Governance

What is the purpose of the Board of Directors? 

The Board of Directors is the Students’ Union’s governance body, based on Policy Governance system (the Carver Model). The role of the governing body is to: 

• Represent the interests of the undergraduate students at Laurier; 

• Determine the overall strategic purpose and value of the Students’ Union; 

• Monitor the performance of the organization through the President & CEO as instructed by the guidelines outlined in the Students’ Union Policy Manual; 

• Self-monitor the Board’s own performance and adherence to the governance practices set out in the Policy Manual; 

• Continually assess the suitability of the Policy Manual as a set of operating instructions provided to the President and CEO as the sole representative of the operations team, and the Board for its own self-governance.

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What does a Director of the Board do? 

Directors prioritize the interests of all Laurier undergraduate students when making decisions at the Board table, and when monitoring the performance of the organization through the President & Chief Executive Officer. Each student serving as a Director must: 

• Prioritize attendance at Board of Directors meetings; 

• Properly prepare for meetings, including careful review of agenda packages; 

• Recognize that Directors are NOT a student politician, they are members of a not-for-profit governing body;  

• Recognize that the Board acts as a collective entity, and that Directors don’t exercise individual authority over the organization or President & CEO; 

• Make decisions that represent the best interest of Laurier undergraduate students based on the guidelines set out in the Students’ Union Policy Manual; 

• Monitor the performance of the President & CEO based on the guidelines set out in the Policy Manual; 

• Support the legitimacy and authority of final decisions made by the Board, regardless of an individual Director’s personal position; 

• Respect the confidentiality of certain topics and discussions;

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How often does the Board of Directors meet? 

Typically, the Board of Directors meets monthly during the Spring/Summer term, and bi-weekly during the Fall and Winter terms. 

 

How do you join the Board of Directors? 

Directors of the Board are elected to their positions during the Students’ Union January election period. All fee paying members of the Students’ Union (Laurier undergraduate students) are eligible to seek nomination and election to the Board of Directors. 

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How long are Directors on the Board? 

Directors of the Board are elected to one-year terms, but may continue to seek election for as long as they remain fee paying members of the Students’ Union (Laurier undergraduate students). 

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Is the Students’ Union a student government? 

No, the Students’ Union is a not-for-profit organization, NOT a student government.  

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Is a Director of the Board like being a Member of Parliament or Member of Provincial Parliament? 

No, serving on the Students’ Union Board of Directors is a similar experience to volunteer for other community not-for-profit organizations, like the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region or the Brant Historical Society.