UTSU has scheduled a special general meeting following an unsuccessful attempt to pass a compliant board structure prior to the union’s October 14 deadline.
The original UTSU AGM, which took place on October 7, lasted nearly five hours and adjourned on item three of the agenda, dealing with the new UTSU board structure. The agenda included a total of 18 items after amendments were made during the actual meeting.
Although the union failed to pass a compliant board structure prior to the deadline, according to Ryan Gomes, UTSU’s VP internal, the union has since received legal counsel on the matter.
“Our legal counsel has advised us that we are not in any immediate danger of anything,” said Gomes when asked if the union has dissolved due to UTSU’s failure to pass a compliant board structure. “We will have ample notice if [Corporations Canada] have any intention of dissolving us, so that is really not a concern.”
According to Gomes, a new board structure put forward by UTSU president Ben Coleman and seconded by Gomes will be presented at the special general meeting.
Although details of the newly proposed board structure have yet to be released, in an interview with The Medium, Gomes verified that the proposal is similar to the elected board structure motioned by UTSU director Khrystyna Zhuk and includes the amendments made by members at the AGM. The structure, however, makes further changes to the board structure, which failed to pass a ratification vote requiring a two-thirds majority with a vote count of 562 to 455.
“Some of those changes are important and significant enough that we’ve been told it is not essentially the same proposal and therefore it can be put forward without having to go through a motion to reconsider,” said Gomes.
The upcoming meeting is scheduled to be held on November 18 from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the OISE auditorium. On the agenda are UTSU’s presidential address, approval of last year’s annual general meeting minutes, and a vote on the board structure, in addition to other items.
According to Gomes, another meeting will be scheduled early next semester to address motions put forward by students at the union’s original AGM. Procedural items not dealt with at the AGM are then sent to the board of directors to be addressed; however, Gomes and Coleman chose to host a second special general meeting to allow members to vote on all AGM agenda items.
“Ben and myself feel that it shouldn’t be the board making the decision on these motions because they were submitted with the intention of being voted on by the membership,” said Gomes. “We will do a motion to refer and send all those motions the general meeting in January.”
