Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes for weekly board meetings are available upon request. 

Biology Undergraduate and Graduate Society - Annual General Meeting

March 28, 2024, 5 pm, LB 235

Present: 

Adria Bateman

Kat Most

Gracie Farago

Laura Schnell

Faraz Khan

Stephanie Flaman

Zohra Zahir

Hannah Lawlor

Ashlyn Kirk

Josephine Tunison

Present (Late): 

Dev

Mikaela 

Mohammad Quraishi

Clinton

Absent: 

Yuliya

Jyothika Ganapathy

Aayushi Patel

Aanchal Varshnay

Paige Patrick

Emma Davidson

1. Establish quorum

   1. We have 10 people present – thank you Zohra! 

2. Approval of the agenda

   1. Gracie motions to accept 

   2. Laura seconds 

   3. No oppositions

3. Reports

   1. President Appendix I

      1. Succeeded in getting more grad engagement 

         1. Members by payment status 

            1. 1) Paid Members: 135 2) Unsure: 10 3) Unpaid: 8

         2. Members by program

            1. 1) Unknown, 2) Biology, 3) Science

         3. Members by Year

            1. 1) Unknown, 2) First Years (18.8%)

         4. Recommendation: Dive into 2012 files to determine events that supported increased BUGS involvement

      2. Revamped the BUGS lounge successfully. People are using it more lately 

         1. Some things still to be tackled: posters constantly falling down, maybe some fairy lights, paint the cabinets or contact paper, etc 

         2. Quoted $1500 from facilities to paint space 

            1. Mural? Accent wall?

      3. Successfully got some pens, buttons, and a banner for events 

         1. Banner and pens purchased at the start of the year from Vistaprint

      4. Hosted at least one major social event each month. Only did one fundraiser though. 

         1. Events by Month

September- Back to School Mixer 

1. About 50 people

2. Lots of faculty

October- Halloween Trivia 

3. Great turnout 

4. Low cost

5. Good profit for fundraising event 

November- Museum Collections Tour 

6. Private tour of museum collections 

7. Wasn’t well attended 

December- Research Expo 

8. Second Annual 

9. Great turnout

10. Almost every lab in biology set up a booth 

January- Back to School Mixer 

11. Networking activity 

12. Less well attended 

13. Upper mezzanine-- lower part or patio ideal 

February - Science Gala/ Mask Decorating, Candy Grams, Games night

14. Broke even, made $10

March- Conservation in Saskatchewan 

• Good turnout 

2. Room for growth: second fundraiser, passive income from Sarcan perhaps 

5. Fundraising

   1. Held 1 major fundraising event this year- Halloween trivia night 

      1. Net profit: $589.47

      2. Ended year with $182.89 surplus

      3. Still capacity for growth next year

         1. Host another major fundraiser in winter semester

         2. 50/50? Would need a license

         3. Opportunities for passive income - ex. Sarcan 

6. Social media

   1. Instagram: 337 Followers 

      1. 13.8% Growth in followers since December 2023 

      2. Overall, got 41 net new followers but 73 total new follows 

   2. Room for growth – expand the discord. 

      1. Currently 5 members

      2. Adding link to instagram story/ instagram bio link

7. Recommendations for next year: 

   1. Increase social media 

   2. Build tutor registry 

   3. Move to digital set up 

   4. Engage grad students

   5. Get sponsorships from local businesses 

   6. Use website to full potential – add a job posting section, add a news section, etc 

   7. Continue lounge revamp

   8. Raise funds 

   9. More BUGS merch – totes, t-shirts, stickers 

   10. Use PEC funding to full potential 

       1. BUGS is a ratified student club of URSU, so we get some funding from them every year. 

       2. Each club can get up to $6,000?? But it is hard to find that information which makes it tricky to get it 

       3. Can get funding from URGSA as well? – we are apparently on their website? 

2. Financial Appendix II

   1. In the green this year! 

   2. Got funding from RPIRG, Biology Department, Faculty of Science 

   3. Look into changing bank account next year so we are no longer charged for e-transfers 

      1. $26.25 in Etransfer fees 

   4. Continue major fundraising events 

   5. Charging for social events: anything with some food etc continue to charge but educational events keep free 

4. New Business

   1. Constitution Amendments Appendix III 

      1. Motion for Amendments 4a.1-8

         1. Adria motions

         2. Stephanie seconds 

         3. Passed unanimously 

      2. Motion for Amendments 4a.9/10

         1. Notes from the discussion: Dev would like to attend weekly meetings and wants use to make it aware that all members can come to these meetings 

         2. Changing 9.4 to two-thirds of the executive vote for impeachments 

         3. Laura motions 

         4. Gracie seconds 

         5. Unanimous 

   2. New Exec Introductions

5. Regards from the incoming president

6. Other business

   1. Owl issue: Gracie recaps the Owl accusations and how they never replied, the URSU president said he would look into it and then never replied.

      1. There were other events. We did not get emailed until 5 days after. There was no evidence provided. 

      2. Dev will contact the URSU president and look into it/prompt people to give us more information regarding that 

7.  Adjournment

   1. Laura motions 

   2. Gracie seconds

Appendix III

2023 Constitution Amendments 

4a.1. Amendments to Article 4.1 

1. Remove 4.1c 

2. Remove 4.1f 

3. Combine 4.1d and 4.1g 

4. Add appointing student representatives for the Department of Biology and Faculty of  Science as a presidential duty 

4a.2. Amendments to Article 4.2 

1. Move 4.2a to event coordinator responsibilities 

2. Remove 4.2d 

3. Remove 4.2f 

4. Remove 4.2j 

5. Combine 4.2h and 4.2k 

4a.3. Amendments to Article 4.3 

1. Update 4.3b to specify records are to be kept on Google Drive 

2. Update 4.3d to remove reporting for Science Students’ Society meetings 4a.4. Amendments to Article 4.4 

1. Update 4.4b to specify meeting minutes are to be updated on Google Drive

4a.5. Amendments to Article 4.5 

1. Join 4.5a and 4.5c - create one subsection encompassing all events 

2. Remove 4.5d 

3. Remove 4.5e 

4. Remove 4.5g 

4a.6. Amendments to Article 4.6 

1. Update 4.6a to remove clothing sales and the Carillon, URSU TV, and add social media  advertisement 

2. Move 4.6b to secretary duties 

3. Move 4.6d to secretary duties 

4. Join 4.6f and 4.6h 

5. Update 4.6g to be specific to AGM minutes only

4a.7. Amendments to Article 4.7 

1. Update 4.7b to encompass all students 

2. Update 4.7c to remove “in coordination with Undergraduate Student Representative” 3. Remove 4.7d 

4. Add article outlining duty to assist with event planning and execution 

4a.8. Amendments to Article 4.8 

1. Update 4.8d to remove attendance at all BUGS Executive Committee meetings 2. Remove 4.8e 

**Motion for Amendments 4a.1-8**

4a.9. Amendments to Article 6 

1. Create subsection for AGM including 6.3-6.5 

2. Update 6.3 to remove fall general meeting  

3. Update 6.4 to be specific to AGM 

4. Update 6.5 to be specific to AGM  

5. Update 6.5 to outline quorum as 10 voting members 

4a.10. Amendments to Article 9 

1. Remove 9.3 

     2. Change 9.4 to two thirds of executive vote 

**Motion for Amendments 4a.9/10**