NUGSS goes into more detail

CFUR News reported yesterday after the NUGSS annual general meeting that the organization was coming on hard times. We sat down with Eric Depenau who is the Vice President of Finance for NUGSS.  

Listen to the Full Interview here:

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At present NUGSS is facing a $99,000 dollar deficit and $49,000 short term debt load for a loan taken out in 2010 to deal with operational revenue short falls. The final aspect to the NUGSS debt loan is on $1.8 million for a loan used to renovate the NUSC space when NUGSS originally started leasing the space from UNBC.

The loan which was originally for $100,000 and was from Bank of Montreal was taken out in 2010.

Subleasing the Thirsty Moose space, Degrees coffee shop as well as the office spaces on the top floor of the NUSC are one of a couple options NUGSS is looking at to balance the budget. Other options are raising the prices of food, or even the possible closure of the Thirsty Moose Pub and Degrees. Right now NUGSS is in talks with some outside groups to take over these business however nothing is definitive and they may not even go down that road, Depenau stressed.

Depenau stressed the idea that the past boards of NUGSS did the best job they could with the information they had. He also felt strongly that these austerity should put NUGSS in a better position as long as they also stick to long term planning. It is unclear after this interview if insitutional measures around accountability will be put in place after this trouble but on thing is sure NUGSS is keeping an open mind.

For more information: http://www.cfur.ca/nugss-hits-rough-waters/

*Updated as new information is learned*

NUGSS Hits Rough Waters

The Northern Undergraduate Student Society got some stark news from their auditor KPMG that shows the organization has taken losses year over year. The historical mismanagement of funds has led to a $100,000 debt to BC Transit for the Upass. NUGSS hopes to repay this back by the end of BC Transits fiscal year however that will require strict austerity measures.

VP Finance:

According to KPMG “Negative cash flows from operations in the current year and has a working capital and general fund deficiency … these conditions, along with other matters indicate the existence of material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about UNBC Northern Undergraduate Student Societies ability to continue as an ongoing concern”.

One of the first measures NUGSS is taking is to work with the university to ensure that student fee's go up to match CPI indexing. This was approved by the student population in 2012 but was never acted on, and therefore "tens of thousands" of dollars has been lost according to NUGSS.

The student health and dental reserve fund has not be properly built up over the years. The funds that were supposed to be going into this reserve were being allocated to general revenue instead. That has been changed and for the future funds will now consistently go to this fund in order to ensure that there is a backup in place.

The Student and Conference building is another area of concern. According to NUGSS $373,341 in "Building Fees" that ensure the upkeep of the Student Centre building, have also been going to operating costs instead. NUGSS plans to pull back on the spending of "building fees" for general operation over the years in order to build up a backup fund for the buildings repairs and maintenance needs.

In order to meet these mounting problems the Moose and Degrees are being looked at. Both NUGSS businesses lose money and it has been stated that that must to change. The board has asked management to look into possible solutions for both organizations. Reductions in hours, raising costs of products, leasing out of space to other organizations, or possibly even the closure of the business all together are on the table.

Other changes NUGSS will be looking at:

• The board of NUGSS is looking to cut the current boards pay by 7.27%
• General Manager volunteered to cut pay by 20%
• Decrease MAC funding by 20% until current obligations are met
• Get more tenants along the top floor of NUSC
• Current tenants, Example CFUR, Over the Edge, Pride Centre, PGPIRG, will begin to be charged
• Will not be shouldering the financial burden of Northern Students Give Back next year
• GM to reduce risk and cost of the Backyard BBQ next year
• No plans for direct oversight of NUGGS is on the table

These changes are by far extensive and far reaching however according to NUGSS necessary to ensure the past years of financial mismanagement are remedied.

*Update 10/27/2016* When asked about whether the financial mismanagement in the past would prompt more oversight of NUGSS. General Manager Duncan Malkinson replied that it is the purpose of the annual general meeting to hold NUGSS accountable.

Grant Bachand - News Director, @grantbachand

Due North Interview with Dr. Oscar Venter

Due North had Dr. Oscar Venter in the studio to discuss his research on the human impact on the environment. Dr.Venter highlights how the economic rate is growing but yet the environment impact is not keeping pace with it, could this mean we are getting more efficient? Dr. Venter explains what it all means. To see his map on human impact on the environment here is a link.

http://wcshumanfootprint.org/

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UNBC Approves Budget for 2016/2017

The UNBC Bored of Governors approved the budget for 2016/2017. The votes was 8 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions. The opposition to the budget came from a lack of clarity around the auxiliary part of the budget also some board members felt cuts should of been considered by UNBC administration.  UNBC adjusted or dipped into some of their various funds in order to do a one time allocation which did balanced the budget. The budget prior to doing these allocations was in deficit due to falling enrolment numbers. One of the adjustments was the scholarship fund and canceling the  contribution to the fund for 2016/2017. Not contributing to the fund would not affect students who have already be promised scholarships from UNBC. President Daniel Weeks reassured the Board of Governors that the scholarship fund is healthy and can sustain this lack on contribution.

In order to create the budget the UNBC administration conducted many town hall meetings and open consultation sessions with Senate, faculty, students and staff. According one of members of the Board of Governors this budget is one of the most detailed budgets that they have seen in a long time. The pledge for transparency that President Weeks made has led to a more detailed budget that included not just the operational part of the budget but also the reserve funds that are not important to the approval of the budget. The detail of the budget at times lead to confusion on the part of some of the members.

The one time cuts that were done this year will lead to a balanced budget but are not something that can be done again. The scholarship contribution will have to be made next year according to UNBC President Daniel Weeks. He is also optimistic and feels that with the aggressive recruiting strategies that the university is currently implementing that they will be able in increase enrolment numbers for the future.

UNBC is also in the process of creating an academic plan that will feed into the creation of future fiscal budgets.  In order to create that plan UNBC is currently forming committees. These committees will look at ways that UNBC can move forward in the future these committees will be made up of students, faculty, staff and administrators.

By Grant Bachand (twitter) @grantbachand

POLS 320 Students Present to City Council

Photo by Jason Morris @JPols

Students from UNBC POLS 320 class presented the results of their class project at Monday's city council meeting. POLS 320 is a political science class at UNBC which focuses on teaching students how to conduct university level research in an applied fashion.  Over the years the class has done various projects, this year they focused on voter apathy amongst youth 18-35. They concluded that youth are voting and are "politically engaged."

The results  showed that over 80% of respondents participated in the most recent federal election. It also showed that most youth are not in favour of lowering the voting age but looking to more digital ways of voting for the future. This spurred city councillors to talk about the possible return of the debate of electronic voting

However the results do show a bit of a bias according to the students that presented stating that most of the surveys came from UNBC and not enough came from the community.  Garth Frizzell was impressed by the students and happy to see students are engaged in the political process, he asked if their was ways to improve those numbers even more. One of the students stated that more engagement with young people will continue to encourage those numbers to improve.

By Grant Bachand @grantbachand

Patrick Lane and Dr. Leroy Little Bear to receive honorary degrees

The University of Northern British Columbia is issuing honorary degrees to Patrick Lane and Dr Leroy Little Bear. Patrick Lane is a well-known writer who has received the Governors General Award for Poetry, the B.C Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence, the B.C National Award for Canadian Non-Fictionm the 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Award, Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa from UBC-Okanagan, and the Order of Canada. He is a strong supporter of BC emerging writers.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear is a lawyer who was born and raised on the Blood Indian Reserve in Southern Alberta. The unfair education he received has motivated him to help improve education for aboriginal youth. He has served on various committees, commissions, tasks forces to do with Criminal justice and its relation to First Nations. The Supreme Court of Canada has even cited Little Bear's "A Concept of Native Title".

The two will be receiving their honorary degrees at UNBC convocation on May 27.