STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY Monday, September
A G ENDA - SRA 02F EM ERG ENCY M EETIN G
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY Monday, September 23rd, 2002 at 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall, Room 111
PROCEDURE
Call to Order, Call of the Roll, Adoption of the Agenda, Business, Other Business, Time of Next Meeting, Adjournment, Call of the Roll.
BUSINESS 1.
2 0 0 2 -2 0 0 3 M S U
Vision Document (previously distributed via email)
Mackintosh.
Students Representative Assembly 2002-2003 - 02F EMERGENCY MEETING Monday, September 23, 2002 Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall, Room III
CALL TO ORDER CALL OF THE ROLL Present
Absent Late Others Present Speaker
Allinson, Alvarez-Delugo, Aulukh, Best, BoneyJ)awe, Hargot, Kushnir, Lapointe, Lui, Mackintosh, Matthew, Nault, Richmond, Safka, Selluski, Seville, Somers, Spence, Thon, Williams, Younes, Yow
Sam Minniti
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Moved by Thon, seconded by Lui to adopt the agenda. BUSINESS 1. Vision Document 2002-2003 Moved by Mackintosh, seconded by Spence that the SRA approve the 2002-2003 MSU Vision Document. Discussion •
•
Mackintosh - Eight members of Executive Board discussed the Vision Document at a retreat, and they had discussions on priorities. Three major areas were identified Quality, Community, and Internal Evaluation. Within these three areas are a variety of smaller areas. Quality also refers to provincial and federal advocacy, as well as the proposed Symposium on University Education. With regards to Community, they stated that the MSU can do a great deal to improve the quality of life for students during their three to four years of school. They looked at MAST as a model to create a new service of the MSU for support for students. The MSU received funding from Student Affairs, and is accountable directly to the MSU. Another priority includes formalizing relationships with the IRC. Has been a priority in the past, however, it has not been an official position with the MSU. The focus will be on opportunities and not problems. Selluski - It is a bold move, but also true. How are we going to solve this problem of ineffectiveness, irrelevance, and misrepresentation o f students?
SRA 02F, Page 3 Sept. 23/02 coordinate their own activities, and not meetings of their committee. Events would surround the group’s activities, and not meetings. They could streamline the existing structure to be more effective. The Gender Equity Committee runs events, instead of tackling issues. The is also the changing of the name of the SRA, financial challenges, job creation, the student reward card outlined, etc. Last paragraph will focus on long term planning. We want to review our planning procedures, i.e. year plans are to be written before the Vision Document and executive planning. We also want to look at long-term financial planning focusing on how to ensure our financial position when looking at the MSU’s challenges, such as occupancy costs. • Somers - Is this something that will be required to be rewritten every year? • Mackintosh - There is no Bylaw stating that, but it would be more of an understood convention for the MSU President to write. • Richmond - Regarding community development, why should we include the fact that students give back to McMaster? • Mackintosh - The purpose is to use donation rates as a measure of attachment, which suggests that recent grads aren’t giving as much. This indicates that students feel less and less connected with their university. At end of the paragraph, it states that there should be an investment in Student Services because they are a source o f revenue through donations. But in no way are we advocating university donations. • Richmond - Can we include more encouragement on hiring students for full-time manager positions, such as at Quarters? • Mackintosh - That can be included. Mackintosh continued to outline the creation of student manager positions in the past few years.
Straw Vote - In Favour 20, Opposed 0 • •
Somers ~ Will this be published? Mackintosh - Yes, it will be published as an attachment within the Silhouette.
V ote on M otion
In Favour 21, Opposed 1 Motion Carried ADJOURNMENT Moved by Dawe, seconded by Yow to adjourn. CA L L O F TH E RO LL
Present
Absent Left Early Others Present Speaker
Allinson, Alvarez-Delugo, Aulukh, Best, Boney,Dawe, Hargot, Kushnir, Lapointe, Lui, Mackintosh, Matthew, Nault, Richmond, Safka, Selluski, Seville, Somers, Spence, Thon, Williams, Younes, Yow
Sam Minniti
Vision Document - Draft two T h e Students Union
Students at McMaster University are fortunate to attend an institution that has strong, well-developed student organizations, and an institution that recognizes the vital role that these student organizations fulfil. Opportunities abound for all members o f the campus community, through programming, partnerships, and development involving student organizations. The McMaster Students Union (MSU), founded in 1946, its precursor organizations dating back to 1890, is the voice and service provider of the full-time undergraduate students here at McMaster University, The Students Union exists to provide relevant and valuable services that meet the interests of the student membership. As stated in its constitution, the MSU’s purpose is to draw into a true society all students at McMaster University. In striving to meet this objective, the MSU performs two basic functions. One is to provide political representation for all full-time undergrads to all relevant decision making levels, including the University administration, the Hamilton municipal government, the Ontario provincial government, and the Canadian federal government. Secondly, the MSU provides a wide variety o f services and operations that are relevant to student life. Through the President as spokesperson, the MSU represents student concerns to the political bodies mentioned above. Also, through the Educational Affairs committee, the MSU relates the membership’s opinions to our provincial and federal representatives, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (www.ousa.on.ca), and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (www.casa.ca). The MSU also has many standing committees that are constantly working on topics of concern to students. Issues such as the cost and quality o f our education, the quality of student life on and off-campus, University policies that affect your life, these are the issues for which MSU exists to address. The services that the MSU provides for the campus community have undergone significant growth, adaptation, and improvement over the last several years. These services provide our membership with valuable volunteer and employment opportunities that often lead to remarkable personal growth. With the completion of the new McMaster University Student Centre, all of the MSU’s services and operations are now located under one roof. The Emergency First Response Team (EFRT), the Student Walk Home Attendant Team (SWHAT), the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) centre, the Student Health Education Centre (SHEC), and the Maroons are all examples of the services the MSU provides. Introduction In the summer of 1996 the MSU Executive presented a list of five goals to the MSU Student Representative Assembly (SRA, the 35 member governing council o f the MSU). This was the first time the MSU had officially developed an organizational directive for the upcoming year. The goals articulated in this directive became the main focus for the MSU’s activities in the 1996/1997 academic year, and thereby set a standard of planning for future MSU leadership.
With the belief and understanding that planning had never before been such an important aspect of our activities - given the growth opportunities and financial challenges that the Student Centre presents - this past summer, the MSU’s nine member Executive Board developed goals and objectives for presentation to the SRA. After many hours of discussion, the MSU Executive Board was able to focus the organization’s priorities for this academic session into three main areas: Quality of Education, Community Development, and Internal Operational Evaluation. This document outlines the above priorities in further detail, promising concrete deliverables, but the list is by no means exhaustive. Our standing committees and services continue to work on a broad range o f issues outside those listed. These areas have been noted o f particular strategic importance to safeguarding and improving the quality of student life. Quality of Education This year marks the last year before the double cohort, yet our institution has already experienced unmanageable enrolment increases. With decades-old eateries and tennis courts being converted (temporarily?) into academic lecture space, it is clear that it has never been more important to evaluate the quality of education undergraduate students receive at McMaster. The MSU believes strongly in solution-based, policy driven representation, so the goal of evaluation therefore must be to assist the University in maintaining and improving the educational quality across all disciplines. The challenge of measuring quality always stands in the way of any party that wishes to address the issue. What constitutes a quality education? What makes your instructor an effective teacher? It is nearly impossible to develop quantitative data measuring the quality of our education. There are many tools intended to measure quality in common use, such as student evaluations, employment rates after graduation, class sizes, and ratios of students to instructors with PhDs. But for every tool of measurement there exists an argument aimed at detracting from the effectiveness of the tool. For example, some argue that student evaluations are ineffective because questions on the evaluation are often unfair or irrelevant to the instructor’s style of teaching, thereby encouraging instructors to teach in a very specific manner. Others argue that employment rates ought not to matter because the fundamental purpose of a university education is not to provide job training. Class sizes are tricky because a lecture-based course is lecture-based whether there are 10 students or 1000, and PhD/student ratios are sometimes irrelevant based on the popularity of many non-PhD instructors. In sum, the challenge o f measuring quality is daunting, yet the MSU believes it has the ideas and resources to create groundbreaking new research in this field. Based largely on the Symposium on Social Sciences Education, planned and hosted last academic year by the leadership within the McMaster Social Sciences Society, the MSU will engage in a widespread series o f consultations, surveys, focus groups, and forums in order to involve undergraduate students from all academic programmes. A wise philosopher once wrote that, “The purpose of a university is to join the old and the young in imaginative methods o f learning. ” Some politicians see universities as
“degree factories,” whereas many students see university as a “path finding experience.” It would seem that everyone views the university experience differently, but we all seem to be concerned that the quality of that experience is in jeopardy. A number of important issues face us in the coming years that will affect the quality of our education, including the Double Cohort, retiring professors, deregulation and privatization, continued funding constraints, and aging library collections. We must work collectively to address these issues with a concentrated effort - the Quality Project. It is intended to examine, ensure and improve the quality o f education at McMaster University. The Quality Project will culminate in a Symposium on University Education in March o f 2003 that will be designed to produce recommendations to improve the quality o f education at McMaster. Concrete deliverables relating to the Quality Project include the creation o f a Student Charter aimed at ensuring a minimum standard of educational quality by outlining rights and responsibilities, the creation o f the Faculty Society Academic Council which will consist o f the Vice President Academic, or equivalent, from each faculty society, and lastly, the above mentioned Symposium on University Education. Community Development Current and future enrolment pressures will drive university resources toward basic academic operational needs at a time when the need for fostering a sense of community among students is o f the utmost importance. Drastic increases in numbers of first year students over multiple years will result in a housing crisis, both on and off campus; we are already witnessing the first symptoms of a greater problem with triple-rooms in residence, and greater numbers of longer-distance commuting students who are unable to receive parking spots. A strong sense of community is in everyone’s best interest, as students who are comfortable in their environment, having developed social connections, are more likely to perform well academically, they are more likely to actively participate in extra-curricular activities, and they are more likely to leave this institution with a positive impression. While the MSU is not concerned with the financial participation of McMaster alumni, it is our opinion that investment in community development will lead to increases in alumni contribution. It is the position of the Students Union that in their struggle to prepare for those students who are coming, the University has lost sight of those who matter most; the students who are here today. Forward thinking is always advisable, but not at the cost of the objective. The MSU has been in discussions with the University regarding this issue, and we have started to address the problem, having strongly recommended investment in student services. Students who live in the areas bordering the University (i.e. Westdale or ‘the Ghetto’) will attest to the fact that there are some permanent (non-student) residents who, as a rule, view the student population as a nuisance, albeit these people do not represent the opinion o f a majority. However, being that this minority group possesses the influence to affect decisions made by the University administration, local politicians, and general public opinion, it becomes the M SU's duty to take steps to actively
protect the interests and public profile o f the portion o f its membership that resides in these communities. The MSU has created a new service, the MSU Student Community Support Network (SCSN), and has received significant funding from McMaster’s department of Student Affairs towards this initiative. Capitalizing on existing volunteer bases within groups such as the MSU Maroons and the Society o f Off Campus Students (SOCS), the SCSN will complement and encourage community building events that these groups will help plan and implement. Beyond event planning, the SCSN will provide support services through its website, newsletter, and community resource kits. Apolitical regional representatives o f the Network will be based within streets and communities, and these representatives will be known as Community Resource Assistants (CRAs). CRAs will exist to foster positive relations between students and permanent residents, inform students o f their rights and responsibilities regarding off-campus housing, act as a point of contact with the MSU for information, encourage social interaction among localized regions, and protect the interests of MSU members in the community. The plans for the MSU Student Community Support Network include the eventual expansion into McMaster’s Residences. The declining situation regarding student representation, consultation, and programming in residence cannot be allowed to continue. Many students see the inequities between first-year students living in residence and first-year students living off-campus in terms of focused programming, specifically surrounding Welcome Week. Part of the reason for this inequity is the unique student representation within the residence system, the Inter-Residence Council (IRC). The IRC used to be an actual council o f hall presidents, each hall with its own elected council, empowered with the duty o f running virtually all aspects of residence life. McMaster residences were essentially completely student-run, until 1997/1998 when hall councils were eliminated, and the Housing department started the practice o f hiring all residence staff. After 1997/1998, the function, purpose, and composition of the IRC became irrelevant, and ineffective, as evidenced by the many unpopular decisions the IRC has made (e.g. banning beer bottles in residence, approving 22% increases in residence fees over a period of 3 years). The MSU believes that it is in the best interests o f all students that the IRC and the MSU formalize their working relationship through a new system of accountability and representation. It is important that the IRC’s membership (students in residence) have ultimate control o f the IRC's constitution, whereas McMaster University’s Senate currently approves the IRC constitution. It is important that the IRC be allowed to make decisions in the best interest o f their students, free of pressure and influence of the residence administration. There is one McMaster community, yet the IRC is at risk o f being isolated from that community. MSU believes that the new leadership within the IRC will view our recommendations with an open mind, with the clear understanding that at the base o f our actions is the best interests of students. Therefore, just as SOCS has committed to, the MSU plans to have the IRC become a part o f the SCSN, thereby creating on and off campus components within the same organization. Further to solving the representational issues of students with regards to their on and off campus communities, the MSU will foster relations with organizations in the Hamilton area. Through contacts in the Hamilton Industry-Education Council, and
the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the MSU will actively represent the interests of McMaster students in the region. The MSU believes that the future prosperity of McMaster University is tied to the prosperity of Hamilton, and it is imperative that we take part in discussions surrounding the city’s strategies for urban renewal. Concrete deliverables relating to community development include the creation of the MSU Student Community Support Network, which includes the creation o f a website, a community newsletter, Community Resource Assistants throughout the immediate neighbourhood and region, and the reorganization of on-campus residence student representation. Internal Operational Evaluation Being an organization that has evolved from its origins back in the nineties, the 1890’s that is, the MSU requires some reorganization from time to time. However, reorganization has often occurred without adequate foresight, and positions, initiatives, or committees are created to meet a temporary need, therefore soon becoming irrelevant and cumbersome to the organization. Our committees and services should never suffer from a lack of issues to tackle. When committees start to lose focus, it becomes time to examine that committee’s purpose in the larger, long term picture of the MSU. However, to be clear, evaluating the purpose and function of standing MSU committees will not be performed with the goal of eliminating jobs and saving money - the MSU has committed to increasing student jobs and volunteer opportunities ~ this process will rather allow us to ensure our committees are relevant and active, while maintaining the flexibility to address unique issues as they present themselves. With the above goal in mind, the MSU will examine the creation of commissions within the organization, in some cases replacing committees, in others complementing existing committees. Committee chairs often spend significant amounts of time coordinating a time for the group to meet. Rather than coordinating meeting times, and having the responsibility for action rest with the committee, commissioners would be individually responsible for action, while being supported by the volunteers within the commission. Successful models in practice at other student unions will be used as a basis for our evaluation. The M SU’s governing body, the Student Representative Assembly (SRA), has been named “SRA” since 1964. It is a perennial problem for those within the MSU when explaining what the SRA is to students, because there is nothing within the name SRA that clearly indicates that the SRA is a body o f the MSU. Many believe that the SRA is a University body, or a separate entity from the MSU. Perhaps it is time for a change. The MSU has been in discussions regarding the name o f the SRA, and some have suggested alternatives that include the MSU, such as the MSU Representative Governing Council, or simply, the MSU Council. As mentioned earlier, the McMaster University Student Centre has provided incredible opportunities for the MSU to grow and better serve its members. However, there are significant financial challenges surrounding a large-scale move, and re opening of services and operations. Also, the MSU has agreed to pay a much higher occupancy rate over past years, phased in over the next 10 years, and we must begin
planning for that expected revenue shortfall. We believe that our retail operations will begin to increase their revenue as they adapt to their new locations, and we are currently exploring alternative methods of revenue generation, through potential products and services that we do not currently offer. In all of its endeavours, the MSU will attempt to limit the cost to the average student, while consistently pursuing opportunities to pass along savings to students. An openly articulated goal of this year’s MSU leadership has been the provision of significant value for students from their MSU. Throughout our ongoing transition to the student centre, the MSU has maintained the position that as our services and operations expand, it is essential that we maximize the number o f student employment opportunities. This philosophy has guided our activities since we first moved into the centre, and we are now proudly employing approximately 30% more students over last year, moving our total number of part-time student staff well over 250. This, only a few months after moving into the new centre, is simply the beginning of an expansion of our services. Beyond increasing the numbers of student jobs, the MSU is exploring methods of saving students money. Based on a program implemented at Western by the University Students Council (USC), the MSU has negotiated a partnership with a merchant loyalty company that provides reward cards to students. The third-party company provides the cards to our students, and they recruit off-campus merchants for the program. Participating merchants offer a percentage discount to the students as points, essentially giving you cash back. If a given merchant is offering 5%, and the student makes a purchase of $100, then that student will receive $5 back in points, one point equals one dollar. The student can then redeem that $5 on his/her next purchase, at any participating location (it doesn’t have to be at the location where you earned the points). The program costs students nothing, there is no fee to enter or leave the program. You will simply receive a card, and it is up to you if you would like to use it. Keep your eyes peeled for this program, entitled On Campus Rewards, launching this academic year. Further than the operational issues that affect our ability to provide students with services, employment opportunities, and value for their membership, the MSU must begin to better plan for the long-term. As mentioned at the beginning o f this document, the MSU has been publishing its goals for the year since 1996, and in eveiy yearly document since 1996 the MSU has highlighted “long-term planning” as an area for development. Strategic planning is essential if we hope to continue to grow and adapt alongside the changing needs o f students. This year, each o f our serv ices, departments, and operations will take part in long-term planning sessions. These sessions will not only address the multi-year goals and priorities o f the individual departments, but will also address the overall goals and priorities o f the MSU. Included in this planning process will be financial targets and projections, service expansion and revision, potential new business opportunities, and a long-term political strategy regarding our ongoing issues of concern. Conclusion This document has outlined the key objectives of the MSU for the 2002-2003 year. Much o f the planning and effort behind these objectives has been underway since
early in the summer, and the document represents the goals as articulated by the MSU Executive Board, as adopted by the Student Representative Assembly. It must be stressed that this is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of priorities; we are always interested in the thoughts of the students who constitute the union’s membership. The primary purpose of this document is to provide the reader with a brief description of the specific objectives that the MSU will focus on as the year progresses. With the completion o f the McMaster University Student Centre, the MSU finally sees its highest priority goal addressed and resolved. The Student Centre project has been a priority o f the MSU for many, many years, with student leaders calling for a dedicated campus centre as far back as the early sixties. Today’s students, and future students, are truly indebted to the students who made the centre a reality. Many o f us have asked how we ought to show our appreciation for the vision, hard work, and unselfish dedication that previous generations of students displayed. Perhaps the best way to show our gratitude is to use the new resources that their efforts provided to bring us closer to realizing our purpose, fostering a true society among the students at McMaster. We have the vision, we have the team, together we will continue to make a difference.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY Monday, September 23rd, 2002 at 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall, Room 111
PROCEDURE
Call to Order, Call of the Roll, Adoption of the Agenda, Business, Other Business, Time of Next Meeting, Adjournment, Call of the Roll.
BUSINESS 1.
2 0 0 2 -2 0 0 3 M S U
Vision Document (previously distributed via email)
Mackintosh.
Students Representative Assembly 2002-2003 - 02F EMERGENCY MEETING Monday, September 23, 2002 Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall, Room III
CALL TO ORDER CALL OF THE ROLL Present
Absent Late Others Present Speaker
Allinson, Alvarez-Delugo, Aulukh, Best, BoneyJ)awe, Hargot, Kushnir, Lapointe, Lui, Mackintosh, Matthew, Nault, Richmond, Safka, Selluski, Seville, Somers, Spence, Thon, Williams, Younes, Yow
Sam Minniti
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Moved by Thon, seconded by Lui to adopt the agenda. BUSINESS 1. Vision Document 2002-2003 Moved by Mackintosh, seconded by Spence that the SRA approve the 2002-2003 MSU Vision Document. Discussion •
•
Mackintosh - Eight members of Executive Board discussed the Vision Document at a retreat, and they had discussions on priorities. Three major areas were identified Quality, Community, and Internal Evaluation. Within these three areas are a variety of smaller areas. Quality also refers to provincial and federal advocacy, as well as the proposed Symposium on University Education. With regards to Community, they stated that the MSU can do a great deal to improve the quality of life for students during their three to four years of school. They looked at MAST as a model to create a new service of the MSU for support for students. The MSU received funding from Student Affairs, and is accountable directly to the MSU. Another priority includes formalizing relationships with the IRC. Has been a priority in the past, however, it has not been an official position with the MSU. The focus will be on opportunities and not problems. Selluski - It is a bold move, but also true. How are we going to solve this problem of ineffectiveness, irrelevance, and misrepresentation o f students?
SRA 02F, Page 3 Sept. 23/02 coordinate their own activities, and not meetings of their committee. Events would surround the group’s activities, and not meetings. They could streamline the existing structure to be more effective. The Gender Equity Committee runs events, instead of tackling issues. The is also the changing of the name of the SRA, financial challenges, job creation, the student reward card outlined, etc. Last paragraph will focus on long term planning. We want to review our planning procedures, i.e. year plans are to be written before the Vision Document and executive planning. We also want to look at long-term financial planning focusing on how to ensure our financial position when looking at the MSU’s challenges, such as occupancy costs. • Somers - Is this something that will be required to be rewritten every year? • Mackintosh - There is no Bylaw stating that, but it would be more of an understood convention for the MSU President to write. • Richmond - Regarding community development, why should we include the fact that students give back to McMaster? • Mackintosh - The purpose is to use donation rates as a measure of attachment, which suggests that recent grads aren’t giving as much. This indicates that students feel less and less connected with their university. At end of the paragraph, it states that there should be an investment in Student Services because they are a source o f revenue through donations. But in no way are we advocating university donations. • Richmond - Can we include more encouragement on hiring students for full-time manager positions, such as at Quarters? • Mackintosh - That can be included. Mackintosh continued to outline the creation of student manager positions in the past few years.
Straw Vote - In Favour 20, Opposed 0 • •
Somers ~ Will this be published? Mackintosh - Yes, it will be published as an attachment within the Silhouette.
V ote on M otion
In Favour 21, Opposed 1 Motion Carried ADJOURNMENT Moved by Dawe, seconded by Yow to adjourn. CA L L O F TH E RO LL
Present
Absent Left Early Others Present Speaker
Allinson, Alvarez-Delugo, Aulukh, Best, Boney,Dawe, Hargot, Kushnir, Lapointe, Lui, Mackintosh, Matthew, Nault, Richmond, Safka, Selluski, Seville, Somers, Spence, Thon, Williams, Younes, Yow
Sam Minniti
Vision Document - Draft two T h e Students Union
Students at McMaster University are fortunate to attend an institution that has strong, well-developed student organizations, and an institution that recognizes the vital role that these student organizations fulfil. Opportunities abound for all members o f the campus community, through programming, partnerships, and development involving student organizations. The McMaster Students Union (MSU), founded in 1946, its precursor organizations dating back to 1890, is the voice and service provider of the full-time undergraduate students here at McMaster University, The Students Union exists to provide relevant and valuable services that meet the interests of the student membership. As stated in its constitution, the MSU’s purpose is to draw into a true society all students at McMaster University. In striving to meet this objective, the MSU performs two basic functions. One is to provide political representation for all full-time undergrads to all relevant decision making levels, including the University administration, the Hamilton municipal government, the Ontario provincial government, and the Canadian federal government. Secondly, the MSU provides a wide variety o f services and operations that are relevant to student life. Through the President as spokesperson, the MSU represents student concerns to the political bodies mentioned above. Also, through the Educational Affairs committee, the MSU relates the membership’s opinions to our provincial and federal representatives, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (www.ousa.on.ca), and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (www.casa.ca). The MSU also has many standing committees that are constantly working on topics of concern to students. Issues such as the cost and quality o f our education, the quality of student life on and off-campus, University policies that affect your life, these are the issues for which MSU exists to address. The services that the MSU provides for the campus community have undergone significant growth, adaptation, and improvement over the last several years. These services provide our membership with valuable volunteer and employment opportunities that often lead to remarkable personal growth. With the completion of the new McMaster University Student Centre, all of the MSU’s services and operations are now located under one roof. The Emergency First Response Team (EFRT), the Student Walk Home Attendant Team (SWHAT), the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) centre, the Student Health Education Centre (SHEC), and the Maroons are all examples of the services the MSU provides. Introduction In the summer of 1996 the MSU Executive presented a list of five goals to the MSU Student Representative Assembly (SRA, the 35 member governing council o f the MSU). This was the first time the MSU had officially developed an organizational directive for the upcoming year. The goals articulated in this directive became the main focus for the MSU’s activities in the 1996/1997 academic year, and thereby set a standard of planning for future MSU leadership.
With the belief and understanding that planning had never before been such an important aspect of our activities - given the growth opportunities and financial challenges that the Student Centre presents - this past summer, the MSU’s nine member Executive Board developed goals and objectives for presentation to the SRA. After many hours of discussion, the MSU Executive Board was able to focus the organization’s priorities for this academic session into three main areas: Quality of Education, Community Development, and Internal Operational Evaluation. This document outlines the above priorities in further detail, promising concrete deliverables, but the list is by no means exhaustive. Our standing committees and services continue to work on a broad range o f issues outside those listed. These areas have been noted o f particular strategic importance to safeguarding and improving the quality of student life. Quality of Education This year marks the last year before the double cohort, yet our institution has already experienced unmanageable enrolment increases. With decades-old eateries and tennis courts being converted (temporarily?) into academic lecture space, it is clear that it has never been more important to evaluate the quality of education undergraduate students receive at McMaster. The MSU believes strongly in solution-based, policy driven representation, so the goal of evaluation therefore must be to assist the University in maintaining and improving the educational quality across all disciplines. The challenge of measuring quality always stands in the way of any party that wishes to address the issue. What constitutes a quality education? What makes your instructor an effective teacher? It is nearly impossible to develop quantitative data measuring the quality of our education. There are many tools intended to measure quality in common use, such as student evaluations, employment rates after graduation, class sizes, and ratios of students to instructors with PhDs. But for every tool of measurement there exists an argument aimed at detracting from the effectiveness of the tool. For example, some argue that student evaluations are ineffective because questions on the evaluation are often unfair or irrelevant to the instructor’s style of teaching, thereby encouraging instructors to teach in a very specific manner. Others argue that employment rates ought not to matter because the fundamental purpose of a university education is not to provide job training. Class sizes are tricky because a lecture-based course is lecture-based whether there are 10 students or 1000, and PhD/student ratios are sometimes irrelevant based on the popularity of many non-PhD instructors. In sum, the challenge o f measuring quality is daunting, yet the MSU believes it has the ideas and resources to create groundbreaking new research in this field. Based largely on the Symposium on Social Sciences Education, planned and hosted last academic year by the leadership within the McMaster Social Sciences Society, the MSU will engage in a widespread series o f consultations, surveys, focus groups, and forums in order to involve undergraduate students from all academic programmes. A wise philosopher once wrote that, “The purpose of a university is to join the old and the young in imaginative methods o f learning. ” Some politicians see universities as
“degree factories,” whereas many students see university as a “path finding experience.” It would seem that everyone views the university experience differently, but we all seem to be concerned that the quality of that experience is in jeopardy. A number of important issues face us in the coming years that will affect the quality of our education, including the Double Cohort, retiring professors, deregulation and privatization, continued funding constraints, and aging library collections. We must work collectively to address these issues with a concentrated effort - the Quality Project. It is intended to examine, ensure and improve the quality o f education at McMaster University. The Quality Project will culminate in a Symposium on University Education in March o f 2003 that will be designed to produce recommendations to improve the quality o f education at McMaster. Concrete deliverables relating to the Quality Project include the creation o f a Student Charter aimed at ensuring a minimum standard of educational quality by outlining rights and responsibilities, the creation o f the Faculty Society Academic Council which will consist o f the Vice President Academic, or equivalent, from each faculty society, and lastly, the above mentioned Symposium on University Education. Community Development Current and future enrolment pressures will drive university resources toward basic academic operational needs at a time when the need for fostering a sense of community among students is o f the utmost importance. Drastic increases in numbers of first year students over multiple years will result in a housing crisis, both on and off campus; we are already witnessing the first symptoms of a greater problem with triple-rooms in residence, and greater numbers of longer-distance commuting students who are unable to receive parking spots. A strong sense of community is in everyone’s best interest, as students who are comfortable in their environment, having developed social connections, are more likely to perform well academically, they are more likely to actively participate in extra-curricular activities, and they are more likely to leave this institution with a positive impression. While the MSU is not concerned with the financial participation of McMaster alumni, it is our opinion that investment in community development will lead to increases in alumni contribution. It is the position of the Students Union that in their struggle to prepare for those students who are coming, the University has lost sight of those who matter most; the students who are here today. Forward thinking is always advisable, but not at the cost of the objective. The MSU has been in discussions with the University regarding this issue, and we have started to address the problem, having strongly recommended investment in student services. Students who live in the areas bordering the University (i.e. Westdale or ‘the Ghetto’) will attest to the fact that there are some permanent (non-student) residents who, as a rule, view the student population as a nuisance, albeit these people do not represent the opinion o f a majority. However, being that this minority group possesses the influence to affect decisions made by the University administration, local politicians, and general public opinion, it becomes the M SU's duty to take steps to actively
protect the interests and public profile o f the portion o f its membership that resides in these communities. The MSU has created a new service, the MSU Student Community Support Network (SCSN), and has received significant funding from McMaster’s department of Student Affairs towards this initiative. Capitalizing on existing volunteer bases within groups such as the MSU Maroons and the Society o f Off Campus Students (SOCS), the SCSN will complement and encourage community building events that these groups will help plan and implement. Beyond event planning, the SCSN will provide support services through its website, newsletter, and community resource kits. Apolitical regional representatives o f the Network will be based within streets and communities, and these representatives will be known as Community Resource Assistants (CRAs). CRAs will exist to foster positive relations between students and permanent residents, inform students o f their rights and responsibilities regarding off-campus housing, act as a point of contact with the MSU for information, encourage social interaction among localized regions, and protect the interests of MSU members in the community. The plans for the MSU Student Community Support Network include the eventual expansion into McMaster’s Residences. The declining situation regarding student representation, consultation, and programming in residence cannot be allowed to continue. Many students see the inequities between first-year students living in residence and first-year students living off-campus in terms of focused programming, specifically surrounding Welcome Week. Part of the reason for this inequity is the unique student representation within the residence system, the Inter-Residence Council (IRC). The IRC used to be an actual council o f hall presidents, each hall with its own elected council, empowered with the duty o f running virtually all aspects of residence life. McMaster residences were essentially completely student-run, until 1997/1998 when hall councils were eliminated, and the Housing department started the practice o f hiring all residence staff. After 1997/1998, the function, purpose, and composition of the IRC became irrelevant, and ineffective, as evidenced by the many unpopular decisions the IRC has made (e.g. banning beer bottles in residence, approving 22% increases in residence fees over a period of 3 years). The MSU believes that it is in the best interests o f all students that the IRC and the MSU formalize their working relationship through a new system of accountability and representation. It is important that the IRC’s membership (students in residence) have ultimate control o f the IRC's constitution, whereas McMaster University’s Senate currently approves the IRC constitution. It is important that the IRC be allowed to make decisions in the best interest o f their students, free of pressure and influence of the residence administration. There is one McMaster community, yet the IRC is at risk o f being isolated from that community. MSU believes that the new leadership within the IRC will view our recommendations with an open mind, with the clear understanding that at the base o f our actions is the best interests of students. Therefore, just as SOCS has committed to, the MSU plans to have the IRC become a part o f the SCSN, thereby creating on and off campus components within the same organization. Further to solving the representational issues of students with regards to their on and off campus communities, the MSU will foster relations with organizations in the Hamilton area. Through contacts in the Hamilton Industry-Education Council, and
the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the MSU will actively represent the interests of McMaster students in the region. The MSU believes that the future prosperity of McMaster University is tied to the prosperity of Hamilton, and it is imperative that we take part in discussions surrounding the city’s strategies for urban renewal. Concrete deliverables relating to community development include the creation of the MSU Student Community Support Network, which includes the creation o f a website, a community newsletter, Community Resource Assistants throughout the immediate neighbourhood and region, and the reorganization of on-campus residence student representation. Internal Operational Evaluation Being an organization that has evolved from its origins back in the nineties, the 1890’s that is, the MSU requires some reorganization from time to time. However, reorganization has often occurred without adequate foresight, and positions, initiatives, or committees are created to meet a temporary need, therefore soon becoming irrelevant and cumbersome to the organization. Our committees and services should never suffer from a lack of issues to tackle. When committees start to lose focus, it becomes time to examine that committee’s purpose in the larger, long term picture of the MSU. However, to be clear, evaluating the purpose and function of standing MSU committees will not be performed with the goal of eliminating jobs and saving money - the MSU has committed to increasing student jobs and volunteer opportunities ~ this process will rather allow us to ensure our committees are relevant and active, while maintaining the flexibility to address unique issues as they present themselves. With the above goal in mind, the MSU will examine the creation of commissions within the organization, in some cases replacing committees, in others complementing existing committees. Committee chairs often spend significant amounts of time coordinating a time for the group to meet. Rather than coordinating meeting times, and having the responsibility for action rest with the committee, commissioners would be individually responsible for action, while being supported by the volunteers within the commission. Successful models in practice at other student unions will be used as a basis for our evaluation. The M SU’s governing body, the Student Representative Assembly (SRA), has been named “SRA” since 1964. It is a perennial problem for those within the MSU when explaining what the SRA is to students, because there is nothing within the name SRA that clearly indicates that the SRA is a body o f the MSU. Many believe that the SRA is a University body, or a separate entity from the MSU. Perhaps it is time for a change. The MSU has been in discussions regarding the name o f the SRA, and some have suggested alternatives that include the MSU, such as the MSU Representative Governing Council, or simply, the MSU Council. As mentioned earlier, the McMaster University Student Centre has provided incredible opportunities for the MSU to grow and better serve its members. However, there are significant financial challenges surrounding a large-scale move, and re opening of services and operations. Also, the MSU has agreed to pay a much higher occupancy rate over past years, phased in over the next 10 years, and we must begin
planning for that expected revenue shortfall. We believe that our retail operations will begin to increase their revenue as they adapt to their new locations, and we are currently exploring alternative methods of revenue generation, through potential products and services that we do not currently offer. In all of its endeavours, the MSU will attempt to limit the cost to the average student, while consistently pursuing opportunities to pass along savings to students. An openly articulated goal of this year’s MSU leadership has been the provision of significant value for students from their MSU. Throughout our ongoing transition to the student centre, the MSU has maintained the position that as our services and operations expand, it is essential that we maximize the number o f student employment opportunities. This philosophy has guided our activities since we first moved into the centre, and we are now proudly employing approximately 30% more students over last year, moving our total number of part-time student staff well over 250. This, only a few months after moving into the new centre, is simply the beginning of an expansion of our services. Beyond increasing the numbers of student jobs, the MSU is exploring methods of saving students money. Based on a program implemented at Western by the University Students Council (USC), the MSU has negotiated a partnership with a merchant loyalty company that provides reward cards to students. The third-party company provides the cards to our students, and they recruit off-campus merchants for the program. Participating merchants offer a percentage discount to the students as points, essentially giving you cash back. If a given merchant is offering 5%, and the student makes a purchase of $100, then that student will receive $5 back in points, one point equals one dollar. The student can then redeem that $5 on his/her next purchase, at any participating location (it doesn’t have to be at the location where you earned the points). The program costs students nothing, there is no fee to enter or leave the program. You will simply receive a card, and it is up to you if you would like to use it. Keep your eyes peeled for this program, entitled On Campus Rewards, launching this academic year. Further than the operational issues that affect our ability to provide students with services, employment opportunities, and value for their membership, the MSU must begin to better plan for the long-term. As mentioned at the beginning o f this document, the MSU has been publishing its goals for the year since 1996, and in eveiy yearly document since 1996 the MSU has highlighted “long-term planning” as an area for development. Strategic planning is essential if we hope to continue to grow and adapt alongside the changing needs o f students. This year, each o f our serv ices, departments, and operations will take part in long-term planning sessions. These sessions will not only address the multi-year goals and priorities o f the individual departments, but will also address the overall goals and priorities o f the MSU. Included in this planning process will be financial targets and projections, service expansion and revision, potential new business opportunities, and a long-term political strategy regarding our ongoing issues of concern. Conclusion This document has outlined the key objectives of the MSU for the 2002-2003 year. Much o f the planning and effort behind these objectives has been underway since
early in the summer, and the document represents the goals as articulated by the MSU Executive Board, as adopted by the Student Representative Assembly. It must be stressed that this is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of priorities; we are always interested in the thoughts of the students who constitute the union’s membership. The primary purpose of this document is to provide the reader with a brief description of the specific objectives that the MSU will focus on as the year progresses. With the completion o f the McMaster University Student Centre, the MSU finally sees its highest priority goal addressed and resolved. The Student Centre project has been a priority o f the MSU for many, many years, with student leaders calling for a dedicated campus centre as far back as the early sixties. Today’s students, and future students, are truly indebted to the students who made the centre a reality. Many o f us have asked how we ought to show our appreciation for the vision, hard work, and unselfish dedication that previous generations of students displayed. Perhaps the best way to show our gratitude is to use the new resources that their efforts provided to bring us closer to realizing our purpose, fostering a true society among the students at McMaster. We have the vision, we have the team, together we will continue to make a difference.
