BYLAWS & POLICY
Our Governing Documents
The Constitution, By-laws and Policies are the governing documents of the students’ union. The by-laws outline the structures which govern the students’ union while the policies outline the day-to-day operations of the students’ union. The by-laws and policies can be amended by a vote of the Board of Directors.
MUNSU Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
The MUNSU Board of Directors meets bi-weekly during the Fall and Winter semesters, as well as monthly during the Spring/ Summer semesters. All MUNSU members are welcome to join these meetings as guests and observers.
2023 - 2024 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
2024 - 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Bylaws & Policies Under Review
MUNSU adopts policies on a range of issues that affect students in their daily lives, but also issues that are of regional and global in scope. These range from issues like the cost of education, to environmental sustainability, to removing barriers impacting students’ identities (gender, sexuality, religion, etc), to broader global issues.
These policies are adopted through a range of mechanisms. Some policies are adopted at our national level through the Canadian Federation of Students. Other policies are adopted our Board of Directors or by means of referendum of our entire membership. It is the role of the Executive Committee and other standing committees of the Union to interpret policies or develop stances in response to urgent developments.
The MUNSU Policy and Bylaw Review Committee also meets regularly and recommends to the MUNSU Board of Directors policies and bylaws that should be updated or adopted. MUNSU endeavours to ensure widespread consultation among its membership in reviewing, adopting or amending policies.
In order to ensure it is able to adequately focus attention on the policies under review, the number of policies which can be under review at any one time are restricted to a total of three:
New policies to be adopted;
Existing policies to be amended or revised; and
Outdated policies to be archived or removed
The latter refers to policies which no longer serve an effective purpose or whose existence has been rendered redundant in response to legal/legislative changes.
You are encouraged to share any feedback on them by emailing our BoD Secretary at resource@munsu.ca
Proposed Policy Amendments
There are currently no MUNSU Policies under review.
Proposed By-Law Amendments
MOTION: TO AMEND BYLAWS
Notice served Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Be it resolved that the amendments combine the MUNSU Finance and Services Committee and the MUNSU Breezeway Working Group, as proposed by the MUNSU Finance and Services Committee be adopted:
Whereas the MUNSU Breezeway Working Group works to promote and improve The Breezeway Bar and Cafe as a service of MUNSU;
Whereas the MUNSU Finance and Services Committee already exists to promote and improve all of services of MUNSU;
Whereas the the Executive Director of Finances and Services is currently the chair of both the MUNSU Breezeway Working Group and the Finance and Services Committee;
Be it resolved the the MUNSU Breezeway Working Group be incorporated in to Finance and Services Committee;
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU by-laws update Section 10. C. d. To reflect the duties of the Finance and Services Committee:
D. Finance and Services Committee (Chair: Executive Director of Finance and Services) The Finance and Services Committee shall be responsible for:
i. reviewing, on an ongoing basis, the services of the Students’ Union, as well as any proposals to improve or alter those services, developing proposals for any new services, implementing and promoting Students’ Union and Federation services, as appropriate;
ii. soliciting membership feedback on services of the Students’ Union and Canadian Federation of Students;
iii. handling health and dental plan appeals;
iv. developing the annual budget of the Students’ Union, in consultation with all relevant parties, and presenting it to the Board and to the membership for ratification, and proposing revisions of the budget to the Board when necessary;
v. reviewing the finances of the Students’ Union on a regular basis, so as to ensure compliance with the budget
vi. Developing initiatives to promote use of the Breezeway as a social, recreational, educational and progressive space for student activities and use by student groups and organizations
vii. Developing initiatives to promote awareness and use of MUNSU services by the broader campus and community
vii. Developing programming and aesthetic ideas for use of MUNSU services that align with the Union’s values and principles
ix. Promoting accessibility of MUNSU services, including initiatives directed toward under-aged and non-alcohol-consuming members of theUnion
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU governing documents be amended to reflect these changes.
MOTION: TO AMEND BYLAWS
Notice served Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Be it resolved that the proposal to create the MUNSU 'Global Affairs' Committee , as proposed by the MUNSU Policy Committee be adopted:
Whereas it has been expressed by students that we do not cover a wide diversity of global issues in our activism;
Be it resolved that:
The MUNSU board of directors will establish a 'Global Affairs' committee
The committee will be chaired by a board member elected at the start of the semester
The elected chair must be able to demonstrate competency and knowledge in talking about and researching global issues
The purpose of this committee is to research a given conflict/protest/event at the request of the Board of Directors
The committee will provide an overview of the requested instance, drawing on reports and input from stakeholders
The Board of Directors will respond to this overview by, including but not limited to deciding to either release a statement, share educational information, or to decline further engagement by the union on a given issue
The Executive Director of External Affairs will be responsible for ensuring the release of whichever method chosen by the Board
MOTION: TO AMEND BYLAWS
Notice served Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Be it resolved that the proposal to reduce the number of seats on the MUNSU Board of Directors, effective for the 2025-2026 term, as proposed by the MUNSU Policy Committee be adopted:
Whereas it has been a recommendation from the last Elections Report to downsize certain positions in the MUNSU Board of Directors based on low applicancy the last decade;
Whereas the current MUNSU Board of Directors has 39 members, which affiliated costs are becoming a concern given reduced enrollment over all;
Whereas certain constituency position do not have practical representation despite bearing the name of the constituency in question;
Whereas having a high number of positions has historically made consistently meeting quorum threshold difficult;
Be it resolved that the MUNSU governing documents be amended to remove the following representatives, effective the 2025-2026 election cycle :
First Year Student Representative
Part Time Student Representative
Undeclared Student Representative
Student Parents Representative
Sustainability Representative
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU governing documents be amended to reflect these changes.
Be it further resolved that MUNSU explore opportunities to engage with students from representatives of the former positions through MUCEPs and Club and Societies.
MOTION: TO AMEND BYLAWS
Notice served Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Be it resolved that the proposal to amend the MUNSU Engineering Representative seats on the MUNSU Board of Directors, effective for the 2025-2026 term, as proposed by the MUNSU Policy Committee be adopted:
Whereas MUNL Faculty of Engineering has two streams, following A and B nomenclature;
Be it resolved that two Engineering Representative positions be amended to Engineering Representative A and Engineering Representative B.
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU governing documents be amended to reflect these changes.
MOTION: TO AMEND BYLAWS
Notice served Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Be it resolved that the proposal to dissolve the Executive Director of Campaigns Position from the MUNSU Board of Directors, effective for the 2025-2026 term, as proposed by the MUNSU Policy Committee be adopted:
Whereas over recent years, the portfolio of the Executive Director of Campaigns has become diminished within the scope of the MUN Undergraduate Students’ Union;
Whereas the portfolio of the Executive Director of Campaigns lacks comparable objectives, workload and mandate in comparison with the other Executive Director portfolios;
Whereas MUNSU has received consistent feedback from prior Executive Directors that the Executive Director of Campaigns lacks a clear framework for the portfolio, in comparison to the other Executive Director portfolios;
Whereas the Campaigns portfolio is lacking clear support from coordinator staff roles in comparison with the other Executive Director portfolios;
Whereas the mandate and objectives of the Campaigns portfolio aligns with the work of the portfolio of the Executive Director of External Affairs;
Whereas the mandate and objectives of the Campaigns portfolio should be reflected broadly in the work of MUNSU, rather than siloed within an unclear portfolio;
Be it resolved that the Executive Director of Campaigns position be removed and duties dispersed within the remaining four Executive Director Portfolios, effective at the end of 2024-2025 term;
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU Board of Directors complete a review of the impact of this change, and the potential to replace with part-time Directors-At-Large within the 2025-2026 term;
Be it further resolved that the Executive Director of External Affairs become the chair of the Campaigns and Actions committee;
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU by-laws be updated to reflect the dispersal of the MUNSU Executive Director of Campaigns duties within the four remaining Executive Director portfolios through the addition of:
Section 8. B.
9. The Executive Director of External Affairs, Communications and Research shall
coordinate the implementation of all campaigns of the Union;
coordinate the implementation of Canadian Federation of Students campaigns on campus;
work with the Women’s Committee to develop initiatives to eliminate sexual harassment and improve the environment for women on campus and in the wider community;
8. The Executive Director of Student Life shall:
work with clubs, societies, and Resource Centres to assist in the facilitation of their campaigns and to integrate their campaigns, concerns, and issues in the wider campaigns of the Union;
Be it further resolved that the MUNSU governing documents be amended to reflect these changes.