Notes from Council: Council approves first principles of Article 2

“Notes from Council” is The Gateway’s ongoing series of recaps of noteworthy items from Students’ Council meetings.

At the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council meeting on November 4, council approved the first principles of Article 2: Operations.

The meeting occurred at Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ). UASU President Christian Fotang said he hopes councillors “shape their perspectives on the situations that students are experiencing” at CSJ.

“And when the university comes in to talk to us about things like the budget, strategic plans, or tuition, you can … provide those perspectives,” Fotang said.

Bylaw Committee continuing restructuring work

Faculte Saint-Jean councillor Jillian Aisenstat and Board of Governors (BoG) representative Stephen Raitz introduced the motion to approve the first principles of Article 2: Operations.

The Bylaw Committee is continuing the restructuring work that began last year. They aim to separate bylaws 200, 500, 600, 4000, and 5100 into Article 2: Operations. This is to increase accessibility for bylaws pertaining to the UASU’s general operations.

In regards to Bylaw 200: First Nations, Métis, Inuit Consultation and Engagement, Raitz said the UASU has reached out to the Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Committee (ARRC) and the Indigenous Students’ Union (ISU). This was to inform those groups of this “procedural, aesthetic change to the bylaws.”

“We want to confirm with those groups that there’s not a perceived or actual change to the impact of that bylaw,” Raitz said. He added that the UASU wants to hear from both groups and any questions they might have.

The motion to approve the first principles of Article 2: Operations passed unanimously.