From my WORK BLOG... my first post in a few weeks - I apologize for not updating this sooner. With being sick for a week and a half, and getting back into the groove of catchup for school and KSA stuff last week, I admit, I have not been paying attention to my online work blog (or even my own personal blog at http://www.steveleenow.net/ ).
Thanks to everyone who voted for me in the governance election. I did win a seat on Education Council. I look forward to serving students in that capacity starting this September 2007.
Today I attended http://www.epicvancouver.com/, the sustainability expo. It was very informative and insightful. So much that people can learn about in terms of making our world a little greener and a little more friendly. I got a lot of contacts as I hope the KSA will organize (probably for the spring 2008), an envirnomntal fair of our own. Many of the booths that were at this fair expressed interest in coming to Kwantlen, even at our Welcome Weeks. As those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile now know, I really want to push the KSA in the direction of being much more environmentally friendly and responsible. As Rafe Mair says - "Make the environment an issue. It's yours to lose."
Last week I helped Surrey Campus Council organize a pancake breakfast in the Oasis Lounge. It went fairly well. We made pancakes from scratch - using all natural ingredients including soy milk and even Splenda sugar (for people who are diabetic). Some of the Surrey Campus Council people made fresh fruit toppings for the pancakes and we had some very nice syrup. We even went out and got gamon bacon, which has a lot more meat on it than traditional bacon from say Safeway or Costco. The only thing that we should have had was donation tins to help raise funds for bursaries. I'd like to see us have them out at each of the offices, and at any information tables or food events that we do. The donation is not mandatory - only those who can aford to give can do so at their discretion. If someone does not have money, then they won't be denied food or participation in what we do. When I was Richmond Campus Director, we had them out at all our events, and for each BBQ we did, we easily pulled in about $300 or more. On another note, we took pictures of the breakfast, which I will post online shortly.
We also cleaned out the cupboards in the Social Justice Centre where the food supplies for Surrey Campus Council and staff are. A lot of old things (mixing bowls, even our grills) were in such bad shape that we decided to start from scratch. What we can donate to say the Salvation Army, we will, but most of it is not worth keeping anymore. And with some of it, it's just because the KSA has owned some of it for so long that it's just at the end of it's useful life. But with some things, like the grills, it was due to negligence of the previous administration. They were not cleaned properly; metal was used on them so they are scratched up. Some were missing parts - all were missing proper drip trays and even the cords used to power them! So it's out with the old and in with the new.
I'm also working on a number of other things, including work on a marketing plan for the association (related to my course work). I also started researching BBQs, because the BBQs the KSA have on hand are in worse shape than the electric grills we got rid of. I took pictures of the BBQs and will post them shortly. I hope we can get nice BBQs that will last - also ones that have a larger cooking surface so we can handle more at once.
I may not have mentioned it before, but I heard back from financial awards and matching may be available through the government for the daycare bursary we are re-establishing. I hope to meet with them shortly to get this finalized.
Work on the forensic and regular audit continues.
Finally, I have started work on a sex education fair I want to hold this fall. I presented it to the events committee and they liked the idea and essentially said if I want to do it, I need to take the lead on it. Which I don't mind doing, as it is something I wanted to do in 2005. I'll post more information on this fair shortly.
That's about it for now...
- Steve