1. Definitions

a) Academic Year - The period beginning with the Fall semester and progressing through the Winter and Spring/Summer semesters.

b) Active Campaigning - Any act where a vote is solicited by the candidate or their Executive and General Campaign Teams.

c) Candidate - Any individual running for an elected position available to students Wilfrid Laurier University students and members of the Students’ Union.

d) Election - The formal process of electing or being elected, in this context the Students’ Union elections.

e) Elections Committee – The group of individuals overseeing the general conduct and execution of elections on behalf of the Board of Directors, led by the Chief Governance Officer and including the Chief Returning Officer, with full-time staff support provided by the Director, Policy Research and Advocacy.

f) Election period - The days when candidates are campaigning for elected positions.

g) Endorsement - The act of giving obvious public approval or support of another candidate.

h) Executive Campaign Team - The leadership team supporting a candidate, including the candidate, their campaign manager, the official agent, and the scrutineer(s).

i) General Campaign Team - The group of members a candidate assembles to assist with campaigning.

j) Executive Leadership Team - The Students’ Union President and their VicePresidents and Associate Vice Presidents.

k) Member - Students registered in an undergraduate program at Wilfrid Laurier University, enrolled in at least 0.5 course credits, and have paid all applicable fees.

l) Nominee - A person seeking candidacy during the Students’ Union elections.

m) Nomination - The process through which a member seeks to become a candidate for an elected position or Referendum Chair

n) Promotional Materials - All materials used in the promotion of a candidate containing their name, likeness, image or brand.

o) Referendum Chair – The individual nominated to promote a “Yes” or “No” vote for a specific referendum question.

p) Referendum Team – The group of members officially assisting a Referendum Chair while campaigning.

q) Scrutineer - The individual selected by a candidate to observe the process of vote collection and tabulation.

r) Social media platforms - Any internet-based technology, websites, and mobile applications which enable users to create and share content and/or participate in social networking.

s) Voting period - The days when members are able to cast their votes.

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2. Definitions

2.1. Volunteer: A Wilfrid Laurier University undergraduate student who voluntarily undertakes a service for the Students’ Union. 

2.2. Volunteer Appreciation: An event, program, or gift organized by the Students’ Union to show appreciation for volunteers.

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3. Jurisdiction/Scope 

3.1. This policy applies to all Students’ Union employees and volunteers. 

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4. Policy

4.1. The Vice-President: Internal Operations shall be responsible for the primary coordination of organizational volunteer appreciation initiatives. 

4.2. Beyond organizational appreciation initiatives planned and executed by the Vice-President: Internal Operations, volunteer appreciation spending must be based on the number of active volunteers during the budget year. 

4.2.1. The Vice-Presidents, in consultation with their committee coordinators, will provide the Vice-President: Internal Operations with a volunteer estimate for budgeting purposes that aligns with the Volunteer Recruitment Procedures. 

4.3. Vice-Presidents and Committee Coordinators will have access to limited funds per volunteer for departmental or committee one-time only volunteer appreciation initiatives. 

4.3.1. Coordinator volunteer appreciation will be allocated within department central budgets and managed by the respective Vice-President. 

4.3.2. Executive (including Team Lead) volunteer appreciation will be allocated in committee budgets and managed by the respective coordinator, in conjunction with their supervising Vice-President or Associate Vice-President. 

4.3.3. General volunteer appreciation must be allocated in committee budgets and managed by the respective coordinator, in conjunction with their supervising Vice-President or Associate Vice President. 

4.4. Volunteer funding must be allocated according to the following role distribution grid: 

• Coordinators - $40/student

• Executives (Including Team Lead) - $30/student

• General Volunteers - $20/student

4.5. A budget amendment submitted to the Finance & Administration Department is required to allocate volunteer appreciate funds in a manner that differs from the role distribution grid. 

4.5.1 ​The Vice-President: Internal Operations and Director, Finance & Administration will provide the approval requirements for a budget amendment.