The AGM Minutes from 3 April 2014 . I’m sorry they have been so long in coming

TST Advanced Degree Students’ Association

Annual General Meeting                                                   Thursday, April 3, 2014

Agenda

1. Welcome
   1. Opening Prayer (Stanley Hauerwas)
   2. Introductions (if necessary)
   3. Approve Agenda
      1. Propose item to second to last – passed
      2. Agenda is approved
2. Ratify Constitutional Amendments
   1. Motion: to accept the results of the referendum (attached page 2) and change section 4 of the ADSA Constitution as proposed.
      1. Changes approved
3. Approve Changes to Board Structure, Duties, and Related Policies
   1. Motion: to change sections C, D, and E of the ADSA Policies and Procedures as proposed (colour handout, pages 1-6) and renumber sections D, E, and F accordingly.
      1. Changes in representation
      2. Secretary will record attendance
      3. Making it clearer as to how to remove officers
      4. Motion to pass
      5. Changes passed
4. Accept Year-End Financial Statements (attached pages 3-4)
   1. Came in under budget on a lot of things
   2. Will be slightly adjusted since TST is covering lunch
   3. Conference budget is discussed
      1. Working out honorarium
      2. New topic next year – Jewish-Christian dialogue (may be money available)
   4. Draw new travel bursary winner
      1. Nick Olkovich was drawn
5. Receive Draft of Annual Report for TST (attached page 5)
   1. Michael goes over the report
   2. Open to revisions
   3. From “nearly” to “over” 50 people attended the conference
   4. Stronger language around thesis defence; unanimous vote to have open thesis defences and unanimous survey approval
6. Receive Preliminary Survey Results (colour handout, pages 7-12)
   1. Volunteers to finish and proof survey report and presentation to TST Board?
   2. People who received nothing? How is that?
      1. Are people reporting for their whole program or just for the current academic year? We need to tighten down he survey.
      2. Benefits and delays
         1. Students are doing a lot of conferences
         2. Also grant applications take a lot of time
         3. TA and RA positions also take up a lot
         4. Non-academic delays are also significant – go over other things mentioned
         5. Most delays around 4 months
         6. Languages and course grades are significant delays
         7. Discuss student expectations
      3. Negative experiences
         1. Have they been reported?
         2. Perhaps anonymous reporting makes people more inclined to report discrimination.
         3. What is number 5 about?
            1. Questions were based on GS survey
         4. 11 people reported abuse – but the onus is on the people to report this
         5. Would you encourage other people into the program?
            1. 71% – but not the 88% of grads that TST claims
            2. But more negative comments this year than last
            3. Make certain comments more anonymous
            4. Our numbers should be seen as relative to other departments; but we shouldn’t entirely discount the survey results
            5. We need to continue to report data and take out certain themes
7. Ratify Elections Results
   1. List of nominations (attached page 6)
      1. Two people for Biblical Dept.
      2. We need to have an election through the Biblical Dept.
         1. Online vote or call a meeting?
         2. Chris will attend meeting in May.
         3. Let’s talk to respective candidates and see if they are both interested.
      3. All other nominations were acclaimed
   2. Discuss and approve elections procedure (if necessary)
      1. MA candidate – Daniel Pettipas
      2. Emmanuel – Allison Murray
      3. Elections ratified with the exception of the Bible Dept.
8. Appointments to Fill Vacancies (if desired)
10. Receive Preliminary Budget for Next Year (attached page 7)
    1. Travel bursaries may be administered by TST
       1. We would still put in money, but they would assess more factors (i.e. location of conference) in terms of granting the bursaries
       2. Social budget will probably be more than $400
       3. Budget adopted
11. Set Date for First Meeting of New Board
    1. Push discussion until August and we’ll figure out a meeting time then
12. Other Business?
    1. Thanks to all for their time and contributions