On Wednesday Apr. 27, 2022, the Student Union Society held their Annual General Meeting, where they discussed and shared with members of SUS their 2021 budget and proposed projects and goals for the 2022-2023 academic year. The meeting was held over Zoom, and Esther Jimenez Atochero served as board chair. SUS will upload their first digital version of their annual report, which will be available on the SUS website at the end of May. Below are some highlights for students to be aware of:
In terms of the budget, Tania Smart, governance and finance manager, went over a detailed breakdown of how they will be spending their revenues, which came to a total of $1,080,000. The majority of this ($884,000) is made up of student membership fees, but SUS also collects revenue from space rentals in the Student Union Building and miscellaneous fees, such as vending machines and ATM fees.
Smart said a priority for SUS was to create jobs for students that would not only provide them with funds, but also with opportunities that allow them to get experience within their field. The budget allotted for the executive payroll is $116,000. For hourly positions, the budgeted salary increased from $41,000 to $111,000, which Smart said was the most significant change made to the budget. These increases are due to more positions at SUS being created and filled in comparison to other years. Over $800,000 is spent in total on payroll, which marks a huge investment in student job creation.
Olivia Lake de Meza, executive director, stated that SUS has a reported budget of $10,000 for clubs and associations. Lake de Meza also mentioned that there is now a simplified form to apply for funding. To be clear, this funding is solely for clubs and associations to spend on events, not regular operations, with the maximum amount to spend per event being $500, with a cap of $1,000 per club per fiscal year, according to the Fund Request Procedure and Policy on the SUS website.
Lake de Meza also said that they are partnering with BC Transit to work on getting a Langley route for the campus connector in the fall semester. There will be different UPass options for students to meet their specific transportation needs. When asked about the difference in fees for the Langley option, Jessica Levesque, programs and services manager, answered that “we are hoping to run a pilot program that would allow students who want to utilize [BC Transit’s route 66: Fraser Valley Express (FVX 66)] to opt-in to an ‘enhanced UPass.’ There would be an additional fee to opt into the pilot program, but this would be significantly reduced from the current FVX 66 fee. For those who do not utilize the FVX 66, the UPass fee would remain the same.” SUS is hoping to have a lasting solution concerning the Langley route in a projected 18 months.
“There is a bit more of a focus on social connections,” said Smart when presenting the budget; “We want to make sure we’re throwing events for students to meet other students.”
Community engagement continues to be a focal point for SUS. Nikiel Lal, president, said that “they understood that there was a need to have an exciting campus event that everyone not just wanted, but needed…. This event will be happening annually and this event was designed to help students relax and be comfortable on campus, make friends and get connected with their student union and the university.” The Kickback will have a bigger budget of just over $20,000, a $3,500 increase from last year.
In terms of advocacy, another goal that is in the works is getting a fall reading break implemented into the school year. According to Ashley Dougall, vice president external, it will depend on the timeline created by Senate, but she hopes to have it implemented in the fall semester of 2022.
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.
