Notes from Council: CAUS loses status as registered corporation

At the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council meeting on April 16, the 2023-24 executives gave their farewell addresses.

Later, Vice-president (external) Chris Beasley said that the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) missed filing deadlines with the Alberta Corporate Registry. As a result, CAUS lost its status as a registered corporation.

Council also appointed Payten Semeniuk as the 2024-25 UASU Chief Returning Officer (CRO).

CAUS loses status as registered corporation

In their farewells, President Christian Fotang, Beasley, Vice-president (academic) Pedro Almeida, and Vice-president (student life) Michael Griffiths reflected on their work throughout the year. Vice-president (operations and finance) Levi Flaman is continuing in his role for 2024-25.

Prior to approving the 2024-25 UASU Operating and Capital Budget, Beasley motioned to discuss financial issues with CAUS — an information item initially scheduled for closed session — in open session.

CAUS represents five Alberta universities as a provincial advocacy organization — including the U of A — as the UASU is a member. According to Beasley, CAUS missed two deadlines to file with the Alberta Corporate Registry. As a result, CAUS lost status as a registered corporation. The first filing was missed in July 2022, and the second in July 2023.

Beasley is the chair and interim executive director of CAUS. He is currently working to collect audited financial statements from 2022 and 2023 to re-submit CAUS to the corporate registry.

UASU sets cap on possible CAUS membership fee

The UASU contributes the largest sum to CAUS of all its members, Beasley said. He added that the UASU supplies approximately 45 per cent of CAUS’ budget. According to the 2023-24 UASU Operating, Capital, and Non-Dedicated Reserves Budget, the UASU’s CAUS expenses totaled $67,371.

”That needed to change, because we were paying a large and outsized amount that we weren’t seeing recouped in value,” Beasley said.

As such, Beasley and Fotang negotiated a hard cap. If the CAUS Board resumed fee collection in 2024-25, the UASU wouldn’t pay more than $60,000. In the current proposed 2024-25 UASU budget, $66,500 is reserved for CAUS. Of this sum, $6,500 is earmarked for travel costs, and the rest is for the UASU’s membership fee.

”That $60,000 may not be paid if the CAUS board decides that they don’t want to collect fees next year,” Beasley clarified.

Flaman and science councillor Laurel Ford motioned to approve the 2024-25 UASU Operating and Capital Budget.

Per the motion, the budget invests in professional development opportunities for student representatives, groups, volunteers, and staff. It also mentions promoting an inclusive and engaged culture in the workplace, and pursuing more revenue-generating opportunities.

With nine votes in favour and one opposed, the motion carried.

Council approves 10 per cent increase in health and dental fees

Griffiths and science councillor Noor Abdelwahab moved to recommend a 10 per cent increase to the SU Health and Dental Plan fees for the 2024-25 academic year.

The Health and Dental Plan Committee recommended a 10 per cent increase in fees. This is the maximum amount that insurance companies are able to increase for students. According to Griffiths, this increase is to cover increased claims to health services.

”Students are getting tremendous value out of their plan. We are claiming much more in health and dental coverage than what we are paying to the insurance company,” Griffiths said. “The provider is honouring the 10 per cent rate increase maximum. They would ideally be looking to increase it to 40 per cent.”

With 10 votes in favour and none opposed, council approved the motion unanimously.

Lastly, council appointed Hiba Khan as Chief Tribune of the Discipline, Interpretation, and Enforcement (DIE) Board.