WHEREAS full details on the referenda can be found on the GSS website here:  https://gss.uvic.ca/referendum/

BIRT the SSD votes to endorse this referenda, supporting all of the proposed increases to the GSS Extended Health and Dental Plan

CARRIED

  1. Future Meeting Times

    1. Council Meetings

      1. Fill out the poll for our next meeting!

    2. Weekly Staff/Exec (Thrive) Meetings 

      1. Weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 11am – next meeting is June 5th

    3. #Access4All Meetings 

      1. Biweekly meetings on Fridays at 10am on Zoom – next meeting this Friday May 31st

  2. In-Camera

  3. Adjournment 

1:56pm PDT

Thank you for coming!