A quorum of 75 students needed in order to convene the meeting
Joss Arnott // Staff Writer
The Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) holds a general meeting twice a year, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October and the Semi-Annual General Meeting in February. “It’s just an opportunity to check in and see what’s up with your student union,” said CSU president Emily Bridge. The general meeting is the CSU’s highest decision-making body. It’s the place where the Board of Directors, the CSU President, and at least seventy-five students gather to hold a quorum, which is the minimum number of people required to ratify and make decisions or changes to policy. The CSU will be holding its AGM on Oct. 22 at 11:30 am via video conference.
During the AGM, the CSU will be bringing forward both special and ordinary resolutions. A special resolution requires a 75 per cent majority vote, whereas an ordinary resolution only needs a 50 per cent majority. The CSU will also present their financial statements to members (students) in attendance. Students also have the opportunity to bring up their own concerns during the question and answer period.
“All CapU students are invited to the Annual General Meeting,” said Bridge. “It’s an opportunity for students to see how exactly we’re spending their money.” The Annual General Meeting is a great way for students to not only see how the CSU is run, but who runs it. Students can learn about what’s going on at the CSU as well as make their voices heard. Students will be voting on items that the CSU has been working towards all year, but that need student approval to continue moving forward.
The CSU is governed by its Board of Directors and President. Both the board and the president are elected by the students of Capilano University (CapU) and are in charge of the CSU as an organization, and do so on behalf of students. “The goal of those general meetings is just really to update all of our members on what’s going on,” said Bridge. “We present a report each time, highlights of what we’ve been working on, any big successes, changes in the organization.”
If you’re unfamiliar with how the CSU is run, the AGM is a great place to get a crash course in exactly what the CSU does for its members. During the meeting, students will also be able to vote on any motions brought forward to the chair, and look over a copy of the CSU’s annual budget. It’s a great opportunity for students to see their student government in action, as well to see if the CSU is something they might be interested in personally.
The CSU offers many positions on its various committees. Positions include the Student Engagement Committee and the Campaigns and Advocacy Committee. During the general elections held in the spring or the by-elections held in the fall, students can also run for positions on the Board of Directors if they are interested in gaining experience in leadership positions.
Students wanting to discuss a topic at the AGM must submit a petition. Each petition requires a minimum of 100 student signatures and must be submitted online at least 21 days before the meeting. Students who are interested should note that the next opportunity to submit a petition before the board will be the Semi-Annual General Meeting, which won’t be held until Feb. 25, 2021.
For students interested in attending the AGM on Oct. 22, invitations will be emailed to all CSU members. There will also be social media promotion of the event. “Reach out if you have questions or if you have things that you think we should be doing,” said Bridge. “We’re always looking to hear from our members.”