The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)’s Board of Directors (BoD) met on Nov. 26 in a hybrid session held in the SSMU Boardroom and on Zoom. The meeting focused on improvements to SSMU governance regulations, sustainability initiatives, and committee appointments.
After introductions and attendance, the agenda was adopted without changes. The executive committee presented its report, which included updates on recent financial decisions and operational changes. The board ratified the report unanimously. The Parliamentarian, Jessica Bakar, highlighted the need for directors to fill vacant roles on the Nominating Committee. Directors Rishi Kalaga and Elina Qureshi volunteered and were appointed to the positions.
The Governance Review Committee, chaired by the Director and SSMU President Dymetri Taylor, presented its report, emphasizing efforts to clarify committee terms of reference and align internal regulations with SSMU’s governance priorities. Speaker Jonathan Dong also reminded new directors of their obligation to join at least one board committee and provided resources to assist them in making their selections.
During the meeting, the BoD approved several motions. These included amendments to the terms of reference for committees and changes to internal regulations on sustainable operations. Specifically, these changes were implemented to address deficits that some SSMU groups have and allow exceptions for room and event bookings in certain cases to help services recover financially.
At 6:19 p.m., the board moved into a confidential session to discuss financial audit results and other matters. After reconvening, the board finalized updates to the internal regulations for elections and referendums. These changes included adjustments to debate structures and permitted questions to promote transparency and fairness.
Additional decisions included expanding the Finance Committee’s authority to approve financial decisions up to $80,000 CAD and the creation of a new Voting Operations Management Committee to oversee space usage and propose improvements to voting processes. The BoD also reviewed a three-year plan for student services aimed at improving sustainability, accessibility, and resource allocation. The plan will evaluate services based on their financial health, resource availability, and overall impact.
A motion to discuss legislative councillor payment was deferred to the next meeting, which will take place on Dec. 10.
