Implications and Recommendations
The Student Union of UNB has worked hard, and has matured to the point where both its structure and financial accountability are stable. Part of this is putting in place initiatives to ensure a repeat of the mid-eighties is prevented. President Downey acknowledged this fact by complimenting the new SUB Board and the Student Union on the progress that had been made on their behalf since 1982-83 in the May 24, 1989 Board of Governors meeting. He went on to comment that there are now good relations between the SUB Board, and the Student Union and the university. This comment was greeted with applause of agreement from the members of the Board of Governors.
Since the SUB takeover of 1985, the UNB Student Union has expressed its desire to reverse the responsibility of the management of the SUB back to the students. According to a survey concerning student center management, out of the ten student associations surveyed, only two had to pay rent to its university for revenue generating space (pub, clothing store). They were Mount Alison University, and UNB.
The Student Union believes that in maintaining the partnership between the administration and the Student Union that is based on mutual respect and cooperation, the SUB can operate with a smaller deficit. As stated in the University of New Brunswick Student Union Building Management Proposal of 1998, it has been done in the past and can be done again.
The UNB Student Union Mission Statement reads as follows: To assist students in achieving their personal, academic, and future financial goals is our primary objective. The elected representatives of the students of UNB will provide a forum to create positive change while working in cooperation with administration, faculty, and the student body in a manner which reflects the best interests of it's student constituency.
UNB is one of the few Student Unions in Canada that does not manage their own building. Students paid for a large part of the main structure and students helped to finance the expansion with some help from the community. The university must run in a partnership between students, faculty, and the administration. As such, the Student Union feels that in keeping with the Mission Statement of the UNB Student Union, it is in the best interests of the student body to allow the students, with the help of a director, be responsible for managing their own building.
Also outlined in the University of New Brunswick Student Union Building Management Proposal, is the fact that the students of the 1960's paid to build a facility for, and run by, students. Reversing the management responsibilities of the Student Union Building back to the students becomes of even higher importance with the 1999-2000 expansion, as well with consideration of any impending expansions. For the greater part, the students have funded the current SUB, and as such, should be granted participation in the larger part of the management.
As a whole, student organizations tend to have their fingers on the pulse of students' needs. As such, allowing these student associations the opportunity to act on the behalf of the students helps to ensure that the appropriate needs are being met.
The Student Union is not suggesting total control over the SUB. A management Board would be established to represent the interests of those with a vested interest in the facility (UNB, STU, and tenants). The UNB Student Union would be accountable to this Board, as well as to a general administrator/director. The Student Union would act in cooperation with this management board and would be responsible for the assessment and planning of future initiatives for the SUB. In turn, this would help to absorb some of the responsibilities currently held by the overworked director of the SUB, allowing him to be more flexible in his current position.
It should be made clear that the UNB Student Union recognizes the seriousness of the events of the mid-1980's. We also recognize why this happened, and have worked as an entity to ensure that the environment that allowed these events to transpire will not be re-created. The Student Union is also not trying to downplay the severity of the actions taken by either the members of the Student Union or the administration. Rather, we are pointing out that it is time to adjust the current management arrangement of the SUB to meet the original goal of 1962-63 for a facility built for, and run by, students.
