Council Meeting Minutes

Tuesday September 24, 2024 at 2pm-3:30pm PDT

Zoom link: Join Zoom Meeting

  1. Call to Order/Welcome

Chair called order at 2:07 pm PDT

  1. Land Acknowledgement

Chair offers acknowledgement

  1. Promotes actions related with September 30th- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

  1. Access Needs Check-In

    1. Break at 45 minutes

  2. Adoption of Agenda/Minutes

    1. Adoption of today’s agenda

  1. Acorn moves, Kush seconds
  2. Agenda adopted

  1. Ratification of July 18 2024 Council Meeting Minutes

    1. Acorn moves, Kush seconds
    2. Minutes ratified

  1. Reports

  1. Council

    1. Chairpersons

      1. Julia 
        1. Absent – Adrean reports about Julia has been working organizing the peer support groups.
      2. Hannah
        1. Absent – Attended the session with Kevin Hall re: accessing campus

    2. Treasurer

      1. Grace
        1. Absent

    3. Student Liaison

      1. Acorn 
        1. People were excited about our participation in ThunderFest, CCU, CKO, and different UVSS events. 

    4. UVSS’ SSD Representative

      1. (Vacant, Acorn interim) 
        1. Got an email that was forwarded to staff. Whole board is very tired! It’s an election year so lots of voting encouragement is happening. LOTS of campaigns, Izzy is taking on 5 campaigns this term including A4A.

    5. International Student Representative

      1. Kush 
        1. Meeting with Harshita soon!

    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. Absent
      3. Vanessa 
        1. Absent

  1. Staff

    1. Office Coordinator

      1. Adrean Meuser
        1. Going through so many big life things all at once. Very overwhelmed, though feeling hopeful and grateful professionally. Great meeting with Kevin Hall last week. Looking at different ways to work at peak efficiency without burnout. So grateful for the team. Did so much tabling, MHRF went well!

    2. Research & Communications Coordinator

      1. Diana Viafara
        1. Finally finished the cover for the coloring book! Looking for feedback on the cover regarding edits etc. Working on trying to get newsletters out and updated ASAP. Very excited to post videos and whatnot so that students can see what we have been up to! 

    3. Education & Administration Coordinator

      1. Marissa Donaldson 
        1. Marissa has been doing so much at SSD. Planned community dinner once a month for fall semester. Tabling events were made. Today, September 24th was the first day of crafting and co-working and we reported high attendace . Planning some workshops and there is so much coming up. SSD is planning to run puppy play time in a partnership with UVSS. She would love to have extra support from the work study students. 

  2. Campaigns

    1. #Access4All

      1. Listening session with Kevin Hall last week. Looking for a new time to meet next term. Adrean spoke with Brianna from SFU about revitalizing PSDA. There is an instructor potentially interested in joining Access4all. 

  1. Discussion

    1. Community Dinners

      1. One of our motions today is to pass our budget to support the promotion and advertising. If someone has any suggestions about menus that are inclusive (with alimentary restrictions) and budget friendly, we are welcome to hear from students.  
      2. Dates:
        1. Wednesday October 9th
        2. Monday November 4th
        3. Monday December 2nd
      3. Times:
        1. 3:30pm-6pm: Prep, cook & set up 
        2. 6pm-7pm: Dinner time 
        3. 7pm-7:30pm: Clean up 
      4. Location:
        1. Student Wellness Centre Kitchen
      5. Menu suggestions: vegan, gluten free, budget friendly
        1. Curry
        2. Dahl
        3. Soups
        4. Tofu something
        5. Chilli
        6. Samosas
        7. Pasta (spaghetti or lasagna)
    2. Exchange Ambassador Inquiry
      1. We got a message from a UVIC student who is on exchange in the UK. The students ask if SSD has money to hire an ambassador. We let them know that we don’t have funding for any position.
      2. We should have a Zoom meeting with this person to talk about what exactly this would look like. 
      3. Adrean and exec will explore this further.   
    3. Fall Workshops
      1. Navigating CAL on September 26th at 2:30-4pm on Zoom
        1. Workshop is comming, we have 17 sign ups. Marissa emailed the participants yesterday Monday 23 with the zoom link. Will be a space for debrief about experiences with CAL accommodations without UVIC CAL staff. 
      2. Transferable Skills with Coop & Careers on October 23rd at 2:30-4pm on Zoom
        1. We have not done much about it, just have limited details. 
      3. November & December: ideas?
        1. November – collaboration with AIR – Fat body inclusive yoga. 
        2. Breakfast with Bunni in the Respite Room
        3. Campus resource tour
    4. AIR Committee
      1. Climbing & dance this term
        1. Weight limits, harness sizes all listed
      2. Fat Yoga sessions happening in SUB & CARSA
        1. Nov 18 – SUB
        2. Nov 24 – CARSA
  1. Neurodivergent resources from Niels (here and here)
    1. Adrean shares the neurodivergent resources from Niels. He has 2 resources that would like us to look over. One is a resource for employers to interview students to be more inclusive of neurodivergent students asking more direct questions. He is looking for feedback to present at 5 days of action in November. 
    2. The other resource is for neurodivergent students to practice scripting if you need to script. 

  1. Business

    1. Email Motions

2024/07/22: 01

WHEREAS the SSD recognizes safe and accurate drug testing is a vital public health measure; and,

WHEREAS the preventable death of UVic student Sidney McIntyre-Starko necessitates action by UVic administration; and, 

WHEREAS the SSD understands that substance use and disability can be interconnected; therefore, 

BIRT the SSD approves the endorsement of this draft letter to Minister Adrian Dix and Nicole Greengoe, Executive Director of Wellness, Recreation, and Athletics Department at UVic, calling on UVic to install an on-campus drug testing program in response to the toxic drug crisis and Sidney’s death.

2024/07/22: 02

WHEREAS the SSD seeks to grow our community through marketing tactics and other incentivised engagement strategies; and,

WHEREAS the SSD was invited to contribute to the Student Welcome Packages gifted to 2900+ new students in residence; therefore,

BIRT the SSD approves up to $800 to cover the cost of 5000 temporary tattoos with SSD branding to promote our community in the Student Welcome Packages and during Campus Kick-Off tabling opportunities. 

2024/07/22: 03

WHEREAS the SSD purchases marketing goods through 4imprint for the past two years in the summer for September tabling to spread awareness about our community; and, 

WHEREAS the SSD has applied for 4imprint’s $500 grant and has been a successful recipient for the past two years; and,                                    

WHEREAS the SSD would like to purchase additional branded pop-it balls, stickers, and other items to give away to students for the new school year; therefore,

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1500 for the purchase of merchandise.

2024/09/21: 01 

WHEREAS the SSD is committed to decolonizing our practices; and,


WHEREAS the SSD believes that meaningful efforts to learn and unlearn colonial beliefs includes listening first-hand to the stories of Indigenous folks; therefore,


BIRT the SSD endorses this letter to President Kevin Hall regarding the cancellation of classes on September 27, 2024 for the duration of Truth and Reconciliation events on campus.

ALL ABOVE MOTIONS CARRIED

  1. Motions

2024/09/24: 01 (Kush moves, Acorn seconds)

WHEREAS the SSD provides snacks and light meals for disabled students to consume while in the SSD space or on campus; and,

WHEREAS the SSD is nearly out of snacks purchased for the Summer 2024 term; therefore,

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1200 as is outlined in our 2024/2025 budget to purchase snacks, light meals, and drinks for the Fall 2024 semester.

MOTION CARRIES

2024/09/24: 02 (Acorn moves/Kush seconds)

WHEREAS the SSD strives to build community for its students; and,

WHEREAS previous iterations of food-based programming have been very successful; and,

WHEREAS the post-program survey for the Spring 2024 Accessible Cooking Program showed all respondents interested in another cooking program; therefore,

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1000 for ingredients and supplies for monthly community dinners in the Fall 2024 semester, taking place on October 9th, November 4th, and December 2nd at the Student Wellness Centre.

MOTION CARRIES

2024/09/24: 03 (Kush moves/Acorn seconds)

WHEREAS the SSD and University Systems and CAL have collaborated on a web-based accessibility systems testing for disabled students; and,

WHEREAS the University is unable to pay students directly for honorarium for their time on this project, but can journal transfer the funds to SSD directly; therefore,

BIRT the SSD approves up to $1225 to pay disabled students’ honoraria of up to $175 per student for their user testing from the funds transferred from University Systems.

MOTION CARRIES

  1. Future Meeting Times

    1. Fall Special General Meeting – Adrean will continue sending polls to get a time for the SGM and send emails. 

      1. Fill out the poll: https://lettucemeet.com/l/qLK2D 

    2. Weekly Staff/Exec (Thrive) Meetings 

      1. Fill out the poll: https://lettucemeet.com/l/ANa1e – We are finding a new time for meeting during fall term. 

    3. #Access4All Meetings 

      1. Fill out the poll: https://lettucemeet.com/l/R7ZOA 

  2. In-Camera

  3. Adjournment

Adjournment at 3:17 pm PDT

Thank you for coming!