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Annual General Meeting of the Dalhousie Law Students’ Society

March 17, 2009

 

1. Call to order – motion from Fred, seconded by Alia. Unanimously carried. Quorum established.

 

2. Roll call of members present – all present
1.  Gord McGuire – President
2.  Adam Picotte – VP Academic
3.  Alia Rosenstock – VP Executive
4.  Frederic Perron-Welch – VP External
5.  Michelle McBride – VP Finance
6.  Michelle Black – DALSA Representative
7.  Jessica Upshaw – DBLSA Representative
8.  Melissa Grover – First Year Representative
9.  Jade Buchanan - First Year Representative
10.  Stewart Carstairs - First Year Representative
11.  Greg Gilhooly - Second Year Representative
12.  Brian Kuchar - Second Year Representative
13.  Erin Tolfo - Second Year Representative
14.  Dan McGruder – Third Year Representative
15.  Mark Leung– Third Year Representative
16.  Gill Carter – Secretary
17.  Sean Fraser – Chair

 

3. Adoption of Agenda – motion from Jade Buchanan, seconded by Gord McGuire, unanimously carried.

 

4. Chair’s Remarks

-thanks to DALSS – Mark Leung & Ed Wang

 

5. Annual Reports of the Executive
1. President’s Report

-revitalize the image of the LSS – some modest progress – including overhaul of LSS website, commitment to update website every two-three weeks, printing of executive business cards, appointment of LSS communications coordinator for poster campaign, investment of money in printing posters

-strong advocacy of student interests – push back institutional inertia – two issues advocated for with admin 1) extended library hours – for April exams, library hours will be extended, 2) JD/LLB debate – with resounding support for JD from plebiscite, LSS board of directors voted to unanimously pass formal resolution for support of JD; at Faculty Council 1^st motion voted down, end result – JD issue be referred to Academic Committee, comprised of student and faculty – will investigate merits, consult with alumni, report back in Dec 2009 – LSS given opportunity to make formal submission

 

2. VP Finance Report
1. Annual Financial Report of the Law Students’ Society

-board approval for expenditure over $200

-main responsibility to chair budget committee – Brian Kuchar, DanMcGruder, Jade Buchanan

biggest change – 50% increase to student societies/committees

-weekly budget updates to board, financial info on LSS website and in Weldon Times – scheduled fiscal transparency month for February – instead went with website to accomplish transparency and full disclosure

-only 6 societies received less than they requested

-factors assessed1) size of membership, 2) benefit to students, 3) activities and planned fundraising,….

-cut LSS internet expense through wireless card – will realize this later

-revenues – DSU student levey 21, 146, legal who sponsorship $3950.000, budget surplus 2007-2008 $850.00

-expenses - $15,000 to societies, individual student conference funding $2655.00 (increased this, although most of it spent during fall term), contingency fund $178

-other expenses – Ideal Law $1500 (do not accept corporate sponsorship), legal who publication (decreased from last year), etc

-admin expenses – not a lot of wiggle room

 

3. VP Executive Report

-priorities – produce Legal Who, lockers

-Legal Who with help from Jill Brown, Dominique Zipper, Lia Bruschetta, garnered $3500 from different firms, produced in house, have $1500 remaining, with help from Geordie

-locker cutting policy – will occur once a year – otherwise individual’s choice to contact security personally)

-monthly update in Weldon Times, but looking to reduce clutter in inboxes

 

4. VP Academic Report

-intiating transparent appointment process to faculty committees – all appointments reviewed with students

-JD/LLB plebiscite and debate – big thanks to Mat Brechtel and Saminta Nethan, thanks to Jen Hodgins DRO for running the plebiscite – 65% participated in this

 

5. VP External Report

-mentorship program underway, with the help of Alia – will be releasing the final matches just before graduation/after examination

-decided to have all societies ratified – but had a few issues as DSU changed their society policy

-campus master plan – raised issue of Domus House, 24 hour student study space

-DSU meetings – lobby prov/fed govt to maintain tuition freeze, maintain health plan for students – April 1 AGM 6:30 McInnis room

 

6. First Year Executive Report

-contribution to webpage – liaising with webmaster, keeping up to date minutes, publishing the budget

-contribution to LSS services – through CANS drive, to improve CANS availability for upper year courses, ran contest for this – 50% increase in CANS

 

6. Old Business – N/A

 

7. New Business
1. Proposed Constitutional Amendments – pursuant to article 15, board has debated them, and making recommendations to adopt 6 of 7, Gord McGuire to speak to why this is being withdrawn

-require majority for them to take effect – omnibus motion

1. Duties of VP Executive

-entrench communications strategy – maintaining faculty wide master calendar – so VP exec notified by all parties for event scheduled

-VP will act as liaison between societies and LSS (societies defined as under the LSS umbrella), working w/ VP Finance to ensure societies are aware of funding opportunities

2. Duties of VP Finance

-to maintain institutional memory

-two duties added to VP Finance role

3. Duties of Secretary

-shall create and maintain a listserv of all LSS members and circulating the meeting agenda and approved minutes

4. Duties of Chairperson

-chair shall ensure compliance w/ Constitution through a monthly review

5. Duties of First Year Executive Member and Representatives

-provide support for VP exec for calendar and school-wide communication strategy, and to organize a yearly CANS drive

-first year reps also clarified – responsible for soliciting volunteers for the Pith & Substance skit

6. Selection Procedures for Committees

-add four committees – Orientation, Sports, law Games, Yearbook

7. Studies Committee Representative

-in response to concern to have students on the studies committee as soon as possible in the year

omnibus motion from Melissa Grover to approve amendments 1-6, seconded by Adam Picotte

-comment on motion from Gord McGuire re: remove proposal number7, proposal was originally intended to make things more efficient and quicker, original process involved one student at-large and one from the executive, the reality is that this member from the executive would remain in the discussion in certain circumstances when Faculty Council had in camera meetings, a positive benefit to this - b/c of this we would like to remove that amendment

-concern that no member of the Board has the responsibility of attending the student liaison meeting

-strongly recommended that VP Academic sit on the Studies Committee b/c the issues are often the same

-vote to accept the chances – two dissenters to proposed recommendation, one abstention, motion overwhelmingly carried

 

8. Announcements
1. LSS Elections

-open until 5pm tomorrow www.law.ivote.com

2.  Comments/Questions

-final meeting Tues March 24 7pm – Mccain Building rm 1116 – open to the public

-suggestion for funding for the social committee -

 

9. Adjournment – motion from Adam, seconded by Jade, meeting adjourned 12:56 pm