We’ve got you covered on what happened at the meeting.

  1. No one died.

    Okay, that's a given, but it's important to remember that APSA's AGM is a safe place where all members are encouraged to share their questions. 

     

  2. We need a market survey.

    We feel so strongly about this that we’re going to say it just one more time. We need a market survey. President Craig Changfoot noted that the University has a commitment to do them every three years (the last one was in 2001).

    Additionally, the award that mediator Colin Taylor issued for salary and benefits bargaining included the creation of a Joint Compensation Committee, made up of APSA and University reps. They are tasked with making recommendations for a total compensation package and determining how to spend three pots of money from bargaining. APSA believes that the only way to do that is to conduct a market survey, which will determine where members' compensation is currently at and what needs fixing.

     

  3. We overspent by $100,000 for legal expenses.

    Three advocacy cases, two consultants and one mediation for salary and benefits bargaining. It was a big year for legal cases and to pay for it, the Association withdrew $100,000 more than budgeted, from the Legal Reserve.

    Executive Director, Anne Mason, and Treasurer Sara Du, explained that this is not a cause for concern as there is still $120,000 left in the Legal Reserve, with plans to replenish it. The Association sets aside 1/6 of dues each year for legal expenses.

     

  4. There’s no new pension news.

    The Employee Joint Pension Committee (EJPC), made up of APSA, CUPE and Poly Party, are waiting to hear back on the proposal they sent to the University Administration in July of 2014.

     

  5. “Areas” cease to exist. The Board will elect the President and Vice President.   

    The proposed Bylaws and Constitution were approved at the AGM. The main changes in the Bylaws are,
     

    1. “Areas” will now be defined by campus location (Burnaby, Vancouver and Surrey). All members will elect directors to the Board. These directors will represent all members, not just a specific area.  
    2. After members have elected directors to the Board, the Board will collectively elect a President and Vice President from that group of directors. This allows for succession planning and good governance and avoids “one-agenda” driven individuals from leading the Board.

       

  6. Get to know these people. Or don’t. Your call. But, wait, really do.

    These folks are your new Board of Directors. Get to know them. They’ll communicate your concerns and seek solutions at the Board level. Or just get to know them because they’re neat and fun people and you know, you voted for them.