I just wanted to clarify some points left unclear in the article “Council goes SSMUthly.”
The article reports that Councillor Joshua Abaki asked me, the VP External, about the 40 per cent portion of the TaCEQ’s expenses. It then says that “the number was a rough estimation that had been hashed out in consultation with other TaCEQ members….” This is a really important point that I don’t believe was explained clearly enough, either by myself at Council or by the reporter.
For the record, the TaCEQ members decided in July on an interim cost-sharing formula. This was used to cover the expenses that were external to those that could be absorbed by the capital and human resources of member associations, in the form of in-kind contributions. The major costs incurred over the course of the summer were due to acquiring letters patent and issuing of press releases. The total cost for SSMU amounted to $345.
Three important points to consider:
1) Expenditures where this cost-sharing formula is invoked will continue to be low.
2) The decision to temporarily establish a cost-sharing formula where SSMU covered 40 per cent of costs took into account a rough estimate of the capacities of the member associations to contribute financially.
3) This is an interim cost-sharing formula that will be reassessed this fall.
If anything is left confusing, please don’t hesitate to contact me at external@ssmu.mcgill.ca.
Sebastian Ronderos-Morgan
Vice President External Affairs (SSMU)