items of business - scsu 9, 2009 package.pdf · e. chief accountant hiring update f. graphic...

Friday, December 19th, 2008 5:00pm-7:00pm, Room SL-232, University of Toronto Scarborough

Scarborough Campus Students' Union Meeting of the Board of Directors

Chairman: Mohsin Jeelani

A G E N D A

I t e m s o f B u s i n e s s

A. Attendance

B. Approval of the agenda C. Roll Call D. New Business – President and CEO

a. Report – President and CEO (Zuhair Syed) ZS E. New Business – External

a. Report – Vice President External (Amir Bashir) AB

F. New Business – Human Resources a. Report – Vice President Human Resources (Natalie Venalainen) b. Hiring Report: Orientation Coordinator c. Graphic Designer Job Description G. New Business -- Academics

a. Report – Vice President Academics FK b. SCOA Minutes Approval AK

H. New Business – Operations a. Report—Interim Vice President Operations – Mohsin Jeelani

I. New Business – Students and Equity a. Report- Vice President Students and Equity – Reza Hajivandi J. Selection of SCOFS Chair K. Discussion Points: a. Furqan Restaurants b. SCSU Initials on Athletics Building Puzzle L. SCOHR Motion: BIRT: Following procedures be implemented for absence or late arrival attendance: Full-time staff: - send e-mail to VP HR and Opps - Call front desk, and the administrative assistant will send an e-mail to all employees informing them of the absence

RH AT AT IK

Friday, December 19th, 2008 5:00pm-7:00pm, Room SL-232, University of Toronto Scarborough

Scarborough Campus Students' Union Meeting of the Board of Directors

Chairman: Mohsin Jeelani

A G E N D A

I t e m s o f B u s i n e s s

Execs: - Send e-mail to President - Call front desk, and the administrative assistant will send an e-mail to all employees informing them of the absence M. Next Board of Directors Meeting –Friday, January 9, 2009 from 5-9pm in SL-232

N. Adjournment

Natalie Venalainen, Vice-President Human Resources Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto at Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON. M1C 1A4 Office: 416-287-7047 Fax: 416-287-7088

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VICE-PRESIDENT HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

December 19, 2008 ACTIVITY FROM November 28th – December 19th - 2008

1. Hiring & Employee Update

a. Job Postings and Interviews b. Orientation Coordinator Hiring Update c. Spring Formal Coordinator Hiring Update d. Minute Taker Hiring Update e. Chief Accountant Hiring Update f. Graphic Designer Job Posting

2. HR related matters 3. Other Activities

Hiring & Employee Update Job postings and Interviews This past week has been extremely busy for me. I coordinated three different hiring committees for the week of December 15th. Prior to interviews this week, much time was spent reviewing resumes and coordinating interview times. These activities can be attributed to the following positions:

• Spring Formal Coordinator • Minute Taker • Chief Accountant • Graphic Designer

Orientation Coordinator Hiring Updates I am happy to report that the 2009 Orientation Coordinator has been selected, and a hiring report will follow this. Spring Formal Coordinator The interviews for the Spring Formal Coordinator took place on Tuesday, December 16th. A hiring report may be presented at Friday’s Board Meeting.

Minute Taker Hiring Committee Interviews for the Minute Taker were scheduled for Wednesday December 17th. A hiring report may be presented at Friday’s Board Meeting. Chief Accountant Hiring Update Interviews for the Chief Accountant were scheduled for Thursday December 18th. A hiring report may be presented at Friday’s Board Meeting.

Natalie Venalainen, Vice-President Human Resources Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto at Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON. M1C 1A4 Office: 416-287-7047 Fax: 416-287-7088

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Graphic Designer A new position has been created and approved by SCOHR. The executive committee took emergency powers to tentatively approve to position so it could be posted as soon as possible. Please review the job description provided, and raise and concerns or changes you may have.

HR Related Matters I am currently reviewing our group benefits plan and comparing it to other plans. Currently we are paying a substantial amount for less than adequate coverage. By the end of January I plan to switch over to another benefit provider to ensure we are being as cost effective as possible.

As most of you know, last Friday December 12th, was the SCSU Holiday Party. It was held at Medieval Times and about 20 individuals were able to attend. Overall it was a very fun night, and hopefully everyone will be able to attend the end of year party in May.

Other Activities The following is a list of meetings or other events that I attended during this reporting period.

• Full Time Staff Meeting • Executive Meeting • Board Meeting • General Meeting

Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto at Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON. M1C 1A4 Office: 416-287-7047 Fax: 416-287-7088

ORIENTATION COORINDATOR HIRING COMMITTEE REPORT Natalie Venalainen - VICE-PRESIDENT HUMAN RESOURCES

2009 Orientation Coordinator Hiring Committee Report Page 1

The purpose of this report is to outline the hiring process for the position of the 2009 Orientation Coordinator. 1.0 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP The hiring committee was comprised of the following individuals: - Natalie Venalainen, Vice-President Human Resources (Chair) - Andre Vashist, Vice-President Campus Life - Zuhair Syed, President and CEO - Cihan Ok, Vice-President Operations and CFO - Diana Outos, Marketing and Services Administrator - Tasleem Hudani, Office of Student Affairs 2.0 HIRING PROCESS All procedures regarding the following topics were based on the SCSU Hiring Procedure passed during the September 29, 2006 Board of Directors meeting.

• Creation of Job Postings • Advertising the position • Selecting a hiring committee • Receiving submissions for the position and screening applicants • Conducting interviews • Evaluation of candidates and discussion of the interview process

A total of six (6) applications were received and reviewed by the Vice President of Human Resources. Four (4) candidates were invited to an interview, however only three (3) were present. The interviews were scheduled on Thursday December 4th, 2008. An interview room (SL-222) was booked to maintain the integrity of the interview process (i.e. located in the second floor of the Student Centre). The individual was asked to wait at the front desk of the SCSU office and was brought up by the Vice-President Human Resources to SL-222 for their interview. After ample amount of discussion on Thursday December 4th, 2008, the Hiring Committee was able to reach consensus on which candidate would be selected for the position. 3.0 COMMUNICATION OF THE COMMITTEE’S DECISION TO THE REST OF THE CANDIDATES The Chair of the Hiring Committee sent out regrets to all candidates that were not selected for the position, which outlined other opportunities to get involved with the SCSU. 4.0 MOTION TO SCSU EXECUTIVE BIRT the SCSU Board of Directors ratify the recommendation of the 2009 Orientation Coordinator Hiring Committee and hire Ghazal Fazli for the position of 2009 Orientation Coordinator, effective December 19, 2008.

Formatted: Font: 11 pt, Font color:Black

Deleted: 12

Deleted: Charity Chair


SCSU JOB POSTING

Job Posting: SCSU Graphic Designer 1 of 2

Position Title: Graphic Designer Organization: Scarborough Campus Students' Union (SCSU) Position Type: Part-time Compensation: $11.75/hourly (in SCSU office) Remuneration: 5-20 (hours will fluctuate throughout the year) Contract Duration: January 2009 – April 2010 The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union is a not-for-profit student organization based at the University of Toronto at Scarborough. We are in search of a creative and motivated employee with strong graphic design and layout skills to act in the capacity of Graphic Designer. Working closely with the Marketing & Services Administrator, the Graphic Designer will be responsible for the design, layout, and overall appearance of our service and organizational print material as well as assisting with strategic partnerships. RESPONSIBILITIES:

Recognizing that the functions of the Graphic Designer embrace a broad range of roles and responsibilities, it is important to note that not all functions are contained within this position description, and the position itself will be ever-changing and adaptive. Nevertheless, specific roles and responsibilities allocated to this position include, but are not limited to the following: RESPONSIBILITIES: • Design fresh and innovative promotional materials to generate awareness of SCSU

services, special events, and initiatives. • Propose and assist with creation of new promotional opportunities for the SCSU, its

subsidiaries, and strategic partners. • Provide creative advice to the Marketing & Services Administrator and Vice President

Academics regarding design and layout of the Anti-Calendar. • Design all event print material, web advertisements, banners, and other promotional

materials in accordance to visual standards of the organization. • Liaise with the Vice President Campus Life during events to ensure proper recognition is

provided to strategic partners in return for sponsorship provided. REPORTING: • The Graphic Designer will report directly to the Marketing & Services Administrator. REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• Proficiency using both MAC and PC computer platforms. • Proficiency using the Adobe Suite, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and In Design. • Good design and concept development skills with accompanying experience in typesetting,

print technology, and print production. • Attention to detail and creative skills are a must. • Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision after initial direction. • Prior training in graphic design


SCSU JOB POSTING

Job Posting: SCSU Graphic Designer 2 of 2

• Video editing and creation are an asset • Experience in marketing and promotion are an asset.

DESIRED ATTITUDES:

• Approaches tasks with an innovative mind set, positive outlook in completing goals, and detail-orientated.

• Enthusiastic and creative, able to thrive in a fast-paced ever evolving environment. • Flexible, must be able to shift to other functions and priorities as needed.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT: • Clear and defined goals and objectives. • Strict deadlines while producing artwork in a timely manner. • A professionally managed, results-driven team atmosphere. • The ability to earn more responsibility and creative freedom as you demonstrate the ability

to handle more duties. HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION: Interested candidates should send their résumé and cover letter, and 3 samples of artwork in PDF format to [email protected] by 5:00 pm Friday, January 16, 2009. All applications should be received via e-mail or dropped off in a sealed envelope to Natalie Venalainen, Vice-President Human Resources. All candidates are asked to reserve thirty (30) minutes of their time for an interview to take place the week of January 19, 2009. We thank all who apply, but only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Candidates who are selected for an interview will be asked to present a portfolio of their work to the hiring committee. PLEASE NOTE: SCSU is an independently incorporated organization working within the University of Toronto community. This is NOT a University of Toronto staff position. CONTACT INFORMATION: Natalie Venalainen Vice-President Human Resources Tel: 416-287-7043 Rec: 416-287-7047 Fax: 416-287-7088 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.scsu.ca Member of the Canadian Federation of Students, Local 99

mailto:[email protected]�

University of Toronto Scarborough

Scarborough Campus Students' Union Report #11 – Submitted for: December 19th, SCSU Board of Directors Meeting

(Reporting Period: December 1st – December 16th, 2008)

Vice-President, Academics

Reporting Academic Advising/Advocacy: Much of my time as VP Academics gets put into advising students with regards to their academic issues. A student had brought up to me the concern that several computers in the Management building and the Humanities wing were not operating properly. After sending off an email to an IITS representative, and not hearing back from them at all, for over a month, I decided to speak to Zoran, the Director of IITS, whom the SCSU has struck a very good relationship with this year. He has been very cooperative in this issue, and has immediately told his people to start work on these computers. Most of these issues have been solved. A student has approached me with regards to a case of plagiarism. In my personal opinion, there has been a huge misunderstanding in this case, and I have been in contact with Vice-Dean John Scherk to solve this situation. Another student approached me because they were actually kicked out of their co-op program. I feel that this action was done unjustly, and I am currently looking into solving this situation with the assistance of Reza. A student approached me because they had a panic attack during their final examination, and no provisions were given to them by the university. I am now looking into this matter, as this student should have been accommodated. I’ve been dealing with a student who has grievances against two professors. Due to confidentiality reasons, I cannot discuss this further. Study Space Rooms: Several students have recently complained to me that facilities staff have been closing study rooms that have been advertised as 24/7 rooms. I have been looking into this issue and have contacted the relevant parties to solve this situation. I have received word that it is being properly solved. Wireless/Power Plugs: This has been going great. IITS has already begun the installation of 18 new Wireless Access Points in the ARC. They are upping the amount from the current 4 AP’s to 18. This will be crucial, as most of our students study in the ARC. We will be seeing more





progress in this area over the upcoming months. I will also be presenting a special report to the Board of Directors in January with a proper update. The UTSC Subcommittee on Academic Programs and Curriculum (P&C): I have been serving on this subcommittee for several weeks now. As mentioned before, 16 new programs are being introduced this year, which is amazing, as the average program introduction per year is 2-3... this year has been great. On a negative note though, a small portion of the group has been looking at the possibility of implementing a limitation on the amount of A-level courses... There has been huge backlash from professors who sit on this group, and I have been speaking out against it as well. Several heated emails have been tossed around discussing this issue. I highly doubt a limitation will be placed, as the arguments we are putting forward are too strong. Anti-Calendar: I have distributed the new anti-calendars out in several locations. I will continue to keep placing them out for students to take on a weekly basis. Not much progress happening right now, we are ready to go into the editing stages, but I am waiting on exams to be finished, as I want to give my volunteer team of 3 some breathing room. Library Outreach & 24/7 Hours: A meeting will be taking place on December 19th to discuss the upcoming February launch/promotional event. Library Focus Groups: The library has approached me to assist in establishing focus groups to reach out to students to gather feedback about the new services the library has been offering, and how to alter it to make it better. I am including a director member of SCOA in this process as well, Rami. Exam Destressors: Traditionally, the SCSU has offered the service of exam destressors for our students during final examination period. This entails giving out free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, snacks etc. This has been fairly successful. We ran into a small hitch, but this was quickly solved by altering our plans in a minor fashion.





Sci-Tech Fair: I have contacted Professor Dyer and informed him that the SCSU would like to take part in the fair. He has been very receptive to this idea, and will be getting back to us once the fair approaches, in a few months. Academic Olympiad: The executive committee has endorsed this project, and I will be the SCSU point person. I have already begun to work with this group and have offered my support. Hiring Committees: Franco Vaccarino, UTSC’s Principal has asked me to serve on the hiring committee for the new UTSC Dean. I attended the first meeting on Friday the 5th of December. It is a fairly large group, and we have set up some important parameters. This search will last until the end of April, as it will be a lengthy process. I also completed my term as hiring committee member for IITS’s Manager for Client Services. It was a pleasure to work with this group. This is a fantastic opportunity for student representation! Study Space: As usual, increased 24/7 study space has been added for the examination period. Notice that after lobbying and advocating to the Study Space Working Group, more rooms have been opened up, compared to previous years. A comprehensive list can be seen here: Library open 24/7

ARC

AC 321 AC 332 AC 334

Arts & Administration:

AA 207 AA 208

Bladen Wing:

BV 505 BV 516





Computer Labs (4th floor):

BV 490 BV 494 BV 498

Humanities Wing: HW 305 HW 402 HW 408 Hallway Study Carrels

Management Building:

MW 130 (as of Dec. 8th, 2008) MW 223 MW 231 MW 260 MW 264 MW 291 MW 327 MW 391

Science Wing

Hallway Study Carrels

MW130 and H-wing Lounge Space: Jack Martin, Director of Hospitality and Services has asked Reza and I to join him in a meeting with Kim McLean, Chief Administrative Officer of UTSC to discuss these two issues. There will be some changes to the room and the hallway. This meeting will be taking place on December 17th.





Meetings/Conferences

Executive Meetings: Since our last board meeting, I’ve attended three executive committee meetings. Executive/Fulltime Staff: Attended two of these meetings. SCOA: Attended the SCOA meeting on December 9th. CSS: Attended and chaired this meeting on the 24th of November. Subcommittee on Academic Programs and Curriculum: I attended two of these meetings. UTSC College Council Academic Committee: I attended this two hour meeting on Tuesday December 2nd. Professionalism Training: Took part in this training on December 3rd. General Meeting: Attended this on December 17th. Office Hours: I have generally been putting in 40-45 hours per week. Respectfully,

Fatih Kurt Vice President, Academics

Standing Committee on Academics Scarborough Campus Students’ Union 1265 Military Trail Toronto, ON, M1C 1M3 email: [email protected]

Standing Committee on Academics University of Toronto at Scarborough

Tuesday November 4th, 2008 2 pm-3 pm

CALL TO ORDER—Tuesday November 4th, 2008 The Chair, Aisha Khaja, called the meeting to order at 2:00 pm ATTENDACE Members Present at the meeting Aisha Khaja (Chair) Fatih Kurt (Assessor) Rami Elmasry (Director) Sharif Al-Katib (Student) APPROVAL OF AGENDA AK MOTION: BIRT the members of the Academics Committee present at this meeting approve the agenda as presented. Moved by RE seconded by SA. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AK 1. Meeting of SCOA on October 21st, 2008 MOTION: BIRT the members of the Academics Committee present at this meeting approve the minutes for October 21st, 2008 as presented. Moved by RE seconded by SA. NEW MEMBERSHIP AK None OLD BUSINESS AK NEW BUSINESS FK

mailto:[email protected]

1. VP Report Academic Advising Much of my time as VP Academics gets put into advising students with regards to their academic issues. During this reporting period, I dealt with a student complaint about the high price of purchasing final examinations, I prepared a proposal for the alteration of UTSC policies with regards to on-condition students, and as a member of the Programs and Curriculum Committee, I dealt with the deletions, alterations, and additions to the course/programs at UTSC. Also, two students approached me with issues pertaining to examinations, and I helped them out accordingly. Wireless/Power Plugs Several students have approached me and other executives inquiring about the status of the wireless at UTSC, or lack thereof. I have informed them that I will be conducting a comprehensive inventory with the head of IITS and Management to address this issue. A special report will follow soon to outline the progress we have made. Curriculum Review Group After six weeks of sitting on this group, we have ended our term. Several changes will be coming to UTSC that have stemmed from this group’s efforts. For instance, minors will not be removed, and that is a huge victory for students this year. Much of this effort is due to the students who sent me very informative and comprehensive feedback on this issue through facebook. Academic Travel Fund As a member of the Academic Travel Fund Allocation Committee, we granted several thousands of dollars to students. Anti-Calendar I have distributed the new anti-calendars out in several locations. I will continue to keep placing them out for students to take. As for the summer and winter 2008 term, these will be ready to go to editing within 2, maximum 3 weeks. After editing, we will place both terms on the SCSU website. After that, we will only have the final term remaining, which will be for the fall. SCSU Membership Appreciation This is a new initiative that I came up with during my term as President. We hosted several of our admin assistants, support staff and executive on Thursday the 30th and gave out free pizza lunch. This was a great opportunity for all of us to bond and get to know each other. 2. Library Launch Event and 24/7 Service FK After a long period of lobbying for 24/7 access, the library has finally granted it to us this fall. This is a pilot project and will only continue onto next year if the library gets used to a higher capacity during the night time. I will be hosting an outreach event on the 12th outside the library to inform students of the new initiative and to hand out refreshments. AK, SA and RE agreed to volunteer for the event.

3. Programs and Curriculum FK AK: Some courses are offered once every two years…do you know why that is? FK: Do you know which courses? AK: Certain French courses FK: Leslie Lewis is in control of this; it’s all about securing the faculty. I will email her and discuss it with her. On another note, I have several issues with courses that they are deleting, due to the fact that professors are retiring. With French, since the class sizes are decreasing, the demand for these courses is decreasing as well. With music, they are also removing some courses that some students might enjoy. They also want to remove the Society Environment Program so I emailed Ted Relph with regards to this. Some changes are good, as they will be adding courses, and new courses will also be available for next year. AK: Who sits on this committee? FK: Representatives from every department sit on this committee. I’m the only student representative on this committee. I will also be bringing another document which will be about program changes as opposed to course changes. OTHER BUSINESS FK The Study Space Working Group will be meeting on November 18th. So if you have any ideas, please bring it to the next meeting. NEXT MEETING AK Tuesday November 18th, 2008 ADJOURNMENT AK Motion to adjourn at 3:00 pm moved by RE, seconded by SA

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STUDY SPACE WIRELESS AND POWER PLUGS REPORT

Study Space Wireless and Power Plugs Report – Student Perspective

Presented to the Study Space Working Group

Prepared by Fatih Kurt, VP Academics 2008-2009

November 18, 2008

FEBRUARY 2009 UPDATE:

Since this report was initially written in November, there have been numerous

changes/upgrades, which are outlined below:

- The entire ARC area has now been upgraded in terms of wireless

access. From 3 Access Points (APs), we now have 19 APs.

- The entire S-Wing is now outfitted with power plug raceways.

- The entire H-Wing will shortly outfitted with power plug raceways.

- We have gained extra study/lounge space in the MW130 room.

- Architectural drawings have already been drawn up to create new three

new alcoves of study/lounge space in the H-wing.

- Several new power plugs will be installed by the bistro tables outside of

the H-wing cafeteria, and also in the ARC.

- The student centre will be outfitted with new power plugs in the near

future.

- The student centre will receive two or three additional new wireless

Access Points in the near future.

- The SCSU is currently working on getting the R-wing cafeteria to be

opened up as a 24/7 study space for students.

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Context

Most students at UTSC will identify the fact that the physical space our institution offers as study

space is lacking in quantity, and the quality of our places of study are also in need of significant

improvement. As such, on November 13th, 2008, Zoran Piljevic [Director of IITS], Jim Derenzis

[Director of Facilities Management], Ramanan Rajaratnam [IITS Specialist] and I conducted an

inventory of wireless access and power plugs at UTSC. This report outlines some of our findings

and identifies some steps to take in the near future.

This project has found support from multiple vectors in order to succeed and many thanks are

due to the enthusiastic support of many people along the way.

Report

This report has been prepared by looking at two perspectives; wireless access and power plugs at

UTSC. As such, each location will be outlined and the details will include information on both

perspectives. Although it would be nice to have „universal wireless‟ across the campus, to allow

anyone who required wireless internet to be able to access it at any location they desire, I

recognize that this is not an immediate solution. As such, this report focuses primarily on the

locations identified in March 2008‟s Study Space Inventory presented to the SSWG.

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Wireless

The breakdown of wireless routers can be seen in Figure 1.0.

The new management wing has 10 routers, the Humanities wing has 4, the Science Wing and

meeting place have 5, the ARC has 4, the Bladen Wing has 5, and the Arts & Admin building

has 11.

Figure 1.0 – Routers Spread Across UTSC

Source - http://maps.wireless.utoronto.ca/utsc/cwnMap.png

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Figure 2.0 outlines the real-time usage of wireless on campus. After observing the usage

statistics between November 10th-17

th (1-week), I have noticed that at any given point in time in

peak hours (10am-6pm), there will be anywhere from 1000-2000 students connected to the

internet.

Figure 2.0 – Real-time Wireless Connectivity at UTSC

Source - http://maps.wireless.utoronto.ca/utsc/utscMap.php

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Locations

ARC

Wireless

When looking at the wireless in the ARC, we found that there were only 4 access points located,

one of which was not entirely properly functional. I have been notified, however, that the ARC

will be experiencing some very significant changes in wireless access, and that at least 18 new

access points will be added. This is a huge advantage and step in the right direction, as a large

majority of our students choose to study in the ARC.

The following images outline the current status of the ARC and library complex. Currently, the

status of wireless is not satisfactory in the ARC, however, it must be re-emphasized that both of

these floors will soon be addressed and improved as soon as possible..

Figure 3.0 – 2

nd floor of Academic Resource Center

6

Figure 4.0 – 3rd

floor of Academic Resource Center

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Power Plugs:

It must be noted that several upgrades have been brought in the past two years to the library and

the ARC in general in terms of power plug additions. For this, students are most grateful and do

appreciate the increase in the quality of study space. That being said, several locations have been

identified for upgrades.

Plate 1.0 and 2.0 – Lower floor of library, stacks area. An improvement of wireless and power

plugs is required.

Plate 3.0 – Rooms AC321 and AC313 require upgrades in power supplies.

Plate 4.0 – Student studying on floor of 2nd

level ARC. This student needs to resort to studying

on the floor, to be able to power up her laptop.

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Plate 5.0 – Identifies the second floor of the library, right above the entrance. Power plugs are

required here, as students only utilize the one plug available, often causing safety concerns.

Plate 6.0 – Identifies a possible solution to this problem. Running power plugs across adjacent

walls may be an approach that can be pursued.

The next area of concern is found in the North East side of the library (according to entrance

door), on the second floor. Although several new plugs have been installed here this past year,

most of these seats still go under-serviced.

Plate 7.0 – Identifies a possible solution to this problem. Perhaps the pillars can be harnessed as a

means to run down power plugs to the central desks.

Plate 8.0 – This is another location of concern, albeit a low priority one, due to the recent

installations of power plugs on the side carrels. These are the 2nd

floor carrels that can be seen

immediately as one climb up the library stairs.

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Plate 9.0 – This is the area located below the ARC lecture hall, commonly referred to as the

“green room”.

Plate 9.0 identifies the only power plug located in this room, which is often utilized in a way that

breaches safety regulations. This room often has guest speakers from outside of the University,

and also serves as a seminar location for some classrooms. Furthermore, this area has been

utilized in the past as study space during final examination period, whereby several tables and

chairs are put out for students to utilize. It is my hope that this area be equipped with more power

plugs to serve all of these needs.

Plate 10.0 – This is a low priority location, the new benches in front of the Tim Hortons. Many

students have been using these benches as a lounge/study area, and they are in high demand.

Students are grateful for these new installations, but would like them to be outfitted with power

plugs. Once again, this is a very low priority location.

ARTS & ADMINISTRATION

Wireless

As mentioned previously, the AA building has 11 access points, which serves as an abundant

supply.

Power Plugs

10

Plates 11.0, 12.0 and 13.0 – Display some of the benches on the AA building ground floor.

Power plugs in these locations would be very useful to studying students, as they are high

capacity areas. I would identify all of these as high priority locations.

Plate 14.0 – Gives a possible solution to this. Perhaps power plugs can be installed near the base

of the benches for every 4-5 seats.

A possible area to create some new study space is outlined in plate 15.0 as follows. This location

is located right outside of the AA112 lecture hall, on the second floor. Even a table and a few

chairs would suffice. Needless to say, power plugs would also be helpful here if this idea were to

proceed ahead.

11

Plates 15.0 and 16.0 – Depict the study room on the AA building 2nd

floor. This location is quite

ideal for students due to the strong wireless signal and power plugs, but only serves about 35

bodies. I would like to propose more power plugs in this room if possible. Furthermore, I would

like all of these rooms on the 2nd

floor to be opened up during final examination period, as it can

easily add 150-200 study seats for students. These are identified as very top priorities.

HUMANITIES WING

Wireless

The Humanities wing is quite well served in terms of wireless, but the old technology most

definitely needs an overhaul.

Power Plugs

This is the largest concern for the H-wing. Students have access to less than 5-10 power plugs in

the whole wing. Although there are plans to work on this, I just want to reemphasize that this is a

very top priority.

Plates 17.0 and 18.0 – Identify a minor band-aid solution to the issue of study space. If we could

add several power plugs near these chairs, we could increase the quality of space at night for

these seats.

12

HW 402 and 408

These rooms have been generally under-utilized by students as study space. The problem with

both of these rooms is that neither of them has access to wireless or proper power plugs. This

should become one of the top priorities.

Plates 19.0 and 20.0 – Rooms HW402 and HW408.

MANAGEMENT BUILDING

Wireless

The wireless in the Management building is exceptionally good.

Power Plugs

Power plugs in this building are a critical issue that must be addressed.

The general seating area in the middle of the building must be supplied with power plugs.

Although I realize this is a very difficult task due to its initial construction, it is crucial that these

students‟ needs be met as soon as possible. This is a top priority.

13

Plate 21.0 – Outlines room MW130, which is planned to become a lounge/study space area. An

increase in power plugs in this room would be extremely useful.

B-WING, R-WING AND S-WING

Wireless

Unfortunately, there is no wireless access in the r-wing, and half of the b-wing‟s main floor does

not get served with wireless access. Ramanan and I have come up with an ideal solution to this

problem. This solution will hit both birds with one stone, so to speak.

On the 3rd

floor of the B-wing, there is located a service closet in room B-339, as indicated in

plate 22.0.

Plate 22.0 – Service closet in B-wing.

Plate 23.0 – displays several students utilizing the R-wing cafeteria as study space.

If proper cables are run into this closet above the ceiling tiles, we will be able to easily extend

wireless access into the R-wing cafeteria (which should be opened up 24/7 for study space, an

ideal location which would add at least 150 seats to study), and several other B-wing classrooms

and both R-wing classrooms on the bottom floor. This is an extremely high priority that we

relieve a big chunk of our problems in my opinion.

Figure 4.0 and 5.0 – Displays the wireless access in both the S-wing and the B-wing. Both of

these areas‟ lower floors should be equipped with wireless access as soon as possible.

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Figure 4.0 – Wireless access in the B-wing.

Figure 5.0 – Wireless access in the Science Wing.

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MEETING PLACE

The meeting place should also be equipped with power plugs and benches on the perimeter,

similar to the new Tim Horton‟s location.

CONCLUSION/SOLUTIONS

Students do not use several of the study spaces offered because they are not provided

with power plugs and wireless internet access. If these problems are addressed, some

of our study space problems will be lifted.

There should be wireless access and power plugs in classrooms, especially the

classrooms that are used as band-aid study space.

The B-wing and R-wing solution should be pursued As Soon As Possible.

UTSC should gain control over our own wireless supply. We should have our own

centralized wireless control in a self contained hub, without relying on the downtown

campus for assistance or upgrades. This solution will make our operations much

smoother and more functional

All other minor solutions described in this report should be pursued As Soon As

Possible

Sincerely,

Fatih Kurt

Vice-President Academics

Scarborough Campus Students‟ Union

2008-2009

Mohsin Jeelani, Interim Vice President Operations Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto at Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON. M1C 1A4 Direct Line: 416-287-7044 Fax: 416-287-7088

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INTERIM VICE-PRESIDENT OPERATIONS November 7th – January 9, 2009

Mini Continuity Mini C was awesome. Thank you to everyone who came out. I hope you all enjoyed your time. Club Locker Break In Club lockers were broken into last week. We decided to temporarily lock the door to the room until we can get a new lock system in place. I have ordered the Access System Control lock for it, similar to the new ones being put up around the Student Centre and that should be installed by December 3, 2008. I will be giving each club a proxy card which will control access to that room and keep it safe. Also, future plans are to have cameras and security mirrors installed in that room. A long term plan is to completely re build the lockers, to make them more secure and sturdy. Access System Control Locks The installation is almost complete. It should have been completed by now, but we ran into some difficulty matching it with the University’s master key system, which required an extra part to be ordered in, and at this point we are waiting for that part to come in. Microwaves Microwaves! Siva! Reza! Microwaves have arrived. There have been some minor issues with getting them up. But I can assure you they will be put up within the next week. Office Changes You all should have received my email. The new policies will be strictly implemented. And our mail room will be maintained. Student Centre Decoration Thank you to Nadia, Aisha and Imran. This was a great job. It made the student centre look nice. Unfortunately, half of the decorations have been torn down, and I don’t know if I’ll be fixing them. Butt Boxes This is something that Fatih and Amir have been advocating for, and was also brought up at the Student Centre Advisory Committee Meeting, from where it was forwarded to Caroline Rabbat, who is the Director of Campus Safety and Security. She contacted me and said that installing butt boxes would not be possible. According to the smoking by law of the city you cannot smoke within a certain distance of a building or under an overhang. She mentioned if they place butt boxes on the walls, then it will encourage people to smoke close to the buildings, which will violate the city by law. She did

Mohsin Jeelani, Interim Vice President Operations Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto at Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON. M1C 1A4 Direct Line: 416-287-7044 Fax: 416-287-7088

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mention that she had 10 ash trays installed over the summer, and she will get more installed shortly. Other I have done other things, but at this point don’t seem to remember. Of course there is the usual “Mohsin, can you open this door” or Mohsin, someone is here to see you” which usually takes up most of my day. Meetings I have attended a lot of meetings

Andre Vashist, Vice President Campus Life Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4 Office: 416 208-4720 Fax: 416 287-7088

BOD Meeting – Friday, January 9th, 2009

The following will be discussed using the following tier system: 1) Team Management, 2) Event Coordination and 3) Campus Groups Team Management Orientation Coordinator: This position has been filled and the next step will be defining University’s role within SCSU’s Orientation. Events Coordinator: Currently working on Comedy Club, Raptors Night & Winter Carnival. Which included many collaborations. I have concerns for Comedy Club turn out and am confident in the Raptors turn out. Charity Chair: Managing the various sub-committees will be the final step in the creation and execution of charity events on campus ran by SCSU, which include UTSC Idol, Movie Night, etc. Postering Team: A great team that has surpassed all expectations, and is able to work efficiently and consistently. We will be implementing the major board division this semester: Events & Classifieds. Street Team: Another great team which has been efficient and consistent, and I will be increasing their role especially regarding Big Bang. Special Events Team: A great pool of volunteers helping to make pub nights happen at UTSC. I hope we have enough people! Cultural Mosaic: Planning is still in the initial phases, but the coordinator seems to be very motivated to make this event a success. Spring Formal: The position has been filled, and I will be meeting with her later in the month. Event Coordination Comedy Club: There has been several set backs with this event: venue and marketing. I am concerned ticket sales and overall success of event.

Andre Vashist, Vice President Campus Life Scarborough Campus Students’ Union University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4 Office: 416 208-4720 Fax: 416 287-7088

Raptors Night: This event is pretty simple, and believe it will be sold out (which also equates into no net loss.) U.S Presidential Inauguration: A great historical event that we, as university students, should appreciate. We will also be adding a twist: Pie your SCSU President!! Big Bang: I have been assisting with this event and this will be the largest event SCSU undertakes this academic year. There is great potential for success and failure, we are walking a thin line, but there is no reward without risk! Winter Carnival: Final major free event of the year, combining aspects of a spirit day, and leafs opener all in one event. Therefore I will be requesting for additional funds to make this event a success and continue increasing campus spirit! Unity @ UTSC: This is my pet project this year, and there is a lot to do. Unfortunately, earlier events require my immediate attention. Cultural Mosaic & Spring Formal seem to be in good hands, and I am looking forward to the Coordinators vision becoming a reality! Clubs

There are a lot of issues that I am trying to address such as clubs funding and club lockers. And many of the obstacles facing clubs have resulted in the formation of the Clubs Task Force which will be meeting this semester and creating a report for the SCSU & University to work on throughout the summer to improve the quality of campus life at UTSC next academic year.

Also, although there has been an increase in campus life, I am still having difficulty bringing together groups for major scale collaborations.


Scarborough Campus Students' Union Cumulative Report Submitted for: January 9th BOD (Reporting Period: October 27th – January 9th, 2009)

President & CEO

This is the first opportunity I’ve had to present a progress report since my ratification at the October 24th Board of Directors meeting. I would like to take this moment to thank the student body of UTSC for placing their trust in my leadership and for electing me to serve as the President of the SCSU. Mini Continuity was productive and fruitful to say the least, and I’m sure the SCSU team shares a more unified, objective and optimistic vision for the organization. This report will outline my activities since the date of ratification to the present date. Student Centre Expansion- Updates In a meeting with top administration, Cihan and I created what we hope to be a continuous dialogue about the proposed Student Centre expansion. We discussed its feasibility, possible collaboration, rough timelines and simply presented this as a top goal of the SCSU. While we had hoped to have this proposal submitted to administration and a referendum to be held during the winter session, it seems that we will not be able to take it to a referendum this semester. However, administration has indicated that they are supportive of our goal to expand and provided us with some steps to take in the near future so that the lengthy and bureaucratic process of seeing this project through is achieved. In light of this, we have refined our vision for this semester- to have fully completed proposal submitted to UTSC administration and to lobby them to swiftly channel it through the appropriate authorities of approval. This will be our target for the winter semester. During continuity, we can discuss how to prepare for a Fall referendum. Big Bang- SCSU & Organized Sound I have taken the lead role on behalf of the SCSU to collaborate with Kyle Boyko, President of Organized Sound, in order to run the biggest event of the academic year: BIG BANG. Kyle presented this idea to me during the early months of my elected term and we began to work on the financial and logistical aspects of the event. This event will be held at the Guvernment Entertainment Complex on January 29th, 2009 and we’ve been able to create a partnership with UTMSU and UTSU. We hope to attract 1500+ students. This project has consumed a great deal of time. Perspectives on Leadership with Dr.James Orbinski The SCSU has sponsored this event in partnership with the Department of Student Life by contributing $10,000 towards the project. I was invited to create press releases regarding the event to be released in addition to making the opening speech. The event was hugely successful, especially since a renowned world leader like James presented and the event was sold out as well. There was a live presentation in the ARC Lecture Hall and a simultaneous video cast in AA 112 as well as some sort of an online podcast.



President & CEO

Event Visioning I participated in this meeting conducted and directed by Andre. It was amazing to see how the SCSU has committed to stepping up in terms of more events and better events. I was able to provide input and to offer my help wherever needed. CFS General Meeting- November 27th-30th I attended this meeting along with Amir Bashir, Nadia Haidar, and one other student. Amir will provide a detailed account of what was discussed and the outcome of the meetings. Exam Coffee & Snacks Giveaways This was a huge success as usual. Students were excited to see an expanded menu of freebies being offered by the student union. We had: -3 types of tea -coffee -hot chocolate -rice Krispies, granola bars, Nutrigrain bars and chocolate bars We offered this service for two weeks during the Fall final exam period. Furqan Restaurants Currently, I am facilitating the continuing transition of the potential tenancy of the restaurant in the Student Centre. Although some business-related matters have delayed the tenancy, I am working very hard to ensure that we get the restaurant during the winter semester. I will keep everyone posted on progress. CSS Finance Subcommittee I spent a large part of the winter break and beyond reading up a lot of the budgets and reviewing the history of the CSS. This has helped me to gain a better understanding of the processes and role of the subcommittee, but more specifically, the role of the President in this regard. In light of this, I met with Tom Nowers to discuss his proposed budget. I critiqued the budget and asked for further clarification on some line items and proposed increases and decreases in Student Service fees. The Finance Subcommittee met once already and we discussed other changes that will be presented by Tom at the next meeting of the committee.



President & CEO

Planning & Budget Committee

I spent considerable time looking over the following budgets and preparing questions for the respective heads of each department: -Food & Beverage Services - Student Housing & Residence Life - Parking Services - Retail & Conference Services The budgets were for the 2009-2010 fiscal year in addition to long term budget planning. We raised many questions for each budget as we did our best to ensure that student money wasn`t being increased without appropriate justification. Campus Life Fund This fund was created by the CSS last year and was allocated to be administered by the Department of Student Life as follows: -$8000 for a Co-Curricular Transcript -$40,000 for Clubs Funding The SCSU raised concerns with regards to the distribution of the funds and the policy surrounding the administration of funds. I am working closely with Andre and members of the Department of Student Life to create a system that we feel is in the best interest of students and really maximizes the benefit of this fund. Bluffs Restaurant Bluffs has been undergoing some very serious financial difficulties. The SCSU had to provide them with a loan in order for operations to continue. I have been in touch with external parties and professionals in an attempt to create a short term strategy to keep the restaurant alive, and to allow it to be turned around financially. In order for this to happen, I will be working with our team to create a strategic plan for Bluffs.

- Elaborate on possible changes



President & CEO

Internal Investigations

• I will elaborate at the meeting Other Items of Business & Meetings

• We continued to conduct regular Executive Meetings and Executive & Full-time Staff Team meetings for the remainder of the Fall session.

• I am currently setting regular times for the meetings this session. • Weekly team outreach- will continue this semester • Regular meetings with Tom Nowers- scheduled for remainder of winter session. • Meeting with Daniel to set Executive and Director election timeline and dates • October 27- CSS meeting; November 24th – CSS Meeting • December 2nd- Campus Life lunch • Orientation Coordinator Hiring- participated • Student leaders meeting- Provosts Advisory Committee on Democratic Processes

in Student Government • SCSU Holiday Party- December 12 • Vendors meeting- Joel and Reza • Lunch with Seemab- Furqan Restaurants vendor • Minute Taker Hiring- participated on committee • November 26th- SCSU Annual General Meeting of Members • December 17- SCSU General Meeting of Members • December 16th- College Council Executive Committee • January 6th- P&B Meeting

Respectfully,

Zuhair Syed President & CEO Scarborough Campus Students’ Union

items of business - scsu 9, 2009 package.pdf · e. chief accountant hiring update f. graphic...

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