SRA meeting rundown: Feb 4

On Feb. 4, the McMaster Students Union Student Representative Assembly gathered in room 111 of Gilmour Hall for the first SRA meeting of the month. Meeting highlights included a delegation by MSU President Chukky Ibe, a report period and a few administrative motions.

In a referendum last March, 59 per cent of McMaster students voted in favour of the expansion of Pulse and the creation of a new Student Activity Building. Ibe’s presentation concerned the tentative details of project, which is slated to be completed by 2020.

In order to collect recommendations for the SAB, the MSU created an online survey and made it available to students from July to Oct. 2017. Some suggestions for the SAB included study spaces, lounge spaces, nap rooms, a cafe and food court, a multifaith prayer space and a grocery store.

According to Ibe, most of the recommendations put forward will likely be implemented.

“The building is more so done, the parameters are set, and the program is designed,” said Ibe.

Nevertheless, Ibe noted that there will still be discrepancies between what students were promised and what they will receive. In particular, although students were promised a new gym, the promise did not include the fact that the new gym would have turf flooring.

Moreover, students will be receiving peer-to-peer consultation-style rooms instead of a peer support centre. In addition, in the SAB, students will have access to nap-friendly furniture as opposed to a napping room.

In spite of these discrepancies, the SAB is expected to fulfill most of its promises, featuring key developments such as a grocery store-style student market, lounge and study areas and two prayer spaces.

After Ibe’s delegation, the SRA transitioned into a report period. Some topics included the creation of a nursing career panel in CIBC hall, increased collaboration between the social science caucus and Maccess and the completion of the municipal pre-budget submission, which discusses how Hamilton City Council should allocate tax dollars this year.

Following the report period, the SRA voted on a number of administrative motions, including the opening and closing of seats on the municipal affairs, services and executive board committees. For a spot on the executive board committee, Kristin Webb, social sciences (member), ran against Shemar Hackett, social sciences (member).

Webb was voted in.

The next SRA meeting will be held on Feb. 25 in Gilmour Hall.

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