Hey members,
We've reached 220 signatures, the first step in building member power to freeze the rent and transform the BSC to center our needs!!
Some key upcoming meetings of the board and its commitees:
BSC Capital and Finance Committee (CF Com) #6
Tonight (3/10) 6-9PM || Agenda Doc | Zoom link
Meets tonight (3/10) 6-9PM to discuss how some of our money will get spent. Will we pay more to fill accounts for an emergency reserve and future expansion? Or will we skip this to keep rent low during the pandemic? Later: as a co-op founded by settlers on stolen land and still mostly occupied by settlers, should the BSC pay the Shuumi land tax to an indigenous women-led land trust?
This is a crucial meeting to demand solutions be found to freeze our rent. We need to be clear: a proposal to board that includes a rent increase is not acceptable.
CF Com Special Budget Meeting (possible)
Next Wednesday (3/17) 6-9PM
CF Com is considering holding an additional meeting next week to address our concerns.
Future Board of Directors Meeting
Probably next Thursday (3/18), if not, then April 8
Ultimately, CF Com is just writing a budget proposal. It's the full board of directors that has the power to approve or deny it at one of their meetings. If the proposal includes a rent increase, it is critical that we come out to this meeting to stop that proposal and demand change.
How tf does governance work in the BSC? A quick run-down:
The BSC is governed by a student board of directors, who are elected by your house our apartment council.
The board works in groups, or committees, of about six people that meet weekly. The Capital and Finance Committee ("C F Com") is one of them. Committee members work on the budget with BSC senior management and staff, and come up with a budget proposal to send to board. Last year, senior managers encouraged board to approve a budget that was not adjusted for COVID despite knowing the potential impacts of the pandemic. This year, we need to be realistic about the challenges the organization -- that is, the MEMBERS -- face to come up with REAL SOLUTIONS to put PEOPLE OVER PROFIT!
In solidarity,
The organizers