UMSU holds AGM

Executive reports on productive year

JENELLE PETRINCHUK STAFF

The University of Manitoba Students’ Union held their annual general meeting on March 21 at the Bannatyne Campus — an earlier SAGM was held at Fort Garry in November.

Two hundred students were required to make quorum for the meeting, but only 15 people showed up, including the five executive members, the executive assistant, the executive director and chair.

When asked why all of the UMSU councilors were not present at the meeting, UMSU president Garry Sran stated that he did know.

“They had been informed about the meeting numerous times and pressured into coming,” he said, unsure as to why they did not show up.

However, despite the low turnout, executives presented a thorough report on their yearly accomplishments from every sector of the union.

Topics included ancillary fee campaigns, international student differential fees, meetings with governments and Winnipeg Transit, proposed tuition increase in the faculty of engineering, the national Day of Action and the recently tabled 2007 federal budget.

In terms of services, executives proudly announced accomplishments in UMSU Living, the Food Bank, the Student Group Resource Centre, Degrees restaurant, the new student lounge, the UMSU ice rink and the free tax filing services.

Amanda Jonson, vice-president (external) also mentioned her displeasure with the incident that occurred involving the Health and Dental plan, which included and excluded incorrect students in the plan due to a glitch in the Aurora registration system.

Food services, parking services and transportation options were also reported on at the meeting.

The end of the report included a list of almost 100 instances the media approached UMSU from May 2006 to March 19, 2007. Recently the bulk of the union’s media coverage has dealt with the recent engineering referendum to increase fees in the faculty. Other notable events that were covered thoroughly in the media included the Day of Action, Degrees’ use of biodegradable packaging, the Food for Fines program and the November Speech from the Throne (regarding tuition).