Hey BCIT. We’re proud to kick off another new regular web feature here at Link Magazine. We know that student government is important. More important than it gets credit for. Your Student Association council and executive put in a ton of hours every month to make this school a better place – and the decisions they make have real impacts on your day-to-day lives. As a result, we’re adding a beat reporter to SA council meetings, who will bring you the latest on what your government is doing. Tune in here for updates twice a month from the intrepid Estefania Duran. And keep us posted about what issues you want to know about from your council. We’re here to be your eyes, ears and your voice. -SL
By: Estefania Duran
BCIT’s Student Council met this Monday, September 22nd, to discuss the objectives and progress reports of its executives, as well as the creation of the sub-committees needed for the year.
At the meeting, a call for volunteers for the Budget, By-Law, Student Space Development and Health and Dental committees was made. All committees need at least two councillor volunteers and will be meeting regularly throughout the year.
President Dylan Smith will be leading the Health and Dental committee. The working group will be in charge of evaluating BCIT’s current health provider and the other options that may be available.
With a current contract worth over $1.5million dollars, the decision of whether or not to stay with Gallivan & Associates will affect all students.
Tyra Bermudez, External VP, agreed with Smith and urged students to realize the importance of this committee.
“It’s very important that we have your opinion on this, it is a lot of money that goes into health and dental… If we have a good system we can actually provide more services at the same fee, it can drastically change your everyday life,” she told council.
After the discussion on the matter was over, Anya Besharah, an Environmental Health student and councillor, asked executives if there was anything that could be done about the variety of online databases accessible to students.
Besharah feels she and other students at BCIT are at a disadvantage from not having access to many of the databases and journals universities across Canada have access to.
Business Chair, Joseph Prophet, will look into Besharah concerns and requested a list of the specific publications other universities have access to that BCIT doesn’t.
Prophet will focus on Besharah’s list for the Environmental Health department, but is open to helping other programs that may need more access to material from their field of study.
Council will meet again on Oct. 7th at 5:30p.m.
Before turning to journalism, Simon dabbled in many things.
He earned an honours degree in political science, and still treats elections as if they’re the playoffs.
He nearly started a brewery, and remains a committed beer geek with a well-stocked cellar of vintage brews.
He was a cycling activist, who co-founded East Van Bike Polo and once pedalled from Amsterdam to Istanbul.
He was (okay, still is) a big ol’ nerd who loves pulp film and science fiction.
Now, he writes about these things and others. And he’s committed to bringing you one fine magazine all year long.
