I entered the office just in time to make it outside for the Remembrance Day service and sing the Anthem. I was honoured to participate in the service to pay tribute to those soldiers who gave their lives in wars past.
Early in the afternoon I was scheduled to have a meeting with President Wildeman to discuss unique Windsor related government funding issues and strategies to get them on the provincial agenda. The meeting was short but quite effective.
Immediately after the brief discussion with Dr. Wildeman I made my way over Toldo 203 to prepare for the Senate meeting about to take place. After weeks of preparation and heavy lobbying the day had finally come for the vote to take place for a proposed bylaw change. A proposal was going forward to change the wording of bylaw 51 which originally read that Appeals would cost $20, and would change to "applicable fee".
It was argued that such a change was necessary because the senate should not be setting fees and it was inappropriate to have a monetary amount in a bylaw.
I am omitting quite a bit of information but it should also be noted that another body within the University that has no student representation changed the fee back in April to $35.
I busied myself handing out a document which I had prepared the night before to all of the senators and briefly explaining to all of them that the students were recommending that this motion be defeated. Further, I requested that answers to the following questions be brought forward to senate:
1. What is the make up of the committee that will set this fee?
2. What will the ratio of student representation be on this committee?
3. What other fees does this committee set?
4. How many students were charged $35?
5. Since the bylaw was noticed have students since been charged the appropriate $20?
6. Can students who were wrongfully charged $35 be refunded the $15?
7. What is the rationale for changing the fee according to the working group?
8. Does unsuccessful appeal money go to a bursary/scholarship fund?
9. What is the process for appeal fees at comparable institutions?
In the end, the motion failed (meaning that the fee will remain $20). And those students who were wrongfully charged $35 and had unsuccessful appeals will be credited $15 to their accounts!
Later in the evening I chaired a board of directors meeting at which many funding requests were vetted and the WUFA emergency fund framework was approved. It should also be noted that money was set aside from the WUFA donation to be used for appeals this semester (please speak with Mohsin Khan vpuauwsa@uwindsor.ca to seek information for access to appeal money).
The next challenge we will face is actually implementing the Emergency Strike Fund distribution framework. I'll keep you updated.
-Gooch
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