SMUSA's 2020 Annual General Meeting
Written and Photo by: Asia Outten
@asiaoutten
On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, SMUSA hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the McNally Main Auditorium. At the meeting, several students gathered to watch and listen as the President and Vice President Academic and Advocacy, along with other members of the Executive Team and the Board of Directors gathered to speak about their roles and progress during their terms.
Starting with the role of SMUSA, sit is an independent not-for-profit organization that consists of students working for, supporting, and representing students. Its mission is to “Maximize the positive university experience and provide assistance in overcoming challenges,”; and its vision is to “Ensure the highest quality of life for every student.”
Members of the Executive Board
Mary Navas, president of SMUSA, appeared as the first speaker. The president’s duties are to be the official representative and spokesperson for students, and is responsible for their well-being and organization; the president is also the primary delegate of the Federal Advocacy Group and is a member of the University Academic Senate Board of Directors.
Mary Navas believes her most significant impact was “being elected as president of the student body…and [being able] to do a lot for the students.” She was glad to become more accessible to students and spread awareness of what SMUSA does, which is advocating on their behalf. “I think the whole impact is hearing the students and hearing what actually is [happening] on campus to make a big impact in whatever sector they think it is.” In addition to her most significant impact, Mary shared with me that her biggest challenge was “breaking that barrier between SMUSA and the Student body”
Bryn de Chastelain, vice-president Academic and Advocacy, was next to speak. His duties entail managing the Tutor Database and Book exchange group to oversee the Experiential Learning Fund, to serve on provincial and federal advocacy groups, and to assist students with Discipline Appeals, Grade Appeals and other academic issues. He is also a member of the University Academic Senate and other various committees.
Bryn de Chastelain believes his biggest impact is knowing that he’s been able to “clarify a policy for a student or make a process seem more clear and to be able to see them walking around campus knowing that they’ve been able to continue their studies. There are lots of times that I think students are not treated fairly by the University, and it’s nice to be able to [help] people [to continue] to work towards their degree.” Regarding his most difficult challenge, he believes it’s “trying to convey the work that [SMUSA does] and make sure that students can see that and be apart of it.” Bryn said that it’s challenging to “provide more energy [into] engag[ing] more students because we represent all 6,000 undergrads, and we don’t get to have 6,000 conversations throughout the year.”
Other members of the Executive Board to speak were: Kevin Mullen, vice-president of Equity and Wellness who researches equity, health, wellness and sustainability; Rebecca Yorke, Societies Coordinator responsible for SMUSA Student Societies; Emily Trottier, Events Coordinator who schedules and plans student events; and Samantha Graham, Academic Officer who helps students with Academic Discipline Appeals.
Services Offered By SMUSA
The Executive Board also touched on the various services and resources that SMUSA offers to Students. In the Student Centre building, the first floor is where students can go to gain access to the information desk, Husky Patrol, and the Wellness Centre, as well as the Gorsebrook Lounge and Patio. On the fifth floor, students can expect to find SMUSA offices, resources for Health and Dental plans, the Community Food Room, the Women’s Centre, the SMU Journal, and the newly established Pride Centre. Other resources that the Student Centre building offers are tutoring, book exchange, Academic advocacy and representation as well as other various programs and initiatives. Also, SMUSA offers ways for students to get involved through volunteering, employment opportunities, professional development, student societies, and different events.
S-M-YOU! Survey
One of the biggest milestones SMUSA’s Executive Team made during their term was conducting the S-M-YOU! Survey. This survey entailed interviewing the student body on what they are most interested in and expect to see more of on campus. The top six results were Mental Health Awareness, Health Services, Academic Advocacy, Sexual Violence Prevention, On-Campus Food Options and Experiential Learning, respectively. This survey was a strategy to gain insight into the areas students were most interested in and wanted to see advancements on campus. Based on these results, SMUSA has decided to give more focus and attention to these efforts and make improvements to improve the quality of campus life.
Board of Directors
Also present at the Annual General Meeting was the Board of Directors. The Chair and Chief Governance Officer, Crystal Witter, was the main speaker for the Board. As stated at the AGM, the role of the Board is to create policies and governance for associations on campus and to look at themes affecting students. The Board also holds the president accountable for the management of association, which consists of nine students who are elected to serve for two years and meet twice a month to fulfill their duties.
Crystal Witter mentioned that this term, the Board has made an effort to improve financial oversight and accountability in collaboration with the SMUSA president, and collaborated with the executive team to create “a more robust Human Resources structure within SMUSA.” She also highlighted the current effort to simplify the language used in the policies to make them more accessible to all students. In addition, Crystal looks forward to a future of developed policies concerning equity, diversity and inclusion. ”I began the discussion now the onus is on the incoming board to take action.”
More information about the Executive Team and Board of Directors can be found on SMUSA’s website, or by visiting them on the 5th floor of the Student Centre Building.