HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.1.c.a. Supplemental Information, Memo 23-028 amendments to P.113.GOV. Student SenateMEMORANDUM
Memo No.23-028
TO:Trustees
Student Trustees
FROM:Michèle Giroux,Director of Education and Secretary of the Board
Janice McCoy,Executive Officer,Corporate Services
DATE:21 April 2023
RE:Amendments to Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate
This memo serves as a followup to the motion approved by Committee of the Whole on
4 April 2023 with respect to the revisions to Board Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate.
Staff has had an opportunity to further review the revised policy,and to consider
operational impacts.As a result,staff have made a few recommended alterations to the
proposed policy for consideration by the Board at the meeting of 25 April 2023.
The following details the additional changes,none of which are intended to alter the
student trustees'intent in bringing the proposed revisions forward on behalf of the
Student Senate.The student trustees have been consulted on the changes.
Summary of Key Proposed Changes
Section Revision
Throughout Policy Migrated the policy to a new template with an equity statement at the
forefront and definitions moved to Appendix A.
Section 3.3 Clarified term of office for each Student Senator.
Altered Senior Student Senator title to “Grade 11/12 Student Senator ”and
Junior Student Senator title to “Grade 9/10 Student Senator ”in order to
avoid hierarchical language.
Section 4.1d Clarified the language regarding the three non-voting Student Presidents’
Council members,which includes the two Chairs and one additional member
as determined by Student Presidents’Council.
Memo No.23-028,Amendments to Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate Page 1
Section 4.1 e Clarified the language with regard to the representatives from student led
diversity groups,so that they are not
necessarily the leaders and that the nomination process would be
determined by the respective groups in alignment with other committees’
membership.
Section 4.5 Based on feedback,remove the strikethrough part and,instead,the Senate
will work on making the delegation process more accessible for students in
an informal capacity.
Section 4.8 Altered wording to indicate that quorum is reached when 35%of voting
members are present rather than tying quorum to the number of secondary
schools represented at a meeting.
Section 4.9 Altered wording to indicate that rather than creating a budget,the allocation
of the budgetary amount will be co-developed annually by Student Senate
and the staff advisor based on the funds available through the approved
annual budget..
Section 4.11 Aligned title and election term of Grade 11/12 Student Senators with Section
3.3.
Section 4.12 Aligned title and election term of Grade 9/10 Student Senators with Section
3.3.
Section 4.14 Clarified that a senator position is deemed vacant should the student leave
the school they were elected to represent.
Appendix A Altered Student Trustee definition to represent expansion of voting
representatives,while also clarifying that recommendations to the Board of
Trustees are made through Student Trustees.
In order to approve the changes as outlined above (and attached),the recommendation
at Board agenda item 11.1 b.will require an amendment.The following amendment
could be moved by a trustee to table the new version of the policy.
“THAT in part A of the recommendation the word “Appendix A”be struck and
replaced with “and attached to Memo-23-028”.
Staff has also identified several concerns with the proposed revision in paragraph 4.5,
which commits to meetings of the Senate being open for virtual attendance to all
students in the District,specifically in terms of how it will be operationalized.While
there is general support for the underlying principle of promoting greater student
participation and engagement in the Senate,providing electronic access,either through
livestreaming or through other means,presents a number of challenges.Rather than
including a commitment through policy,an alternative for consideration may be to
amend the motion to remove this provision and,separate from the policy,direct staff to
work with the Student Senate to explore how their objective can be accomplished in a
reasonable and safe manner.
Memo No.23-028,Amendments to Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate Page 2
Any questions,comments,or other proposed amendments can be directed to Janice
McCoy,Executive Officer,Corporate Services or Reg Lavergne,Superintendent of
Instruction.
cc Senior Staff
Manager of Board Services
Corporate Records
Attach.
Appendix A:Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate
Memo No.23-028,Amendments to Policy P.113.GOV Student Senate Page 3
POLICY P.113.GOV
TITLE: STUDENT SENATE
Date Authorized: 12 June 2007
Last Revised: 26 June 2017
Last Reviewed: XX XXX XXXX
COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND EQUITY
The Board recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this policy and associated procedures promote
and protect Indigenous rights, human rights, and equity, The District will strive to address and
eliminate racism and structural and systemic barriers for students, staff, and the community.
1.0 RATIONALE
To establish a Student Senate (SS) that will provide opportunities for students to become
informed and involved in Board governance and to understand the issues and operation of
public education.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
Please refer to Appendix A for a list of definitions of terms used in this policy.
3.0 POLICY
3.1 The Board shall establish a Student Senate whose mandate shall be:
a) to advise the Student Trustees in matters relating to students of the
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the business of the Board;
b) to promote student voice and to encourage students, particularly students in
grades 9 and 10, to consider opportunities for student governance; such as
student council, Student Senate, and Student Trusteeship;
c) to elect two of the Student Trustee Candidates to serve as Student Trustees;
d) to elect student members from the Senate as observers at Board standing and
advisory committees;
e) to determine a process for communicating information to their student councils
and to the students at their schools and, where appropriate, feeder schools; and
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Appendix A to Memo 23-028
f)to advise the Board as soon as possible following an election or by-election of
the names of the student trustees elected as well as the names of members of
the Student Senate appointed to Board standing and advisory committees.
3.2 A member of the Student Senate shall:
a)represent the interests of students at Student Senate meetings;and
b)liaise,represent and gather information with and to their Student Councils and to
the students at their schools and,as appropriate,to feeder schools on topics
pertaining to students and their schools which have been discussed at Senate
meetings,as well as other matters of interest to students and their schools.
3.3 The term of office for the Grade 11/12 Student Senator will begin on August 1 of the
year in which the member is elected and is terminated at the end of Grade 12.The
term of Office for the Grade 9/10 Student Senator shall begin on October 31st and
be terminated at the end of Grade 10.on July 31 of the following year.A member can
be re-elected in accordance with elections directives and qualifications below.
4.0 SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES
Senate Membership
4.1 The Senate will consist of:
a)one two student voting members from each secondary and alternate school,
one in grades 9 or 10 (the Grade 9/10 Student Senator),and one in grades
11 or 12 (the Grade 11/12 Student Senator),in grades 10,11,or 12,to be
known as members of the Student Senate;
b)two non-voting Student Trustees;
c)two non-voting Board members as determined by the Board,one to serve as
member and one as an alternate;
d)three non-voting Student Presidents’Council members comprised of the
two Student Presidents’Council member chairs and one additional
member as determined by Student Presidents’Council;
e)five non-voting members representing student-run diversity groups as
nominated by the respective groups;
f)one school administrator (principal or vice-principal)appointed by the Director of
Education as staff advisor;and
g)the Director of Education or designate as administrative liaison.
Meetings of the Student Senate
4.2 The elected Student Trustees shall co-chair the Student Senate.
4.3 Members of the Student Senate are expected to attend meetings of the Student Senate.
A member of the Senate,excluding the Co-Chairs,who participates in a meeting by
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electronic means is considered to be present at the meeting and will be recorded in the
attendance for the meeting.Given that the member must be able to be heard and hear
all other participants in the meeting,audio-teleconferencing will be the electronic means
used.
4.4 Prior to the end of the school year,the newly elected members of the Student Senate
will meet with the incumbent Senate members for in-service preparation and to define
the Senate’s internal structure for the coming school year.
4.5 Meetings of the Student Senate shall be open for virtual attendance to any
student enrolled in a school at the District.Students of the District may delegate,
by a process as determined by the Student Senate.
Meetings of the Board and its Committees
4.6 The representative of the Student Senate elected to a standing and/or an advisory
committee may speak to any matter before such committee,in accordance with the
Governance Bylaws.Such participation shall provide for a student perspective to be
heard at the table and for feedback to students regarding committee decisions.
4.7 Appropriate Board documents shall be provided to members of the Student Senate.
Quorum
4.8 A quorum exists if members of the Student Senate form 35%or more of the secondary
schools and one Board member or administrator are present at a duly scheduled
meeting of the Senate.
Budget
4.9 The budget to support the operation of the Student Senate will be co-developed
annually in June between the Student Senate and the staff advisor,based on the
amount approved in the Board's annual operating budget,and will be managed
by the staff advisor.Members of the Student Senate shall be reimbursed for
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in fulfillment of their responsibilities,and in
accordance with Board policies and procedures.
Election of Student Senators
4.10 Each secondary school shall describe in its Student Council’s constitution a process for
electing the school’s members of the Student Senate,and shall provide that the
members of the Student Senate shall be members of the school’s Student Council.
4.11 Grade 11/12 Student Senators will be elected by May 31 for the two school years
following and serve as the co-representative of each year to represent the school
for the coming school year as student members on the Student Senate for a term of two
years or until the students graduate,whichever occurs first.
4.12 Grade 9/10 Student Senators will be elected by October 31 and serve until the end
of their Grade 10 year as the co-representative on the Student Senate.
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4.13 Each school’s election process shall also describe a replacement process should a
student member resign from the Senate,fail to maintain regular attendance or otherwise
become disqualified to serve as a member of the Student Senate.
Qualifications
4.14 A member of the Student Senate is disqualified from office and the position is deemed
vacant if:
a)the student is no longer enrolled as a full-time student in a non-alternate
program secondary school of the Board,or a part time student at an alternate
secondary school;
b)the student changes schools within the district;or
c)the student is absent from three consecutive meetings without just cause of the
Student Senate or from three consecutive regular meetings of a Board
committee which they have been designated to attend.
4.15 The Director of Education is authorized to issue such procedures as may be necessary
to implement this policy.
5.0 APPENDICES
Appendix A:Policy Definitions
6.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
The Education Act,§55;191.2 and Education Act Regulation 07/07
Board By-Laws and Standing Rules
OCDSB Policy P.004.GOV:Board Member Honoraria
OCDSB Policy P.010.GOV:Community Involvement on Board Standing Committees
OCDSB Policy P.017.GOV:Student Trustees
OCDSB Policy P.018.GOV:Electronic Meetings of the Board and Committees
OCDSB Policy P.039.FIN:Expense Policy
OCDSB Policy P.125.SCO:School District Code of Conduct
Board Procedure PR.503.GOV:Trustee Expenses for Professional Development,Constituency
Communications and Support Service
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APPENDIX A:POLICY DEFINITIONS
In this policy,
Board means the Board of Trustees of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
District means the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
Student Trustee means an elected student representative to the Board.
Student Presidents’Council means the organization composed of student presidents and
co-presidents from each secondary school.
Student Senate means a committee that is comprised of up to four student voting
representatives per secondary and alternate school (grades 9,10,11 or 12)that advises
Student Trustees and represents students on Board Standing and Advisory Committees,and
makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees through Student Trustees.
Student Trustee Candidate means a student elected by students at their secondary school to
seek election for the office of Student Trustee.
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