LIVE: Special Meeting USU Board 05/05/20

Ellie Stephenson reports

The Board meeting opens. All Directors are in attendance except for Benny Shen who has a compulsory tute.

Directors Eve Wang and Nick Forbutt and CEO Alexis Roitman are sporting flashy USU branded Zoom backgrounds. Fun.

Now for question time; both Pulp and Honi ask a number of questions.

We begin by asking whether there is anything students can know about these Special Meetings, given they are largely occurring in camera. President Connor Wherrett tells us that he can provide comment once discussions are concluded. He explains that the USU is guided by an in camera policy which sets out 4 criteria about what is to be discussed in camera: HR matters, sensitive financial information, legal matters and negotiations with the University.

We then ask how the USU Board elections are progressing and whether there has been an increase in membership in advance of the election. Wherrett cannot immediately answer but says figures will be forthcoming in the future.

We ask about the lack of government support for uni staff and the potential for drastic decreases in the range and quality of courses offered, and whether the Board has any intention of campaigning for greater support for the tertiary sector - especially casual staff. Wherrett answers that the USU signed an NUS statement and petition on this issue and intends to be “involved in this conversation”, although he doesn’t commit to any particular action.

Honi asks why information about staff pay and the USU’s financial situation is confidential. Connor Wherrett replies by saying that more information about the organisation’s finances will be available at the USU’s AGM. He explains that he is hesitant to respond with financial specifics due to the USU’s negotiations with partners. When asked about whether the USU would consider cutting the pay of USU CEO Alexis Roitman, Wherrett replies that information about Roitman’s salary is confidential and that any decisions to cut it will be announced if made.

At 5:21pm, the meeting moves in camera. And I’m in my breakout room once again.

It’s 6:15pm and we’ve rejoined. The Board is discussing the Regulations regarding making comment to the media. This is about comments made by Honorary Treasurer Maya Eswaran and Honorary Secretary Decheng Sun to Honi supporting a motion to be proposed at tomorrow’s SRC meeting which will call for the USU to reinstate staff who have been made redundant and to protect staff employment. Sun says that the student body has a “good understanding of who is representing the USU”, and that when individual directors make comments it’s clear they are not necessarily representing the Board as a whole. Eswaran has asked for this discussion to move out of camera and argues that individual board members should be able to have their own opinions or argue for certain positions. She notes that the USU Board is “distinct from other Boards” as it represents USU members.

Board Vice President Lachlan Finch asks why these opinions were not discussed with Board instead of “external” parties.

Eswaran responds that she has been forthcoming to Board on these issues, consistently arguing in support of measures to protect staff. Sun adds that the student body is not outside the USU and that he and Eswaran have not personally benefitted from their statements to Honi.

President Wherrett refers to Section F(i) of the Duty Statements of the Directors which says they must “accurately and without distortion represent Board policy”. The Immediate Past President, Liliana Tai, asks what Eswaran and Sun have “signed”. Eswaran responds that they haven’t signed anything, simply offered informal support to a motion proposed in tomorrow’s SRC meeting.

Senate Appointed Director Marie Leech argues that “you can represent Board policy not your own individual opinions” and the meeting finishes rather abruptly.

Pulp Editors