The Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) is planning temporary campaign reform and new public awareness campaigns, councillors said at the association’s council meeting on Nov. 29.
Temporary changes to the association’s campaign policy would allow students to run independently, instead of as part of a slate.
Under the reform plan, independent candidates would receive a third of the funding that slates normally receive to run campaigns, according to Davin Caratao, chair of the constitutional review committee.
“This was really meant to just be a temporary remedy, because of the difficulties of COVID-19 and online campaigning,” Caratao said.
He added that the changes may be included in RRRA’s online election policy, depending on the advice of the chief electoral officer. The reforms could be adopted permanently or rejected by next year’s executives.
Previously, all candidates for RRRA executive have been required to run as part of a slate.
The writ of election is expected to drop in February, according to RRRA president Jaden Slawter.
Plans to re-open campus
Carleton’s campus tunnels, closed because of COVID-19 precautions, may open for the winter, according to Slawter, who met with director of housing and residence life services Laura Storey last week.
The university is trying to work through concerns about ventilation in the tunnels with Ottawa Public Health, Slawter said.
One possible opening plan includes having monitors in the tunnels to ensure people are not loitering, Slawter added. The university will re-evaluate opening plans in January.
According to Slawter, Storey also said during their meeting last week that The Caf, open for takeout only since October, could open for dining in the second semester.
Committees plan awareness campaigns
After RRRA’s “Mask Up or Pack Up” public awareness campaign earlier this month, multiple RRRA committees are planning additional campaigns.
RRRA’s COVID-19 committee—which ran the “Mask Up or Pack Up” campaign and said it received positive feedback from Ottawa Public Health—is now focusing on social media posts on provincial quarantine rules as students head home for the holidays.
The residence issues committee is working on a mental health campaign, “Rise Up Residence,” and plans to run future campaigns on Pride Month and Black History Month.
The political action and sustainability committee is also planning a waste awareness campaign to educate residence students on proper waste management.
Financial review committee chair Morgan Martel said RRRA is in the process of changing accountants and is looking to create an emergency COVID-19 budget once that process is complete.
