LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
GOVERNANCE POLICY
! GOVERNANCE POLICY MANUAL! Last Updated: February 4, 2014!
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PREAMBLE! !
Governance,! in! regards! to! this! document,! is! “the! exercise! of! authority,! direction! and! control! of! an! organization in order to ensure its purpose is achieved. It refers to who is in charge of what; who sets the! direction and the parameters! within which the direction is! to be pursued;! who makes! decisions! about! what; who sets performance indicators, monitors progress and evaluates results; and, who is accountable! to whom for what. Governance includes the structures, responsibilities and processes that the board of an! organization! uses! to! direct! and! manage! its! general! operations.! These! structures,! processes! and! organizational traditions determine how authority is exercised, how decisions are taken, how stakeholders! have their say and how decision-makers are held to account.!
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Governance policies formalize: the roles and responsibilities of the board, its officers and committees; the! manner! in! which! the! board! exercises! its! authority! in! the! fulfilment! of! its! responsibilities;! the! responsibilities! and! authority! of! its! Administrative and Development Director; the!relationship!between!the!board! and!its!Administrative and Development Director; and, the general principles that will guide its governance practices.!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS! PREAMBLE ..................................................................................................... 2! OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 3! 1.! BOARD STRUCTURE & RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................... 5!
1.1! Board Structure..............................................................................................................................................5! 1.2! General Responsibilities of the Board as a Corporate Body..........................................................................5! 1.3! Authority and Accountability ........................................................................................................................6! 1.4! Essential Governance Tasks of the Board......................................................................................................6! 1.5! Due Diligence - Responsibilities of Individual Board Members ...................................................................7! 1.5.1.! Duty of due diligence .............................................................................................................................8! 1.5.2! Duty of loyalty........................................................................................................................................8! 1.5.3.! Duty of care ...........................................................................................................................................8! 1.6! Oath of Office and Confidentiality ................................................................................................................9! OATH OF OFFICE AND CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT .......................................................................9! 1.7 Code of Conduct ..................................................................................................................................................9! CODE OF CONDUCT ........................................................................................................................................10! 1.8! Conflict of Interest Policy............................................................................................................................10! 1.8.1! Definition of Conflict of Interest: ........................................................................................................10! 1.8.2! Principles for Dealing with Conflicts of Interest: ................................................................................11! 1.8.3! Examples of Conflict of Interest on the part of a Board Member: .......................................................11! 1.9! Disposition of Complaints and Disputes involving Directors......................................................................12!
2.!
ROLES OF THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD..................................... 13!
3.!
ROLE OF COMMITTEES ..................................................................... 15!
4.! 5.!
STYLE OF GOVERNANCE.................................................................. 19! BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES............................................................... 21!
2.1! President & Chair ........................................................................................................................................13! 2.2! Vice Chair....................................................................................................................................................14! 2.3! Treasurer ......................................................................................................................................................14! G) Report all finance statements to the Board of Directors. ....................................................................................14! 2.4 Secretary ............................................................................................................................................................14! 3.1! 3.2! 3.3! 3.4! 3.5! 3.6! 3.7! 3.8!
Authority of Committees .............................................................................................................................15! Composition.................................................................................................................................................15! Function .......................................................................................................................................................15! Relationship to Staff ....................................................................................................................................15! Meetings ......................................................................................................................................................16! Governance Committee ...............................................................................................................................16! Finance Committee ......................................................................................................................................18! Community Relations & Fundraising Committee .......................................................................................18!
5.1! Planning .......................................................................................................................................................21! 5.1.1! Strategic Plan .......................................................................................................................................21! 5.1.2! Annual Operating Plan.........................................................................................................................21! 5.1.3! Planning Cycle.....................................................................................................................................21!
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5.2! 5.3! 5.4! 5.5! 5.6! 5.7! 5.8!
Financial Stewardship..................................................................................................................................22! Human Resources Stewardship ...................................................................................................................22! Performance Monitoring and Accountability ..............................................................................................22! Risk Management ........................................................................................................................................22! Member Representation and Advocacy .......................................................................................................22! Management of Critical Transitional Phases ...............................................................................................23! Complaints Review......................................................................................................................................23!
6.!
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY .................................................................. 24!
7.!
BOARD DEVELOPMENT .................................................................... 27!
8.!
BOARD MANAGEMENT ..................................................................... 28!
9.!
BOARD DECISION-MAKING.............................................................. 29!
6.1! Delegation to the Administrative and Development Director!……………………………………….........24! 6.2! Appointment of the Administrative and Development Director!…………….............................................24! 6.3! Administrative and Development Director’s Performance Evaluation ......................................................25! 6.3.1! General.................................................................................................................................................25! 6.3.2! Procedure .............................................................................................................................................25 6.2! Appointment of the Community and Communications Director..................................................................25! 6.3! Community and Communications’ Director's Performance…………………………….............................26! 6.3.1! General.................................................................................................................................................26! 6.3.2 Procedure .............................................................................................................................................26! 7.1! 8.1! 8.2! 8.3! 8.4! 8.5! 9.1! 9.2!
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Orientation of New Members ......................................................................................................................27!
Meetings ......................................................................................................................................................28! Board Member Attendance ..........................................................................................................................28! Board Work Plan/ Objectives ......................................................................................................................28! Board Self-Evaluation .................................................................................................................................28! Conflict Resolution ......................................................................................................................................28! Decision-Making Process ............................................................................................................................29! In Camera Meetings.....................................................................................................................................29!
10. Administrative!and!Development!Director – Job!description…………30! ! 11. Community!and!Communications!Director!–!Job!description………...33!
OVERVIEW! !
The board under the authority of By-law # 1 establishes these governance policies. If there is any! obvious, or unresolved apparent, conflict between these policies and the by-law, the provisions! of the by-law shall take precedence.!
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The primary focus of the board that is governing for results is on establishing general direction,! defining concrete objectives and monitoring/auditing results.! Any committees are established to! support the board! in! fulfilling board! responsibilities! rather! than! to! carry! out or! interfere! with! management functions. Key features of this approach are:!
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a.! The Administrative and Development Director is a non-voting member of the board with full entitlement to! notice, attendance and participation in all meetings and discussions except for those! related to the Administrative and Development Director;! b.! The! Administrative and Development Director,!as!full!partner!with!the!board,!carries!substantial! responsibility! for! advising! the! board! on! direction! and! policy-making,! and! hence! substantial influence on the ultimate decisions of the board in these matters;! c.! Use of ‘standing committees’ to lead planning; lead board recruitment, management! and development; and monitor and audit board, Administrative and Development Director and organizational! performance;! d.! All committees are established to support the board in fulfilling board responsibilities! rather than to subsume or interfere with management functions.!
The board’s focus is on mission, values, objectives, strategic planning, effective achievement of! goals, and efficient utilization of resources.! The organization seeks to recruit board members! who! have! a! significant! ‘public’! and/or! ‘member! benefit’! interest! in! the! organization! and! an! interest in governance rather than operational detail.!
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The board is responsible for monitoring and auditing performance. It is not involved in the day-! to-day operations as this is delegated to the Administrative and Development Director. Standing committees are used for! monitoring and auditing the performance of the board, Administrative and Development Director and organization. The! board will determine what other committees are appropriate considering the size and complexity! of the organization, its mandate and other unique circumstances.!
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1.!
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BOARD STRUCTURE & RESPONSIBILITIES!
The structure and mandate of LSPIRG are defined by the Ontario Non-Profit Corporations Act, any special! purposes! legislation! governing! its! mandate,! articles! of! incorporation,! the! by-law,! and! these! governance policies.!
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1.1!
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Board Structure!
The by-law specifies the number and terms of office of directors and eligibility for office. The! officers of LSPIRG are those defined in the by-law.!
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LSPIRG! has! the! following! standing! committees:! the! Governance! Committee,! the! Finance! Committee and the Community Relations & Fundraising Committee.!
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Ad! hoc! committees! may,! from! time! to! time,! be! created! via! resolution! of! the! board.! Such! resolution! shall! define! the! committee’s! mandate,! scope! of! authority! and! relevant! terms! of! reference! for! committee! membership,! terms! of! appointment/election! and! procedures.! Committees shall function to advise, offload and/or distribute the work of the Board.!
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Ad! hoc! working! groups! may,! from! time! to! time,! be! created! without! the! need! for! formal! resolution! and! for! the! express! purpose! of! making! recommendations! on! specific! issues! to! the! board.!
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Ad hoc committees/working groups shall be disbanded by motion of the board or automatically! when the task is completed or no longer relevant.! Ad hoc Committees may also be disbanded! consequent to a sunset clause in the original motion establishing the committee.! The Administrative and Development Director (non-voting) shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees.
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1.2!
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General Responsibilities of the Board as a Corporate Body!
The Board's job is to govern the affairs of LSPIRG within the framework of relevant legislation! and! standards.! The! Board! of! Directors,! representative! of! LSPIRG's! membership! and! the! community, is the legally formed entity with the authority and responsibility for:!
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i.! ii.! iii.! iv.! v.! vi.! vii.!
viii.!
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Safeguarding the Corporate mission and ensuring the overall stability of the Corporation.! Establishing the direction and objectives of LSPIRG;! Ensuring that it has adequate information to monitor major areas of Administrative and Development Director! and corporate performance;! Ensuring the proper and prudent management of the Corporation;! Ensuring the achievement of the Corporation's mission;! Securing input of key stakeholders in determining strategic direction;! Accounting! to! its! members! and! other! key! stakeholders! for! the! performance! of! the! Corporation; and,! Ensuring systematic linkage with other organizations engaged in the pursuit of similar or! related objectives, and with the community at large.!
The! Board,! in! discharging! its! responsibilities! for! the! governance! of! LSPIRG,! oversees! the! management of LSPIRG’s finances.! It ensures the proper and adequate discharge of this duty! through its Finance Committee, acting on behalf of and reporting to the Board.!
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1.3!
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Authority and Accountability!
The Board, as a whole, has general and specific responsibilities to the corporate membership and! those! government! and! individual or! corporate! donors! who! provide! funds! for! the! operation! of! LSPIRG. The Board is also accountable, in a more general sense, to exercise good stewardship! of! LSPIRG on behalf of the trust placed in! it by the membership, staff, volunteers and other! stakeholders.!
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Individual members of the board (directors) are elected and/or appointed under the authority of! the by-law and are responsible to those who elect or appoint them. However, all directors are!
obligated by the! Ontario Non-Profit Corporations Act (“ONCA”)! to act in! the overall best interests of the! corporation.!
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Individual directors have! no authority to act or give direction individually other than in such! manner as! may be! approved! in! these! policies! or! by! resolution! of! the! Board. The! Board! may! delegate authority to an individual director or officer or Administrative and Development Director; however the Board! retains ultimate responsibility and accountability.!
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The! Board! will! account! to! LSPIRG’s! members,! funders! and! other! key! stakeholders! through! annual and periodic reports on the activities and finances of LSPIRG, annual audited financial! statements,! minutes! of! Board! meetings! (except! in-camera! portions),! receiving! representations! from and consulting with key stakeholders and generally operating in an open and transparent! manner.!
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1.4!
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Essential Governance Tasks of the Board!
The board may carry out its duties directly or establish certain committees to assist in its work.! However,! the! board! itself! retains! ultimate! authority! and! accountability! for! the! work! of! its! committees and for overseeing and coordinating their efforts. These duties fall generally within! eight! major! categories:! Mission! and! Planning;! Financial! Stewardship;! Human! Resources! Stewardship;! Performance! Monitoring! and! Accountability;! Risk! Management;! Community! Representation! and! Advocacy;! Management! of! Critical! Events! and! Transitional! Phases;! and,! Complaints Processes. More specifically, these duties include:!
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•! Define and/or safeguard the mission, the values framework and operating principles within! which it expects the organization to be administered, and to review and update these! periodically to ensure that they remain current and responsive to member needs;! •! Oversee development and approval of a longer-term organizational plan or strategic priorities! and develop or approve annual budgets and operating plans;! •! Solicit input from key stakeholders to the strategic priorities of the organization;! •! Monitor performance of the organization overall in relation to achievement of its mission,! strategic goals and objectives;! •! Seek or secure sufficient resources for the organization to adequately finance its operational! and capital requirements;! •! Account to members, financial investors, other key stakeholders and the public for the! services of the organization and expenditure of funds;! •! Ensure prudent and proper management of the organization’s resources;! •! Anticipate, mitigate and manage risks to the organization, its staff, board, owners, clients and! other key stakeholders;! •! Establish the general values framework within which the organization’s human resources! will be managed and periodically monitor key human resource performance indicators;! •! Approve and periodically review personnel policies within which human resources will be! managed;! •! Approve a mandate (upper financial limits) within which pay and benefits agreements with! staff (if there are any) are to be negotiated;! •! Regularly review the organization’s services to ensure that they are consistent with the! purpose of the organization and that its programs are effective and relevant to community! needs;! •! Provide continuity/stability for the organization. Preserve the corporate memory;! •! Provide opportunities for citizen stakeholder participation in key decisions related to the! direction and operation of the organization;! •! Represent the organization and its programs positively to key stakeholders and the! community at large. Be a good ambassador;! •! Serve as an advocate for services of good quality; and! •! Ensure fair arbitration of complaints from members about services or products through a! formal complaints procedure.!
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In specific regard to the position of Administrative and Development Director, the Board shall also:!
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•! Govern the organization through broad policies and planned objectives approved by the!
board, formulated with the Administrative and Development Director and staff, and reviewed periodically;! •! Select and support an Administrative and Development Director to whom the responsibility for administration of the! organization is delegated;! •! Regularly review and evaluate the performance of the Administrative and Development Director on the basis of a! specific job description and negotiated performance objectives;! •! Provide advice and act as a resource and sounding board for the Administrative and Development Director; and! •! Maintain sufficient independence from management and adequate knowledge about the! organization to ensure that the board can make reasonably objective judgements about the! reliability and validity of management reports on finances and general operations.!
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1.5!
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Due Diligence - Responsibilities of Individual Board Members!
Individual board members have no authority to act independently of the board except insofar as! the by-law or the board, by resolution, specifically mandates. This means, among other things,! that an individual board member cannot provide direction to the Administrative and Development Director or staff. The! only legal authority to provide direction or require information is vested in the full board.!
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Each Board member is expected to become an active participant in a body that functions! effectively as a whole. In addition to assisting in the fulfilment of the essential governance tasks! of the Board outlined in clause 1.5, members are responsible to exercise due diligence, loyalty! and care in the performance of their duties. Each board member is responsible to exercise these! duties as follows:!
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1.5.1.! Duty of due diligence! •! Be informed of the articles of incorporation, the Ontario Non-Profit Corporations Act, and the! organization’s bylaws, mission, values, code of conduct, and policies as they pertain to! the duties of a director.! •! Keep generally informed about the activities of the organization, the community issues! that affect the organization, and general trends in the business in which the organization! operates.! •! Attend board meetings regularly, contributing from personal, professional and life! experience to the work of the board.!
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1.5.2! Duty of loyalty! •! Act with honesty and in good faith in what the director reasonably believes to be the best! interests of the corporation.! •! Maintain solidarity with fellow directors in support of a decision that has been made in! good faith, in a legally constituted meeting, by directors in reasonably full possession of! the facts.! •! Exercise vigilance for and declare any apparent or real personal conflict of interest in! accordance with the organization's bylaws and policies and statutory requirements.!
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1.5.3.! Duty of care! •! Exercise the same degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person! would show in comparable circumstances. This may require a reasonable understanding! of relevant legislation and jurisprudence.! •! Offer personal perspectives and opinions on issues that are the subject of board! discussion and decision.! •! Voice, clearly and explicitly, at the time a decision is being taken, any opposition to a! decision being considered by the board.! •! Ask for a review of a decision, if the director has reasonable grounds to believe that the! board acted without full information or in a manner inconsistent with its fiduciary! obligations.! •! Work cooperatively with the staff of the organization on committees or task forces of the! board.! •! Know and respect the distinction in the roles of board and staff consistent with the! principles underlying approved governance policies.!
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1.6!
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Oath of Office and Confidentiality!
Respect! for! confidentiality! is! the! cornerstone! of! trust! and! confidence! as! well! as! a! legislated! obligation.! Board members must at all times respect the confidentiality of members.! Similarly,! all matters dealt with by the Board during in-camera meetings and matters related to personnel! must be held in strictest confidence. Confidentiality means Directors may not relate such matters! to! anyone! including! immediate! family! members.! The! duty! of! confidentiality! continues! indefinitely after a Director has left the Board.!
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Board members shall agree to an Oath of Office and Confidentiality upon joining the Board of! Directors.!
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OATH OF OFFICE AND CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT!
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I, insert name, a director and/or officer of the Laurier Students Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG),! declare that, in carrying out my duties as a director, I will:!
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1.! Exercise the powers of my office and fulfil my responsibilities in good faith and in the best interests! of the Corporation.! 2.! Exercise these! responsibilities,! at! all! times,! with due diligence,! care and skill in a! reasonable and! prudent manner.! 3.! Respect and support LSPIRG’s by-law, policies, Code of Conduct, and decisions of the Board and! membership.! 4.! Keep! confidential! all! information! that! I! learn! about! members! and! staff! and! any! other! matters! specifically determined by board motion to be matters of confidence, particularly those matters dealt! with during in-camera meetings of the Board.! 5.! Conduct myself in a spirit of collegiality and respect for the collective decisions of the Board and! subordinate my personal interests to the best interests of the Corporation.! 6.! Immediately declare any real or apparent personal conflict of interest that may come to my attention.! 7.! Immediately resign my position as director of LSPIRG in the event that I, or my colleagues on the! Board, have concluded that I have breached my ‘Oath of Office’.!
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Signature:!
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Date:!
1.7 Code of Conduct!
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Board members are expected to comply with the prescribed Code of Conduct that encourages the! development of a spirit of collective decision-making, shared objectives and shared ownership of! and! respect! for! Board! decisions.! The! Code! of! Conduct! is! a! succinct! statement! of! essential! principles intended to govern the conduct of the Board and staff of the organization.!
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CODE OF CONDUCT!
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Board members and staff of the organization will at all times conduct themselves in a manner! that:! •! Supports the objectives of LSPIRG! •! Serves the overall best interests of LSPIRG rather than any particular special interest group or! other distinct segment of the membership! •! Brings credibility and good will to LSPIRG! •! Respects principles of fair play and due process! •! Demonstrates! respect! for! individuals! in! all! manifestations! of! their! cultural! and! linguistic! diversity and life circumstances! •! Respects and gives fair consideration to diverse and opposing viewpoints! •! Demonstrates! due! diligence! and! dedication! in! preparation! for! and! attendance! at! meetings,! special events and in all other activities on behalf of LSPIRG! •! Demonstrates! good! faith,! prudent! judgement,! honesty,! transparency! and! openness! in! their! activities on behalf of LSPIRG! •! Ensures that the financial affairs of LSPIRG are conducted in a responsible and transparent! manner with due regard for their fiduciary responsibilities and trusteeship! •! Avoids real or perceived conflicts of interest! •! Conforms with the By-law and policies approved by the Board, in particular this Code of! Conduct, the Oath of Office and Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest policies! •! Publicly! demonstrates! acceptance,! respect! and! support! for! decisions! legitimately! made! in!
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1.8!
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transaction of LSPIRG’s business!
Conflict of Interest Policy!
Members of the Board of Directors shall act at all times in the best interests of the corporation! and its membership as a whole.! This means setting aside personal self-interest and performing! their duties in transaction of the affairs of LSPIRG in such a manner that promotes confidence! from! the! membership! and! fosters! its! trust! in! the! integrity,! objectivity! and! impartiality! of! the! Board. Members of the Board shall serve without remuneration. Notwithstanding reimbursement! of expenses deemed reasonable and incurred in the performance of their duties, no director shall! directly! or! indirectly! receive! any! profit! from! his/her! position.! The! pecuniary! interests! of! immediate family members or close personal or business associates of a director are considered! to also be the pecuniary interests of the director.!
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1.8.1! Definition of Conflict of Interest:!
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•! Board members are considered to be in a “conflict of interest” whenever they themselves, or! members! of! their! family,! business! partners! or! close! personal! associates,! may! personally! benefit either directly or indirectly, financially or otherwise, from their position on the Board.! •! A conflict of interest may be “real”, “potential” or “perceived”; the same duty to disclose! applies to each.! •! Full disclosure in itself, does not remove a conflict of interest.! •! Non-pecuniary interests may also present a moral, if not a legal, conflict of interest. This! pertains, for example, to a board member of one organization who holds a board or staff! position in another organization that may have competing interests or that may place that! person in a position of influence or decision-making that might conflict with or be adverse to! the interests of the first organization.!
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1.8.2! Principles for Dealing with Conflicts of Interest:!
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a)! The Board member must openly disclose a potential, real or perceived conflict of interest as! soon as the issue arises and before the board or its committees deal with the matter at issue.! b)! If the Board member is not certain he/she is in a conflict of interest position the matter shall! be brought before the Board for advice and guidance.! c)! If there is any question or doubt about the existence of a real or perceived conflict, the Board! will determine by vote if a conflict exists.! The person potentially in conflict shall be absent! from the discussion and vote.! d)! It! is! the! responsibility! of! other! Board! members! who! are! aware! of! a! real,! potential! or! perceived conflict of! interest on! the part of a! fellow Board member to! raise! the issue for! clarification, first with the Board member and, if still unresolved, with the Board Chair.! e)! The Board member must abstain from participation in any discussion on the matter, shall not! attempt! to! personally! influence! the! outcome,! shall! refrain! from! voting! on! the! matter! and,! unless otherwise decided by the Board, must leave the meeting room for the duration of any! such discussion or vote.! f)! The! disclosure! and! decision! as! to! whether a! conflict exists! shall! be! duly! recorded! in! the! minutes of the meeting. The time the person left and returned to the meeting shall also be! recorded.!
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1.8.3! Examples of Conflict of Interest on the part of a Board Member:!
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a)! Any circumstance that may result in a personal or financial benefit to a director or his/her! family,! business! associate! or! close! personal! friend.! This! includes,! but! is! not! limited! to,! accepting! any! payment! for! services! rendered! to! LSPIRG,! including! contracted! work! or! honoraria; accessing financial or other resources for personal use, i.e. transportation, training! costs, supplies, equipment, etc.! b)! Personal! interests! which! conflict! with! the! interests! of! the! membership! or! are! otherwise! adverse to the interests of LSPIRG;! c)! Seeking,! accepting! or! receiving! any! personal! benefit! from! a! supplier,! vendor,! or! any! individual or organization doing or seeking business with LSPIRG;! d)! Being a member of! the board or! staff of! another! organization! which might have! material!
interests that conflict with the interests of LSPIRG or its members or clients; and, dealing! with matters on one Board which might materially affect the other Board;! e)! Any involvement in the hiring, supervision, grievance, evaluation, promotion, remuneration! or firing of a family member, business associate or close personal friend of the director;! f)! Public statements made by a director that could be perceived as an impairment to his/her! ability to consider issues, in the execution of his/her functions with LSPIRG in an impartial! and objective manner;! g)! Individuals who serve as directors on the same board with members of their family or others! with! whom! they! have! a! direct! business! or! personal! relationship! will! be! subject! to! an! immediate perception of apparent conflict of interest. (Director eligibility criteria in the by-! law should exclude such arrangements.)!
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1.9!
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Disposition of Complaints and Disputes involving Directors!
a)! The Board of Directors, in a meeting duly called for the purpose, shall review any complaints! that a director has violated any provision of LSPIRG's By-law, Governance Policies, Code of! Conduct, Conflict of Interest Policy, or Oath of Office & Confidentiality Agreement.! b)! The Board of Directors shall similarly review disputes between members of the Board that! interfere with the ability of the Board to carry on its business.! c)! Complaints of a grave nature may be referred to an independent arbiter.! d)! Allegations of illegal activity shall be immediately referred to police, or other appropriate! authorities for investigation. Any director against whom such allegations are made shall be! deemed to immediately be on a leave of absence from the Board pending completion of the! investigation.! e)! The! review! of! such! complaints! or! disputes! shall! include! an! opportunity! for! the! members! concerned to represent their positions.! Board members who originate or are the subject of! such! complaints! or! disputes! must! declare! their! conflict! and! absent! themselves! from! such! meetings.! f)! Every attempt should be made to resolve such matters expeditiously and fairly.! g)! The ruling of the Board shall be final.! Should the member refuse to abide by the ruling the! Board may table the matter pending determination of disciplinary action. Such action may! include! formal! or! informal! censure! by! the! Chair! or! the! Board,! request! for! the! member’s! resignation! or! a! recommendation! for! a! Special! General! Meeting! to! have! the! membership! decide whether the member in question shall continue his/her term of office.!
2.!
ROLES OF THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD!
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Officers of the Board are in the service of the Board. Individual officers may not act in place of! the Board. The Board may, by policy or general resolution, delegate certain responsibilities to its! officers but retains ultimate responsibility and accountability for the responsibilities so delegated.!
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2.1!
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President & Chair!
The role of the President is to ensure the integrity of the board's processes. The President is the! only! board! member! authorized! to! speak! for! LSPIRG,! unless! this! is! specifically! delegated! to! another board member.!
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a)! The President presides as the ‘manager’ of the board’s activities, ensuring that the board and! its! members! follow! board! rules! or! polices! and! those! obligations! legitimately! imposed! by! statute! or! regulation.! Since! most! of! the! work! of! the! board! will! be! done! during! regularly! scheduled board meetings, the President is responsible for ensuring that the board’s work is! conducted! efficiently! and! effectively.! The! President! has! no! authority! to! make! decisions! outside the by-law or the parameters of policies created by resolution of the board.! b)! The President will set the agendas for meetings of the board with input from the members of! the Board and with the assistance of the Administrative and Development Director and ensure that its meetings are! focused on matters of board responsibility.! c)! The! President! is! responsible! for! promoting! the! development! of! a! board! work! plan,! complementary to the strategic priorities and operational plan of the organization, and that! the board’s work and power are evenly distributed among board members!
d)! The President will plan the conduct and timing of board meetings in conjunction with the! Administrative and Development Director and will president meetings of the board and membership.! e)! The! President! will! ensure! that! the! board! is! properly! informed! about! the! operations! of! LSPIRG,! has! the! information! and! opportunity! necessary! to! come! to! decisions! on! matters! within its purview, and that decision-making is transparent.! f)! The President, without undermining the Administrative and Development Director’s accountability to the full board,! will be the board's primary liaison with the Administrative and Development Director, who is responsible for the! execution! of! board! policies! and! directives,! and! for! determining! the! means,! organizational! structure and management processes necessary to achieve the corporate objectives.! g)! The President will strive to ensure that the board works effectively as a team and that areas of! overlap between board, management and staff responsibilities are managed constructively.! h)! The President is responsible to ensure that conflict of interest issues and other conflicts or! disputes are addressed sensitively and resolved constructively.! i)! The President is responsible to ensure that board and director self-assessments are conducted! and that board members who fail to meet expectations are gracefully retired.! j)! The! President,! with! the! support! and! cooperation! of! the! board,! is! responsible! for! ensuring! adequate communications and accountability to key stakeholders and the public.! k)! The President will act as public and media spokesperson for the board and Corporation as! required.! l)! The President shall act as a signing officer for LSPIRG!
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2.2!
Vice Chair!
In! addition! to! assuming! the! duties! of! the! Chair! during! his/her! absence,! the! Vice-Chair! shall! perform other duties prescribed from time to time by the Board, coincident to the office.!
!
2.3!
!
Treasurer!
The Treasurer shall:! A) Be an Officer of LSPIRG;! B) Be a Member of LSPIRG;! C)! Be elected by the members of the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board;! D) Not hold office until the 1st of May in the calendar year in which they were hired and shall! vacate said office on the 30th day of April in the succeeding calendar year;! E)! Be subject to removal, with just cause, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of! Directors at any time;! F)! Chair the Finance Standing Committee; and! G) Report all finance statements to the Board of Directors.! H) Act as a signing officer for LSPIRG!
! 2.4 Secretary!
!
The! Secretary! shall! ensure! that all! secretarial functions! are performed for! the! Board! and! that! records! are! kept! of! all! proceedings! and! transactions.! The! Secretary! is! the! custodian! of! the! corporate! seal! and! of! all! official! books,! papers,! records,! documents! and! correspondence! of! LSPIRG. S/He shall:!
!
•! Oversee! the! keeping! of! records! of! meetings,! policies,! membership! and! any! other! records! required by law.! •! Ensure that minutes are taken at all regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors.! •! Ensure that copies of minutes and agendas are circulated to Board members prior to each! meeting.! •! Maintain, or ensure the maintenance of, the files and records of LSPIRG to be passed on to! future officers and ensure the security and confidentiality of all such files and records.!
!
3.!
ROLE OF COMMITTEES!
3.1!
Authority of Committees!
!
Committees assist the Board in efficiently carrying out its mandate and resolutions it has passed.!
They! do! not! speak or! act! for! the! Board! unless! such! authority! is! formally! delegated,! is! time-! limited, and is for specific purposes. They do not have any authority to direct staff although they! may, through the board, ask the Administrative and Development Director to allocate resources in support of committee! activities. The Board appoints committee members as needed or as required under the by-law or! policy.!
!
3.2!
!
Composition!
A member of the board shall chair all standing or ad hoc committees. A person who is not a! member of the board may chair a committee.!
!
The! composition! of! committees! shall! be! representative! of! the! board! and,! where! feasible! and! appropriate, of staff and the membership and/or the community at large. This is intended as an! effective way to add expertise, involve more of the membership or community in the work of! LSPIRG and bring to LSPIRG a reflection of membership or public opinion. It shall also serve as! a! means! of! recruiting,! orienting! and! screening! prospective! candidates! for! the! board.! The! Administrative and Development Director (non-voting) shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees and! may be members of ad hoc committees as prescribed by resolution of the board.!
!
3.3!
!
Function!
Given! a! specific mandate! by the! Board! as! to direction, responsibility, scope of! authority and! time-frame, the function of a committee is to bring the experience, expertise and judgement of! interested! and! informed! persons! to! bear! on! a! issue,! task! or! specific! area! of! LSPIRG’s! responsibility.! Committees! shall! identify! key! issues,! weigh! alternative! actions! and! the! implications thereof and make a specific recommendation to the Board.!
!
The board must be satisfied that all pertinent information was considered or refer the issue back! to! the! committee! for! further! study.! The! board! will! consider! the! recommendation! of! the! committee! and! adopt! or! amend! these! recommendations! or! make! such! other! disposition,! as! it! deems advisable.!
! !
3.4!
!
Relationship to Staff!
Board! and! staff! work co-operatively to carry out the objectives of! LSPIRG. The board! relies! upon the ability, training, expertise and experience of staff to plan for and provide services or! programs! within! LSPIRG’s! mandate.! Committee! and! board! meetings! are! the! generally! recognized avenues for board and staff to think and plan together.!
!
The attendance of the Administrative and Development Director, or designate, at all committee meetings as a resource! and staff support is essential to the effective work of the committees. Committees may advise the! board or the Administrative and Development Director but do not exercise authority over staff, and will ordinarily have! no! direct! dealing! with! staff! operations.! Committee! members! must! know! and! respect! the! distinction between board and staff responsibilities.!
!
Communications between board and staff, outside of committee meetings, shall be through the! Administrative and Development Director. This includes:! •! Any assignments or directives;! •! Requests for organizational resources or staff time;! •! Staff performance concerns or policy infractions;! •! Concerns regarding any aspect of programs, services or administration.!
!
3.5!
!
Meetings!
Committee meetings are generally less formal than board meetings but are subject to the same! requirements for record keeping and may resort to more formal procedural rules if it appears! necessary.! They! are! typically! held! at! the! call! of! the! committee! chair! or! at! times! regularly! scheduled by resolution of the committee or the board.!
!
3.6!
!
Governance Committee!
General Description:!
!
The Governance Committee fulfills ‘the quality control assurance”! for the board. In! general the Governance Committee ensures that the board is following and adhering to! the bylaws of LSPIRG, following established best practices with respect to governance,! and is achieving the board’s objectives as identified in the board’s work plan.! The Governance Committee will be responsible for ensuring that the following functions! are carried out; recruitment, nomination and the orientation of new board members,! evaluation of the board and board members, regular review and recommendations of! the bylaws and governance policies of the board, ensuring compliance with the bylaws! and governance policies and other duties assigned by the board.!
! ! !
Specific Duties/Tasks:! 1.! Review bylaws annually to ensure that they are current and consistent! with governance policies and practices! 2.! Develop and recommend for adoption by the board governance policies! as necessary ! !
!!
! !
3.! Review the policies and practices of the Board and Board committees to! ensure that current practices are achieving the long term objectives of LSPIRG, and! make recommendations for changes as necessary! 4.! Undertake an an annual policy and practices audit on selected! governance policies to ensure that the Board is in compliance with existing! governance policies and practices - one third of existing policies to be reviewed each! year! 5.!
In consultation with board members develop a work plan for the board!
6.! Conduct an a review of the board’s achievements with respect to the! board’s work plan - recommendations to be submitted to the board! 7.! Conduct a review of the performance and attendance of individual board! members - recommendations submitted to the board! 8.! Identify the characteristics, skills, and qualifications needed to fill existing! and upcoming vacancies on board committees and the board! 9.! Identify, interview and recruit prospective board members and committee! members following criteria established by the board! 10.! Maintain a roster of potential board members and committee members for! possible nomination to the board or committees! 11.! Determine the status of current members with respect to their future! involvement with the board and committees! 12.!
Ensure that orientation is undertaken for new board members!
13.! Assess and identify the ongoing educational and training needs of the! board and make recommendations to address the identified needs!
Committee Makeup!
! !
! !
•! The Vice Chair who shall serve as Chair (voting member)! •! One Board member! •! One Community Member at large! •! One Student member at large! •! The Administrative and Development Director shall be a non-voting resource for the committee!
3.7!
Finance Committee!
!
Introduction:! The$purpose$of$this$policy$is$to$outline$the$purpose,$meetings,$duties,$responsibilities,$and$composition! of$the$Finance$Standing$Committee.!
!
Section!1:!Purpose!
!
1.1$The$purpose$of$this$committee$is$to$review$all$financial$activity$of$the$Corporation$and$to$create$the! operating$budget$of$the$Corporation.!
!
Section!2:!Meetings! 2.1$The$Finance$Standing$Committee$will$meet$at$least$once$each$semester.! .! Section!3:!Duties!and!Responsibilities! 3.1$Review$annual$audit;! 3.2$Approve$operating$budget$and$present$budget$to$Board$of$Directors;!
3.3$Oversee$all$financial$reporting;! 3.4$Review$financial$activity$each$semester;! 3.5$Develop$Financial$Policies$for$approval$by$the$Board;! 3.6$Monitor$financial$reporting$to$granting$organizations;$and! 3.7$Assist$in$recruiting$new$finance$committee$members$with$the$appropriate$skill$set.!
!
Section!4:!Composition! 3.1$The$Finance$Standing$Committee$shall$be$composed$of$four$members:! 3.1.1$The$Treasurer,$who$shall$serve$as$chair$(voting$member);! 3.1.2$At$least$one$(1)$member$must$be$a$“student”$Director;$and! 3.1.3$At$least$two$(2)$members$must$be$“community”$membersSatSlarge.! 3.1.4$The$Administrative$and$Development$Director$who$shall$serve$ExSOfficio,$NonSVoting!
! !
3.8!
! !
Community Relations & Fundraising Committee!
Section 1 PURPOSE!
!
This committee is responsible for building relationships with the wider Laurier communi8ty! including our alumni base and ensuring that fund-raising activities supplement the resources! necessary to successfully operate the organization.!
!
Section 2 SPECIFIC DUTIES!
!
! !
1.! Promote public awareness of the organization’s mandate, increase organizational! visibility and present an organizational profile that is consistent with its goals, objectives,! and policies.! 2.! Collaborate with staff in the establishment of objectives; and development,! implementation, and evaluation of all fund raising activities to ensure generation of! sufficient funds to meet operational goals and/or capital requirements.! 3.! Develop (in consultation with the Administrative and Development Director) fund raising strategies to meet the! needs of the organization.! 4.! Recommend, for board approval, ethical guidelines for fund raising operations, activities! and accounting and monitor compliance with these.! 5.! Review, develop, and interpret fund raising policies of the organization and make! recommendations to the board with respect to such policies.! 6.! Plan fund raising strategies and plans consistent with sound fund raising practices and! respectful of the organization’s mandate and stakeholders.! 7.! Review fund raising strategies to ensure that the donor base is expanded appropriately to! ensure long-term financial stability.! 8.! Actively recruit other individuals to fulfil volunteer fund raising roles.! 9.! Evaluate the outcomes of fund raising activities, the effectiveness of resource! development strategies and the efficiency of operations.! 10. Ensure accuracy of fund raising records and review these on a regular basis against! projections; make adjustments as necessary, within the approved budget, and report these! to the board.! 11. Ensure coordination of fund raising programs with affiliated organizations or partners.! 12. Report annually and make recommendations to the board in regard to any of these! matters.! Note: Committee members are expected to actively participate in one or more fund raising! campaigns and/or make personal charitable contributions within their means.!
Section!3:!Composition! 3.1$The$Community$Relations$Committee$shall$be$composed$of$the$following:! 3.1.1$The$Secretary,$who$shall$serve$as$chair$(voting$member);! 3.1.2$One$(1)$“student”$Director;$and! 3.1.3$Two$(2)$“community”$membersSatSlarge.! 3.1.4$One$(1)$“alumni”$membersSatSlarge.! 3.1.5$The$Administrative$and$Development$Director$who$shall$serve$ExSOfficio,$NonSVoting!
!
Note: Committee members are expected to actively participate in one or more fund raising!
! !
campaigns and/or make personal charitable contributions within their means.!
4.!
STYLE OF GOVERNANCE!
!
The! Board! of! Directors! represents! the! membership! of! LSPIRG.! It! is! the! legally! constituted! authority! responsible! directly! to! the! funders! and! the! community! for! prudent! oversight! of! LSPIRG's operations. It is responsible for the articulation and safeguarding of the organizational! mission and defining the outputs and outcomes it seeks. The Board is responsible for long-term! planning! and! direction. It! defines! the! organizational! culture,! values,! operating principles, and! parameters within which it expects the Administrative and Development Director to manage LSPIRG's operations.!
!
The! Board! will! focus! on! strategic! leadership! rather! than! administrative! detail! and! broad! overarching! policy! rather! than! operational! matters.! It! will! establish! and! respect! distinctions! between Board and staff roles and manage any overlap between these respective roles in a spirit! of collegiality and partnership that supports the authority of staff and maintains proper lines of! accountability.!
!
In this spirit the Board will:!
!
a)! Direct, control, and inspire the agency through careful deliberation and establishment of! strategic direction and general policies.! b)! Monitor and regularly discuss the Board's own processes, progress and performance.! c)! Provide its members with the knowledge necessary to fulfil their responsibilities for the! good governance of LSPIRG.! d)! Be! accountable! to! the! membership! for! competent,! conscientious,! and! effective! accomplishment of its obligations as a body.! e)! Ensure! that! all! business! of! LSPIRG! is! conducted! in! a! transparent,! legal! and! ethical! manner.! f)! Board members will at all times conduct their business in accordance with the principles! of fair play and due legal process.! g)! Enforce! upon! itself! and! its! members! the! behaviour! that! is! needed! to! govern! with! excellence.! This! will! apply! to! matters! such! as! attendance,! policy-making! principles,! respect of roles, maintaining a unified front as a board, and monitoring and correcting any! tendency of directors to stray from the principles of governance adopted in these policies.! It! will! allow! no! officer,! individual,! agent,! assign! or! committee! of! the! Board! to! either! usurp this role or weaken this discipline.!
5.! !
BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES!
Primary! Board! responsibilities! generally! fall! within! eight! general! areas:! Planning;! Financial! Stewardship; Human Resources Stewardship; Performance Monitoring and Accountability; Risk! Management; Community Representation and Advocacy; Management of Critical Transitional! Phases; and, Complaints Review.!
!
5.1!
!
Planning!
One of the most important responsibilities of a Board of Directors is to provide general guidance! and direction for an organization. A comprehensive framework for planning, setting priorities,! management and budgeting is essential to effective and responsible organizational stewardship.! Good planning results in better communication and a better understanding of how various parts! of an organization work together to produce desired results.!
!
5.1.1! Strategic Plan!
!
The Board of Directors, with the assistance of staff, and in consultation with key stakeholders,! establishes LSPIRG's overall direction through the development and approval of a Strategic Plan.! This plan provides a! tentative! blueprint for! LSPIRG’s! general direction! and! activities for the! future! based! on! a! scan! of! internal! and! external! factors! that! may! bear! on! the! resources! and! direction of the organization. It identifies the "key areas" in which the Board wants to focus the! activities of the organization and general goals for each of these areas.!
!
5.1.2! Annual Operating Plan!
!
LSPIRG's! management! develops! annual! operating! plans! and! budgets! based! on! the! general! blueprint! contained! in! the! Strategic! Plan.! These! become! the! focus! of! work! throughout! the! organization over the next twelve-month period. They will contain estimates of service demand! for the year as well as objectives for improvement in key areas of corporate activity. LSPIRG's! annual operating plan will be the basis of its yearly budget containing revenues and expenditure! forecasts related to planned programs and/or volumes of service. This plan will contain more! specific objectives than contained in the Strategic Plan; expected results for each objective; the! time! period! during! which! those! results! will! be! sought;! and,! criteria! for! measuring! the! achievement! of! those! results.! The! annual! operating! plan,! together! with! service! statistics! and! budget forecasts are presented to the Board for review, amendment and approval.! 5.1.3! Planning Cycle!
!
The development and approval of the Strategic Plan takes place in a regular cycle with progress! monitored and assessed regularly against targets set in the annual Operating Plan and Budget.! Performance against interim targets is monitored each semester of the fiscal year. The third-final! review! begins! a! thorough! analysis! of! performance,! and! produces! projections! of! the! expected! year-end results. Preliminary planning for the coming year's operating goals is completed late in! the year with refinements based on actual prior year results concluding in the first semester of the! next year. Service targets and forecasts of financial resources and constraints enter into the final! preparation of the coming year's budget.!
!
5.2!
!
Financial Stewardship!
The Board is responsible to review and approve the annual operating and capital budgets; secure! adequate financial resources; ensure development of financial management and inventory control! systems adequate to properly record financial transactions and control of assets; monitor efficient! use of resources; and, ensure the establishment of proper financial controls and policies.!
!
5.3!
!
Human Resources Stewardship!
The! Board! is! responsible! for! ensuring! the! establishment! of! personnel! policies! to! govern! the! management of staff and volunteer resources; recruiting, supporting and evaluating the Executive! Director;! providing! guidelines! for! staff! compensation;! succession! planning! to! ensure! smooth! transition in both board and senior staff positions; and, monitoring compliance with legislative! and regulatory requirements.!
!
5.4!
!
Performance Monitoring and Accountability!
The! Board! is! responsible! for! ensuring! that! adequate! systems! are! in! place! for! monitoring! organizational! performance;! monitoring! the! general! performance! of! the! organization! against! legislative! and! regulatory! requirements! and! approved! objectives! of! the! organization;! and! reporting to members, funders and other key stakeholders.!
!
5.5!
!
Risk Management!
The! Board! is! responsible! to! ensure! that! by-laws! are! current;! that! governance! practices! are! consistent with the by-law; adequate insurance provisions are in place to protect the organization! and! board! from! potential! liabilities;! resources! are! sufficient! to! minimize! risk! to! employees,! volunteers and beneficiaries of services; compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements;! that policies! are! respected! in! actual practice;! and, adequate! contingency plans are! in! place! to! protect against reasonably anticipated crises.!
!
5.6!
!
Member Representation and Advocacy!
The! function! of! member! relations! is! to! assist! LSPIRG! in! achieving! its! goals! and! objectives,! through the development and execution of programs designed to develop member understanding! and support. The Board is responsible to represent the organization positively to the membership! and! community! at! large;! to! fairly! represent! member! and! community! perspectives! to! the!
organization;! to! ensure! member! and! community! input! to! its! planning;! and,! to! advocate! for! adequate resources to fulfil the organizational mandate.!
!
Authority to speak on behalf of LSPIRG shall rest with the President and/or Administrative and Development Director.! This authority may be delegated by either of them to others in LSPIRG within their special fields! of competence or knowledge.! In general, the President will represent LSPIRG on matters of Board policy and the Executive! Director will represent LSPIRG on operational issues. Either may represent LSPIRG on issues! related to advocacy on behalf of the mandate of LSPIRG. Any major statements of an advocacy! nature must be consistent with the general parameters of Board-approved policies or positions.!
!
This is not intended to inhibit private expression of personal or professional opinions, but care! should be taken by individual directors to distinguish such opinions from positions of LSPIRG.! They are also expected to avoid public statements that might undercut or obscure the messages! conveyed! by! the! organization’s! approved! spokespersons.! Directors,! who! hold! other! office! concurrent! with! their! membership! on! the! board! of! this! organization,! are! expected! to! be! particularly! judicious! about! this! since! their! public! profile! may! deflect! attention! away! from! messages conveyed by the official spokespersons and generate confusion or controversy.!
!
5.7!
!
Management of Critical Transitional Phases!
The! Board! is! responsible! for! managing,! or! ensuring! the! proper! management! of,! critical! transitional phases and events. These include turnover in key positions in the board and senior! management; rapid growth or decline in resources; and, issues of significant internal or public! conflict or controversy.!
!
5.8!
!
Complaints Review!
Where a member makes direct contact with a Board member for assistance in the resolution of! specific service issues, the Board member should refer the client to the Administrative and Development Director. A! Board member may not interfere in the handling of a specific case by approaching individual! staff members. Concerns about the management of a case should be conveyed to the Executive! Director.! The! Administrative and Development! Director! may! inform! the! concerned! Board! member ! about! the! action! taken in the case or authorize a staff member to! communicate the information directly to the! Board member.!
!
Staff! shall! initially! respond! to! member! complaints! about! the! nature! or! quality! of! services! provided! by! LSPIRG.! The! member! shall! be! provided! with! an! opportunity! to! appeal! their! decisions to the Administrative and Development Director. The member shall also be provided with an opportunity to! appeal a decision of the Administrative and Development Director to the Board of Directors. The Board, in reviewing! such appeals shall adhere to the Oath of Confidentiality.! The Board may overturn the decision of! the Administrative and Development Director by resolution and that decision shall be final.!
!
6.!
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY!
!
The! Board! contracts! with! the! Administrative and Development Director! for! the!management!and!administration!of! LSPIRG. The Administrative and Development Director is responsible, within parameters established by the Board, for! determining! the! methods! or! ‘means’! by! which! the! Board's! directions! and! policies! will! be! executed and the desired outcomes achieved.!
!
The Administrative and Development Director is employed by the board of directors and is therefore responsible to the! board as a whole rather than to individual members of the board.! S/He is required to implement! policies as determined by the Board, consistent with the requirements of any relevant legislation! or regulations.! In the exercise of these responsibilities, the Administrative and Development Director is:!
!
a)! Authorized to expend funds within the limits of the financial policies;! b)! Expected! to! provide! advice! to! the! board! on! policy! and! program/service! issues! which! affect the programs offered or services provided by LSPIRG;! c)! Required! to! provide! the! Board! with! the! information! it! requires! to! govern! effectively,! make! informed! decisions! and! monitor! the! overall! performance! of! LSPIRG! in!
!
achievement of approved goals or ‘ends’.! d)! Responsible for employing all staff members within the classifications and salary ranges! approved by the board.! Board members should bear in mind that the staff are responsible! to the Administrative and Development Director or to a person designated by him or her, not to the board as a! whole! or! to! any! individual! officer! or! director.! In! the! supervision,! direction! and! deployment! of! personnel,! the! Administrative and Development! Director!is! governed! by! the! documented! personnel practices and procedures approved by the board.! e)! Specific! responsibilities! are! described! in! the! policies! related! to! responsibilities! of! the! Board,! the! roles! of! Chair,! of! other! Officers! and! individual! members,! and! in! the! job! description of the Administrative and Development Director.!
6.1!
!
Delegation to the Administrative and Development Director!
The Board's job is generally confined to establishing broad policies for achievement of corporate! objectives. It delegates responsibility for execution of those policies to the Administrative and Development Director.! All Board authority delegated to staff is delegated through the Administrative and Development Director, so that the! authority! and! accountability! of! staff! derives! from! the! authority! and! accountability! of! the! Administrative and Development Director.!
!
The! Board of! Directors as a! group, rather than! individual directors, officers or committees! is! responsible! for! providing! direction! to! the! Administrative and Development!Director!within! the! context! ! Board! policies.!
!
6.2!
!
of
Appointment of the Administrative and Development Director!
Recruitment, selection and appointment of the Administrative and Development Director are, along with performance! monitoring,! among! the! most! important! responsibilities! of! the! Board.! Appointment! of! an! Administrative and Development Director shall require a majority (50% + 1) vote in support of a resolution naming said! individual to the position for a fixed term of office.!
!
In the event that the Administrative and Development Director’s performance is deficient to the extent that there is a! critical loss of confidence in the incumbent, the Board, as a whole, is responsible for ensuring, as! amicably as possible, a termination of the relationship. Dismissal of the Administrative and Development Director shall! require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the full Board of Directors (all director positions normally! filled, regardless that some of these positions may be vacant) voting in favour of dismissal at a! meeting duly called to consider such action.!
!
6.3!
!
Administrative and Development Director's Performance Evaluation!
6.3.1! General!
!
The! Administrative and Development! Director!is! the! sole!official!link! between! the! Board! of ! Directors! and! the! organization that it governs. The responsibilities of the Administrative and Development Director lie in the exercise of! delegated! authority! and! compliance! within! parameters! established! by! Board! policy! and! directives.!
!
Consequently, the Administrative and Development Director’s job contributions can be expressed as performance with! respect to six components:!
!
!
a.! b.! c.! d.! e.! f.!
Administrative and Development Director’s Job Description! Annual performance objectives negotiated with the Board.! Organizational achievement of operating plan and corporate objectives.! Organizational operation within the boundaries established in Board policies.! Quality of relationship with senior staff.! Quality of relationship with membership and other major stakeholders.!
The! essence! of! the! performance! evaluation! shall! be! results-focused! rather! than! subjective! or! personality oriented. The annual evaluation will provide an over-all assessment of performance! relative to this policy statement and the employment contract with the Administrative and Development Director.!
!
6.3.2! Procedure!
!
The Administrative and Development Director will, at the beginning of each fiscal year, draft objectives for that year! and present them to the Board for approval.!
!
The Administrative and Development Director shall, at the end of the fiscal year complete a report on overall corporate! performance for the preceding year. This report will be provided to the Board of Directors and! the direct reporting staff.!
!
The! essential! elements! of! this! material,! along! with! Board! members'! observations! of! the! Administrative and Development Director's interactions with key stakeholders throughout the year shall form the basis! of the evaluation.!
!
The Chair will obtain input from the officers of the Board, committee chairs and other Board! members and prepare a written evaluation of the Administrative and Development Director’s performance. The Chair! will! provide! the! performance! review! to! the! Board! at! its! last! meeting! in! the! fiscal! year! or! immediately thereafter.! The Board will meet in-camera without the Administrative and Development Director for the! specific purpose of reviewing the performance evaluation.!
!
The! Chair! will! bring! the! results! of! this! performance! appraisal! including! specific! areas! of! outstanding performance and any deficiencies in the performance of the Administrative and Development Director to! his/her attention in writing.! The Chair shall meet with the Administrative and Development Director alone or, at the! request of either, along with the Officers of the Board or full Board, to discuss the evaluation.! The! Administrative and Development!Director!shall! be!provided!with!a!reasonable!opportunity!to!redress!any! deficiencies in performance.!
!
The! Chair! shall! provide! the! Administrative and Development! Director! with! more! informal! feedback! on ! his/her! performance on a regular basis as issues may arise and at least once midway between formal! appraisals.!
!
6.4! Administrative and Development Director Succession and Senior Management! Appointments!
!
The Administrative and Development Director, in order to maintain proper lines of authority and accountability, has full! authority to recruit, evaluate and dismiss all staff, including the most senior managers.!
! !
The board, however, reserves the right to label some senior management positions “of special! interest”! due! to! the! likelihood! that! the! incumbent! of! such! a! position! may! succeed! to! a! more! senior position.! Prior to filling such “special interest” positions, the board shall review with the! Administrative and Development!Director the!recruitment!criteria, relevant!job!descriptions!and!the!qualifications! of! potential candidates.! The board may alter any or all of these and suggest candidates but the final! decision as to who is hired rests solely with the Administrative and Development Director.!
!
In the same vein, decisions regarding the compensation, discipline or termination of incumbents! in! such! “special! interest”! positions! shall! incorporate! input! from! the! Board! but! remain! the! decision and responsibility of the Administrative and Development Director.!
!
7.!
BOARD DEVELOPMENT!
7.1!
Orientation of New Members!
!
New Board members shall receive a thorough orientation to their position within a reasonable! period of becoming elected to the incoming Board.! Orientation includes but is not limited to:!
!
•! •! •! •! •!
The history, mission and purpose of the organization! Constitution, by-law, and governance policies! An organizational chart! An overview of funding sources! An overview of key organizational and policy issues, and copies of approved policies!
! !
•! Role, structure and functions of the Board, committees, and key staff! •! Board member Code of Conduct, Oath of Office, Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest! policies! •! Procedural guidelines and rules for Board meetings! •! Calendar of meetings and events! •! Procedures for Board member expenses! •! A tour of facilities and introduction to key staff!
8.!
BOARD MANAGEMENT!
8.1!
Meetings!
!
Meetings of the Board of Directors will, unless otherwise determined by the Board, be held once! a month in the city of LSPIRG’s headquarters.! Except when dealing with confidential matters! ‘in-camera’, all meetings of the Board will be open to the membership.!
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Robert's! Rules! of! Order! will! be! followed! strictly! for! all! motions! and! to! the! extent! deemed! necessary by the Chair for all other portions of the meeting. Discussion at meetings of the Board! will! be! confined! to! those! issues! that! clearly fall! within! the! Board's! authority according to! its! policies. Board deliberation at meetings will be timely, fair, orderly, thorough, and efficient.!
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8.2!
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Board Member Attendance!
Carrying out the work of the Board of Directors effectively requires a commitment to attend all! Board meetings as required.!
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8.3!
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Board Work Plan/ Objectives!
The Chair shall ensure the Board develops a plan and objectives for its own work in support of! LSPIRG's! goals! as! articulated! in! the! approved! Corporate! or! Strategic! Plan! and! the! annual! operating or business plan.!
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8.4!
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Board Self-Evaluation!
The! Board! shall! periodically! review! its! own! progress! on! work! plan! objectives! and! its! effectiveness! in! accomplishing! the! same.! It! shall! conduct! a! formal! assessment! of! its! own! performance annually at the same time that it reviews the performance of the Administrative and Development Director! and shall take any steps for improvement in its governance practices suggested by such review.!
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8.5!
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Conflict Resolution!
Board members commonly bring diverse views on issues to board debates and decision-making.! Constructive disagreements between board members are encouraged in a well-functioning board.! They can generally be managed by following proper rules of procedure and encouragement of! good listening skills. However, in the heat of board debate, disagreements sometimes degenerate! into serious conflict on issues or between personalities.!
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The board chair is! responsible for managing such conflicts. A neutral board member or third! party should be selected if the board chair is a party to the conflict. It is! important to identify! early on whether the conflict is based on the immediate issue at hand or has deeper roots based! on differences in personal values and history, personalities, personal or political agendas, gender! or culture.!
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9.!
BOARD DECISION-MAKING!
9.1!
Decision-Making Process!
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Decisions of the Board are made as a group at Board meetings at which a quorum of the Board! (51%) is present. A quorum is required for the transaction of any business of LSPIRG. Decisions! will be made after full discussion and development of a decision that at least a majority of board!
members can support by way of vote. Dissenting members may request that their objections be! recorded in the minutes. A favorable vote of a majority of the members present, majority being! determined according to Robert’s Rules of Order, is required for approval.!
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Directors have the right to discuss questions before the board and make their decisions in an! uninhibited! atmosphere.! These! Governance! Policies,! the! Code! of! Conduct! and! procedural! guidelines! will! govern! Board! deliberations.! Directors! will! welcome! and! respect! the! diverse! views of their colleagues, maintain confidentiality as required and offer public support for Board! decisions.!
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9.2!
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In Camera Meetings!
The following items may be considered in-camera upon an approved two-thirds (2/3) majority! motion of the Board:!
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Personal matters about an identifiable individual (i.e. member, director, employee)! Acquisition or sale of land or other assets! Labour relations or employee negotiations! Litigation or potential litigation! Receiving advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege! Matters falling under any applicable form of Privacy Legislation! Matters of personal conflict between members of the Board as outlined in this governance! policy! Any! other! matters! which,! the! public! discussion! thereof,! the! Board,! by! a! two-thirds! (2/3)! majority vote, determines would be prejudicial to the interests of LSPIRG or its members.!
10. ADMINISTRATIVE AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - JOB DESCRIPTION! ! !
Job!Profile!@!Administrative!and!Development!Director!
Job Purpose: The Administrative and Development Director is responsible for the successful management of the! organization’s operations, according to the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors.!
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Reports to: The Board of Directors!
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General Manager Duties and Responsibilities!
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Leadership!
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•! Together with the President is the public face of the corporation! •! Leads the staff team!
Program Planning & Delivery!
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Prepares an annual operating plan in line with strategic priorities! Prepares funding requests to outside organizations and external funding bodies! Writes organizational policies in conjunction with the board! Ensures that organizational policies are implemented! Processes bursary/award applications! Processes working group applications!
Human Resources!
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•! Hires, supervises, evaluates and provides direction as needed to all staff! •! •! •!
Establishes a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and! regulations! Coaches and mentor staff as appropriate to improve performance! Disciplines staff when necessary using appropriate techniques; release staff when necessary using! appropriate and legally defensible procedures!
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Financial!
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Creates an annual budget for approval by the board! Is responsible for adhering to the budget within policy limits! Liaises with the auditors for the annual audit! Is responsible for all book keeping functions! Provides accounting systems oversight!
Risk Management! •! Ensures that the organization carries appropriate Directors and Officers Insurance! •! Ensures that the organization has adequate insurance coverage for all appropriate areas of! the organization! Community Relations & Advocacy! •! Coordinates the annual general meeting! •! •!
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Communicates with stakeholders to keep them informed of the work of the organization and to identify! changes in the community served by the organization! Establishes good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with community groups, funders,! politicians, and other organizations to help achieve the goals of the organization!
Other Duties!
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•! Reports to the Board of Directors as required! •! Acts as the computer systems administrator!
Skills!
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•! •! •! •! •! •! •! •! •! •! •! •! •!
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Adaptability: Demonstrate a willingness to be flexible, versatile and/or tolerant in a changing work! environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.! Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behaviour and business practices, and ensure that own behaviour and! the behaviour of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization.! Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and! externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.! Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate! and effective communication tools and techniques.! Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to! create new opportunities.! Focus on Client Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external clients to! meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.! Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make! decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness.! Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.! Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear! decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.! Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data,! information and activities! Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans,! and evaluate the process and results.! Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information,! generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.! Think Strategically: Assesses options and actions based on trends and conditions in the environment, and! the vision and values of the organization.!
ROLE%OF%COMMITTEES% ! Section! 1! *! Purpose! of! Committees:! Committees( shall( function( to( advise,( offload( and/or( distribute( the( work(of(the(Board(and(in(relation,(the(work(of(LSPIRG.(( ( Section!2!*!Scope!of!Committees:(Committees(do(not(speak(or(act(for(the(Board(unless(such(authority(is( formally( delegated,( timeClimited,( and( for( specific( purposes.( They( do( not( have( any( authority( to( direct( staff( although( they( may,( through( the( Board,( ask( the( Administrative( and( Development( Director( to( allocate(resources(in(support(of(committee(activities.(( ( Section!3!–!Committee!Composition:!At(least(one(member(of(the(Board(shall(chair(any(or(all(committees.( Other( members( can( include( staff,( members( of( LSPIRG( and/or( the( community( at( large( so( long( as( the( number(of(committee(members(does(not(exceed(eight.(( ( 3.1! –( Administrative! and! Development! Director:( The( Administrative( and( Development( Director( shall(be(an(exCofficio(nonCvoting(member(at(all(standing(committees(and(may(be(a(member(of( ad(hoc(committees(as(prescribed(by(resolution(of(the(Board.(( ( Section!4!–!Committee!appointment:(The(Board(appoints(committee(members(as(needed(or(as(required( under(the(byClaw(or(policy.(! ( Section!5!–!Committee! chair:(A(person(who(is(not(a(member(of(the(Board(may(chair(a(committee( but( should(be(a(member(of(LSPIRG.( ! Section! 6! –! Standing! Committees:( Shall( identify( key( issues( regarding( their( respective( topic,( weighing( alternative( actions( and( the( implications( thereof.( Based( on( their( analysis( they( will( make( a( specific( recommendation(to(the(Board.(! ( 6.1! –( Governance! Committee:! ! The( Governance( Committee( fulfills( “the( quality( control( assurance”( for( the( Board.( In( general( the( Governance( Committee( ensures( that( the( Board( is( following( and( adhering( to( the( bylaws( of( LSPIRG,( its( established( best( practices( with( respect( to( governance,(and(is(achieving(the(Board’s(objectives(as(identified(in(the(Board’s(work(plan.(( ( 6.1.1!–!Duties:! 1. Conduct(an(annual(policy(and(practices(audit(with(at(least(one(third(of(existing( policies(to(be(reviewed(each(year( 2. Oversee(LSPIRG(activities,(in(particular(those(of(the(Board(and(committees,((to( ensure(that(current(practices(are(achieving(the(long(term(objectives(of(LSPIRG,( and(make(recommendations(for(changes(as(necessary( 3. Review(and(if(necessary(develop,(bylaws(and(policy( 4. Assist(the(Board(in(developing(a(working(plan(( 5. Review(how(the(Board(implements(the(working(plan(( 6. Review(how(individual(Board(members(are(contributing(to(LSPIRG( 7. Identify,( interview( and( recruit( prospective( Board( members( and( committee( members(following(criteria(established(by(the(Board( 8. Maintain( a( roster( of( potential( Board( members( and( committee( members( for( possible(nomination(to(the(Board(or(committees(
9. Ensure(that(orientation(is(undertaken(for(new(Board(members(( 10. Assess(and(identify(the(ongoing(educational(and(training(needs(of(the(Board(and( make(recommendations(to(address(the(identified(needs.(( ! 6.1.2!–!Composition:! • The(Vice(Chair(who(shall(serve(as(Chair(and(a(voting(member! • At(least(one(Community(member(at(large(! • At(least(one(student(member(at(large(! • The(Administrative(and(Development(Director(shall(be(a(nonCvoting(resource(for( the(committee(! ! 6.2!–!Finance!Committee:!The(purpose(of(this(committee(is(to(review(all(financial(activity(of(the( organization(and(to(create(its(operating(budget.( ( 6.2.1!–!Duties:( 1. Review(annual(audit( 2. Approve(operating(budget(and(present(budget(to(Board(of(Directors( 3. Oversee(all(financial(activity(and(reporting( ! 6.2.2!–!Composition:!( • The( Treasurer,( who( shall( also( serve( on( the( Board( of( Directors( and( a( voting( member(( • At(least(one(member(must(be(a(student(( • At(least(two(members(must(be(community(membersCatClarge(( • The(Administrative(and(Development(Director(who(shall(serve(ExCOfficio,(NonC Voting(( ! 6.3! –! Community! Relations! and! Fundraising! Committee:! This( committee( is( responsible( for( building( relationships( with( the( wider( Laurier( community( and( conducting( fundCraising( activities( supplement(resources.(! ! 6.3.1!–!Duties:( 1. Promote(public(awareness(of(LSPIRG’s(mission(and(activities( 2. Develop(fund(raising(strategies(to(meet(the(needs(of(the(organization( 3. Find(ways(to(implement(the(strategy(through(communications(and(events(( 4. Evaluate( the( outcomes( of( fund( raising( activities,( the( effectiveness( of( resource( development(strategies(and(the(efficiency(of(operations( 5. Ensure( accuracy( of( fund( raising( records( and( review( these( on( a( regular( basis( against( projections;( make( adjustments( as( necessary,( within( the( approved( budget,(and(report(these(to(the(Board(( ! 6.3.2!–!Composition:( • The(Secretary,(who(shall(serve(as(chair(and(a(voting(member(( • At(least(one(student(Director( • At(least(two(community(member(at(large(( • At(least(one(alumni(members(at(large(((
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The(Administrative(and(Development(Director(who(shall(serve(ExCOfficio,(NonC Voting((
! 6.4!–!Coordinator!Committee:(This(committee(shall(supervise(and(hire(the(various(coordinators( working( within( LSPIRG( and( the( Administrative( and( Development( Director( along( with( ensuring( both(their(quality(of(work(and(a(healthy(work(atmosphere.! ( 6.4.1!–!Duties:( 1. Recommend(a(job(description,(qualifications(and(performance(appraisal(system( for(the(coordinators(( 2. At( least( one( member( should( sit( in( with( the( Administrative( and( Development( Director(on(Coordinator(interviews(( 3. Approve( who( the( Administrative( and( Development( Director( selects( as( coordinators( 4. Evaluate(Coordinator(performance(at(the(end(of(the(year( 5. Recommend( policies( on( personnel( to( the( Board,( including( evaluation( and( contracts(of(employment( 6. Carry(out(other(duties(assigned(by(the(Board( ( 6.4.2!–!Composition:!( • The(Secretary,(who(shall(serve(as(chair(and(a(voting(member(( • At(least(one(student(Director( • At(least(one(student(member( • At(least(one(community(member(at(large(( • The(Administrative(and(Development(Director(who(shall(serve(ExCOfficio,(NonC Voting(( ( 6.5!–!Human!Resources!Committee:(This(committee(will(revolve(around(guaranteeing(efficiency( and(that(all(proper(practices(are(taken(in(terms(of(hiring,(evaluating(and(if(needed,(letting(go(of( staff(members.( ( 6.5.1 1. 2. 3.
–!!Duties:! Oversee(LSPIRG’s(compensation(and(benefits(policies(generally( Evaluate(LSPIRG’s(succession(plans( Oversee(and(respond(to(any(conflict(arising(in(the(hiring(and(termination( process(( 4. Review(and(discuss(the(LSPIRG’s(compensation(( 5. Carry(out(other(duties(assigned(by(the(Board( ( 6.5.2!–!Composition:! • The(Vice(Chair(who(shall(serve(as(Chair(and(a(voting(member! • At(least(one(student(member( • At(least(two(community(member(at(large( • The(Administrative(and(Development(Director(who(shall(serve(ExCOfficio,(NonC Voting(( (
Section!7!–!Ad!hoc!Committee:(An(ad(hoc(committee(may,(from(time(to(time,(be(created(via(resolution( of( the( Board.( Such( resolution( shall( define( the( committee’s( mandate,( scope( of( authority( and( relevant( terms( of( reference( for( committee( membership,( terms( of( appointment/election( and( procedures.( They( shall( be( disbanded( by( motion( of( the( Board( or( automatically( when( the( task( is( completed( or( no( longer( relevant.( ! Section! 8! –! Relationship! to! Staff:! Committees( may( advise( the( Board( or( the( Administrative( and( Development(Director(but(do(not(exercise(authority(over(staff,(and(will(ordinarily(have(no(direct(dealing( with(staff(operations.(Committee(members(must(know(and(respect(the(distinction(between(Board(and( staff(responsibilities.(! ( Section! 9! –! Committee! Communication:! Communications( between( Board( and( staff,( outside( of( committee(meetings,(shall(be(through(the(Administrative(and(Development(Director.(This(includes:(( ( • Any(assignments(or(directives(( • Requests(for(organizational(resources(or(staff(time( • Staff(performance(concerns(or(policy(infractions(( • Concerns(regarding(any(aspect(of(programs,(services(or(administration( ( Section! 10! –! Committee! Recommendation:( The( Board( must( be( satisfied( that( all( pertinent( information( was(considered(or(refer(the(issue(back(to(the(committee(for(further(study.(The(Board(will(consider(the( recommendation( of( the( committee( and( adopt( or( amend( these( recommendations( or( make( such( other( disposition,(as(it(deems(advisable.(( ( Section!11!–!Meetings:!Held(at(the(call(of(the(committee(chair(or(at(times(regularly(scheduled(by( resolution(of(the(committee(or(the(Board.(! ( Section! 12! –! Voting:! Voting( can( occur( at( any( predetermined( time( by( the( chair( of( the( respective( committee.(A(quorum(of(half(the(members(of(the(committee(must(be(present(for(the(vote,(including(the( Administrative(and(Development(Director.(In(order(for(a(resolution(to(be(decided(on,(a(majority((50%+1)( must( be( reached.( The( decision( will( be( then( reiterated( to( the( Board( of( Directors( for( knowledge( based( reasons(and(in(applicable(situations,(approval(to(move(forward.!!( ! Section! 13! –! Committee! member! removal:! If( the( performance( of( a( committee( member( is( not( up( to( LSPIRG( standards( and/or( fitting( in( properly( with( their( job( description( they( will( first( receive( a( warning,( both(in(written(form(and(orally(by(the(Board.(If(the(member(does(not(make(changes(to(their(work(within( a(specifically(allocated(time(period,(then(they(will(be(dismissed.(The(ultimate(decision(about(committee( member( removal( will( be( up( to( the( Board.( Upon( dismal,( the( Board( will( hold( a( meeting( to( start( the( process(of(looking(for(a(new(member(to(replace(the(prior(one.!!! !
OFFICERS(OF(THE(BOARD( ! Section(1(–(Purpose:!Officers!of!the!Board!reflect!Directors!who!have!undertaken!specific!responsibilities.!Individual! Officers! may! not! act! in! place! of! the! Board.! The! Board! may,! by! policy! or! general! resolution,! delegate! certain! responsibilities! to! its! Officers! but! retains! ultimate! responsibility! and! accountability! for! the! responsibilities! so! delegated.!! ( Section(2(–(President:(The!role!of!the!President!is!to!ensure!the!integrity!of!the!Board's!processes.!The!President!is! the! only! Board! member! authorized! to! speak! for! LSPIRG,! unless! this! is! specifically! delegated! to! another! member.! The!President’s!duties!include:!! ! 1. Presides!as!the!‘manager’!of!the!Board’s!activities,!ensuring!that!the!Board!and!its!members!follow!rules!or! polices!and!those!obligations!legitimately!imposed!by!statute!or!regulation!! 2. Be! responsible! for! promoting! the! development! of! a! Board! work! plan,! complementary! to! the! strategic! priorities! and! operational! plan! of! the! organization,! and! that! the! Director’s! work! and! power! are! evenly! distributed!among!members!! 3. Plan!the!agenda,!conduct!and!timing!of!!meetings!in!conjunction!with!the!Administrative!and!Development! Director!as!well!as!president!meetings!of!the!Board!and!membership! 4. Be!the!!primary!liaison!with!the!Administrative!and!Development!Director!for!the!Board! 5. Responsible!for!ensuring!adequate!communications!and!accountability!to!key!stakeholders!and!the!public! 6. Act!as!a!signing!Officer!for!LSPIRG!! ! Section( 3( –( Vice5President:! In! addition! to! assuming! the! duties! of! the! Chair! during! his/her! absence,! the! ViceUChair! shall!perform!other!duties!prescribed!from!time!to!time!by!the!Board,!along!with!the!office.!! ! Section(4(–(Treasurer:!The!Treasurer!is!the!head!of!all!related!financial!matters!both!administrating!and!managing! finances! within! the! Board.! They! are! in! charge! of! the! receipt,! care! and! disbursement! of! money.! The! treasurer’s! duties!include:!! ! 1. Serve!as!the!Chair!the!Finance!Committee!! 2. Assist!in!the!preparation!of!the!organizations’!budget!and!assuring!that!throughout!the!year!the!budget!is! not!exceeded!for!any!purposes!!! 3. Help!develop!fundraising!plans!in!coordination!with!the!Community!Relations!and!Fundraising!Committee! 4. Ensure!audited!financial!statements!are!presented!to!the!Board!on!an!annual!basis! 5. Establish!overall!long!and!short!term!financial!goals!for!the!organization! 6. Make!financial!information!available!to!LSPIRG!members!and!the!public! 7. Act!as!a!signing!Officer!for!LSPIRG!! ! Section(5(–(Secretary:(The!Secretary!shall!ensure!that!all!secretarial!functions!are!performed!for!the!Board!and!that! records!are!kept!of!all!proceedings!and!transactions.!The!Secretary!is!the!custodian!of!the!corporate!seal!and!of!all! official!books,!papers,!records,!documents!and!correspondence!of!LSPIRG.!The!secretary’s!duties!include:! ! 1. Oversee!the!keeping!of!records!of!meetings,!policies,!membership!and!any!other!records!required! by!law.!! 2. Ensure!that!minutes!are!taken!at!all!regular!and!special!meetings!of!the!Board!of!Directors.!! 3. Ensure!that!copies!of!minutes!and!agendas!are!circulated!to!Board!members!prior!to!each!meeting.!! 4. Maintain,!or!assure!the!maintenance!of,!the!files!and!records!of!LSPIRG!to!be!passed!on!to!future! Officer!and!guarantee!the!security!and!confidentiality!of!all!such!files!and!records.!!
! Section( 6( –( Other( Officers:( The! Board! may! designate! such! other! subordinate! officers! with! such! duties! as! may! be! necessary!or!advisable!for!the!conduct!of!LSPIRG!affairs.! ! Section(7(–(Election:(The!Board!shall!at!the!first!Board!meeting!after!the!Annual!General!Meeting!or!with!a!vacancy,! elect!officers!by!a!majority!vote.!!In!the!case!where!an!Officer!has!only!one!nominee,!they!must!secure!a!vote!of! confidence!from!the!Board.!50!percent!of!voting!persons!in!attendance!indicates!confidence,!less!than!50!percent! prevents!that!person!from!taking!office.!( ! Section( 8( –( Term:( Officers! shall! hold! office! for! a! term! of! 1! year.! No! officer! shall! be! eligible! to! serve! more! than! 6! consecutive! terms,! a! member! who! has! served! 6! full! consecutive! terms! shall! not! be! eligible! to! serve! again! as! an! Officer!before!the!passing!of!one!year.( Section( 9( –( Resignation:( Any! member! may! resign! Officer! position! at! any! point! by! notifying! the! Board.! The! resignation!shall!take!effect!upon!receipt!thereof.( Section(10(–(Termination:(An!Officer!of!the!Board!may!be!removed!when:( a. An!officer!fails!to!attend!2!consecutive!meetings!without!adequate!excuse;!and/or! b. An!officer!is!not!fulfilling!the!responsibilities!of!the!office!as!prescribed!in!the!Bylaws;!and/or! c. An! officer! engages! in! conduct! which! the! Board! determines! to! be! injurious! to! the! organization! or! its! purposes.! ! The! Board,! at! a! duly! noticed! meeting,! may! by! a! vote! of! twoUthirds! (2/3)! affirmative! vote,! take! such! action! as! it! determines!appropriate,!which!may!terminate!an!Officer.( Section( 11( –( Vacancies:( ( When! an! Officer! vacancy! exists! midUterm,! the! Board! shall! elect! another! Director! to! the! position!for!the!remaining!of!the!term.!(
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY
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DISCIPLINE)POLICY) Section( 1( –( Purpose:( The! purpose! of! the! discipline! policy! is! to! create! a! consistent! procedure! for! maintaining!suitable!behavior!and!a!productive!working!environment!at!LSPIRG.!( Section(2!–(Discipline(process:(((
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2.1( –( Staff:( Staff! is! expected! to! perform! their! assignments! within! the! specifics! of! the! position!description.!The!discipline!process!is!outlined!for!employees!who!! consistently! fail!to!do!so:!
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1.(Meet(with(their(supervisor:!This!meeting!will!identify!problems,!find!ways!to!improve! the!situation!and!suggest!solutions,!along!with!a!recommended!course!of!action!and!an! appropriate! time! frame! in! which! the! employee! will! be! expected! to! improve! to! the! satisfaction!of!LSPIRG.!Details!of!the!meeting!will!be!documented,!signed!by!all!parties! and!placed!in!the!employee’s!personal!file.!! ! 2.( Verbal( Warning:( If! the! situation! persists,! a! verbal! warning! will! be! given! to! the! employee!by!the!supervisor!and!will!be!supported!by!written!documentation!distributed! to!both!the!employee!and!the!Executive!Director!of!LSPIRG,)with!a!copy!signed!by!both! parties!put!in!the!employee’s!file.! ! 3.(Suspension:((!The!Executive!Director!must!notify!the!employee!and!the!Board!of!the! member’s!suspension.!This!notice!shall!include!the!reasons!for!suspension!and!includes! the!option!for!the!employee!to!ask!for!a!hearing!in!front!of!the!Board.!! !! ( 4.(Hearing:(A!hearing!shall!take!place!within!the!next!Board!meeting!after!15!days!from! the!suspension.!This!hearing!shall!be!inBcamera!with!the!suspended!member!having!the! option!to!present!a!response!to!the!suspension,!orally!or!in!writing.!!! ( 5.(Continuance:!If!the!Board!feels!further!information!is!necessary!or!needs!more!time,!a! continuance!may!be!granted!until!the!next!Board!meeting.!! ( 6.(Finding:(The!Board!shall!decide!what!course!of!action!to!take!at!the!final!hearing,!be!it! reinstatement.!!! ! 7.( Termination:! The! Executive! Director! may! remove! any! Coordinator! or! paid! staff! from!the!position!with!Board!approval.1!
! ! ! ! 2.2(–(Executive(Director:(If!the!Executive!Director!demonstrates!inappropriate!behavior!! or! performance:!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1
!
See Termination Policy.
! 1.(Meet(with(the(Board:!This!meeting!will!identify!problems,!find!ways!to!improve!the! situation! and! suggest! solutions,! along! with! a! recommended! course! of! action! and! an! appropriate! time! frame! in! which! the! employee! will! be! expected! to! improve! to! the! satisfaction!of!LSPIRG.!Details!of!the!meeting!will!be!documented,!signed!by!all!parties! and!placed!in!the!employee’s!personal!file.!! ! 2.( Verbal( Warning:( If! the! situation! persists,! a! verbal! warning! will! be! given! to! the! Executive! Director! by! the! Board! and! will! be! supported! by! written! documentation! distributed!to!both!the!employee!and!the!Board,)with!a!copy!signed!by!both!parties!put! in!the!employee’s!file.! ! 3.( Suspension:( The! Board! must! notify! the! Executive! Director! and! staff! of! their! suspension.!This!notice!shall!include!the!reasons!for!suspension!and!the!option!for!the! employee!to!ask!for!a!hearing!in!front!of!the!Board.!! !! ( 4.(Hearing:(A!hearing!shall!take!place!within!the!next!Board!meeting!after!15!days!from! the!suspension.!This!hearing!shall!be!inBcamera!with!the!suspended!member!having!the! option!to!present!a!response!to!the!suspension,!orally!or!in!writing.!!! ( 5.(Continuance:!If!the!Board!feels!further!information!is!necessary!or!needs!more!time,!a! continuance!may!be!granted!until!the!next!Board!meeting.!! ( 6.(Finding:(The!Board!shall!decide!what!course!of!action!to!take!at!the!final!hearing,!be!it! reinstatement.!!! ! 7.( Termination:! Dismissal! of! the! Executive! Director! shall! require! a! twoLthirds! (2/3)! majority!of!the!Board!voting!in!favour!of!dismissal!at!a!meeting!duly!called!to!consider! such!action.2! ( !
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!
!See Termination Policy.!
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EMPLOYEE'RECORDS'POLICY' Section(1(–(Purpose:(Employee!records!are!maintained!to!ensure!that!legal,!regulatory,!and!procedural! requirements! have! been! met,! and! to! provide! a! basis! for! making! personnel! decisions! (e.g.,! benefits,! salary,!termination).!( Section(2!–(Confidentiality:(The!information!contained!in!employee!files!is!strictly!confidential.!Only!the! employee!and!the!Executive!Director!will!have!full!access!to!an!employee’s!file.! Section(3(–(Storage:!Records!will!be!stored!in!the!safe.!! Section(4!–(Employee(Records:!Employee!records!shall!include!the!following:! • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Home!address!and!telephone!number! Emergency!contact! Hiring!and!termination!dates! Date!of!birth! Benefit!status!and!information! Job!description! Application!form!and/or!résumé! Reference!check!documentation! Employment!letter!of!agreement!(job!offer!and!acceptance)! Leave!request!forms!and!any!applicable!medical!certificates! Compensation!history! Confidential!correspondence!with!employee! Termination!information!and/or!letter!or!resignation! Letters!of!recommendation!
Section( 5( –( Destruction:! After! 7! years! of! the! employee! ending! their! relationship! with! LSPIRG,! their! records!will!be!shredded.!! '
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EXPENSES&AND&ALLOWANCES&POLICY& Section(1(–(Purpose:(This!policy!outlines!the!items!allowed!for!reimbursement!by!employees!at!LSPIRG.!( Section(2!–(Reimbursements:1(The!Executive!Director!must!approve!any!expense!for!reimbursement!by! specifying!the!amount!given!prior!to!the!expense!for:! ( 2.(1(–(Conferences:!Any!conference!relating!to!LSPIRG!goals!and!deemed!relevant!to!be!paid!for! my!LSPIRG.!! ! 2.2.( –( Personal( Automobile:! Employees! who! are! required! to! use! their! own! vehicle! while! on! LSPIRG! business! shall! be! reimbursed! on! the! basis! of! a! claim! according! to! a! per! kilometre! traveled!rate.!! ! 2.3( –( Transportation:! For! travel! by! means! other! than! a! personal! automobile,! LSPIRG! shall! pay! the! equivalent! of! an! economy! class! fare! (air,! train,! ferry,! or! bus)! and,! in! the! case! of! an! automobile!rental,!the!“compact”!rate.!! ! 2.4(–(Meal(Expenses:!In!the!case!of!a!meal!reimbursement:!! ! • Employees!may!claim!the!actual!cost!(including!any!applicable!sales!tax)!of!the!meal!if!it! is!part!of!an!LSPIRG!meeting!or!activity! • Tips!and!gratuities!will!be!reimbursed!up!to!a!limit!of!15!%!of!the!value!of!the!goods!and! service! • The!daily!maximum!rate!for!meals!is!$50.00!! • The!meal!must!be!vegan!or!vegetarian!in!accordance!with!Green!Policy2! ! 2.5(–(Hospitality(and(Entertainment:!Expenses!when!hosting!a!business!associate!for!legitimate! business!reasons.!! ! 2.6( –( Accommodations:! When! an! employee! is! required! to! be! away! overnight! on! LSPIRG! business,!he/she!will!be!reimbursed!for!a!standard!single!room!by!the!organization.!Employees! making!private!arrangements!for!accommodation!with!friends!or!relatives!may!claim!up!to!$30! for!the!first!night!and!$25!for!subsequent!nights.!! ! 2.(7(–(Other(Expenses:!!Reimbursement!will!be!made!for!all!business!expenses!and!for!! other! miscellaneous!expenses!incurred,!including!taxi!fare,!airport!transfer,!parking!! charges,! products,! services,!etc.!! !
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!
!See Finance Policy for information on the reimbursement process.!! !See(
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TERMINATION)POLICY) Section( 1( –( Purpose:( This! policy! is! intended! to! provide! direction! for! the! Board! of! Directors,! Executive! Director!and!staff!when!a!decision!is!made!by!either!party!to!end!an!employment!relationship.( Section(2!–(Resignation:(( 2.1(–(Staff:!Any!staff!or!paid!staff!may!resign!the!position!at!any!point!by!notifying!the!Executive! Director!with!at!least!two!weeks’!notice.!! ! 2.2(–(Executive(Director:(The!Executive!Director!may!resign!the!position!by!notifying!the!Board! with!at!least!one!month!notice.! ( Section( 4( –( Just( Cause:( Employment! may! be! terminated! for! just! cause! and! without! notice) after! consultation!between!the!Supervisor!and!the!Executive!Director!of!LSPIRG!for!the!breaches!in!LSPIRG’s) Code!of!Ethics!and/or!policy.!( Section(5!–(Staff(Reduction:(Should!there!be!a!need!to!reduce!the!number!of!staff!currently!employed!by! LSPIRG,! a! minimum! of! two! weeks’! notice! of! termination! of! employment! shall! be! given! to! those! employees!affected.! Section( 6( –( End( of( Contract:( The! termination! of! employment! of! a! contractual! employee! will! be! in! accordance!with!the!employment!contract.! Section(7(–(Termination:(((( 7.1( –( Executive( Director:( Dismissal! of! the! Executive! Director! shall! require! a! twoLthirds! (2/3)! majority! of! the! Board! voting! in! favour! of! dismissal! at! a! meeting! duly! called! to! consider! such! action.! 7.2! –( Employees:( The! Executive! Director! may! remove! any! Coordinator! or! paid! staff! from! the! position!with!Board!approval.! Section( 8( –( Notification( to( members( and( staff:( Prompt! notification! to! the! staff! and! the! appropriate! employees! regarding! immediate! dismissal! of! a! LSPIRG! employee! shall! be! the! responsibility! of! the! Executive!Director!or!appropriate!supervisor.! Section(9(–(Return(of(Property:!Prior!to!dismissal!all!property!belonging!to!LSPIRG!will!be!returned!to!the! Supervisor.!! Section( 10( –( Exit( Interview:! All! employees! should! be! interviewed! after! resignations! or! termination! to! assess!how!LSPIRG!is!treating!employees.!!! ! Section( 11( –( Transition( Reports:! Every! effort! should! be! made! to! ensure! that! a! transition! report! is! collected!from!the!employee!prior!to!the!end!of!their!contract.!!
!
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
ANTI OPPRESSION POLICY
ANTI%OPPRESSION+POLICY+ ! Section! 1! –! Purpose:! This! policy! seeks! to! outline! ways! in! which! the! Staff,! Volunteers,! Members,! and! Directors! of! LSPIRG! can! and! should! actively! implement! antiEoppression! practises! and! consistently! oppressions.! ! !Section!2!–!Definitions:1! ! Oppression! is! the! use! of! power! and/or! privilege! by! groups! or! individuals! to! silence! or! subordinate!specific!groups!or!individuals!within!those!groups.2!Oppression!includes!(but!is!not! limited! to)! oppression! ! based! on! race,! class,! sex,! gender! orientation,! sexuality,! religion,! creed,! ethnicity,!country!of!origin,!immigration!status,!language,!mental!health!status,!ability,!and!age.! ! ! Intersectionality!refers!to!a!web!of!oppressions!where!each!system!of!oppression! is!interconnected!and!bound!to!one!another.!! ! ! Anti3Oppression!is!the!active!practise!of!addressing!and!eliminating!oppression.!! ! Section!4!–!Limitations:!LSPIRG!recognizes!that!no!policy!can!abolish!oppression!completely.!Combatting! oppression!and!the!exploitation!of!unequal!power!dynamics!is!a!continuous!and!ongoing!process.! ! The! complexities! of! intersectionality! and! the! uniqueness! of! responses! to! oppression! that! intersectionality! demands! requires! much! more! flexible,! adaptable,! and! contextEspecific! approaches! to! antiEoppression!than!can!be!offered!by!structured!policy.!! ! Section!5!–!Policy:!LSPIRG,!in!its!pursuit!of!furthering!social!justice,!commits!to:! !! • Identifying!and!challenging!barriers!that!might!currently!exist!that!impede!! individuals! from!being!involved!in!LSPIRG!and!from!being!hired!by!LSPIRG;!! • Explicitly! recognizing! and! addressing! oppression! as! it! manifests! itself! in! LSPIRG! culture! and! activities;!! • Creating!an!overall!environment!where!any!form!of!oppression!is!unacceptable;!and! • Promoting! the! involvement! of! marginalized! groups! or! individuals! from! marginalized! groups! in! the!evaluation!and!realization!of!LSPIRG!policies!and!activities.! ! Section!6!–!Rights:3All!persons!involved!in!LSPIRG!have!a!right!to!participate!without!oppression!and!to! hold! each! other! accountable! as! well! has! be! held! accountable! to! principles! of! antiEoppression! in! compliance!with!this!policy.!! ! Section!7!–!Responsibilities:!!! !!
1
Adapted from The Canadian Council for Refugee’s Anti-Oppression Policy: http://ccrweb.ca/documents/aopolicy.htm 2 Oppression can also occur within the internal power dynamics of minority groups. 3 Adapted from Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group’s Anti-Oppression Policy: http://nspirg.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/NSPIRG_AO_Policy_2011.pdf
7.17 –7 Working7 Groups:7 Members! who! have! formed! Working! Groups! or! who! in! any! way! represent!LSPIRG!in!the!community!have!the!responsibility!to!model!this!antiEoppression!policy.!7 ! 7.2!–7Board:7The!Board!of!Directors!will!be!responsible!for!ensuring!that!antiEoppression!policy!is! followed,!including!the!managing!of!any!concerns!from!members.!! !
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! ! ! !
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7.3! –! Executive7 Director:! The! Executive! Director! will! be! responsible! for! ensuring! that! all! procedures!and!activities!are!carried!out!in!accordance!with!this!policy.!This!includes!ensuring! that! the! proper! tools,! training,! and! resources! are! available! to! staff! for! the! purpose! of! antiE oppression!training!and!education,!and!for!the!dissemination!of!this!policy!to!the!members.!! ! ! 7.4! –7 Staff:! ! Staff! will! be! responsible! for! ensuring! that! antiEoppression! practises! are! promoted! and! upheld,! and! that! the! Membership! is! educated! on! practises! of! antiEoppression! and! social! justice.!!
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
FINANCE POLICY
FINANCE'POLICY'! ! Section(1(–!Policy(Intention:!Monitor'any'fiscal'generation,'collection'and'processing.'' Section(2(–(Definitions:(( Transaction( –( This' refers' to' any' and' every' monetary' transfer' in' the' form' of' a' withdrawal' or' deposit'into'the'account'of'LSPIRG'and/or'physical'money'collection.((( Account(–(Where'the'money'is'held'at'a'credited,'recognized'financial'institution((((( Budget( –( The' forecast' and' preCdetermined' depiction' of' revenues' and' expenses' for' the' fiscal' year'for'LSPIRG( Fiscal(year(–(From'April'1st'of'the'year'until'March'31st'of'the'following'year( Term(–(A'term'is'distinguished'by'the'academic'Laurier'school'semester.'The'terms'include'the' Fall' term' from' September' 1st' up' until' and' including' December' 30th,' the' Winter' term' from' January'1st'up'until'April'30th,'and'the'Summer'term'May'1st'up'and'until'August'30th.(( Policy( –( A' program' of' actions' designated' by' LSPIRG' and' the' principles' in' which' they' embed' themselves'( Reimbursement( Form( –( The' document' in' which' a' party' can' request' in' order' to' be' repaid' the' costs'that'they'had'spent'within'the'Fiscal'Budget'of'LSPIRG'delegated'to'the'purchase.(( Financial(Committee(–(It'is'a'body'in'which'considers'the'financial'position'of'the'University'and' obtains' fiscal' responsibility' for' maintaining' all' financial' transactions,' propositions,' budgets,' requested'amendments,'and'special'delegated'fiscal'authorities(( (( Book( Keeper( –( Is' the' assigned' person' responsible' for' any' and' all' recording' of' financial' transactions.''( Office(Coordinator(–(This'is'the'individual'in'charge'of'all'office'supervisory'positions'in'addition' to'conducting'specially'designated'tasks'and'developing'reports.(((( Security(Compliance(Standards(–(This'refers'to'arrangements'of'LSPIRG'as'stated'by'LSPIRG'to' create'liability'for'any'and'all'fiscal'transactions.'This'includes'safe'and'secure'measures'when' managing' activities,' processing' transactions' in' accordance' with' Canadian' Federal' Law' and' failure' to' comply' with' these' measures' can' result' in' prosecution' under' the' Criminal' Code' of' Canada.''(( Book( Keeper( –( The' Book' Keeper' shall' oversee' all' fiscal' transactions' performed' by' LSPIRG' representatives' and' is' responsible' for' recording' all' fiscal' transactions' including' but' are' not' limited'to'cash'deposits,'reimbursements,'financial'reports,'and'spending'authorizations.( ( Section( 3( –( Budget:( At' the' beginning' of' the' working' term' there' must' be' a' sensible' and' reasonable' budget'approved'prior'to'the'working'term'commencing'''
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3.1(–(Drafting:(When'organizing'and'composing'a'new'budget'for'a'new'Fiscal'Year,'the'financial' budget'document'should'be'drafted'by'the'financial'committee.'In'order'for'the'drafted'budget' to'be'utilized'and'implemented'for'the'Term'it'must'be'presented'to'the'GM'to'gain'approval.' 3.2(–Approval:(The'budget'will'be'presented'at'the'annual'general,'general'or'special'meeting' for'approval.'The'process'of'approval'involves:'' 1. The' budget' has' to' be' approved' by' 50' percent' of' those' present' at' the' annual' general,'general'or'special'meeting.' 2. If'the'proposed'budget'is'not'approved,'then'the'budget'must'be'edited'to'cater' to'the'newly'requested'amendments.'' 3. Once' corrections' and' amendments' have' been' made' then' the' newly' edited' budget' will' be' presented' to' the' SGM' and' then' approved' by' the' LSPIRG' Members' 4. If' issues' still' concern' the' budget' by' less' than' 50' percent' majority' passing' the' proposed' budget,' then' the' budget' must' be' edited' and' presented' again' to' the' SGM'until'an'approval'is'granted''' 3.3(–(Information(Inclusion:(Within'this'document'shall'outline'the'salaries'of'all'staff'employed' under'LSPIRG1'Requests'can'be'made'by'general'members,'executive'members'or'by'a'member' of'the'board'of'directors'' 3.4(–(Responsibility:(The'financial'committee'is'responsible'for'regulating'the'funds'so'that'the' Fiscal' Budget' stays' within' relative' accuracy' of' the' proposal' created' before' the' Fiscal' Year' commenced.' Section(4(–(Annual(Financial(Report:(Reports'should'be'made'reflecting'the'financial'condition'of'LSPIRG' and'will'be'collected'and'summarized'into'an'Annual'Financial'Statement'at'the'end'of'the'Fiscal'Year.' Section(5(–(Term(Financial(Reports:'Upon'the'end'of'every'term'there'shall'be'a'financial'report'to'state' all'transactions,'money'generation'and'processing'for'LSPIRG.' Section(6(–(Documenting(Expenses:(Once'a'submitted'reimbursement'form'is'passed'onto'the'Executive' Director'it'will'then'be'passed'onto'the'Book'Keeper'who'would'then'file'the'reimbursement'form'at' the'LSPIRG.'All'reports'and'records'will'always'stay'in'the'LSPIRG'office'' 6.1(–(Duration:(Reports'and'records'will'be'kept'for'7'years'and'then'shredded'by'the'Executive' Director.'' Section( 7( –( Financial( Accountability:( Abnormalities' with' an' event' or' reimbursement' should' be' investigated'promptly'by'the'Book'Keeper'following'the'event.'( Section(8'–'Purchasing:'Purchasing'shall'only'be'completed'by'those'who'are'designated'the'ability'to'do' so.'' 8.1(–(Purchasing(Allowance:'Those'given'authority'to'purchase,'may'face'financial'restrictions'of' the'amount'they'can'purchase'and'must'retain'the'receipt'for'reimbursement.''' 8.1.1(–(Members:(Members'should'not'complete'any'purchasing'for'LSPIRG.' 1
The amounts are approved by the Executive Director *Reference Human Resources Policy
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8.1.2(–(Staff:(If'given'approval'from'the'Executive'Director'or'Board,'a'staff'member'may' complete'a'purchase'for'LSPIRG'up'to'the'amount'of'200'dollars.' 8.1.3( –( Executive( Director:( The' Executive' Director' may' complete' a' purchase' up' to' the' amount'of'5,000.''' 8.1.4(–(Board:(The'Board'can'purchase'at'any'amount.' 8.2( –( Purchasers( Finances:' When' making' a' purchase' for' LSPIRG' with' the' intention' of' reimbursement,'the'party'must'be'financially'stable'enough'to'be'without'the'amount'of'money' needed'to'be'reimbursed.' 8.3(–(Purchase(variation:'If'the'variations'are'too'great'there'will'be'a'meeting'to'discuss'why' this' is' the' current' situation' and' the' financial' committee' is' responsible' for' explaining' why' the' variations'to'the'budget'exist.'' Section(9(–(Reimbursement:(A'reimbursement'is'any'and'every'request'for'the'money'spent'on'goods' and/'or'services'and'then'the'request'for'the'total'money'spent'on'the'goods'and/'or'services'for'the' purpose'of'LSPIRG'intentions.' 9.1(–(Timing:(A'reimbursement'can'be'permitted'up'until'8'months'later.'' 9.2( –( Receipt:( In' order' to' collect' reimbursement' for' a' purchase,' the' party' must' provide' an' itemized' receipt' which' details' the' item(s)' purchased' and' the' set' price(s)' designated' for' each' item(s)'read'on'the'receipt.'' 9.2.1(–(Missing(Receipt:(If'this'receipt'is'not'present'upon'the'request'of'reimbursement' then' LSPIRG' has' the' right' and' authority' to' deny' the' reimbursement' to' the' party' requesting'the'reimbursement.'' 9.2.2( –( Appeal( for( Reimbursement:' If' a' reimbursement' is' requested' without' a' receipt,' then'the'party'requesting'the'reimbursement'can'appeal'to'the'Executive'Director'and' state' their' claim.' If' the' party' is' not' approved' for' a' reimbursement' by' the' Executive' Director' from' his' judgment' and/' or' reasoning' otherwise,' the' party' can' appeal' to' the' Board'who'has'the'authority'to'call'a'final'judgment'on'the'reimbursement.' 9.3(–(Reimbursement(form:'A'reimbursement'form'must'be'filled'in'with'every'receipt.'The'Book' Keeper'will'create'and'ensure'that'reimbursement'forms'are'available.'( Section(10(–(Credit(Card:(LSPIRG'credit'card'use'is'limited'to'a'maximum'amount'of'2,'500'dollars.''' 10.1(–(Designated(Holder:'The'Executive'Director'will'be'in'charge'of'the'LSPIRG'credit'card.'The' Executive' Director' also' has' the' authority' to' recommend' to' the' Board' one' or' many' staff' members'authorized'to'use'the'LSPIRG’s'credit'card.' 10.2'–'Record(Keeping:'The'monthly'reports'of'credit'card'use'will'be'documented'and'collected' for'the'Book'Keeper'or'the'Executive'Director.' '10.3(–(Payment:(The'Credit'Card'shall'be'paid'off'in'full'by'the'Executive'Director'or'Treasurer' when'the'bill'is'issued'and'accepted'by'LSPIRG.'
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Section(11U(Fiscal(Generation(and(Collection:(Donations'shall'be'received'from'any'body'generously'and' graciously'without'the'use'of'threat'or'force2.'( 11.1( –( Fundraising( events:( In' the' instance' where' an' event' generates' funds' that' are' run' by' LSPIRG,'there'must'be'someone'in'charge'of'the'function'on'behalf'of'LSPIRG.3'The'delegated' personnel'will'be'expected'to:' 1. Organizing' and' managing' the' event' in' question' is' also' the' one' who' has' the' authority'to'collect'the'money.'' 2. Once' collected' by' the' party' they' are' in' sole' custody' and' are' delegated' full' responsibility'of'the'amount'generated.'' 3. The' money' is' collected' and' counted' will' be' given' to' the' Executive' Director' whom' will'then'count'the'money'again'and'put'into'the'safe'as'soon'as'possible.'' 4. If'the'Executive'Director'is'unavailable'or'unable'to'perform'the'task'of'depositing' the' money' into' the' safe' he' or' she' will' be' responsible' for' assigning' an' Executive' Director' designate4' to' collect' and' deposit' the' money' into' the' safe' as' soon' as' possible.'' Section( 12( –( Security:( While' following' the' Security' Compliance' Standards,' LSPIRG' will' store' debit' and' credit' card' receipts' should' be' stored' in' a' locked' and' secure' safe.' The' safe' will' keep' all' and' every' monetary'dollar'in'addition'to'Insurance'Statements'( Section(13(–(Financial(Crimes:'Financial'crimes'are'strictly'prohibited'and'will'be'punishable'by'the'laws' enforced'by'the'federal'government.5'' Section(14(–(Working(Groups:(In'the'situation'where'money'is'collected'or'generated'then'the'working' groups' that' have' collected' the' money' generation' will' then' report' to' the' Executive' Director.' In' the' circumstance' concerning' discrepancies' with' the' Working' Group(s)' and' LSPIRG' policy,' the' Working' Group'will'be'liable.6( 14.1(–(Monthly(Report(Contents:'A'report'will'be'document'the'transaction(s)'of'the'month.'In'' the' instance' where' no' money' was' generated' then' the' Monthly' gross' income' report' is' not' necessary.'' 14.2(–(Term(Report:'All'working'groups'will'have'to'submit'a'Financial'Report'per'term'to'the' Treasurer' who' has' the' authority' to' reassess' the' funding' sponsored' for' the' Working' Group' in' Question.'' Section(15(–'Financial(Statements:'The'Financial'Statements'will'be'made'accessible'as'possible'for'all' LSPIRG'members'in'addition'to'all'of'those'whom'are'nonCLSPIRG'affiliated.' Section( 16( –( Annual( Financial( Statement:' The' Annual' Financial' Statement' should' be' constructed' as' to' allocate'all'the'funds'and'transactions'for'the'year.'
2
For more information on Donations, refer to Donations Policy All donated funds go towards the scholarship as outlined in the Donation Policy 4 Reference to the LSPIRG Job Portfolio 5 Reference the Criminal Code of Canada, (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46) [particular attention to Section 379,380, 397] 6 Reference to the Working Groups Policy 3
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16.1( –( Creation:( ( The' authority' and' responsibility' of' the' financial' statement' will' be' delegated' primarily'to'the'Book'Keeper'of'LSPIRG'and/'or'delegated'to'the'financial'committee.'If'the'Book' Keeper'can'not'fulfill'the'duty'of'completing'this'Yearly'Statement'then'the'responsibility'shall' be' delegated' to' the' Treasurer' whom' will' then' be' the' one' reporting' the' financial' yearly' statement'to'the'Board.'Failure'to'complete'the'yearly'statement'of'LSPIRG'then'this'will'be'a' matter'of'unable'to'perform'their'duty'and'will'furthermore'be'a'breach'of'their'contract7' 16.2(–(Contents:(The'Annual'Financial'reports'should'include'the'following:' • • • •
Monthly'status'of'expenditures'on'projects' The'Requests'for'Budget'Amendments'and'requests'for'reimbursement'' Revenue'and'Expense'statement'[per'month?]'and'Term'' Everything'should'be'listed'under'the'proper'account'numbers''
16.3(–(Discrepancies:'If'there'are'any'discrepancies'to'the'Annual'Financial'Statement'then'the' Executive' Director' will' be' notified' and' then' the' information' will' be' passed' along' to' the' Book' Keeper.' If' nothing' is' resolved' then' the' matter' will' be' brought' to' the' Board' and' then' to' the' financial'committee.'' Section(17'–'Debt:'In'the'instance'where'LSPIRG'is'beginning'to'experience'debt'and/'or'deals'with'debt' due' to' discrepancies' in' the' budget,' allocation' of' funds' or' the' like,' then' the' Financial' Committee' responsible' for' reporting' what' is' occurring.' All' members' must' be' informed' immediately' after' the' Financial'meeting'discussion'through'email'or'meeting.'' 17.1(–(Dissolution:('If'LSPIRG'accumulates'so'much'debt'where'recovery'is'extremely'unlikely,' then'LSPIRG'will'dissolve.8'
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Reference the Human Resource Policy Refer to Dissolution Policy
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LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
FINANCIAL ASSITANCE AWARD POLICY
FINANCIAL'ASSISTANCE'AWARD'POLICY' Section( 1*( Purpose:( The! LSPIRG! Financial! Assistance! Award! is! given! to! students! who! are! active! in! volunteering! on! campus! and! in! the! community,! as! well! as! demonstrating! financial! need! in! order! to! encourage!and!support!their!academic!studies!at!Wilfrid!Laurier!University.!( Section(2*(Definition:(The!definition!of!the!LSPIRG!Financial!Assistance!Award!is!when!a!monetary!sum!of! $500! is! given! to! 3! students! through! the! Student! Awards! Office,! which! the! student! is! able! to! apply! to! under!LORIS!(Laurier!Web!Information!System).1!!( Section(3*Criteria(in(Selecting(Recipients:!! 1.! The! student! must! be! a! fullLtime,! undergraduate! student! at! Wilfrid! Laurier! UniversityL! Waterloo!or!Branford!Campus.!! 2.!The!student!must!have!a!minimum!GPA!of!7!out!of!12.2!! 3.!The!student!must!display!initiative!in!volunteering!within!the!school/community.! 4.!The!student!must!prove!that!they!are!in!financial!need!of!assistance.!! ! Section( 4*( Candidate( Screening:( The! candidate! screening! will! be! done! through! the! Student! Awards! system!based!off!of!the!criteria!given!in!Section!3.!Students!must!sign!into!their!LORIS!account!and!click! on! the! ‘Student! Awards! and! Financial! Aid’! tab.! Then,! they! must! fill! out! all! the! available! information! needed!in!order!to!apply!for!the!award.!! ( Section( 5*( Contract( Agreement:( There! is! a! contract! agreement! between! LSPIRG! and! Wilfrid! Laurier! UniversityL!Student!Awards!from!2014/2015!to!2018/2019!of!the!academic!year.!( ( Section(6*(Contract(Payment:(A!payment!of!$1500!must!be!made!to!Wilfrid!Laurier!University!annually!in! June!for!the!5!years.!The!contract!can!be!renewed!upon!completion!of!the!5!years.( ! Section( 7*( Permission( to( Alter:( The! contract! agreement! may! be! altered! at! any! time! by! the! Executive! Director!through!a!written!agreement!signed!by!each!party.!Student!awards!will!allow!alterations!such! as! an! increase! or! decrease! in! the! amount! of! the! Award.! However,! a! total! minimum! contribution! of! $1000!must!be!made!or!withheld!in!the!year.!( ( Section(8*(Termination:(The!contract!may!not!be!terminated!for!the!time!period!of!5!years.( ( Section( 9*( Withholdment:( The! contract! can! be! withheld! by! LSPIRG! during! any! year,! in! which! case! the! university!will!not!publish!the!LSPIRG!Financial!Assistance!Award!through!the!Student!Awards!website! and!the!contract!will!be!carried!forward!to!the!following!year.!!(
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!https://telaris.wlu.ca/ssb_prod/twbkwbis.P_ValLogin! !GPA!conversion!information:!https://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=1351&p=20660!
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LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
GREEN POLICY
GREEN%POLICY% !! Section( 1( –( Purpose:! It! is! the! aim! of! this! policy! that! LSPIRG! will! have! an! effective! means! of! ensuring! ecologically!sustainable!practices!in!all!of!our!actions,!and!the!actions!of!our!members,!staff,!board!and! working!groups,!as!well!as!those!who!we!support!and!partner!with.!Adherence!to!this!policy!should!be! integrated!into!the!policies!guiding!working!groups!in!all!their!activities,!with!an!emphasis!on!education,! empowerment!and!capacity!building.! ! !! Section(2(–(Purchasing:! ! In!the!interests!of!environmental!and!social!justice!all!the!purchasing!habits!of! LSPIRG! should! reflect! a! commitment! to! environmental! and! social! justice.! All! products,! wherever! and! whenever!possible!will!be!sought!from!local!and!independent!suppliers.! ! ! 2.1( –( Claiming( purchases:! In! the! interest! of! promoting! the! values! of! ecological! sustainability,! submitted!expenses!that!directly!and!clearly!violate!these!policy!guidelines!shall!be!assessed!on! the! basis! of! need! in! consultation! with! staff/board,! and! may! not! be! reimbursed,! providing! previous!education!on!the!policy.! ! ! ! Section( 3( –( Property:( LSPIRG! will! construct,! refurbish! and! manage! our! buildings! in! a! manner! that! will! reduce!the!associated!environmental!impacts!and!be!sympathetic!with!the!external!surroundings.( ( Section( 4( –( Paper:! Where! possible,! communication,! documentation! and! promotion! will! occur! via! electronic!means!in!the!interests!of!saving!paper!and!resources!and!minimizing!environmental!impact.! ! ( Section( 5( –( Food:( In! the! interests! of! ecological! sustainability,! and! respect! for! all! aspects! of! the! nonhuman!world,!meals!and!food!provided!at!events!will!be!conceived!under!adherence!to!a!vegetarian! or!vegan!diet.! ! ! Section( 6( –( Water:! Bottled! water! will! not! be! supplied! by! LSPIRG! and! will! be! effectively! banned! from! purchase! by! LSPIRG,! unless! concerns! related! to! public! health! are! apparent.! Local! water! sources! and! refillable!containers!will!be!used!and!promoted.! ! ! Section( 7( –( Energy:( Staff,! board! members,! working! group! members! and! all! who! may! be! in! use! of! the! LSPIRG! office! and! resources! space! will! take! steps! necessary! to! limit! energy! usage.! As! LSPIRG! may! expand!as!an!organization!consideration!of!power!usage!and!energy!sources!should!be!evaluated!as!the! need!arises.!This!should!include!use!of!renewable!energy!and!carbon!offsets.! ! ! ! Section(8(–(Transportation:(When!transportation!is!required!by!members!of!LSPIRG,!alternative!sources! will! be! primarily! considered! with! carpooling! as! the! final! viable! option.! Consideration! of! carbon! offsetting!should!be!considered!based!on!trip!length!and!environmental!impact.! ( ! Section( 9( –( Reduce,( Reuse,( Recycle,( Renew( and( Respect:( Reducing! consumption! should! be! privileged,! followed!by!reusing!and!finally!recycling!as!the!last!resort.!Renew!and!Respect!should!be!included!in!all! actions!of!LSPIRG!in!line!with!a!commitment!to!ecological!sustainability.! ! ! Section(10(–(Sharing(Information:!LSPIRG!will!share!information!on!our!commitment!to!environmental! performance! improvement! to! our! employees,! vendors,! customers,! and! external! stakeholders.! LSPIRG! will!solicit!their!input!in!meeting!our!environmental!goals!and!in!turn!will!offer!assistance!to!meet!their! !
goals.! ! Section( 11( –( Continual( improvement:! LSPIRG! will! continuously! seek! opportunities! to! improve! our! adherence!to!these!principles!and!to!improving!our!environmental!performance.! ( !
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LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
SAFE SPACE POLICY
SAFE%SPACE%POLICY% ! Section! 1! –! Purpose:! LSPIRG! recognizes! the! need! for! safe! and! inclusive! spaces,! free! of! discrimination,! prejudice,!hate!speech,!etc.! ! Section(2(–(Scope:!This!policy!aims!to!provide!guidelines!that!are!to!be!adhered!to!at!all!time!with!regard! to,!but!not!limited!to:!! ! • Personal!conduct!within!the!LSPIRG!space!! • Any!LSPIRG!meetings;! • Any!documents!or!communications!circulated!internally!with!LSPIRG;! • Any!LSPIRG!event!or!programming!taking!place!within!the!LSPIRG!office;!and! • Any!event!or!programming!which!takes!place!in!partnership!with!LSPRIG.! ! ! Section!2!–!Creating!a!safe!space:1!In!the!pursuit!of!creating!a!positive,!sustainable,!and!equitable!space,! LSPIRG!commits!to:! ! ! ! • Building!safe!space!through!relationships,!education!and!dialogue;!! • Continually!addressing!the!unequal!social!power!dynamics;2!! • Continually!practising!the!use!of!inclusive!language;!! • Actively! avoiding! images,! expressions,! or! language! constructions! that! reinforce! inappropriate,!demeaning!or!discriminatory!attitudes;! • Using!images,!expressions!and!language!constructions!that!positively!reflect!the!richness!of! the!social!and!cultural!diversity!of!the!University!and!its!community;! • Respecting!physical!and!emotional!boundaries;! • Checking! in! with! those! in! the! LSPIRG! space! before! discussing! anything! that! could! be! triggering;! • Being!open!to!being!called!out!when!our!behaviour!is!out!of!line;!and! • Ensuring!the!promotion!of!equal!participation!in!meetings.! !
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Adapted from the Safe Space Policy of the Lunik Co-op at Glendon College York See LSPIRG Anti-Oppression Policy
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
SOCIAL CHANGE POLICY
PROGRESSIVE)SOCIAL)CHANGE)POLICY) ! Section!1!–!Purpose:!This!policy!will!define!LSPIRGs!understanding!of!social!change!and!social!justice!and! define!LSPIRG’s!role!as!a!capacity@building!organization! ! Section! 2! –! Complexities! and! Limitations:! LSPIRG! recognizes! the! complexities! of! social! issues! that! Canadian!society!faces.!This!policy!is!written!in!the!hope!that!it!will!inspire!creative!responses!to!these! complex! issues! and! also! provide! a! framework! within! which! those! involved! can! enter! into! dialogue! to! ultimately!contribute!solutions!to!the!struggle!against!the!social!problems!we!face!today.!! ! ! Section!3!–!Definitions:! ! ! ! Social' Change! is! a! general! term! used! to! describe! the! outcomes! of! social! or! civic! engagement! achieved! by,! but! not! limited! to:! education,! organized! directed! action,! and/or! community! building.! ! Social!Justice!is!the!pursuit!of!equality,!access,!and!inclusion!for!those!who!are!! ! marginalized,!cast!off,!or!in!any!way!exploited!by!the!unequal!dynamics!of!power!! ! socially,!economically,!and/or!politically.! ! ! Capacity!is!the!application!of!wide@ranging!aspects!of!an!organization,!such!as!! ! knowledge,! resources,! and! assets,! in! a! manner! which! helps! the! organization! achieve! its! objectives.! ! ! Capacity@building!is!the!investment,!whether!financial,!personal,!time,!or!! ! otherwise,!into!an!organization,!team,!network,!community,!etc.,!for!the!purpose!! ! of!aiding!in!the!efficient,!sustainable,!and!effective!achievement!of!goals!and!! ! objectives.! ! ! Community!Building!is!an!active!partnership!between!two!or!more!people,!! ! regardless!of!the!diversity!of!their!backgrounds/identities,!based!on!a!set!of!! ! guidelines!or!goals.!! ! ! Civic!Engagement!refers!to!the!involvement!of!citizens!in!the!political,!social,!or!! ! economic!life!of!their!community!in!order!to!improve!the!conditions!of!the!! ! community!for!all!who!are!involved.! ! Social' Innovation' is! a! concept! based! in! strong! community! connection,! collective! decision! making,!and!aims!to!inspire!creative!solutions!to!social!challenges!and!obstacles.' ! Section!4!–!LSPIRG’s!understanding!progressive!Social!Change:1!LSPIRG,!in!its!pursuit!to!create!agents!of! social!change!throughout!the!community,!understands!social!change!to!be:! ! ! ! • Built!from!community@based!responses!to!inequalities;! • A!democratic!undertaking;! 1
Adapted from Fund for Southern Communities’ policy on Progressive Social Change
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A! long@term! endeavour! with! the! purpose! of! changing! attitudes,! behaviours,! policies,! etc.,! to! better!reflect!values!of!inclusion,!fairness,!equity,!diversity,!and!opportunity;! A! process! that! involves! collaboration! with! other! organizations,! community! members,! the! student!membership,!and!Laurier!affiliated!organizations.!! ! !
! Section!5!–!Social!Change!Framework:!This!policy!provides!a!framework!that!must!be!upheld!at!all!levels! of!LSPIRG!! administration!including:! ! ! ! 5.1'–'Board:!The!Board!is!responsible!for!ensuring!that!the!Executive!Director!upholds!this!Policy! in!all!of!the!actions!the!Executive!Director!undertakes!during!their!term;!! 5.2'–'Executive'Director'and'Staff:'Responsibilities!of!the!Executive!Director!and!staff!span!the! entirety!of!the!organization,!including!staff!that!they!are!responsible!for.!! 5.3'–'Members:'The!membership!at!large!is!responsible!for!ensuring!that!the!Board!upholds!this! policy!in!all!of!the!actions!they!undertake.!! ! Section! 6! –! Social! Innovation:! LSPIRG,! with! its! focus! on! community@building! and! community@based! solutions,!commits!to!a!social!innovation!approach!by:! ! ! ! ! • Providing! a! safe! and! shared! space! for! members! of! LSPIRG! to! collaborate,! engage! in! dialogue! around!issues!of!social!justice! ! • Providing!opportunities!for!creative!and!socially!innovative!relationships!to!form! • Engaging!minority!or!marginalized!groups!in!dialogue;! • Inspiring!members!to!create!open!dialogue!regarding!social!issues;! • Emphasizing!a!collective!approach!to!social!issues.! ! Section! 7! –! Capacity@building:! Capacity@building! works! in! tangent! with! social! innovation! initiatives! by! providing!tangible!resources!that!go!towards!ideas,!solutions,!or!other!activities!which!are!the!outcomes! of!social!innovation!initiatives.!LSPIRG!commits!to!building!capacity!by:! ! ! ! ! • Providing! skill@building! opportunities! to! its! members,! thereby! enhancing! the! ability! of! the! membership!to!work!towards!! progressive!social!change;! • Continually!strengthen!internal!capacity!to!better!provide!appropriate!and!relevant!resources!to! members;! • Creating!review!procedures!to!be!implemented!internally!to!identify!the!efficacy!of!LSPIRG!as!a! capacity@building!organization! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
Social media POLICY
SOCIAL'MEDIA'POLICY' ' Section(1(–!Policy(Intention:( LSPIRG' encourages' a' safe' and' ethical' use' of' social' media' by' employees.' This' policy' will' provide' a' framework'for'how'social'media'may'be'used'within'the'organization'and'in'the'employees'private' engagements'in'talking'about'the'organization.'' Section(2(–(Accountability:(( All' employees' must' read' and' adhere' to' this' policy.' Those' employees' who' wish' to' post' online' from'LSPIRG'accounts'must'refer'to'section'VII.'It'is'the'responsibility'of'the'Executive'Director' to'ensure'that'this'policy'is'being'adhered'to.'' Section(3(–(What(Constitutes(Social(Media:( Social' media' includes' social' networking' websites' such' as' Facebook,' video' websites' like' Youtube,' blogging'sites'like'Wordpress,'and'online'encyclopaedias'like'Wikipedia.'' ' Section(4(–Personal(and(Corporate(Confidentiality(Online:( When'engaging'online'it'is'expected'that'employees'will'maintain'the'same'values,'ethics'and' privacy' policies' in' place' every' day.' Therefore,' things' such' as' personal' information' of' other' employees' or' past/present' residents,' legal' information' and' confidential' information' should' never'be'disclosed.'If'you'are'in'doubt'about'what'can'be'expressed'online,'then'use'the'contact' information'below'for'further'information.' Some(things(which(can(be(posted…(advertising'for'company'events,'public'information' about'LSPIRG'and'requests'for'donations' Some( things( which( should( not( be( posted…( private' information' about' those' you' work' with,' business' plans' and' financial' information' and' donor' information' without' consent' of'the'donor' Section(5(–(Speaking(About(LSPIRG(Online:( If'you'are'in'a'conversation'online'pertaining'to'LSPIRG,'you'should'disclose'your'position.'' Make'sure'that'you'are'stating'that'your'opinions'are'your'own'when'discussing'work'related' matters.'A'disclaimer,'such'as'that'which'follows,'is'required.'' “The( views( expressed( are( my( own( only( and( do( not( necessarily( reflect( the( views( of(( LSPIRG.”(( If' you' see' something' online' which' requires' an' official' response,' then' use' the' contact' information'below'so'that'a'response'to'be'drafted.'It'is'important'that'you'do'not'try'to'resolve' the'issue'on'your'own'because'the'communication'or'legal'team'may'be'required.'' ' Section(6(–(Employees(Own(Engagement(Online:(
Employees'are'personally'responsible'for'what'they'post'online'through'a'blog,'facebook,'twitter,'or' other'social'media'platforms.'If'it'is'found'that'an'employee'is'engaging'in'unethical'behavior'online,' including'racial'slurs'or'offensive'material,'then'they'are'subject'to'disciplinary'procedures.'' Section(7(–Authorization(to(Use(Social(Media:( Any'individual'who'uses'the'official'social'media'of'LSPIRG'must'first'be'authorized'to'do'so'by' the'Executive'Director'or'the'Executive'Director’s'designate.'Upon'authorization'the'individual' will' receive' a' list' of' the' passwords' and' websites' currently' utilized.' If' the' individual' is' to' join' LSPIRG'to'a'new'website,'they'must'update'this'list.''' When'posting'it'is'important'to'be'factually'accurate,'bring'up'new'topics'to'the'position'it'is' relevant'to'and'ensure'you'do'not'post'any'obscene'or'confidential'information.'It'is'important' that' you' are' polite' and' respectful' to' all' those' individuals' you' encounter' online.' If' there' is' an' instance' of' confrontation,' bring' it' up' to' the' Executive' Director' and/or' Communications' Coordinator.'' Remember' when' posting' content' to' think' of' what' is' confidential' and' to' consider' Canada’s' copyright'laws.'For'example,'when'referencing'an'article'be'sure'to'not'misquote'the'article'and' to'link'back'to'the'original'article.''
LAURIER STUDENTS’ PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
Sponsorship POLICY
SPONSORSHIP(POLICY( Section(1(–(Purpose:( Sponsorship) provides) the) ability) to) create) a) long4term) or) short4term) association) with) another) company)or)organization)in)completing)a)certain)task)or)in)general)programming.)Sponsorship)is) integral)to)building)community)relationships)and)increasing)capacity)for)LSPIRG.))) Section(2(–(Definition:( Some) defining) characteristics) of) a) sponsorship) include) that) an) external) organization) provides) funds,) goods) or) services) to) LSPIRG.) In) exchange,) LSPIRG) may) offer) free) promotion) of) the) sponsor.)) A)sponsorship)may)be)exclusive)where)one)party)is)the)only)sponsor)or)a)sponsorship)could)be) unlimited) so) multiple) companies) have) the) option) to) sponsor.) The) type) of) sponsorship) will) depend) on) what) is) being) sponsored,) for) example) general) LSPIRG) services) or) a) particular) small) project.))Likewise,)the)duration)of)the)sponsorship)will)vary)accordingly.) Section(3(–(Criteria(in(Selecting(a(Sponsor:(( ) 1. A)sponsor)must)have)values)consistent)with)the)mission)and)vision)of)LSPIRG.)) 2. Sponsorship)will)not)be)granted)to)a)company)or)organization)which)negatively)portrays) groups)or)produces)offensive)material.)) 3. The)sponsor)must)be)in)good)standing)with)no)violations)of)municipal,)federal)or)provincial) law.)) Section(4(–(Sponsor(Screening:(( Sponsorship) screening) will) be) done) through) the) Community) Relations) and) Fundraising) Committee.) A) sponsor) screening) can) be) completed) prior) to) making) contact) with) the) potential) sponsor)or)at)the)potential)sponsor’s)request.)The)difference)would)be)that)prior)to)talking)to) the)company)or)organization)there)would)be)no)references)or)idea)if)they)wanted)something)in) return) yet) so) a) secondary) screening) would) have) to) be) completed) after) this) information) is) gained.)) Due) diligence) requires) that) for) each) potential) sponsor) there) must) be) a) search) completed) and) recorded.) This) search) can) be) completed) through) Google,) the) Better) Business) Bureau,) the) potential) sponsors) Corporate) Social) Responsibility) record) and) references.) The) record) of) the) search)must)be)printed)off)recording)who)completed)the)search)and)their)overall)opinion.)) After) a) search) is) completed) and) recorded,) the) work) group) will) assess) the) sponsor’s) mission,) associations)and)the)sponsorship)proposal.)Some)questions)which)should)be)asked)include:) 1. What)is)the)mission)of)the)sponsor?)Does)this)mission)work)with)LSPIRG’s)mission?) 2. Who)does)the)sponsor)associate)with?)Do)any)of)the)sponsor’s)associates)mission) conflict)with)LSPIRG’s)mission?) 3. Are)there)any)other)nonprofit)agencies)which)the)company)or)organizations) sponsors?))
4. What)does)the)sponsor)expect)in)return?)Is)LSPIRG)comfortable)and)able)to)provide) that?) The)Board)will)then)collectively)decide)if)the)potential)sponsor)is)a)suitable)fit.)) Section(5(–(Sponsor(Release(Consent:( Before) publically) announcing) the) sponsor) or) including) the) sponsor’s) name/logo) on) promotional) material,)LSPIRG)must)first)receive)the)consent)of)the)sponsor.)) Section(6(–(Sponsor(Release(Request:(( Should)the)sponsor)wish)to)advertise)the)sponsorship,)use)of)the)logo)and)name)of)LSPIRG)must)first) be)approved)on)promotional)material.)) Section(7(–Written(Agreement:(( The)specifics)of)each)sponsorship)deal)will)be)written)down,)including)what)will)be)given,)what)will) be)received,)the)expected)timeline)of)receipt)and)any)release)agreements.))) Section(8(–(Communication(Records:(( Communication)between)the)sponsor)and)LSPIRG)must)be)recorded)and)kept)on)file.)) Section(9(–(Termination(Clause:(( LSPIRG) reserves) the) right) to) terminate) the) agreement) should) conditions) arise) that) make) it) no) longer) in) the) best) interests) of) LSPIRG.) In) the) event) of) any) such) termination,) LSPIRG) will) relinquish) the) sponsor's) contribution) and) return) all) unused) funds.) After) termination,) previous) sponsors)may)not)use)LSPIRG’s)name)or)logo)without)a)renewed)written)approval)by)LSPIRG.) )