KSA proposes new volunteer position on executive committee at recent executive meeting

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Correction: a former version of this article incorrectly stated the KSA had approved the position of “Associate President.” The motion approved was to bring the discussion of the position to council. The Runner regrets the error.

The Kwantlen Student Association held their first executive meeting of the month on Dec. 9 in Birch 250 on the Surrey campus and over Zoom. 

Executives President and VP University Affairs Armaan Dhillon, VP External Affairs Karan Singh, VP Finance and Operations Lesli Sangha, and newly elected VP Student Life Guntas Kochar were in attendance. 

After a land acknowledgement, former KSA president David Piraquive gave a presentation for a collaborative event with Amnesty International on climate change to be held in March to help students engage in climate and human rights discussions. A planning tool was not ready for the meeting, so approval is pending. 

A presentation of an online app service package was given by Vaishali Vinayak, former VP finance and operations and currently the director of student engagement at Student Support. The service was previously mentioned in Sangha’s report in the Nov. 17 executive meeting. 

Vinayak offered a discount for $17.56 per semester for apps Calm, ProWritingAid, Udemy Enterprise, and Aaptiv. She wanted a referendum to allow students to decide for themselves if they want this service. Vinayak will join the KSA council meeting later this week to present alongside the CEO of Student Support. 

Executive Director Ben Newsom suggested doing a service contract instead because referendums are hard to back out of. Dhillon suggested doing a trial period, but said the KSA can’t cover the cost for all students. 

The executives reviewed the constitution for a new club, but requested revisions to specify the club’s goals. 

Secretary Jeremy Law disclosed several non-meeting motions passed since the last executive meeting. Many were various funds approved on Nov. 18 for KSA clubs like the KPU IT Club and the Muslim Student Assocation. For the Our Bodies, Our Minds Conference, $6,520 was approved to cover the event. Funds for a couple legal invoices were approved as well. 

On Nov. 28, $20,000 was approved for a donation to the KPU Foundation for Giving Tuesday. 

On Dec. 2, a total of $4,300 was approved for the Pop with a Cop event Singh organized in September, $500 more than was shown at the Nov. 17 executive meeting. Funding of $1,800 was designated for gift cards, 30 more than the event poster declared initially, and $2,500 for “other event expenses.” 

The “outreach banners” with photos and details of executives were discussed. Newsom said Marketing Coordinator Akram Shaban is currently away, but is ready to present a proposal when he returns. The estimated cost is between $1,500 to $2,000 for printing. The banners have been in discussion since the summer and are to be hung at KPU campuses once ready. 

Newsom is still waiting for an update from KPU and KSA legal counsel regarding the Student Union Building. Since 2009 students have paid a SUB Capitol Fee to fund the SUB. For the 2022/2023 academic year, the fee is $3.31 per credit, about $10 per registered course. 

In Singh’s report, he said he has met with the KSA legal counsel about the SUB. He also wants to meet with some members of the new British Columbia cabinet, which was shuffled last week. 

Sangha was recently selected to be on KPU’s Provincial Accessibility Committee. The province required post-secondary institutions to develop these committees to help implement the Accessible BC Act. 

This was Kochar’s first executive meeting as VP. In her report, she noted a meeting with student senator Rajmale Kaur on KPU’s Senate about KPU policies and is meeting with them again to discuss co-ops. 

In Dhillon’s report, he noted he met with KSA legal counsel David Borins to discuss “better functioning of [the] KSA.” He’s also reviewing KPU policies with student senators with KSA Advocacy Coordinator John O’Brian. 

An executive and council member orientation dinner was approved for funds of $2,200, and funds for three legal invoices were approved — the largest at $7,731.17 for Moore Edgar Lyster. 

Executives proposed a new “Associate President” position. Terms include: appointment by the executive committee and nomination of the president; removal from office is by a resolution of the executive committee; reports to and takes direction from the president; and must be a council member. 

The associate president’s duties include assisting “the president in discharging the President’s duties,” attend executive meetings, “assist with communication with the President from KSA Members, Council Members, KSA Staff, and Media,” according to the meeting agenda. 

The Runner asked if this position is part of the executive committee and would receive the same benefits as executives. Sangha said the role is currently “a trial position on a volunteer basis.” The position is to be approved at the next council meeting. 

A schedule for executive meeting dates in spring were approved. Meetings will be on a biweekly basis starting Jan. 13 at 10:00 am, with the exception of March. 24 at 3:00 pm. 

The next KSA council meeting is this Friday, Dec. 16 at 10:00 am in Birch 250 at the Surrey campus and over Zoom. 

The next executive meeting is the same day in the same location at 3:00 pm. Students can attend in-person, or email info@kusa.ca for the meeting link.