NRT Spring/Summer Service

We have solidified the service levels for the BUSU funded bus routes, with the NRT, for the spring/summer term. We will be keeping the same service level as last summer. This is however at an increased cost compared to last year, as the Hourly rate increased nominally by 1% from 2024 to 2025, there are 2 extra exam days, and 10 additional weekdays during the spring/summer term. Looking back there were 48 service days in 2022, 49 service says in 2023, 45 service says in 2024 and 55 service days in 2025. We have noted to Brock that we would appreciate a greater heads up regarding future scheduling changes that could impact the transit services, to which they have agreed. We are now working with the NRT to identify what the subsidized passes will look like this spring/summer. Thank you to Robert Hilson, for his support on this item.

Finances

All accounts payable and EFTs are up to date and have been approved and completed on time. The VISA statements reconciliations are up to date, with 4 from January pending my approval, that should be completed within the week.

Brock Hiring Committees

The Faculty Applied Health Science dean has been announced, and I would like to congratulate Dr. Nota Klentrou on her appointment. The Vice-President, Administration search decided to reopen the search, and is ongoing. This is a confidential search, but I will provide updates once I am able to do so, and hopeful we will find amazing candidates.

VPUA Advisory Committee

We have had 6 meetings, and I have been able to receive lots of ideas and feedback regarding the building, as well as work that they would like to see pushed forward across the university. It’s been lovely to connect with such a range of students and to learn more about what they want from BUSU. We have 2 remaining meetings for this year, which are already scheduled.

New Student Centre

On March 4^th  further updates were provided to the Brock Board of Trustees Capital Infrastructure Committee. We have received exciting updates in our conversations with TD, and while we were not at a stage to ask for our full approval during the last Board of Trustees cycle, we are hopeful we will be bringing the item to a special meeting of the Board soon.

We were very excited to bring the this information to students on January 23^rd and 28^th during two open house sessions in Isaacs, at which members from the aTTR team were also present and helping answer questions. Since we have also had student reaching out and getting excited and asking more questions.  

Open Education Resources

I have had some wonderful conversations within the OER working group, with a few new projects working through the grant application process. They have also been working on putting together a data dashboard to share the return on investment for the grant, which I am very excited to share once it has been published. The executive team also received a presentation from a group studying the impact of the cost textbooks on Brock students, and they are putting together a report we will be able to share with you all. Finally, the Tech Enabled learning paper with a section on OERs was passed at OUSA’s spring General Assembly. Congratulations Mark and Isabella for your hard work!!

OUSA GA

I attended OUSA’s 61^st General Assembly, along side the rest of the BUSU delegation, at the University of Waterloo. While I attended mainly as a support person for our delegation, as Mark was authoring for this session, it was wonderful to explore the two papers, and my 8^th GA, I was incredibly happy with all the work done this weekend.

Opening of the Brock Masjid

On Friday, February 28^th, Brock officially opened its new Masjid, a Muslim prayer room located in the Thistle Complex across from Market Hall. It was wonderful to see all of the hard work put into this project come to life, and I am very excited for Brock’s Muslim community, to finally have a dedicated prayer space on campus.

Senate

Very excited to announced that after significant consultation, the updated Student Absence Self-Declaration form has been passed and released. It now makes more explicated inclusion of mental health, housing emergencies and GBSV. You can find the new policy here: Medical Self-Declaration Form - Short term: Up to 72 hours (under 3 days)

Transition         

It’s the bittersweet time of year when thoughts start to turn even more towards the future. Alongside the rest of the executive, we are busy planning for an effective transition of our incumbents and I wish all who applied good luck in the rest of the hiring process!