UTMSU is undertaking lobbying efforts to encourage clubs and societies to write letters and sign petitions expressing their views about recent changes to the audiovisual rental pricelist introduced earlier this year by UTM.
Discussed in a Ministry of Student Life meeting last Thursday, according to UTMSU VP campus life Russ Adade, the petitions would then be presented to UTM administration.
“[The rise in AV costs] is affecting clubs and societies when it comes to planning their events […] it’s really cutting into their budget,” said Adade at the meeting attended by approximately eight students.
Adade further indicated that the pricelist changes may make events become too expensive to hold; in the worst-case scenario, clubs may be forced to cease hosting events.
As previously reported by The Medium, the new pricelist has fee increases, which included a large PA system now costing $56 instead of $40. Small PA systems now cost $38 instead of $20.
According to Adade, UTMSU has since purchased AV carts, which include a mixer, two speakers, and a microphone, and is in the process of getting a projector. Adade explained that the purpose of the UTMSU AV carts is to aid clubs and societies in response to the AV pricelist changes.
Although the process to rent UTMSU AV carts is still under development, as it stands, UTMSU requires a $50 deposit from clubs and societies when renting the equipment, which is refunded in full when the equipment in the carts is returned in proper condition.
However, Adade believes the carts are not a long-term solution.
“This is not going to solve the problem in regards to AV, because at the end of the day, we have over a hundred clubs,” Adade says, noting that the limited number of carts cannot be evenly distributed among the numerous clubs and societies.
