January 31st, 2019 – OPIRG Board Meeting Minutes

Date: 31 January 2018 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Method: In person

Location: Resource Centre (MUSC Room 229)

Board Attendees: Eliza, Parnika

Staff Attendees:

Community Attendees:

Regrets: Katerina, Farzana, Chenchen, Ajantha, Maya

Absent:

Minute Taker:

Quorum: Not met

Agenda

1. Land Acknowledgement

a. I would like to take this time to recognize that we are currently on the traditional

territory shared between the Haudenosaunee (ho – din – oh – show – knee)

confederacy and the Anishinabe (ah – nih – shih – nah – bai) nations, which was

acknowledged in the Dish with One Spoon wampum belt. That wampum uses the

symbolism of a dish to represent the territory, and one spoon to represent that the

people are to share the resources of the land and only take what they need.

2. Approve meeting minutes from January 24th

3. Appoint a CRO for 2019 OPIRG Elections (by Feb 1, 2019)

a. Baanu Manoharan

b. Will need training/orientation to this role – We recommend that this is tasked to

Faris (Policies & Procedures)

4. Review numerous Applications for Support:

a. Healing Together Yoga: we recommend supporting them (no financial assistance

required)

b. McMaster Pangaea 2019: we liked their presentation, fine with giving full $450

requested, but curious about past concerns regarding lack of Indigenous

involvement/representation (taken from the “Other Networks” budget line)

c. Engineers Without Borders: we recommend giving them $300

d. Inquiry Challenge: Board declines funding

e. MISCA: we are fine with supporting them with $250 requested

f. Threadwork: we recommend giving them the full $240 requested

g. Equity and Inclusion Office, Black History Month: we like the events being proposed,

the $1000 requested can be taken from the ‘Black History’ allocation in the budget.

h. McMaster Tamil Student Association: Board declines funding. Good initiative, but

not in line with how OPIRG likes to engage students in activism/advocacy.

5. Presentations by Pangaea and EWB

6. Review PIP interviews/applications

7. Reminder of Skills Training session for board and working group members on Thursday, Feb.

7th from 6 to 8 pm (during normal meeting time).

8. In-camera meeting