BYLAW 150: STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATIONS

01. Amendments

1. Any amendments to this Bylaw must be reported to each Student Representative Association.

02. Mandate

1. The Students’ Union shall be responsible for the development and management of any Student Committees or Associations it wishes to delegate its representative authority to, as outlined in the Post Secondary Learning Act.

2. Every Faculty shall be represented by only one (1) Faculty Association, every Campus shall be represented by only one (1) Campus Association, every Residence shall be represented by only one (1) Residence Association and every Department shall be represented by only one (1) Departmental Association.

3. Every Faculty Association, Campus Association, and Residence Association and Departmental Association is a Student Representative Association (SRA).

4. The mandate of a SRA is to act on behalf of and for its constituency. The SRA is to conduct itself in a manner that is transparent, open, democratic, credible, accountable, and fiscally prudent. 

5. The role of an SRA is to:

1. Act as the official representative of its membership to the Students’ Union and to the University of Alberta on student issues; 

2. Provide services which are beneficial to its membership; and

3. Foster student engagement and a sense of community within its constituency.

6. An Association shall not advocate on issues in contradiction to Students’ Union Political Policy, unless they have first presented to and received approval from Students’ Council.

7. SRAs shall utilize the process outlined in Regulation 150.02 - Deviation from Political Policy if they are to advocate on issues in contradiction to Students’ Union Political Policy. 

8. The Students’ Union shall be responsible for developing Memorandums of Understanding, while prioritizing consultation with the SRA, to outline relationship expectations between the SRA and SU.

03. Council of Faculty Associations

9. The Council of Faculty Associations shall be an advisory body to the Students’ Union on student issues and shall:

1. Foster communication and collaboration between Associations; and

2. Provide a channel of communication with the Students’ Union.

10. The voting composition of the Council of Faculty Associations Senior Board shall be in accordance with Regulation 150.03 - Council of Faculty Associations Senior Board Terms of Reference.

1. The Council of Faculty Associations Finance Board shall include the chair of the Students’ Council Audit Committee as a non-voting ex-officio member.

04. Council of Residence Associations

11. The Council of Residence Associations shall be an advisory body to the Students’ Union on student issues and shall:

1. Foster communication and collaboration between Residence Associations; and

2. Provide a channel of communication with the Students’ Union.

12. The voting composition of the Council of Residence Associations shall be in accordance with Regulation 150.04 - Council of Residence Associations Terms of Reference.

05. Membership

1. The base membership of a:

1. Faculty Association shall be defined as all undergraduate students enrolled in the faculty represented by the Faculty Association;

2. Campus Association shall be defined as all undergraduate students enrolled in a faculty located on the campus represented by the Campus Association;

3. Residence Association shall be defined as all undergraduate students living in the residence represented by the Residence Association;

4. Departmental Association shall be defined as any undergraduate student enrolled in a major, minor, or program of study in that department or program.

5. Any other Student Representative Association shall be agreed upon by the Association and Students’ Council upon the formation of the Association.

2. The membership of an Association may be defined by criteria agreed upon by the Association and Students’ Council. Where no such agreement is in place the membership of an Association shall be equal to the base membership of the Association.

3. An Association may create membership categories based on reasonable criteria such as program of study, year of study, or level of fees paid.

4. The members of an Association have the following rights:

1. To resign one’s membership by notifying the Association;

2. To reinstate one’s membership by notifying the Association;

3. For one to be afforded the same voting power as any other member of the Association at a General Meeting, in a referendum or plebiscite, and in an election for its officers;

4. For one to be afforded the same voting power as any other member of a membership category of the Association in an election for a representative of that membership category; and

5. For one to be afforded the same access to services and events as any other member in the same membership category of the Association.

6. Membership of an SRA that is officially represented under delegated authority from the Students' Council, only extends to current undergraduate students at the University of Alberta.

5. Any disagreement around the authority of any two Student Representative Associations in the context of overlapping constituencies shall be resolved by the Student Group Committee.

1. Decisions made by Student Group Committee shall be guided by the following principles:

1. Additional collaboration between SRAs is a positive outcome

2. Organizations whose mandate more closely aligns with an issue should have more authority on said issue

06. Delegation

1. Departmental Associations may be delegated authority by the Students’ Union, through their Faculty Associations, to be official representatives for students in their department or program, as well as provide advocacy and community building roles.

2. A Faculty Association shall be responsible for the oversight of all Departmental Associations, or other sub-groups within its constituency that it recognizes as being representative in nature. The Faculty Association shall exercise this oversight in a manner that conforms to the basic principles of the relationship between the Students’ Union and the Faculty Associations, specifically:

1. The Faculty Association shall have the authority to recognize or derecognize the aforementioned groups;

2. The Faculty Association shall maintain consistent lines of communication with the aforementioned groups, both individually and collectively;

3. The Faculty Association shall follow the principles of acting in fairly and in good faith;

4. The Faculty Association’s decisions pertaining to the aforementioned groups may be appealed to the Student Group Committee; and

5. The Students’ Union reserves for itself the power to impose mandatory fees on the student body or any subsection thereof.

3. A Faculty Association shall maintain a schedule of its Departmental Associations, and other sub-groups, if such exist, which shall be provided to its membership and/or the Students’ Union upon request.

07. Recognition

1. Students’ Council may choose to delegate its representative authority to any student association that wishes to advocate for its membership to the University or Students’ Union, provided that:

1. The student association represents a definable and enumerable constituency.

2. The student association has legislation and procedures that are compliant with Students’ Union bylaw respecting Student Representative Associations and Student Groups; 

3. The student association is registered and recognized by the Students’ Union as a student group; and

4. The authority delegated to the association is clearly defined at the time of delegation.

2. At the time of Delegation, the Students’ Union and the relevant association shall sign a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines the rights and responsibilities of the association. This includes but is not limited to the reporting requirements outlined in Bylaw.

3. Official student group status with the University of Alberta is not a necessary prerequisite for being recognized as a Student Representative Association.

4. In order to be recognized as a Departmental Association, said Association shall comply with Student's’ Union Bylaw 8100 where it refers to Departmental Associations, Students’ Union Bylaws regarding Student Groups, and their Faculty Association’s legislation.

5. A list of recognized SRAs is outlined in Regulation 150.07 - Student Representative Association List.

08. Probation

1. Probationary Status for a SRA can be designated by a vote at Students’ Council for up to 12 months or for a period no longer than 12 months when the issue is deemed solved by Student Group Committee.

1. An extension of probationary status may only be granted once. This extension may not exceed an 12 months from the date of the vote to extend

2. Terms of a probationary status are as follows:

1. The SRA on probation shall meet with a Staff Designate of the Students’ Union on a monthly basis

2. A Staff Designate of the Students’ Union is tasked with aiding in resolving the issues which caused probation and helping the SRA draft mechanisms to prevent further issues from arising.

3. The SRA shall have a representative of the Students’ Union attend their council and executive meetings.

4. On a case by case basis the Student Group Committee shall determine the terms of probation as required in addition to the items outlined above.

5. Additional terms of probation may limit an association's ability to run a plebiscite or referendum

6. The process for initiating probationary status is outlined in Regulation 150.08 - Student Representative Association Probation.

3. Terms of reinstatement of SRA status are as follows:

1. The Student Group Committee shall make a recommendation to Students’ Council for the reinstatement of the SRA including a recommendation that at the meeting prior to a vote on their reinstatement, the SRA shall present to the Students' Council on the steps taken to resolve the identified issues.

09. Derecognition

1. An Association shall be automatically derecognized as a Student Representative Association if it loses its status as a Students’ Union recognized Student Group.

2. The Student Group Committee may also derecognize an Association, thus leaving an unrepresented constituency, if:

1. The Association applies for derecognition;

2. A majority of the students which the Association represents petition for derecognition; or

3. An Association is found to be in gross negligence of its fiduciary responsibility.

3. During the period of an unrepresented constituency the Students’ Union shall assume responsibility of the affairs of the constituency.

1. Gross negligence can include but is not limited to:

1. Failing to report any income or expenditures during the Students’ Union Auditing process

2. Gross incompetence in financial management

3. Failure to adhere to financial requirements outlined in Student Group Services regulations, UASU Bylaw, and the bylaws of the Association.

4. Upon the derecognition of an association that retains SRA status:

1. The Students’ Union shall recognize a new Association after two calendar weeks and before the end of two calendar months;

1. Derecognition of Departmental Association falls under the authority of their relevant Faculty Association.

2. Financial Assets shall be assumed by the Students’ Union and held in trust for the next recognized Association for that Faculty, Campus, or Residence.

5. As such the Students’ Union reserves the right to derecognize any SRA or put them on probationary status should it be deemed necessary by Students’ Council.

1. Derecognition does not extend to student group status, only their delegated authority and designation as an SRA.

10. Legislation

1. An Association shall have legislation, consistent with the requirements of Students’ Union bylaws, specifying, at minimum:

1. The official name of the Association;

2. The mandate of the Association;

3. The membership, membership categories, and rights of members of the Association;

4. The procedure for adoption, amendment, and rescission of its legislation;

5. The procedure for adoption, amendment, and rescission of its policies and/or procedures;

6. The mechanism for calling a General Meeting;

7. The powers and responsibilities of each of its officers;

8. The powers and responsibilities of each of its boards, committees and/or councils;

9. The rights, privileges and responsibilities, individually and collectively, of its Departmental Associations and Affiliated Associations;

10. The manner of selection of its officers and the manner of removal of its officers;

11. The manner in which elections, if applicable, are to be conducted;

12. The manner in which finances and property are managed including the budgeting and auditing processes;

13. Procedures outlining the annual transition of its executive and board officers.

11. Procedure Manual

1. An Association may adopt procedures, consistent with the requirements of Students’ Union bylaws and the Associations’ legislation, which serve to operationalize their legislation.

12. Governance Structure

1. An Association shall adopt a governance structure which satisfies the following:

1. Legislation is adopted, amended, or rescinded by:

1. A General Meeting which meets at least once per Fall Term and Winter Term; or

2. A governing body which meets at least twice per Fall Term and Winter Term where a General Meeting may overturn the adoption, amendment, or rescission.

2. Policy and Procedure is adopted, amended, or rescinded by:

1. A governing body which meets at least twice per Fall Term and Winter Term; or

2. An Executive Committee or Board which meets at least once per month during each Fall Term and Winter Term where a governing body may overturn the adoption, amendment, or rescission.

3. The executive and board officers, as applicable, of the Association are held accountable to and removable by:

1. A General Meeting which meets at least once per Fall Term and Winter Term;

2. A governing body which meets at least twice per Fall Term and Winter Term; or

3. Another mechanism agreed to by the Students’ Union.

4. Minutes from the governing body, Executive Committee or Board Meetings, and General Meetings are publicly available;

5. Financial statements are available to members;

6. Elections, plebiscites and referenda are conducted by an Association Deputy Returning Officer who acts at arm's length from the other bodies of the Association.

1. An Association shall have the right to use the Students’ Union Executive or Councilor Election electronic ballot for base members to vote for the purpose of the election of such positions and voting on such plebiscites and/or referenda as may be required by that Association.