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  • Outdated policies to be archived or removed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

Notice of Policy Amendment

Notice served Wednesday, November 27, 2024

V. FEES

(a) The MUN Students' Union endorses the following policy in regard to fees, and will conduct lobbying and campaigns in support of the adoption of these principles at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

(b) Memorial University of Newfoundland shall implement or charge no additional mandatory user or ancillary fees, beyond tuition, to students in any program of study.

(c) The only exceptions to this rule shall be fees which have been voted upon by students in free and fair democratic referenda.

(d) Due to the university failing in its commitment to remove the reaction fee, in addition to the fee being applied to students who can’t access the facilities, MUNSU stands in support of the mandatory recreation fee being repealed.

Notice of Policy Amendment

Notice served Wednesday, November 27, 2024

VI. LBGTQ2S+ Solidarity

(a) The Memorial University of Newfoundland Students' Union will support equal rights, equity-seeking measures, and justice for anyone who identifies as part of the queer community, including but not limited to: lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirited, and transgender students.

(b) The Memorial University of Newfoundland Students' Union will work with campus and community groups to lobby the administration of Memorial University and the government of Newfoundland and Labrador to improve the lives of people who are express marginalized genders, sexual orientations, and identities identify with marginalized genders and sexual orientations in the workplace, in the home, and in public spaces, including but not limited to: the right to gender expression, the right to bathrooms, and the enforcement of anti-hate speech and anti-harassment legislation.

(c) The Campaigns and Actions Committee will work with MUNSAGA and other community partners to develop and undertake campaigns work with the goal of achieving and maintaining equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, and transgender persons including, but not limited to, same-sex marriage, gender expression, anti harassment, and the respect of pronoun use and gender identity on the university campus.

(d) MUNSU opposes any question on a blood donor questionnaire dealing with sexual orientation rather than sexual practice. MUNSU will advocate for a blood collection screening process that is not based on sexual orientation or gender.

(d) We additionally oppose any attack on queer students' right to healthcare, including but not limited to discriminatory blood donation policies and attacks on gender-affirming care.



Notice of Policy Amendment

Notice served Wednesday, November 27, 2024

VIII. PEACE

(a) The MUN Students' Union will undertake a campaign for world peace. 

(b) The MUN Students' Union shall join, endorse and support the St. John's Campaign Against the War.

(a) MUNSU will adopt the National Canadian Federation of Students’ Anti-War Campaign

(b) MUNSU will commit to establishing a committee to analyze and assess world events and our relations to them and complicity in them.

(c) MUNSU stands against the investments of post-secondary institutions funds into arms manufacturers and other war-related expenditures.


Notice of Policy Amendment

Notice served Wednesday, November 27, 2024

X. UNIONIZATION

(a) The Memorial University of Newfoundland Students' Union will officially endorse and support the unionization of Teaching Assistants and other student employees on campus.


Proposed By-Law Amendments

There are currently no proposed MUNSU By-Law Amendments