Sept. 17, 2019
6:05PM- 6:58PM
Minutes By: Sophie Marchetti
About an Hour from the 3rd SASS meeting
Attendance: Corbin M, Adeola E, Caroline B, Michaela H, Simon M, Sophie M, Anna B*, William L*, Grant S, William A, Katerina S, Kianna K, Momina A, Sydney P, Elena W, Paige G, Rachel M, Ingrid C, Catherine H
Regrets: Kajaani S, Anna LM, Elise D, Haley H
Absentees: Nicole S, Meghan B, Jess G
*Anna B will be referred to as Ana, William L will be referred to as Will
Will:
Hi! I amended the Agenda, we’re moving the discussion of SASS logo to next meeting
The general meeting is tomorrow and we need to formally set the list of committees! Any questions about committees?
There are a bunch of new committees: program advisory committee (Sydney and Corbin), finance advisory committee (Haley and Momina), equity and inclusion committee (Sydney and Adeola), and mental health and wellness committee (Catherine and Corbin).
Catherine:
About the mental health and wellness committee: we want to promote mental health wellness and education, research mcmaster and artscis mental health, and more.
Elena:
What do you mean research?
Catherine:
Just focus on artscis to understand mental health
Ana:
There are a bunch of resources available to help you out: wellness advisor, navigator. Maybe co-ordinate with them? Also what did Dr. Wilson say about this?
Catherine:
She said it sounds interesting and she would be intrigued to look into it further
Sydney:
Don’t forget about ethics clearance if you’re using human study subjects for anything other than a survey!
Ana:
Wellness survey done last year, we may be able to access the results of the survey.
Katerina:
What is the outcome of conducting the research?
Catherine:
Create policies that we can implement into SASS in relation to mental health and wellness but we need to understand what to focus on in the future and implement then.
Motion to approve 2019/20 committee list
Vote result was a unanimous YES by elected members
Motion passed, new committees as proposed by SASSex now officially approved and in motion
Will:
Student choice initiative! Opt out period ends on the 20th. 13 Arts and Science students have opted out of the artsci fee as of yesterday. That’s $430 !!
Elena:
If people opt out, are we increasing their price for semi and other events? Do we know who they are?
Will:
We can potentially get their MacID, but we haven’t made any decisions regarding whether those who do opt out will experience increased fees or exclusion from events.
Ana:
I agree with the decision to oppose the fee but when we are discussing the opt-out, try not to make people feel guilty about opting out.
Adeola:
Should we have a social media post about opting in?
Will:
We can do that. We can also remind people at Sib BBQ!
(reminder, make a post about opting in)
SASSWeb! We want to have a lot of information on SASSweb about SASS and we’re going to officially announce it tomorrow at the general meeting.
Adeola:
Do we have a timeline regarding opt-out fallout?
Ana:
The finance committee was created to account for fallout if there is any at all.
Rachel:
MSU has a SCI booth outside MUSC, if anyone has questions about opting out, maybe direct them towards that booth and the individuals there?
Will:
For level II, III, IV, we should try to reach out to your years via email or messenger, about SCI and staying in the fee. Corbin, can you reach out to 1st years and tell them about SASS and staying in the fee.
Corbin:
Yep !
Elena:
How should we deal with those individuals who will opt out?
Will:
We can decide that after the opt-out period ends.
Individual updates!
Ana:
Sib BBQ!! Check the Slack Meetings page for the sign up page. We need a costco membership, if not we’ll go to food basics. We have 2 BBQs, we need people to help us clean up, we need a car for the clean up, a speaker, and fold out chairs.
Paige:
I have a car!
Rachel:
We have 4 plastic backyard chairs and the table you’ll be using
Adeola:
Maybe ask for anything you don’t have at the general meeting tmo!
Rachel:
I went to the senate meeting, updates: there are a lot of people at mac, new strategic mandate agreement (SMA3- biggest focus on a change in funding over 5 years), mcmaster is now the 72nd world’s best university wow go mac, they are in the process of recommending a new McMaster president.
Simon:
We’re doing the blog! It’s a good blog.
Catherine:
There are 3 voting seats available through the MSU, the mental health committee was approved, milk and cookies is in the works
Corbin:
My foot is asleep.
Agora is in the works with Sydney.
Question: Combined Honours section on the artsci website is super confusing, disorganized, messy. I think we should improve it, add course names, hyperlinks, etc. I think it is a tangible change, what do you think? How do I continue with this?
Adeola:
Good idea!! Ask Admin?
Grant:
I think it might be an official course information document.
Will:
I think programs have the option to make separate info documents, but I dont think we can change the documents necessarily. As SASSex we may be able to improve this through our website? But the Arts and Science website is being redone right now so this may have been done already.
Katerina:
Great Idea! Suggestion, colour coding, what a semester may look like if you were to combine?
Will:
Talk to Dr. Wilson first!
Night class people, you are dismissed!
Momina:
Spice factory is halloween venue but we just need to figure out the date. First years have a midterm on the 30th and 2nd years have on on the 25th.
(discussion)
Ok so we’re good with 22nd!
Kianna:
Message from Kajaani: semi is November 21!
Progressive dinner is happening next Wednesday! Selling Wednesday and Thursday.
Cootes cleanup with watershed folks in dundas, 8:30 main and emerson, sunday 22nd, we’ll probably be there for a couple hours.
Bake sale for United Way Bus Pull, if you’re interested in contributing , send me an email!
Grant:
Auditions next week!
Adeola:
I am going to make a simplifying SASS video next week for the SRA, I may reach out for an interview soon!
Will:
I want to ACT! Anyway, enjoy your evenings! See you all at general meeting tomorrow!!