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Heads up! A new school year is about to begin! 

While we also wish the summer would last just a little longer, we’re excited to see your smiling faces around campus this fall for the incredible programming and events at Wyckham House!

We’ve got some top-notch content coming up for you, all in our newly renovated student centres in Wyckham House! But do you know how SAMRU operates and decides what to offer each year? It all stems from your Student Governing Board (SGB).

That’s right. The top of your Students’ Association’s hierarchy isn’t the Board Speaker, your Representation Executive Council (REC), or SAMRU’s Executive Director, or — it’s actually the SGB. Among other things, the Board approves the SAMRU budget, recommends to the membership which bylaws should be changed or added, and approves what strategic direction SAMRU will take. 

Keep reading to learn all about your Student Governing Board members and how they guide the organization to help serve SAMRU members and their interests.

What is the Student Governing Board?

The Student Governing Board (SGB) is the organization’s highest decision-making body. It is composed of credit students elected or appointed by and from the membership—that’s you!

Members of the Board include:

• 14 elected and appointed positions, each with a single vote. These members are tasked with making high-level decisions and providing strategic direction
• 3 Officers who are also ex-officio members who do not vote: the Board Speaker, the SAMRU REC President, and the SAMRU Executive Director.

The SGB holds monthly committee meetings: the Agenda and Governance committee; and the Accountability committee. The Agenda and Governance committee is responsible for supporting and guiding the governance functions of the Students’ Association and the Board. The Accountability committee is responsible for overseeing and evaluating the performance of the Board’s direct employees, including the Students’ Association Executive Director, the Representation Executive Council (REC), and the Board Speaker, holding them accountable for their work results pursuant to the SAMRU Bylaws.

To help support and train Board members and the Speaker throughout their terms, the Board hires a professional and experienced Governance Coach. Among the Governance Coach’s key duties are to ensure that the SAMRU Board has a strong understanding of their bylaws and policies, are knowledgeable in not-for-profit governance best practices, and that Board meetings are structured professionally and efficiently.

New faces on this year’s Board

Beginning their terms in April of 2024, SAMRU officially appointed six new Student Governors to the Board. These student leaders were elected by you, our members, at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) to serve two-year terms. Without further ado, here are your newest Student Governing Board members!

You can read all about their educational background and what led them to become a Board member at our website’s Governance page!

Your returning Student Governors

But the Student Governing Board isn’t exclusively made up of new faces looking to improve student life! The Board also consists of veteran members, either serving the second year of their term or who were recently re-elected or appointed to serve another term on SAMRU’s highest decision-making body. Let’s get to know them!

You can check out their personal bios at our Governance page on our website!

Meet the Speaker!

Last but certainly not least, let’s take a look at the Board Speaker, an Officer of SAMRU just like the Executive Director and the REC President. Like Board members, The Speaker is also a credit student who serves as a neutral chair of the monthly Student Governing Board meetings and monthly Board committee meetings. In addition to chairing the Board and committee meetings, they are also the liaison between the SGB, the Representation Executive Council (REC), and SAMRU’s Executive Director.

The Speaker is hired by SAMRU and is eligible for a single two-year term.

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A new year of guiding and advising your Students’ Association is underway! Make sure to stay tuned to our socials to keep up to date with all your Student Governing Board is up to, from important decisions to exciting events.

Do you feel like contributing to your Students’ Association, along with receiving a few sweet perks (including a free class each semester)? You might be a perfect fit to serve as a Student Governor! Board members are elected annually at SAMRU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). If you’re a credit student, you’re eligible to run! Stay tuned in the winter semester for your opportunity to put your name forward!

If you have any questions regarding the Board, email us at governance@samru.ca. 

For general inquiries, you can reach out to us at info@samru.ca.