LIVE: USU Board meeting 24/04/20

Ellie Stephenson attends the Board’s third meeting for the year.

1:02pm - We’re on Zoom! Efforts are being made to call Oscar Bai into the meeting. It seems to be working - attending this meeting is important for Bai whose poor attendance in the past means if he had not attended he would be removed from Board.

Candidate for this year’s USU Board Election, Ruby Lotz (NLS), is in attendance, with Board Secretary Dane Luo saying that Nick Rigby (Moderate Liberal) will also attend.

1:06pm - The meeting starts. All directors are present, except for Cady Brown, who’s arriving late, along with Alexis Roitman, the CEO.

After the last meeting’s minutes are approved, we move to an amendment to the Constitution. The amendment is moving to temporarily delay financial reporting for the USU’s audit due to the problems of COVID-19. Maya Eswaran asks why the constitution could be changed in this instance but not in the case of the online elections. The answer is largely about timing; the changes to the election could not have been made before the planned election dates. The recommendations carry.

Now we have a motion about censuring Oscar Bai on the basis of his low attendance. It is recommended that his remuneration be paused and a formal apology be required. Board Treasurer Maya Eswaran argues that his attendance has not been sufficient, especially since he was already given formal notice last year about the issue from the Executive. She says that his behaviour has not improved this year. She explains that it is a “last resort” because an internal resolution wasn’t possible. The motion would seek an improvement in behaviour before taking further consequences.

Bai, who still has a year to serve on Board, replies that he would like to apologise for not meeting his duties as a Board Director. He says he is “willing to accept the warning” and “make adequate contributions” in the coming months. He says that this is a “challenging” time for the USU, but adds that he has had a lot of personal issues as a result of COVID-19. He didn’t mention these circumstances to the Board because he “believed that [he] could sort it [himself]”.

The first recommendation (to censure Bai) is being voted upon; it will require eight votes to pass. All 12 present Directors, including Oscar himself, vote yes.

Since that recommendation carried, the second recommendation (about Bai’s pay and the formal apology) is voted upon next. Everyone votes yes except for Bai, who abstains. This recommendation also carries.

Board President Connor Wherrett thanks everyone for their consideration of the motion and hopes that Bai’s attendance will improve in the future.

1:27pm - We now move in camera, so reporting will pause for now.

2:17pm - 50 minutes later and we return for matters of discussion.

CEO Alexis Roitman in her report says that March has been a terrible month for the USU and regrets the fact that staff have had to be stood down.

The Finance report is noted without comment from the Directors. The Operations report is minimal because of the lack of operations at the moment. It is also carried.

The Sales, Marketing and Sponsorship report is next. President Wherrett comments on the “welfare-focused” content on the USU social media. Oscar Bai argues that “we must prepare for the worst” because we don’t know the extent of COVID-19, suggesting that the USU should find new strategies for engaging with their members. Benny Shen asks if individual cases of USU ACCESS Memberships could be compassionately refunded even though the census date has passed.

We move to the Student Programs report, written by Jodi Tweed who has recently resigned to take up another position elsewhere. Roitman compliments the Student Programs department for moving the USU’s activities, including the Debates program, online. Shen enquires whether the Verge gallery could invest in virtual exhibitions to allow students to interact with it - Roitman replies that the USU needs to work out the extent of COVID-19’s impacts first.

The Innovations report is up next. Wherrett and Irene Ma compliment Ashlea Wallington, the Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, who is also leaving the USU for her work on the Incubate program. Oscar Bai asks if there is any way to ensure Incubate and Clubs receive external sponsorship so that they receive financial support. Wherrett replies that there needs to be a balance between providing financial support and involving potentially dubious companies (giving the example of Uber) in the programs.

The Facilities report passes without much comment, although Roitman discusses how the USU’s cleaning supplier has scaled down the cost of cleaning operations. Wherrett adds that the USU should pursue contracts with “scalability”.

The People and Culture Report is next. Roitman suggests that the recruitment of a new People and Culture Director should be paused without “further indication of whether there will be students on campus next semester” and the USU’s financial position. She says, “I think that recruitment should be halted”; Senate Appointed Director Marie Leech echoes this view. Vice-President Lachlan Finch believes that it is prudent not to go ahead, but that the USU should think about putting into place a hiring process to prepare for when things return to normal.

Now for the Welcome Week Coordinators’ Report, helpfully prepared by now-Secretary Dane Luo. Luo thanks the Board for engaging with Welcome Week, calling the event “really successful”. He speaks especially highly of the evening events, which were “packed”. Maya Eswaran says that it was really good that the Welcome Week featured all clubs and societies which requested a stall.

Connor Wherret now speaks about the Executive Report. He says it’s important that the USU supports their staff during this “very difficult time”. He extends his good luck and good will for the USU Board Candidates. Eswaran says that the USU’s strategy has been “to employ as many staff as possible for as many hours as possible” while maintaining the organisations cash flow. Honorary Secretary Decheng Sun says that he hopes the next Board Executive will cater to clubs.

The meeting closes at 2:47pm, with another meeting called for next Friday.