The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)’s Board of Directors (BoD) met on March 25 to discuss the hiring process for Vice-President (VP) Finance, whether the student union should pay for organization app Bounce, and possible renovations in the University Centre. 

The meeting began with a discussion on the new process for hiring the SSMU VP Finance. This role was previously student-elected, like all other VP positions. However, following the Winter 2025 referendum results, in which 87.7 per cent of voting students approved the motion to make the role a hired position, the BoD will now appoint an applicant for the role who the student body will ratify in a referendum. Council Member and incoming VP External Seraphina Crema Black noted the importance of taking the general will of the students into account during the hiring process. 

“However we go about this process, I think we should consider that the person who ran for the position [in the Winter 2025 executive election] and got elected was elected with quite a large majority,” Crema Black said. “Whoever’s on that committee should take [that] very seriously [….] I think it was [around] 1,400 students voted in favour of Dylan [Seiler].” 

VP Internal Zeena Zahidah responded to this, claiming that the hiring process should instead focus on expertise and experience over electability. 

Zahidah then raised questions on how to address potential conflicts of interest between BoD members and applicants for VP Finance now that the position will be hired. 

Solomon responded, noting the guidelines around whether a Board member should disclose conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from any decision-making benefiting applicants are “very surface-level.” He stressed that recusal is voluntary and that Board members should not be persuaded to recuse themselves, although he encouraged recusal in the event of a conflict of interest. 

President Dymetri Taylor advised that the HR Manager revise and release the job description for VP Finance, and the Board opted to finish the conversation about the hiring process later. 

Next, the Board turned to a Motion brought forward by Director of Clubs and Services, Hamza Abu-Alkhair, regarding building renovations for Room B-24 of the University Centre. 

Abu-Alkhair said the motion followed a conversation with the building manager, who noted that the space is currently unused due to disrepair. Repairs would include electrical work, carpet change, repainting, and the demolition of walls. The Board agreed to postpone the motion until further consultation could take place. 

The Board then revisited a debate on whether SSMU should commit to Bounce, an app that would centralize processes for clubs and student groups. 

Zahidah raised concerns that students would not use it, citing the failure of the recent election to meet quorum twice in a row as an example of a lack of student participation. 

“I doubt that we have enough student engagement and sway at this point for even the consideration of our ability to move a bunch of students to download an app when they won’t even go into their emails to vote on something that directly affects them,” Zahidah said. “I don’t know if this is a space where we should be putting our energy right now or our staff’s energy right now.” 

The Board decided to use a free trial for Bounce through September, approving the motion, and stating they will reevaluate involvement with Bounce after the trial. 

Soundbite:

“I’m not saying that [candidates’ experiences] don’t matter. I guess I’m trying to highlight that there was a democratic election and that many people voted for something, and I think that means something.” — Crema Black on the importance of election results in appointing VP Finance alongside qualifications. 

Moment of the meeting: 

The public session of the meeting ended with the Board discussing the Special General Assembly meeting scheduled for March 27, which voted on the Motion Regarding Strike in Support of Palestine Liberation. Council members expressed concerns about the limited capacity of the meeting given the high number of expected attendees,  an issue the Board addressed by granting the option of attendance via Zoom.