4 minute read
ON the Radar
from The Ontarion - 190.4
by The Ontarion
CSA WELCOMES NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS, WILL NOT BE ALTERING STUDENT HEALTH COVERAGE
After the 2021 Winter General Election, the Central Student Association (CSA) has gained a new board of executives and directors, and referendum results show some students leaning towards an updated university health plan.
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Following a total submission of 2,317 ballots, the CSA Elections Office ratified the results of the election on Feb. 24, introducing Nicole Walker as its new president with 945 votes in favour. Her opposition, Alex Charette, received 729 votes in favour while the remaining 626 submitted ballots declined a vote.
Other executive members elected for the upcoming semesters include Sara Kuwatly, who returns as VP student experience, Lisa Kazuhara as VP academic, and Shilik Hamad as VP external. Each candidate received an overwhelming vote in favour of them with over 1,500 submitted “yes” votes.
This semester’s election also included a referendum on the Universal Group Health Insurance Program.
The program, currently in place for students at U of G, contains no opt-out option, is priced at an annual $140 per policy year, and has “the potential to increase annually by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).” According to the CSA’s website, CPI for the 2020 to 2021 school year has been just over two per cent.
Despite proposing this alternative plan, the CSA supported the “no vote,” stating on their website that an opt-out option could cost students significantly more. This reasoning is based on the results of the opt-out option for the 20202021 dental plan in which 81 per cent of students decided not to opt out.
While the quorum for candidate elections was met, the quorum for the referendum was not. It required at least 20 per cent of the total undergraduate student population to participate but only received close to nine per cent.
As a result, the proposed health plan will not be taking effect, and the current health plan will remain in place.
On March 15, the U of G's COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened in the University Centre (UC) in partnership with the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Health Unit and the Guelph Family Health Team.
As the vaccine is not yet available to the general public, only those who are eligible at this time may book an appointment.
This includes adults aged 80 or over, Indigenous adults, long-term care and retirement home staff, essential caregivers
in long-term care or high risk retirement homes, adult recipients of chronic home care, and certain health care workers and emergency responders.
To book an appointment, the WDG Health Unit requires registration through its online portal. For assistance with appointment bookings, U of G suggests calling 1-844-780-0202 to speak with staff servicing the Public Health Vaccine Registration and Booking Help Line.
Directions to the clinic are available on the U of G website.
The UC is still open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Brass Taps remains available for takeout service. Commercial business inside the building will also remain in operation during the vaccination clinic, and visitors are encouraged to enter through the east doors.
On March 22, the University of Guelph announced that students can expect to return to campus for the fall 2021 semester.
Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Gwen Chapman emailed students updating them on plans for the fall semester, “based on what public health experts predict the situation will be in September.”
The school is anticipating having face-to-face delivery for most courses, in light of the positive developments with the vaccine rollout, and advice from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
For some classes, however, a hybrid approach is likely to be adopted.
“We anticipate some faculty will leverage remote technologies and teaching approaches that have proven effective during the past year to make greater use of blended and hybrid teaching,” Chapman said.
She also noted that the school is planning to have a range of activities and services available on campus during the fall, including “athletics, student wellness, experiential learning, career development and student housing.” There will even be an orientation week to welcome students back to campus.
In the email, Chapman noted that the school’s top priority is the health and wellness of those on campus, so while in-person classes will be back in action, students can expect to see “some health and safety measures” in place in the fall.
“Working together, we will help ensure that the University is ready to safely welcome people back to our campuses come September,” she said.
MOST UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH CLASSES TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON, ON CAMPUS LEARNING FOR THE FALL SEMESTER
SINCE 1951
ANNUAL GENERAL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE MEETING NOTICE
Thursday April 8, 2021 at 6:00 PM
If you are unsure if you are a member entitled to attend this meeting, or are a member but have not yet received an invitation, please email ajacklin@theontarion.com
AGENDA
1. Call to Order 1.1 Review how to use Google Meet to participate 1.2 Approval of the Agenda 1.3 Approval of Minutes from AGM 2019
2. Overview 2.1 Introduction of Board and Staff 2.2 "What is an AGM?" 2.3 Questions about AGM and how to participate
3. Items of Information 3.1 Update on AGM 2020 3.2 President's Report 3.3 Executive Director's Report 3.4 Editor-in-Chief's Report 3.5 Treasurer's Report 3.6 Year-end Financial Statements
4. Items for Action 4.1 Acceptance of Year-end Financial Statements 4.2 Board Elections (None)
5. Adjournment
