WHEREAS the University of Ottawa (the “University”) is committed to ensuring that every member of the University, including students, takes part in the University’s educational mission;
AND WHEREAS the Senate is responsible for the educational policy of the University of Ottawa (the “University”);
AND WHEREAS students are at the core of the educational mission of the University of Ottawa and have a particular interest and role to play in determining and regulating the educational policy of the University;
AND WHEREAS the Senate is desirous of enhancing opportunities for all students to participate meaningfully and constructively in the work of the Senate in determining and regulating the educational policy of the University;
AND WHEREAS the principal means by which students so participate is through representation of their interests and perspectives by student members of Senate directly elected by them;
AND WHEREAS Senate By-Law No.1, 2008 provides that the method of election and the period of the mandate of student members of Senate is to be determined by resolution of the Senate;
NOW HEREBY the Senate of the University of Ottawa adopts the following Senate Regulation Concerning the Election of Student Members of Senate:
Term of Office
1. Subject to section 13 below, student members of Senate are elected for one year, from May 1 to April 30, with the exception of the undergraduate student member from the Faculty of Education, whose term of office runs from September 1 to August 31.
Conduct of Elections
2. Subject to the provisions of this Regulation and to any other policy, by-law, regulation or resolution of Senate as may be adopted, enacted or promulgated from time to time, the conduct of elections of student members of Senate shall be administered by:
(a) in the case of undergraduate students, the Chief Returning Officer appointed by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (“SFUO”); and
(b) in the case of graduate students, the Chief Returning Officer appointed by the University of Ottawa Graduate Student Association (“GSAÉD”).
3.(a) Subject to the provisions of this Regulation and to any other policy, by-law, regulation or resolution of Senate as may be adopted, enacted or promulgated from time to time, each of the Chief Returning Officers appointed by the SFUO and GSAÉD shall apply, in administering the conduct of elections of student members of Senate, the rules and regulations adopted by the SFUO or GSAÉD, as the case may be, governing the conduct of student elections (the “Rules and Regulations”).
3.(b) Regular elections shall take place in the winter semester of each year, for all student senate members, except for the student member for the Faculty of Education. A second election cycle will take place between September 1st and October 31st of each year, for the member for the Faculty of Education and for any other undergraduate students seats that are vacant as of the beginning of the fall semester.
3.(c) When an undergraduate student senator’s seat becomes vacant following a resignation or for any other reason, the position shall be filled for the rest of the mandate. The new Senate member will be designated by the undergraduate student members of the Faculty Council from among the students of the faculty concerned during a meeting convened by the secretary of the faculty at the request of the Vice-President, University Affairs, who will chair the meeting. For the Faculty of Law, the new member of the Senate shall be appointed by the student Council members of both sections of the Faculty.
4. Subject to section 5 below, on or before November 15 of each year, the SFUO and the GSAÉD shall forward to the Vice-President, Governance a copy of the Rules and Regulations governing the conduct of the upcoming cycle of student elections, highlighting any changes made to those Rules and Regulations since the preceding year and providing a brief explanation for any such changes. No changes to these Rules or Regulations adopted thereafter shall be applicable to the upcoming cycle of elections of student members of Senate without the express, written consent of the Vice-President, Governance.
5. With respect to any proposed changes by the SFUO or the GSAÉD to the Rules and Regulations concerning the election of student members of Senate specifically, the SFUO or the GSAÉD, as the case may be, shall consult with the Vice-President, Governance, at the earliest possible opportunity and in any event prior to adopting any such changes.
6. For greater certainty, if the Vice-President, Governance, has any concerns with respect to any of the Rules and Regulations as they may apply to the election of student members of Senate, these concerns may be brought to the attention of the Senate, which shall determine whether to adopt a resolution amending such Rules and Regulations insofar as they apply to the election of student members of Senate or to take such other action as it may deem appropriate.
7. If, in the course of an election of student members of Senate, any issues or circumstances arise that are not clearly and unambiguously governed by the Rules and Regulations, or by a policy, by-law, regulation or resolution of Senate, the Chief Returning Officer of the SFUO or the GSAÉD, as the case may be, shall promptly inform the Vice President, Governance of said issue or circumstance and of any proposed resolution thereof.
8. If in connection with an election any candidate for election as a student member of Senate appeals a determination of the SFUO Elections Committee to the SFUO Student Arbitration Committee (in the case of undergraduate candidates) or of the Chief Returning Officer appointed by the GASÉD to the GSAÉD Elections Committee or its equivalent (in the case of a graduate candidate), the SFUO or the GSAÉD, as the case may be, shall promptly inform the Vice President, Governance of said appeal.
9. All determinations of the Chief Returning Officers appointed by the SFUO and GSAÉD respectively, of the SFUO Elections Committee, of the SFUO Student Arbitration Committee and of the GSAÉD Elections Committee or its equivalent, relating to any aspect of the election of student members of Senate, are subject to supervening and final determinations by the Vice-President, Governance, this power to be exercised by the Vice-President, Governance, on her own motion and in accordance with any applicable policy, by-law, regulation or resolution of Senate.
10. For greater certainty, nothing in this Regulation shall be interpreted to mean that student members of Senate are elected by or represent either the SFUO or GSAÉD on the Senate. Student members of Senate are directly elected by, and independently represent, only the student members of their respective academic units. The involvement of the SFUO and GSAÉD and their respective Chief Returning Officers and committees in the election of student members of Senate is purely administrative in nature.
Election Expenses
11. Each candidate for election as a student member of Senate shall not exceed the campaign spending limit applicable to elections of student members of the SFUO and GSAÉD Boards, as established in the applicable Rules and Regulations. Campaign spending limits shall be enforced in the normal course by the Chief Returning Officers appointed by the SFUO and GSAÉD respectively.
12. Each year, at the request of the Vice-President, Governance, the Administrative Committee of the Board of Governors shall determine whether to allocate funds, and if so in what amount, from which to reimburse the eligible election expenses, as determined in accordance with the Rules and Regulations, of candidates for election as a student member of Senate. Any such funds shall be divided equally among all duly nominated candidates for election as a student member of Senate, provided that any such candidate shall receive a maximum reimbursement corresponding to the lesser of eligible election expenses actually incurred by that candidate, as certified by the Chief Returning Officer appointed by the SFUO or GSAÉD (as the case may be), or the campaign spending limit.
Final Provisions
13. This Regulation shall have effect from December 5, 2011, or upon its adoption by the Senate, whichever occurs later.
Approved by the Senate on December 5, 2011