Wi1L
SENATE AND ACADEMIC SERVICES
STUDENT SERVICES
TO: ?
Senate
FROM:
?
Kate Ross, Registrar and Senior Director, Student Enrolment
Michael Letourneau, Student Senator
DATE:
?
May 13, 2008
SUBJECT: Revision to the Rules of Senate
According to the Rules of Senate, the attached revision to the Rules of Senate was presented to
Senate as a notice of motion (without debate) at the May 12, 2008 meeting and is now forwarded
to Senate for consideration.
Motion 1:
"that Senate approve the revision to the Rules of Senate, Section E.1
(Students; Student Association), sub-sections (a) and (c)"
The purpose of the amendment is to update the Rules to reflect that as of May 1, 2008, there will
be two student societies independently representing SFU's undergraduate and graduate students.
(submitted by Michael Letoumeau)
Motion 2:
"that Senate approve the revision to the Rules of Senate, Section E.1
(Students; Student Association), sub-section b.ii"
The purpose of the amendment is to delete an election eligibility criterion which was originally
created to satisfy a requirement in the University Act that students be full-time. Since the full-time
requirement was repealed in the University Act, this section is no longer applicable. Also, this
changes a requirement for eligibility to create parity and simplify who is eligible. (submitted by Kate
Ross)
Motion 3:
"that Senate approve the revision to the Rules of Senate, Section D-3
(Nominations)"
The purpose of the amendment is to provide clarification with respect to nominations for
Convocation Senator and to ease the process for determining eligibility. (submitted by Kate Ross).
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?
THINKING OF THE
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Item:
Senate Election Rules (Rules of Senate, Appendix C)
Revision
E. Students; Student Association
1. For the purposes of nominating, voting and standing for office in the election of students to
the Senate and the Board of Governors:
a) At Simon Fracer
University
the Student Society is the alma mater society (See
Univcrity Act Part 1, Section 1):
i)
the Simon Fraser Student Societ
y
is the under g raduate student societ y
, and
ii)
the Graduate Student Society
at Simon Fraser University is the graduate
student society
(See
Universit
y
Act,
Part 7, Section 35(h))
b) "undergraduate students" means those who are members of the Simon Fraser
Student Society and who also:
i)
are in good academic standing and are registered in at least one credit course
in the semester in which nominations are due, or
ii) arc in good academic Standing and were registered in at leact one credit
cource in either of the two previouc emectcrc in which nominationc are due,
or
iii)
are registered in a co-op work term in the semester in which nominations are
due, or
. ?
iv) are designated by resolution of the Senate as an undergraduate student; and
c) "graduate students" means those who are members of the Graduate Student
Society at Simon Fraser Universit
y and who also:
i) are duly registered as graduate students in the semester in which nominations
are due, or
ii) are designated by resolution of the Senate as a graduate student.
2. Undergraduate students and graduate students are eligible to be nominated as student
members of the Senate and the Board of Governors.
3. During the one-year term of office as a student member of the Senate or the Board of
Governors undergraduate students and graduate students
a)
must maintain registered status at the University for at least two semesters,
b)
must not withdraw, or be required to withdraw, from the University.
4. There shall be at least one graduate student and one undergraduate student among the
total number of students elected to Senate under Part 7, Section 35(2)(h) of the University
Act.
Rationale
The
University Act
s.35(h) requires that the students to be elected to Senate be members of "an
undergraduate student society or a graduate student society", and s.19(e) likewise requires such
membership for election to the Board of Governors. This revision designates the SF55 to represent
undergraduate students and the GSS to represent graduate students for the purposes of Senate
elections.
The term "alma mater society" was removed, as it was replaced with "undergraduate student society"
in/around 1999 when the language on student societies was updated.
Rationale for deletion of E.1.b)ii
This regulation was originally created in order to satisfy the requirement of the University Act that
students be 'full-time'. The University Act in October 2003 repealed the full-time requirement so this
criterion is no longer applicable. Also, this changes a requirement for eligibility to simplify who is eligible
and to create parity of requirements for both undergraduate students and graduate students.
Item: Senate Election Rules (Rules of Senate, Appendix D)
Revision
D.
?
Nominations
3. All nominations of candidates for membership on the Senate who are to be elected by and
from the Convocation shall be signed by not less than five members entitled to vote in the
election. Members of Convocation who are defined as graduates must hold a degree from
Simon Fraser University at the time of nomination.
Faculty members may sign nomination
papers, may vote, but cannot be candidates.
Rationale for revision
Following consultation with several Senators after the May Senate meeting, the proposed change has
been reworded from "All candidates for membership on Senate who are to be elected by and from the
Convocation must hold a degree from Simon Fraser University at the time of nomination"
to the wording
in italics above. It has always been understood that nominees for Convocation Senator must have a
degree from Simon Fraser University, and the proposed revision will clarify and ease the process for
determining eligibility.
L
3.
