The Annual General Meeting is CASA's final conference of the academic year, and gives members the opportunity to evaluate the organization and formulate recommendations for next year's membership. Don't forget to RSVP at the bottom of this page to let us know you're coming!
Welcome
Your student leader journey...
As you commence your journey to Acadia University for CASA's Annual General Meeting, may you be reminded of your tenure as a student leader. As you jump in your plane, train, or automobile from across the country or across the province on March 12th, you will feel the anticipation and excitement of handing in your nomination form or application, just one year ago. Setting up your Out of Office email signifies the major choice you've made in life; campaigning meant putting your school work on hold (because we know the struggle of the student leader GPA drop), and AGM means putting trust in your team back home so you can focus on improving post-secondary education for everyone. "Mom, I cannot skype you and Clifford tonight, the students need me".
Election season can be compared to your travel to Wolfville. After the bumps in the road (potholes in NS sorry), flurries and changing winds (are flights ever on time in the winter, no), you will have landed (or driven past) Halifax Stanfield International Airport AND been elected, congratulations. The most important part of this journey is the view when you are approaching Exit 10 on the 101. The landscape of Grand Pre signifies the striking hope you had the day you were elected, and that hope is what gets you through the tough decisions you think about long after you've left the office every evening.
AGM and your year as a student leader will have many commonalities: debate, lack of sleep, all-you-can-eat lunches, decisions, motions, meetings (most common student leader phrase "I can't, I have a meeting"), business attire or pajamas no in between, new perspectives, bowling, learning, and defeating a motion to adjourn twice.
We've come a long way from CASA Foundations, and AGM is the perfect experience to use the knowledge we've acquired through our year as a student leader to make PSE better and more accessible for students to come.
When it's time to depart Wolfville, you'll remember what's most important when you turn over your keys to your successor. You won't remember the snide comment made about your character at Council or your record number of meetings in one day. But you will certainly remember the brilliant minds you got to connect with at these four conferences, and we are very excited to see how each of you will make this world a better place.
In Acadia Spirit,
Brianna and Sam
Tentative Schedule:
Monday, March 13
- 9:00 am to 9:30 am - Elder Welcome and Conference Introduction
- 9:30 am to 10:00 am - Opening Plenary
- 10:00 am to 10:15 am - Break
- 10:15 am to 11:00 am - Year-in-Review
- 11:00 am to 12:15 pm - Board of Directors Board Action Plan Update
- 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm - Lunch (Provided)
- 1:15 pm to 2:00 pm - Committee Updates
- 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm - White Papers and Policy Updates
- 3:15 pm to 3:30 pm - Break
- 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm - Build-a-Foundations (Participatory Activity)
- 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm - Bowling at Fairlanes Bowling Alley *This activity is optional and not covered by CASA. Discounted bowling rate of $5/person. Additional costs may include chipping in for the party room and any food that you want to order.
Tuesday, March 14
- 9:00 am to 10:30 am - New Operating Procedures
- 10:30 am to 10:45 am - Break
- 10:45 am to 12:00 pm - CASA Home Office Report
- 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - Lunch (Provided)
- 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - CASA External Partnership Opportunity *Alternative Session for Observers: Learn About CASA
- 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm - Break
- 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm - CASA and the Status of Copyright
- 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm - CASA General Forum
- Evening - Reception Dinner (Provided)
Wednesday, March 15
- 9:00 am to 10:30 am - Financial Update and Budget YE2018
- 10:30 am to 10:45 am - Break
- 10:45 am to 11:30 am - From Here Until Foundations 2017
- 11:30 am 12:30 pm - Plenary
- 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm - Lunch
- 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm - Plenary (continued) *Note that closing plenary could run into the evening, so please plan travel accordingly.
Accommodation:
CASA and the ASU have arranged for convenient and affordable accommodation for this year's AGM at Acadia University's Crowell Tower. That being said, attendees are welcome to book their own accommodation elsewhere if they prefer. Please find booking information for Crowell Tower as well as an alternative accommodation suggestion below:
Crowell Tower
(Official AGM 2017 accommodation)
- Check-in March 12 and check-out March 15 or 16
- Breakfast included
- Located on-campus, transportation to the conference is not required
- Free parking has been arranged for CASA delegates in Acadia University's parking lot "F" for the duration of the conference (see campus map below)
- Payment must be made in advance by credit card (Note: This credit card will be charged if you fail to return your room keys or damage the room.)
- Cost is approximately $36.09 per person per night + HST and credit card processing fee
- Registration deadline for this accommodation is February 28, 2017 *Crowell Tower will still be accepting reservations following this date, though a spot will no longer be guaranteed
- To book, contact the Acadia Box Office at 1-800-542-8425 (toll free) or [email protected] (Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm AST and Saturday & Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm AST)
Slumber Inn
- CASA has reserved a block of rooms which will be held and offered at a special rate until February 19th *Slumber Inn will still be accepting reservations following this date, though you will not be able to access the special rate or block of rooms
- Rooms are $89.00 per night + HST
- Free parking
- For more information, visit their website
- To book, call 1-800-914-5005 and reference "CASA Block" - DO NOT BOOK ONLINE or you will not qualify for the CASA rate
Old Orchard Inn
- Located approximately six minutes away from Acadia University by car, you will need to arrange transportation on the days of the conference
- Free wireless internet
- Free parking
- For more information, visit their website
Transportation from Airport to Wolfville:
There are a number of transportation options from Halifax Stanfield International Airport to Wolfville. You may choose to rent a car or you can book Woods Limousine who offers a small student discount and will be booking CASA delegates together for the best rates. If you book with Woods, make sure to give them the conference code "CASA2017" and they will do their best to group people together based on flight arrival times (the more people in the vehicle, the lower the cost). Here is a general breakdown of the costs you can expect from Woods:
- 1 person in a vehicle = $130
- 2 people in a vehicle = $65 each
- 3 people in a vehicle = $50 each
- 7 people in a vehicle = $35 each
- 10 people in a vehicle = $28 each
*Please note that these are approximate rates, and that you will need to check exact rates with Woods directly.
Meals:
Most meals during the conference will be provided at no additional cost, including the following: All lunches are provided, breakfast is included for those staying at Crowell Tower, and dinner is included on March 14. Be sure to budget appropriately for all other meals.
Cost:
Members (up to 2) - FREE
First-time observers (up to 2) - FREE
Observers - $300 (we will send you an invoice by email after the conference)
Acadia Campus Map:
