Engaging Students in Governance

After several months of discussion between the Board, Senate, and representatives of the student body, St. Stephen’s College will undergo a pilot project during the 2021–2022 year to determine the best and most appropriate ways to engage students in the governance of the College.

This pilot project proceeds from the conviction that the presence of students in governance structures engenders transparency and trust between the College and the student body, and it also facilitates student input/influence in the College’s operations.

There are four main components of this pilot project:

  1. Open Board and Senate Meetings for Student Attendance as Observers
  2. Identify Best Strategies for engaging Students in Governance at SSC
  3. Support Development of a Student-Led Body for Governance Involvement and Peer-Support
  4. Lunches and Coffee with the Dean

The guiding principles of this pilot project are: We are committed to dialogue, open communication, and nurturing a consultative ethos.

  • We are committed to dialogue, open communication, and nurturing a consultative ethos.
  • We are committed to adopting best practices, and to integrating those practices in ways that are well-suited to the St. Stephen’s context.
  • We are committed to understanding the distinct and overlapping needs of the Board, Senate, Faculty/Staff, and Students, and to finding solutions that sufficiently engage and meet those needs.

Further details of the pilot project can be read in the Pilot Project for Students to Engage in the Governance of St. Stephen’s College document (approved by the Board of Governors in October 2021).
 

Student Participation at Board and Senate Meetings

One key component of engaging students in governance at St. Stephen’s College is the opening-up of Board and Senate meetings so that students can attend and participate (in the capacity of observers).

Open Board and Senate meetings increase transparency and collegiality at the College by allowing students to engage these governing bodies, and also allowing the governing bodies to pilot student engagement in their governance work. During their attendance at Board and Senate meetings, students will be able to participate fully in the conversations of each governing body (however, given their presence as observers, students will not be able to vote).

Students can participate in Board and Senate meetings in the following ways:

  • Students are required to register for each Board or Senate meeting (see the schedules below for registration details).
  • Student participants are limited to three students per meeting (this limitation will be reviewed throughout the pilot project and expanded as possible).
  • Students are welcome to register for as many or as few meetings as they wish during the 2021–2022 year (this differs from governors and senators, who are asked to regularly attend Board and Senate meetings).
  • Students are required to participate in accordance with the Guidelines for Student Participants at 2021–2022 Board and Senate Meeting (these guidelines were developed by the Board in consultation with the Senate and SSC Students).

List of Board Meetings 

All Board meetings run from 5:30 - 7:30pm on their published date.

Date Title and Agenda Registration
November 15, 2021 November 2021 Board Meeting Agenda  Please contact Jamie Smith by November 12, 2021
December 6, 2021
Students can join at 6:00pm		 December 2021 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by December 3, 2021
January 17, 2022 January 2022 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by January 14, 2022
February 14, 2022 February 2022 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by February 11, 2022
March 21, 2022 March 2022 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by March 18, 2022
April 25, 2022 April 2022 Board Meeting Agenda  Please contact Jamie Smith by April 22, 2022
May 16, 2022 May 2022 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by May 13, 2022
June 20, 2022 June 2022 Board Meeting Agenda Please contact Jamie Smith by June 17, 2022

 

List of Senate Meetings

All Senate meetings run from 9:30am - 12:00pm on their published date.

Date Title and Agenda Registration
February 25, 2022 Winter 2022 Senate Meeting Agenda TBD Please contact Shelley Westermann by February 24, 2022
June 17, 2022 Spring 2022 Senate Meeting Agenda TBD Please contact Shelley Westermann by June 16, 2022

 

Coffee with the Dean

As part of our commitment to open dialogue and transparency, all St. Stephen’s College students are invited to join the Dean every five-to-six weeks for a “virtual coffee”. These gatherings will be informal and conversational. They provide an opportunity for students to gather together, to discuss their experiences at the College, and to further explore how students can best engage in the College’s governance. These meetings are open also to members of the Board and Senate.

Date and Time  Location
December 3, 2021 at 10:00am (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).
January 14, 2022 at 2:00pm (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).
February 18, 2022 at 10:00am (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).
April 1, 2022 at 2:00pm (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).
May 13, 2022 at 10:00am (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).
June 24, 2022 at 2:00pm (Mountain) Online via Zoom (registration will remain open until the event).

 

Questions

Questions, comments, and/or feedback can be directed to the Principal and Dean.