Notes from Council: Lease for second Daily Grind location approved

At the February 11 meeting of the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council, council approved a five-year lease with the U of A for a rental space in University Commons. 

Additionally, council once again postponed the U of A’s Safety and Security Committee presentation to a later date.

Motions carried

Council approved a motion to sign a five-year lease with the university for a commercial retail unit (CRU) in University Commons. This will allow the UASU to open a second Daily Grind location on the main floor. 

Council also approved a new agreement between the UASU and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The agreement will run until December 31, 2028. The total wage increase will be 10.5 per cent over the term of the agreement. 

During the December 17 and the February 4 Students’ Council meetings, the International House Community Council (IHCC) presented on a proposed Student Representative Membership Fee (SRAMF). IHCC is a student association representing International House (I-House) residents. The fee would be $50 for students moving in during the fall semester and $25 for students moving in during the winter semester. Students will be able to opt-out of the fee.

Previously, councillors expressed concerns with IHCC’s budget composition and capacity to manage revenue. At the February 11 meeting, council approved the SRAMF proposal. Residents of I-House will vote on whether or not to approve the fee during the 2025 UASU elections.

The Operating & Capital Budget Principles serve as the first step towards crafting the UASU’s Operating and Capital Budget. A motion to approve the 2025–26 Budget Principles was carried. 

One of the 2025–26 Budget Principles is to make an effort to ensure the UASU Membership Fee increase stays below 2.5 per cent.

Executive reports 

President Lisa Glock presented her executive report, highlighting a recent joint open letter addressed to the Government of Alberta from 25 Alberta post-secondary institutions (PSIs). The letter urges the Alberta government to restore operating grant funding for PSIs. According to the letter, from 2019–2022 the Government of Alberta has cut funding to PSIs by nearly a third. Recent budgets have failed to account for rising inflation.

Abdul Abassi, vice-president (external), shared that the L’Association des Universitaires de la Faculté Saint-Jean (AUFSJ) and the UASU jointly addressed a letter to the Minister of Official Languages, Rachel Bendayan. The letter addressed the need for more consistent and stable funding for Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ).