On October 14, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council met to discuss the creation of the QUIPS Fund and the scope of the Francophone Affairs Commission.”
Motion Regarding Creation of QUIPS Fund and Fee
The Legislative Council approved the “Motion Regarding Creation of QUIPS Fund and Fee,” moved by VP University Affairs Claire Downie. Grey Cooper, the Gender and Sexuality Commissioner at SSMU, explained that the Queer Improvement and Partnership Solidarity Fund aims to assist LGBTQ+ students with urgent needs like rent and grocery fees, as well as support grassroots research.
They further noted that this motion was put forth “specifically in response to McGill’s general institutionalized homophobia and queerphobia” and “to counteract how resources have often been monopolized against queer people and queer academics.” The approval of this motion results in a non-opt-outable $1.09 fee for each semester, starting Winter 2022. In response to a question regarding the non-opt-outable component of this fee, the VP Finance clarified that “non-opt-outable policies for issues, such as those that refer to equity, are standard within SSMU.”
Motion Concernant des Changement au Comité des Affaires Francophones
The “Motion Concernant des Changement au Comité des Affaires Francophones” was moved by VP Internal Sarah Paulin and unanimously passed. Following consultations with the current and past Francophone Affairs Commissioners, various francophone groups on campus, and SSMU members, this motion aims to alter some aspects of the Francophone Affairs Committee to increase productivity and the diversity of projects it undertakes. The modifications included in this motion are intended to address the committee’s lack of clarity of its mission while focusing on the rights of Francophone students.
Motion Regarding Nominations to the Society’s Board of Directors
The “Motion Regarding Nominations to the Society’s Board of Directors” was passed with 22 votes in favour and one opposed, nominating Councillor Wan, Councillor Coussa, and Councillor Gurung to the Board of Directors. According to the SSMU Constitution, four Councillors must be nominated by the Legislative Council to sit on the SSMU Board of Directors. Councillor Javed was nominated by the Legislative Council on September 23, and given that the terms of the other three members nominated last year end on November 14 of this year, three additional Councillors had to be nominated.
Councillor Wan raised concerns about the constitutionality of Councillor Javed’s appointment as representative after discovering this information about the terms of office concluding that this meant her term would end on November 14th. Councillor Wan questioned whether the Legislative Council “planned on keeping the seats at 3 or granting [Councillor Javed] essentially a bonus term.”
However, VP Paulin explained that this early nomination was due to the urgent need to fill the void in the Board of Directors following the resignation of a councillor, and articulated the importance of meeting quorum. Ultimately, it was decided that there was nothing in the SSMU Constitution against a fourteen-month term and that Councillor Javed would remain as a representative of the Legislative Council on the Board of Directors until November 14th, 2022, just like the other members nominated at this meeting.
The Legislative Council will meet again this Thursday, October 28th.
