Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union
Encyclopedia
The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union (WLUSU) represents undergraduate students at both campuses of Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo, Ontario
and Brantford, Ontario
Canada
. It operates the Fred Nichols Campus Centre in Waterloo as well as the Students' Centre on Laurier's Brantford Campus. Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union's Arms, Supporters, Flag and Badge were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority
on January 15, 2003.
made up of 15 Directors who are elected at large. The Students' Union has adopted Policy Governance
as a guide for its governance structure which has led to many recent changes. For instance, The President and Vice President: University Affairs no longer serve as members of the Board. However, the President, all Vice Presidents, and all Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents attend meetings of the Board for informational purposes.
The Management Group is composed of the President
(elected) the Executive Vice President (hired) Vice President
s (hired) and the General Manager
. The President, Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents, and Assistant/Associate Vice Presidents and General Manager make up the Management Team.
The Chairman of the Board
is elected from amongst the Directors following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the corporation in early February. The role serves to liaise between the day-to-day organization and the Directors as well as greater community surrounding the University. The Chairman, as Chief Governance Officer, the President, as Chief Executive Officer, and the General Manager, as Chief Operating Officer are the sole officers of WLUSU.
Directors are faced with the challenge of representing student concerns, while making effective corporate decisions.
The President’s Department is responsible for the oversight of the entire organization. The President directly manages, supervises, and delegates to the members of the Management Group. The President is responsible for operating the organization in a manner that is inline with the policies by the Board of Directors and ultimately for meeting the ends prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President oversees the Executive Vice President: Brantford, the Vice President: Administration, the Vice President: Clubs & Activities, the Vice President: Public Affairs, the Vice President: Services, the Vice President: University Affairs, and the General Manager. The President & CEO is overseen by the Board of Directors.
Executive Vice President: Brantford
The Executive Vice President: Brantford oversees the day-to-day operations of the Students' Union on the Brantford Campus. The EVP: B oversees three Associate Vice Presidents.
Administration Department
The Vice President: Administration is responsible for overseeing the recruitment, hiring, training, and appreciation of staff and volunteers involved in the Students' Union. They are also responsible for all of the financial aspects of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union. All human resources and finances are overseen by the VP:A with the aid of full-time staff members and an Assistant Vice President. The VP: Administration hires an Assistant Vice President: Finance which looks after the finances of the Students' Union and ensures accuracy and transparency of all finances and transactions that are made throughout the year. The VP:A is responsible for overseeing four coordinators including Hiring, Recruitment, Professional Development & Training, and the Feedback, Evaluation, and Appreciation Team.
Club & Activities Department
The Vice President: Clubs & Activities is responsible for overseeing the Students' Union's Clubs & Activities Department. They oversee two Assistant Vice Presidents as well as seven coordinators. With over 120 clubs and faculty associations, the VP:C&A hires the Assistant Vice President: Campus Clubs & Faculty Associations which oversees the Campus Clubs & Faculty Associations sub-department. Orientation Week is the largest on-campus service and event filled program that the Students' Union offers. Over 3,000 first year students arrive on Labour Day each year for a week long orientation to Laurier that is coordinated by a team headed by the Assistant Vice President: First Year Experience. The VP: C&A also hires and oversees 7 coordinators including those for the Activities Team, Boar's head Dinner, Charity Ball, Fashion N' Motion, Laurier University Charity Kouncil (L.U.C.K.), Shinerama, and Winter Carnival.
Public Affairs Department
The Vice President: Public Affairs is responsible for the Public Affairs Department which includes overseeing official communication between the Students' Union and the students at Laurier, the community, and other universities, any market research for the Students' Union, development of programs and initiatives, overseeing the marketing and branding of the Students' Union including all related websites and overseeing an Assistant Vice President: Advertising & Promotions. The VP:PA hires an Assistant Vice President: Advertising & Promotions which oversees the marketing, promotions, and advertising of all businesses, clubs, committees, programs, events, and services of the Students' Union. They are responsible for Advertising & Promotions Team Coordinators which oversee teams of Graphic Design Specialists, Digital Media Specialists, and a Promotions Team. The Advertising & Promotions Teams are assembled by the AVP:A&P and are assigned to projects as requested by businesses, clubs, or committees.
Services Department
The Vice President: Services is responsible for the overseeing the Students' Union's Services Department as well as serving as the official link between the Students' Union and the Office of Student Diversity. The Services Department has the largest volunteer base with hundreds of students devoting time and effort to the seven services offered by the Students' Union. The VP:S hires seven volunteer coordinators for BACCHUS
(Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students), the Emergency Response Team, the EcoHawks, Food Bank, Foot Patrol, and Peer Help Line.
University Affairs Department
The Vice President: University Affairs is responsible for overseeing the University Affairs Department and represents the Students' Union on many lobbying groups including the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
. They oversee two coordinators and a group of volunteers that act to promote all coordinator campaigns and events to the Laurier population. The VP:UA oversees an Internal Affairs Coordinator and an External Affairs Coordinator, who serves as a CASA
coordinator, OUSA
coordinator and Town & Gown coordinator. The External Affairs volunteers work with their volunteers to inform the undergraduate students at Laurier about each of the groups and the events and campaigns that each participate in. The Internal Affairs Coordinator serves the same function in outreach and awareness internal to the Union and its membership
The Brantford campus is also home to a student owned and operated William's Coffee Pub. Located in the heart of Brantford's downtown, William's Coffee Pub has become a very popular place for students and permanent residents.
In addition to electing members of the Board of Directors, Brantford students also elect a Campus Council made up of four Councillors. WLUSU Brantford is largely disconnected from the Waterloo WLUSU, although the two bodies communicate regularly.
Brantford Operations are overseen by the Executive Vice President: Brantford (EVP:B). Once hired by the President, the EVP:B hires three Associate Vice Presidents. The three positions include Activities (AVP:A) Operations (AVP:O) and Services (AVP:S).
. Federally, WLUSU recently became members of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
which they helped to found in 1995.
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
and Brantford, Ontario
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It operates the Fred Nichols Campus Centre in Waterloo as well as the Students' Centre on Laurier's Brantford Campus. Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union's Arms, Supporters, Flag and Badge were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority
Canadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
on January 15, 2003.
Governance
The Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union is governed by a Board of DirectorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
made up of 15 Directors who are elected at large. The Students' Union has adopted Policy Governance
Policy Governance
Policy Governance is a trademarked governance model designed for Boards of Directors that provides a clear differentiation between governance and management responsibilities in organizations. The model was developed by John Carver....
as a guide for its governance structure which has led to many recent changes. For instance, The President and Vice President: University Affairs no longer serve as members of the Board. However, the President, all Vice Presidents, and all Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents attend meetings of the Board for informational purposes.
The Management Group is composed of the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
(elected) the Executive Vice President (hired) Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
s (hired) and the General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. The President, Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents, and Assistant/Associate Vice Presidents and General Manager make up the Management Team.
The Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
is elected from amongst the Directors following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the corporation in early February. The role serves to liaise between the day-to-day organization and the Directors as well as greater community surrounding the University. The Chairman, as Chief Governance Officer, the President, as Chief Executive Officer, and the General Manager, as Chief Operating Officer are the sole officers of WLUSU.
Directors are faced with the challenge of representing student concerns, while making effective corporate decisions.
Management Structure
President & CEOThe President’s Department is responsible for the oversight of the entire organization. The President directly manages, supervises, and delegates to the members of the Management Group. The President is responsible for operating the organization in a manner that is inline with the policies by the Board of Directors and ultimately for meeting the ends prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President oversees the Executive Vice President: Brantford, the Vice President: Administration, the Vice President: Clubs & Activities, the Vice President: Public Affairs, the Vice President: Services, the Vice President: University Affairs, and the General Manager. The President & CEO is overseen by the Board of Directors.
Executive Vice President: Brantford
The Executive Vice President: Brantford oversees the day-to-day operations of the Students' Union on the Brantford Campus. The EVP: B oversees three Associate Vice Presidents.
Administration Department
The Vice President: Administration is responsible for overseeing the recruitment, hiring, training, and appreciation of staff and volunteers involved in the Students' Union. They are also responsible for all of the financial aspects of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union. All human resources and finances are overseen by the VP:A with the aid of full-time staff members and an Assistant Vice President. The VP: Administration hires an Assistant Vice President: Finance which looks after the finances of the Students' Union and ensures accuracy and transparency of all finances and transactions that are made throughout the year. The VP:A is responsible for overseeing four coordinators including Hiring, Recruitment, Professional Development & Training, and the Feedback, Evaluation, and Appreciation Team.
Club & Activities Department
The Vice President: Clubs & Activities is responsible for overseeing the Students' Union's Clubs & Activities Department. They oversee two Assistant Vice Presidents as well as seven coordinators. With over 120 clubs and faculty associations, the VP:C&A hires the Assistant Vice President: Campus Clubs & Faculty Associations which oversees the Campus Clubs & Faculty Associations sub-department. Orientation Week is the largest on-campus service and event filled program that the Students' Union offers. Over 3,000 first year students arrive on Labour Day each year for a week long orientation to Laurier that is coordinated by a team headed by the Assistant Vice President: First Year Experience. The VP: C&A also hires and oversees 7 coordinators including those for the Activities Team, Boar's head Dinner, Charity Ball, Fashion N' Motion, Laurier University Charity Kouncil (L.U.C.K.), Shinerama, and Winter Carnival.
Public Affairs Department
The Vice President: Public Affairs is responsible for the Public Affairs Department which includes overseeing official communication between the Students' Union and the students at Laurier, the community, and other universities, any market research for the Students' Union, development of programs and initiatives, overseeing the marketing and branding of the Students' Union including all related websites and overseeing an Assistant Vice President: Advertising & Promotions. The VP:PA hires an Assistant Vice President: Advertising & Promotions which oversees the marketing, promotions, and advertising of all businesses, clubs, committees, programs, events, and services of the Students' Union. They are responsible for Advertising & Promotions Team Coordinators which oversee teams of Graphic Design Specialists, Digital Media Specialists, and a Promotions Team. The Advertising & Promotions Teams are assembled by the AVP:A&P and are assigned to projects as requested by businesses, clubs, or committees.
Services Department
The Vice President: Services is responsible for the overseeing the Students' Union's Services Department as well as serving as the official link between the Students' Union and the Office of Student Diversity. The Services Department has the largest volunteer base with hundreds of students devoting time and effort to the seven services offered by the Students' Union. The VP:S hires seven volunteer coordinators for BACCHUS
BACCHUS Network
The BACCHUS Network was until recently known as the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Network. BACCHUS was once an acronym for Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students. GAMMA was the abbreviation for Greeks Advocating for Mature Management of Alcohol...
(Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students), the Emergency Response Team, the EcoHawks, Food Bank, Foot Patrol, and Peer Help Line.
University Affairs Department
The Vice President: University Affairs is responsible for overseeing the University Affairs Department and represents the Students' Union on many lobbying groups including the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was formed in 1995 by several post-secondary institutions' student unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students and previously unaffiliated student unions...
and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is an alliance of university student governments from across Ontario, Canada. Their common objective is to protect the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students, and to provide research and...
. They oversee two coordinators and a group of volunteers that act to promote all coordinator campaigns and events to the Laurier population. The VP:UA oversees an Internal Affairs Coordinator and an External Affairs Coordinator, who serves as a CASA
Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was formed in 1995 by several post-secondary institutions' student unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students and previously unaffiliated student unions...
coordinator, OUSA
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is an alliance of university student governments from across Ontario, Canada. Their common objective is to protect the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students, and to provide research and...
coordinator and Town & Gown coordinator. The External Affairs volunteers work with their volunteers to inform the undergraduate students at Laurier about each of the groups and the events and campaigns that each participate in. The Internal Affairs Coordinator serves the same function in outreach and awareness internal to the Union and its membership
Membership
All undergraduate students at Laurier are part of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union. Waterloo has approximately 12,500 students and Brantford has approximately 2,200.Waterloo Campus
The Fred Nichols Campus Centre is home to the Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union in Waterloo. The FNCC is a four story building found in the middle of the Waterloo campus. It includes all of the businesses and services that are provided by the Students' Union. All businesses are owned and operated by the undergraduate students at Wilfrid Laurier University. Businesses include The Turret Nightclub, Wilf's Restaurant & Bar, and the Terrace Food Court which includes Harvey's, Pizza Pizza, Pita Shack, Union Market, William's Coffee Pub Express and the soon-to-be Subway and Spring Rolls Express. The Terrace Food Court also includes Ah-So Sushi but it is not owned by WLUSU.Brantford Campus
The Students' Centre is home to the Brantford Operations. The building houses the offices for the Executive Vice President: Brantford, the Associate Vice Presidents, Brantford Campus Council meeting room, a workspace, office space for Foot Patrol, the Student Affairs Coordinator, a multi-purpose room, and a large lounge open to all students. The building also houses Student Affairs for the Brantford campus including Director of Student Affairs Office, OneCard Service, Accessible Learning, Counseling Services, Health Services, Career Centre, Aboriginal Services and Student Affairs.The Brantford campus is also home to a student owned and operated William's Coffee Pub. Located in the heart of Brantford's downtown, William's Coffee Pub has become a very popular place for students and permanent residents.
In addition to electing members of the Board of Directors, Brantford students also elect a Campus Council made up of four Councillors. WLUSU Brantford is largely disconnected from the Waterloo WLUSU, although the two bodies communicate regularly.
Brantford Operations are overseen by the Executive Vice President: Brantford (EVP:B). Once hired by the President, the EVP:B hires three Associate Vice Presidents. The three positions include Activities (AVP:A) Operations (AVP:O) and Services (AVP:S).
External Representation
The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union is a founding member of the Ontario Undergraduate Student AllianceOntario Undergraduate Student Alliance
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is an alliance of university student governments from across Ontario, Canada. Their common objective is to protect the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students, and to provide research and...
. Federally, WLUSU recently became members of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was formed in 1995 by several post-secondary institutions' student unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students and previously unaffiliated student unions...
which they helped to found in 1995.