Students demand clarity at the URSU AGM
University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU) held its 2024-2025 annual general meeting on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
URSU’s constitution states that it is mandatory for the students’ union to call a general meeting once within fifteen months of the previous AGM in accordance with the Canadian Not-for-profit Corporations Act. The students’ union held its last AGM on Feb. 1, 2024.
The meeting was announced on URSU’s Instagram page and its official website on Jan. 16, 2025. Students were informed that the annual general meeting would take place in the multipurpose room at Dr. Williams Riddell Centre, and they could submit proposals to discuss issues or propose resolutions by Jan. 22, to be included in the agenda.
“All members of URSU are entitled to attend, speak and vote on motions or resolutions. Members will also receive operational and organizational updates from URSU Executives for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. Advance registration is required,” read the post on URSU’s website.
It was mandatory for students to register prior to attending the meeting. Attendees could choose the option of attending in person or remotely during registration. The students received the final agenda for the AGM by email sent out by URSU on Feb. 3.
The AGM was called to order at 3:12 p.m. after the quorum of a hundred members was met. Tayef Ahmed, executive directorof RPIRG, was approved as the chairperson for the AGM without opposition.
The members were informed by the chair that the approved agenda would not undergo any amendments during the meeting and that only the subjects on the agenda would be discussed. The AGM agenda was approved as the next order of business with no opposition.
President of the students’ union Mahad Ahmad proceeded to present URSU’s annual report. The report highlighted the union’s achieved landmarks over the year. “Through successes and challenges alike, the University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU) remains guided by a simple principle—be positive, clear and student focused. Our commitment to transparency, advocacy and student engagement ensures there is always a meaningful story to tell,” said Ahmad.
Ahmad said URSU assisted students with emergency bursaries, URSU pantry, student advocacy and health and dental assistance amongst other services, and had increased student engagement with events and activities organised by its team. Zuhruf Zarooq, vice president of student affairs, elaborated on the points made by Ahmad.
Jwalant Patel, vice president of operations and finance, discussed URSU’s finances. Speaking of better management of funds at URSU, Patel said, “We are expected to have around $500,000 in profit by the end of this year.” He also said that in contrast with previous years URSU has decreased its payroll expenses and hired less employees while offering better services. However he did not talk about any specific new service being offered.
Finally, Ahmad highlighted that URSU is attempting to offer improved health and dental services as its vision for the future. “I can’t quote you the exact number for that, but we will soon let you know,” said Ahmad.
The AGM report received several questions and inquiries from the attending students.
“There were some large reductions in payroll to focus on services, but the total expenses have gone down practically in half. So, I am a little confused as to where a lot of expenses are being cut and I am curious as to what has been happening to reduce those numbers,” asked a student in attendance.
Patel responded by saying that the numbers have gone down because URSU reduced staff numbers and services and that they also cut the funding for Regina Student Legal Advocacy Centre (SLAC) because it was “apparently not very useful.” The response contrasted with Patel’s previous statement that the payroll had been reduced to offer more services . Patel also did not elaborate how it was determined that SLAC was “not very useful.”
“I feel like the annual report does not fully reflect the financial situation that URSU is in as found in the audit and I am wondering what the actual actions are,” said Hannah Clawson, a student present on behalf of the Kinesiology Society. “I feel like there’s a lot of different things that you are proposing to do, but [the report] does not mention how difficult that will be to do given the financial situation that URSU is in right now. So I am curious about what your plans are to move forward with this $1.2 million debt?”
“If you see this year’s audit that we will be publishing around May or June,” said Patel in response, “at that time we can find the actual figures. These are all the predictions, but it could go beyond that too.”
Kimberly Kaufman, another student in attendance, inquired about the application process for the previously mentioned emergency. “I found the policy on your website, but I could not find a link or if it’s through a student awards system,” said Kaufman.
Zarooq responded by saying that for now students must apply via email but they will soon make direct links for applications available on the website.
Questions regarding Q-pay were also raised but were not discussed because it was neither mentioned during the annual report nor was it on the agenda for the AGM.
Concerns around URSU’s financial situation, the numbers in its own report and fund allocations to clubs and societies were raised by students who were in attendance either independently or on behalf of clubs and societies. URSU’s responses remained broad..
The AGM concluded shortly after 5 p.m. and students left largely unsatisfied by the answers they received to their questions and concerns. URSU’s next general elections, where students elect representatives for the students’ union, will take place in late March. Nominations for the general elections began on Monday, Feb. 17 and end on Monday, March 3, at 4 p.m.
