Canadian Federation of Engineering Students Policy Manual Last Revised: December 2017
Preamble This document is the Policy Manual of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES). It contains best practices for common tasks performed by the Federation as well as guidelines for the various positions within the Federation.
Contents 1.
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................ 5
2.
Board of Directors ................................................................................................................................. 6
3.
4.
2.1
Tasks and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................. 6
2.2
Conflict of Interest for Directors ................................................................................................... 6
2.3
Closed Sessions ............................................................................................................................. 6
2.4
Chair of the Board of Directors ..................................................................................................... 7
2.5
Written Resolution ........................................................................................................................ 7
National Executive ................................................................................................................................ 8 3.1
Overview of National Executive .................................................................................................... 8
3.2
President ....................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3
Vice President Academic (VPA) ..................................................................................................... 9
3.4
Vice President Finance and Administration (VPFA) ...................................................................... 9
3.5
Vice President Services (VPS) ...................................................................................................... 10
Commissioners .................................................................................................................................... 11 4.1
Commissioner Overview ............................................................................................................. 11
4.1.1
Eligibility .............................................................................................................................. 11
4.1.2
Applications......................................................................................................................... 11
4.1.3
Selection .............................................................................................................................. 11
4.2
Corporate Relations Commissioner ............................................................................................ 11
4.3
International Relations Commissioner........................................................................................ 12
4.4
Administrative Commissioner ..................................................................................................... 12
4.5
Information Technology Commissioner ...................................................................................... 13
4.6
Bilingualism Commissioner ......................................................................................................... 13
4.7
Media & Marketing Commissioner ............................................................................................. 13
4.8
Leadership Development Commissioner .................................................................................... 14
5.
National Councillors ............................................................................................................................ 15
6.
Regions and Regional Ambassadors ................................................................................................... 16 6.1
Regional Agreements .................................................................................................................. 16
6.2
Regional Ambassadors ................................................................................................................ 16
6.2.1
Tasks and Responsibilities to the CFES ............................................................................... 16
7.
Internal Meetings ................................................................................................................................ 18
8.
Congress .............................................................................................................................................. 19 1
8.1
Annual General Meeting ............................................................................................................. 19
8.1.1
Session One ......................................................................................................................... 19
8.1.2
Session Two ......................................................................................................................... 19
8.1.3
Additional Notes ................................................................................................................. 19
8.2
Content ....................................................................................................................................... 20
8.3
Applications for Membership ..................................................................................................... 20
9.
President’s Meeting ............................................................................................................................ 21 9.1
Additional General Assembly ...................................................................................................... 21
9. 2
Content ....................................................................................................................................... 21
10.
Services ........................................................................................................................................... 22
10.1
Activity Agreements .................................................................................................................... 22
10.1.1 11.
Activity Managers ............................................................................................................... 22
Partner Organizations ..................................................................................................................... 23
11.1
Student Partners ......................................................................................................................... 23
11.1.1
Full Student Partners .......................................................................................................... 23
11.1.2
Standing Student Partners .................................................................................................. 23
11.2 12.
Professional Partners .................................................................................................................. 24 Finances .......................................................................................................................................... 25
12.1
Membership Fees........................................................................................................................ 25
12.2
CFES Service Charge .................................................................................................................... 25
12.3
Budget ......................................................................................................................................... 25
12.4
Reserve, Activity Surpluses and Surplus ..................................................................................... 25
12.5
Use of Reserve Funds .................................................................................................................. 26
12.6
CEAB and International Travel and Accommodation.................................................................. 27
12.7
Officer Meeting Applications and Travel Funding ...................................................................... 28
12.7.1
Timeline for Officer Meetings and President’s Meeting ..................................................... 28
12.7.3
Officer Travel Application Details ....................................................................................... 28
12.7.4
Application Assessment Rubric ........................................................................................... 28
13.
Awards ............................................................................................................................................ 30
13.1
Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 30
13.2
Awards Presented ....................................................................................................................... 30
13.3.1
Appreciation Award ............................................................................................................ 30
13.3.2
Leadership Award ............................................................................................................... 30 2
13.3.3
Charity Award...................................................................................................................... 30
13.3.4
Officer Appreciation Award ................................................................................................ 30
13.3.5
Chair’s Award ...................................................................................................................... 30
14.
Elections .......................................................................................................................................... 31
14.1
Annual Elections at Congress ...................................................................................................... 31
14.1.1
Chief Returning Officer ....................................................................................................... 31
14.1.2
Nominations ........................................................................................................................ 31
14.1.3
Speeches ............................................................................................................................. 31
14.1.4
Question Period .................................................................................................................. 31
14.1.5
Voting .................................................................................................................................. 31
14.1.6
Ratification .......................................................................................................................... 33
14.2 15.
By-Elections ................................................................................................................................. 33 Document Writing Guidelines......................................................................................................... 34
15.1
Translation Guidelines ................................................................................................................ 34
15.2
Feminization of French Text........................................................................................................ 34
15.3
Policy Manual .............................................................................................................................. 34
15.3.1
Substantive Amendments ................................................................................................... 34
15.3.2
Non-Substantive Amendments ........................................................................................... 34
16.
Inclusive Conference Guidelines ..................................................................................................... 35
16.1
Conference Code of Conduct ...................................................................................................... 35
16.2
Incident Reporting & Response .................................................................................................. 36
16.2.1
Incident Reporting System .................................................................................................. 36
16.2.2
Incident Response Committee ............................................................................................ 36
16.2.3
Appeal of Decision .............................................................................................................. 38
16.2.4
Recording of Information .................................................................................................... 38
16.3
Inclusivity Orientation ................................................................................................................. 39
16.4
Inclusive Conference Planning .................................................................................................... 39
17.
Small School Travel Bursary ............................................................................................................ 40
17.1
Funding ....................................................................................................................................... 40
17.2
Eligibility ...................................................................................................................................... 40
17.3
Application Process ..................................................................................................................... 40
18.
Document of Stances ...................................................................................................................... 41
3
4
1. Jurisdiction The Policy Manual exists to support the CFES Constitution, which takes precedent in the case of disagreement between the documents.
5
2. Board of Directors 2.1
Tasks and Responsibilities
The Board of Directors’ tasks and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1. Oversight of CFES finances and administration 2. Establishing an agenda in advance of all meetings 3. Determining electoral procedures as needed 4. Allocating, at Spring Meeting, the funds from the travel fund to each major meeting of the CFES during the fiscal year. Such meetings include: a. Summer Meeting b. President’s Meeting c. Fall Meeting d. Congress e. Spring Meeting 5. Tracking progress of the National Executives and Commissioners 6. Hearing any appeals from the Incident Response Committee
2.2
Conflict of Interest for Directors
Voting members of the Board of Directors, as Directors of the Federation, shall act honestly and in good faith in the best interests of the Federation as a whole, and exercise the care, diligence and skill of a reasonably prudent person in carrying out their duties. No Director may, in their role as a Director, participate in any decision, exercise an official power or perform an official duty or function in which they may have either a conflict of interest or an apparent conflict of interest. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Matters from which a Director stands to benefit personally 2. Matters involving a member society of the Federation of which a Director is themselves a member Directors are expected to declare any situation in which they have a conflict of interest, whether real or perceived. In the event a Director believes another Director has a conflict of interest, the matter shall be brought to the Chair of the Board for a decision. The Board may overturn the decision of the Chair by majority vote. In the event of a conflict of interest for the Chair, the Chair shall relinquish the chair to another member of the Board until the matter is resolved.
2.3
Closed Sessions
The Board of Directors may, from time-to-time, meet in closed session to discuss matters of a confidential nature. Persons eligible to participate in a closed session are both the voting and non-voting members of the Board of Directors, as well as any other individuals included by a resolution requiring a two-thirds (2/3) majority. Matters eligible for discussion in closed session are limited to: 1. Contractual negotiations 2. Personnel concerns 3. Matters which pose a reputational risk to the Federation 6
To move to a closed session, the Board of Directors must pass a resolution to do so by a two-thirds (2/3) majority. No resolutions may be passed once the Board of Directors has entered a closed session, other than motions to remain in the closed session, which also require a two-thirds (2/3) majority. Persons privy to closed session discussions are required to keep such matters confidential. In addition to those present, only members of the Board of Directors not present at a given closed session are entitled to be informed of the content of discussion after the fact. Such information shall only be provided by the Chair of the Board of Directors to the member or members unable to attend.
2.4
Chair of the Board of Directors
The Chair of the Board of Directors is an additional Director of the Federation who is selected by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Constitution. The Chair of the Board must be a member of a member society at the time of appointment. The Chair of the Board of Directors is responsible for calling meetings in accordance with the Constitution, distributing Board meeting minutes to the Board for approval, and submitting approved minutes to be posted on the website. In addition to responsibilities to the Board, the Chair also chairs the General Assembly. As a part of chairing the General Assembly, the Chair is responsible for the following: 1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
2.5
Ensuring, in conjunction with the relevant Activity Manager, that sufficient time and resources are scheduled to complete all proceedings Ensuring that members are made aware of the meetings as required by the Constitution Ensuring that members are adequately prepared for the meeting by providing them with previous meeting minutes, relevant documents and a session outlining the format and structure of the meeting all within a reasonable amount of time in advance of the meeting Ensuring that a process exists for members to submit proposals and counter-proposals Ensuring that a preliminary agenda for all General Assembly sessions is circulated at least two weeks in advance of the session in question
Written Resolution
In addition to the provisions surrounding written resolutions contained in the Constitution, members of the Board of Directors shall return to the Chair of the Board of Directors their vote on any written resolution within three (3) business days. Written resolutions may be carried out by electronic means that the Chair of the Board of Directors determines to be secure. The results of a written resolution must be announced by the Chair of the Board of Directors at the next meeting.
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3. National Executive 3.1
Overview of National Executive
The National Executive is the elected leadership of the Federation and consists of the following four positions: • President • Vice President Academic • Vice President Finance and Administration • Vice President Services The National Executive's general tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Upholding the Constitution and Policy Manual of the Federation 2. Organizing and directing the efforts of the Federation 3. Ensuring the completion of all mandates 4. Managing Commissioners within respective portfolios, and assuming responsibilities in the event they are not completed 5. Ensuring communication is maintained to member schools by: a. Ensuring all official communications are bilingual and gender neutral b. Sending regular updates on all activities of the Federation 6. Making contact with government bodies when necessary 7. Creating a summary transition document by April 30th to be stored in the electronic CFES archive.
3.2
President
The President’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Ensuring the mandates of each Vice President are completed 2. Coordinating the activities of the Board of Directors in conjunction with the Chair of the Board 3. Facilitating the development of the Federation, and its members 4. Ensuring that long range planning for the Federation is undertaken, with annual updates given to the membership 5. Maintaining communication channels with all stakeholders of the Federation 6. Sending regular communications to members updating them on activities of the Federation. 7. Ensuring work plans are completed by all Commissioners and Executives ; these work plans are to be distributed to the members prior to President’s Meeting. 8. Promoting, collecting prizes and striking a judges’ panel for and presenting the Charity, Leadership and Achievement Awards each year at Congress 9. Ensuring communication with Engineers Canada and attending the Engineers Canada Annual General Meeting and Board meetings, if feasible 10. Attending the following conferences or finding a suitable representative: a. BEST General Assembly b. BEST President’s Meeting 8
In support of the President, it is suggested that the following Commissioner positions be available, to be managed by and report to the President: • International Relations Commissioner • Bilingualism Commissioner • Corporate Relations Commissioner
3.3
Vice President Academic (VPA)
The VPA’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Developing an understanding of academic initiatives, integrated work experience, curriculum content, accreditation standards and requirements as well as any changes which could affect engineering education 2. Determining the academic needs of Canadian engineering students, working towards changes if necessary, and offering national leverage in issues of negotiation between student representation and administration at member institutions 3. Communicating relevant information and issues related to engineering education 4. Developing and maintaining contacts with other national or regional engineering educational organizations 5. Facilitating the exchange of relevant academic information between members societies and national educational organizations 6. Attending Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board meetings 7. Communicating all relevant information regarding Canadian engineering education to members 8. Managing policies and procedures that are of relevance to the Document of Stances, presenting appropriate positions on behalf of the National Executive, and conducting research regarding implications of potential stances, including both those put forth by the National Executive and members, and presenting these findings to the membership
3.4
Vice President Finance and Administration (VPFA)
The VPFA’s tasks and responsibilities include: 9. Acting as the treasurer of CFES by: a. Issuing outgoing payments b. Depositing incoming funds c. Tracking all financial assets d. Keeping complete and accurate record of all previous years financial records e. Creating and maintaining current and historical financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement) 10. Ensuring the timely change of signing authorities on the CFES accounts at the end of the term 11. Coordinating the collection of membership fees. 9
12. 13.
14. 15. 16. 17.
18. 19. 20.
Presenting detailed financial statements at Board of Directors’ meetings and at meetings of the General Assembly. Releasing triannual financials to members on May 31, August 31, and December 31, with the previous year’s unaudited financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement) included in the May 31 release. Preparing a list of membership fee collection information for the current and previous year Submitting a proposed detailed budget for the incoming National Executive Documenting the support for expenses and revenues, including receipts, invoices, minutes approving expenditures, and any other necessary documents. Dealing with all incorporation matters, including filing the Annual Summary with Corporations Canada each year, using Corporation Number 0233129 and attaching any revision to the Constitution if applicable Ensuring that present trademark registrations are maintained Ensuring the most updated versions of all legal and financial documents are shared with the Board of Directors Releasing to the Board of Directors the minutes of National Executive meetings within 30 days of a meeting taking place
In support of the VPFA, it is suggested that the following Commissioner positions be available, to be managed by and report to the VPFA: • Administrative Commissioner • Information Technology Commissioner
3.5
Vice President Services (VPS)
The VPS’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Providing and overseeing professional and educational resources and services to members 2. Acting as a resource to the Activity Managers and maintaining frequent communication 3. Ensuring that Activity Agreements are signed in a timely fashion, and that the responsibilities outlined in the Activity Agreements are completed 4. Maintaining a database of contact information of executive officers of CFES member engineering societies, which is to be available to all CFES Members and partner organizations by September of each year In support of the VPS, it is suggested that the following Commissioner positions be available, to be managed by and report to the VPS: • Media & Marketing Commissioner • Leadership Development Commissioner
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4. Commissioners 4.1
Commissioner Overview
Commissioners are appointed, as required, by the CFES National Executive to assist in the completion of National Executive duties. The following positions are normally filled; however, Commissioner positions may be created by the National Executive and approved by the Board of Directors or left vacant at the discretion of the National Executive. In the event of a vacancy in the following Commissioner positions, the responsible Executive will accept the assigned tasks and responsibilities. The Commissioners are: 1. Administrative Commissioner 2. Corporate Relations Commissioner 3. Information Technology Commissioner 4. International Relations Commissioner 5. Leadership Development Commissioner 6. Media & Marketing Commissioner 7. Bilingualism Commissioner The Commissioners’ general responsibilities include: 1. Completing tasks assigned to them by the National Executive 2. Contributing to CFES communications 3. Acting as advisor and consultant to members as appropriate 4. Creating a summary transition document for each position by April 30th to be stored in the electronic CFES archive
4.1.1 Eligibility To be eligible for a Commissioner position, the applicants must be a member of an active member at the time of candidature, while also fulfilling any additional requirements outlined by the relevant Commissioner portfolio and the National Executive. Additional requirements may change from year to year, and have included stipulations such as being present at the Annual General Meeting.
4.1.2 Applications Persons interested in a commissioner position must declare their intentions by completing and submitting an application to the National Executive. This application form will be made available to all eligible candidates and the deadline for submission will be decided by the National Executive.
4.1.3 Selection The incoming National Executive will decide on a method of selection which at minimum must include an application phase. The selected applicants will be put forth to the Board of Directors for ratification.
4.2
Corporate Relations Commissioner
The Corporate Relations Commissioner is responsible for the centralized funding and partnership activities of the CFES. This commissioner reports directly to the President.
11
The Corporate Relations Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include the following: 1. Ensure the compliance and maintenance of the Federation relationships with Partnership Agreements 2. Provide support for Activity Managers and their VP Sponsorships with their respective sponsorship initiatives 3. Seeking additional Federation partnerships or funding opportunities to bring to the Board of Directors and the Activity Managers for approval 4. Compiling and presenting all active funding partnerships to the members at the Annual General Meeting 5. Maintain and update the CFES Sponsor Database, which includes contact information of the past activity, sponsors, and sponsorship packages and make it available to the Activity Managers
4.3
International Relations Commissioner
The International Relations Commissioner is charged with the creation and management of the international relationships of the CFES. The International Relations Commissioner reports to the President. The International Relations Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Acting as the primary contact of the CFES to our international partners 2. Ensuring that all partners are invited to all relevant events 3. Ensuring that CFES is represented at competitions, courses, conferences and events abroad 4. Ensuring that all CFES members are aware of international opportunities and the benefits of international cooperation 5. Keeping up to date on all CFES and international partners’ projects and initiatives 6. Exploring new projects and cooperation ideas with international partners
4.4
Administrative Commissioner
The Administrative Commissioner is responsible for the general record-keeping of the CFES. This Commissioner reports directly to the VPFA. The Administrative Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Document control of financial statements and records in accordance with laws applicable to the CFES. 2. Supporting the VPFA in managing the accounts of the CFES. 3. Ensuring the list of members prepared by the VPFA each year is up-to-date. 4. Supporting auditing procedures of the CFES. 5. Assigning minute takers for CFES General Assemblies, collating the minutes after the assemblies, and ensuring their publication on the CFES website. a. In conjunction with the meeting minutes, a continual document be distributed to the members that outlines the pertinent information regarding assemblies; including the 12
6.
4.5
motion name, motion number, spirit of the motion, and whether or not the motion passes, failed, or was tables to a certain time. Supporting the VPFA in the minuting of CFES Board of Directors meetings.
Information Technology Commissioner
The Information Technology (IT) Commissioner will maintain and administer all aspects of the electronic infrastructure of CFES. This commissioner reports directly to the VPFA. The Information Technology Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Maintaining and updating the CFES website, email accounts, electronic mailing list, and the electronic CFES Archive 2. Assisting with the creation of activity, service, and program websites.
4.6
Bilingualism Commissioner
The Bilingualism Commissioner is responsible for ensuring that CFES operations are bilingual. The Bilingualism Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Coordinating all text translation services for the Board of Directors, the National Executive and Commissioners, including the organization of any translators that may be contracted by the CFES 2. Serving as a contact point for members’ language concerns 3. Implementing activities and/or initiatives to promote mutual understanding between members 4. Promoting bilingualism within CFES by raising awareness of both official languages and relevant language issues through a working group on bilingualism 6. Working with activity, service and program organizers to manage translation services, as necessary
4.7
Media & Marketing Commissioner
The Media & Marketing Commissioner is responsible for the CFES brand, and supporting officers through layout and design activities. The Media & Marketing Commissioner reports directly to the VPS. The Media & Marketing Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Maintenance and upkeep of an archive of original files relating to the logo, banners, branded items, and templates. 2. Maintenance and enforcement of logo and branding guidelines of the CFES 3. Assisting activities, programs and services with the creation of design templates for documents or promotional materials, as necessary 4. Sourcing quotes for branded items for the CFES or Activity Managers as necessary 5. Updating social media profiles for the Federation 13
6.
4.8
Acquiring business cards for the officer team with the official logo, individual position, and contact information by Summer Meeting
Leadership Development Commissioner
The Leadership Development Commissioner is responsible for organizing material related to leadership and interpersonal skills and preparing this material to distribute to the members. This position reports directly to the VPS. The Leadership Development Commissioner’s tasks and responsibilities include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Preparing a series of sessions for CFES Congress related to the development of leadership and interpersonal skills. Communicating with both the Board of Directors and the National Executive to ensure that the Leadership Development curriculum is aligned with the goals and mission of the CFES. Communicating with the Congress Activity Manager to arrange space and required materials to facilitate sessions. Ensuring that any persons required to run a Leadership Development session are available to run the required sessions at CFES Congress. Make digitally available to members the material presented at CFES Congress under the Leadership Development portfolio. Develop and make digitally available leadership development materials for use by members at their respective institutions.
14
5. National Councillors The Federation elects two (2) National Councillors annually to serve as members of the Board of Directors and to support its Mission. In addition to those outlined in the Constitution, National Councillors have the following responsibilities: 1. 2. 3.
Advising the National Executive between meetings of the General Assembly and meetings of the Board of Directors Supporting the National Executive, Commissioners, Regional Ambassadors and membership with institutional knowledge Assisting the Regional Ambassadors in engaging members when necessary
At the beginning of the National Councillors’ term in office, the two (2) individuals holding the position shall establish, in conjunction with the National Executive, relative areas of responsibility to maximize the benefit of their positions to the Federation and avoid the duplication of work.
15
6. Regions and Regional Ambassadors 6.1
Regional Agreements
The CFES shall maintain contracts with the legal entities corresponding to the regions of the CFES as defined in the Constitution. These contracts will be known as Regional Agreements. Regional Agreements should be reviewed annually, and address the following areas at a minimum: 1.
2.
3.
6.2
Regional Ambassador responsibilities: the Regional Agreements shall state that governing documents of the relevant regional organization and the CFES establish the duties of the Regional Ambassador for the region in question; no duties shall be contained in the Regional Agreements themselves Regional Ambassador elections: the Regional Agreements shall establish procedures for the election of the region in question’s Regional Ambassador, including the timeline for ratification by the CFES General Assembly or Board of Directors Regional engineering competitions: the Regional Agreements shall require the chair of the relevant region’s engineering competition to assist in an advisory capacity with the Canadian Engineering Competition
Regional Ambassadors
The Regional Ambassadors are the following 4 positions, each chosen by their respective regional organization and ratified at Congress: • West Ambassador • Ontario Ambassador • Quebec Ambassador • Atlantic Ambassador
6.2.1 Tasks and Responsibilities to the CFES The Regional Ambassadors’ tasks and responsibilities include: 1. Maintaining open lines of communication between CFES and members in their region, and bringing their region’s perspective forward in meetings of the Board of Directors. 2. Facilitating the use of proxy votes as necessary. 3. Encouraging the members of their region to participate in and/or organize CFES events 4. Encouraging students to run for CFES positions. 5. Assisting the VPFA in the collection of membership fees. 6. Supporting the Administrative Commissioner in providing the VPS with updated contact information for members in their region. 7. Conducting CFES introduction and update sessions for members in their region. 8. Ensuring CFES is represented at major regional activities, such as AGMs, regional competitions and regional meetings. 9. Managing regional meetings at Congress. 10. Meet with their constituencies before and after general meetings to keep them updated on the progress of the Federation’s mandates. Monthly timelines are as follows: a. August or September to prepare for President’s Meeting 16
11. 12.
b. September or October to review President’s Meeting c. November to prepare for Congress d. January to review Congress Creating a summary transition document by April 30th to be stored in the electronic CFES archive Other duties as outlined in the relevant regional organization’s governing documents
17
7. Internal Meetings CFES holds four internal meetings a year for CFES Officers, with the aim of coordinating Federation initiatives, strategy, goals and the transition process. These meetings are: 1. Spring Meeting 2. Summer Meeting 3. Fall Meeting 4. Congress Pre-Week These meetings are organized by the National Executive. The budget shall be allocated to facilitate the organization of these meetings, with the exception of facilities for Congress Pre-Week, which will be covered by the Congress Activity Manager’s budget. In addition, the National Executive holds an Executive Transition Meeting for the National Executive and the individuals who have been elected to the National Executive for the following year. This meeting is organized by the National Executive currently in office and takes place after Congress, where elections are held, and before Spring Meeting.
18
8. Congress 8.1
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Federation takes place at Congress in January each year. This General Assembly consists of at least two sessions, with at least one day between the sessions for counter-proposal writing. The AGM gives members the opportunity to participate in the organizational decision-making process. It is chaired by the Board of Directors Chair and moderated based on the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RRoONR). To participate in these meetings, members are required to provide to the Chair a current and original proxy, delegating their voting rights to an individual or another member, a minimum of two weeks in advance of a General Assembly.
8.1.1 Session One Generally, Session One of the AGM consists of: • • • • • •
Budget update for current year Budget presentation & approval for incoming year Updates from the Board of Directors Applications for Membership Motions presented by the National Executive Motions presented by the members
Any motions for which there are no intentions to counter-propose may be voted on during Session One. Should a member declare an intention to counter-propose, the motion is tabled to Session Two.
8.1.2 Session Two Generally, Session Two of the AGM consists of: • • • •
Presentation & debate of counterproposals, as well as any additional proposals not put forward for Session One Election and ratification of President, VP Services, VP Finance & Administration, VP Academic, and National Councillors Ratification of Regional Ambassadors Election and ratification of host members for Activities
8.1.3 Additional Notes The following points must be followed at the AGM: • The original language of all resolutions should be noted • All motions must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on the day preceding the General Assembly session in question, unless an alternate deadline has been set by the Chair of the Board of Directors 19
8.2
Content
The organizing committee shall work with the National Executive to develop the schedule for Congress. In addition to the General Assembly, the following should be included: 1. Accountability Session 2. Student-run sessions 3. Full or Standing Student Partner session(s) 4. Sponsor sessions 5. Motion Writing session(s) 6. Session to discuss all officer positions and suggest major goals for incoming National Executive 7. Additional time to support the Activity bidding processes, as well as National Executive and National Councillor election processes, including campaign speeches All PowerPoint presentations prepared for Congress must be translated into both languages, with the exception of any materials prepared by external speakers.
8.3
Applications for Membership
Applications for membership in the Federation may only be received during the Annual General Meeting at Congress. Further to the guidelines outlined in the Constitution, applications for membership should contain (but are not limited to) the following information: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Name of organization Purpose or objectives of the organization Current officers and membership of governing board Date of establishment of the organization Number of students in the faculty (or equivalent) Proof that the applying organizations represents students in accredited engineering program(s) under the CEAB Proof of support from the engineering society (a passed motion in public meeting minutes)
Any societies that attend a General Assembly session with the eligibility and intention of becoming a member at that event will be considered a delegate instead of an observer.
20
9. President’s Meeting President’s Meeting (PM) is a gathering of members, in addition to the CFES Board of Directors and other members of the Officer Team, to discuss the affairs of the Federation, collaborate, and network. President’s Meeting takes place in late September, or early October, and the host is elected at the Congress of the preceding calendar year.
9.1
Additional General Assembly
During President’s Meeting, there must be a meeting of the General Assembly, which is held in addition to the Annual General Meeting at Congress. At a minimum, the following content must be included on the General Assembly agenda: • • •
9. 2
Budget update & ratification of current finances Motions presented by the National Executive Motions presented by the members
Content
The following content should be included in PM annually, in addition to the General Assembly session outlined above: • • • • •
CFES introductory sessions Any relevant or mandated reports, including action items from transition reports Officer updates, work plans & objectives Congress session brainstorming Closed accountability session
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10. Services 10.1
Activity Agreements
Activity Agreements are contracts and specify the nature of the relationship between the CFES, the Activity Manager and the host member society that has won a bid to host an Activity. Activity Agreements are in effect for the following Activities of the Federation: • • • • • •
Congress President’s Meeting Canadian Engineering Competition Conference on Diversity in Engineering Conference on Sustainability in Engineering Lean Six Sigma
Normally, they must be signed a minimum of one (1) year in advance of the event in question. They must, at a minimum, include the following provisions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
10.1.1
The name of the event The purpose of the event The responsibilities of the Activity Manager The responsibilities of the Federation to the Activity Manager The responsibilities of the host member society The process for amendment
Activity Managers
The Activity Manager is the individual with the exclusive responsibility of all that is related to the relevant Activity, including, but not limited to, finances, signing of documents and operations. The Activity Manager must be a member of the host society.
22
11. Partner Organizations Partners are associated organizations who share in the vision and mission of the CFES. The Federation works with these groups to mutual benefit. New Partners must be recognized by resolution of the Board of Directors after the National Executive has ensured compliance with the provisions listed hereafter.
11.1
Student Partners
The Federation shall have two types of Student Partners: Full Student Partners and Standing Student Partners. Contracts and/or partnership agreements with such organizations shall include the provisions, or provisions similar to those, contained in this section.
11.1.1 Full Student Partners The benefits Full Student Partners shall receive are as follows: 1. 2. 3.
Attend Congress with fee waived Attendance at other CFES events for a fee, unless otherwise decided through a ratified agreement Use of CFES network: May send emails to ‘member-link’, logo on website under “Student Partner”, advertisement of events and services
The requirements Full Student Partners must meet are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Must have Governing Documents and be incorporated in the appropriate jurisdiction, whether country or province/state Must show purpose and direction, through Strategic Plan or other form of long term planning document Must show proof of having student members, such as emails Must have a logo Must have some sort of online presence, such as a website or Facebook page Must have a proposed document (i.e. contract) with the CFES outlining relationship expectations at the time of the proposed partnership is brought to the Board of Directors
11.1.2 Standing Student Partners The benefits Standing Student Partners shall receive are as follows: 1. Visibility to CFES members 2. Benefits as specified by BoD 3. Not to be identified (on website or elsewhere) alongside Full Student Partners The requirements Standing Student Partners must meet are as follows: 1. Compatible with the Mission of the CFES 2. Must be a student organization 3. Must be assigned to International Relations Commissioner or Corporate Relations Commissioner, tracked and moved forward by the President
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11.2
Professional Partners
Professional Partners of the Federation are organizations who represent the interests of the engineering profession and with which the CFES has recognized agreements. While there are no specific requirements for this status beyond a resolution of the Board of Directors, the following provisions are recommended: • Mission compatible with that of the CFES • Services relevant to the membership • Incorporated as a legal entity A proposed Professional Partner must have a document (i.e. contract) with the CFES outlining relationship expectations at the time of the proposed partnership is brought to the Board of Directors.
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12. Finances 12.1
Membership Fees
The membership fee for each school shall be $0.50 per full-time engineering undergraduate student reported in the Engineers Canada Annual Enrollment Report beginning in 2016-2017, increasing each year thereafter with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Each member is responsible for ensuring its membership fee is paid in full and on time. Membership fees are due on July 1 of every year. Invoices are issued at Congress of the previous fiscal year. The following requirements are in effect regarding membership fees: 1. A penalty of 5% per month, up to a total of 20% of the total amount outstanding, applies if a school member is late with its fee. 2. Paying the CFES membership fee maintains an engineering student society’s active membership status, which includes: a. Eligibility for participation in CFES activities and services b. Eligibility to bring forward motions at meetings of the General Assembly c. Voting rights at meetings of the General Assembly 3. A late and outstanding membership fee will affect the membership status of the respective engineering student society within the Federation. The school must pay observer fees at CFES events, and will have no voting rights, until such time that membership fees, including all applicable penalties, are paid. 4. An engineering student society that did not attend CFES President's Meeting or Congress, and did not pay its membership fee on time must be contacted by the relevant Regional Ambassador to assess its future as a member of CFES. 5. A member shall be considered for expulsion in the event that it does not pay its CFES member fee for two consecutive years. The President will ensure that the society understands the upcoming membership proceedings and the potential change in status.
12.2
CFES Service Charge
The purpose of the CFES Service Charge is to provide the CFES with a small percentage of revenues on a per delegate basis from the Federation’s Activities. The CFES Service Fee will be a 5% fee added onto the cost of the delegate fee (as set by the conference chair), included in the final delegate fee when invoiced to the members. The CFES Service Charge will be collected via delegate fee payment (as it’s encompassed in the delegate fee) to the Activity Manager. The relevant Activity Manager is then responsible for transferring the 5% CFES Service Charge per delegate fee total to the CFES Main Bank Account within thirty (30) days of the conference ending.
12.3
Budget
The CFES operates with an annual budget approved at Congress. A change to this approved budget by more than 25% of a line item originally in excess of $5,000 must be approved first by the Board of Directors and then ratified by the General Assembly.
12.4
Reserve, Activity Surpluses and Surplus
This section has been created in order to regulate the distribution of surplus, and paying of deficits, from CFES activities and services to respective reserve accounts. Keeping reserve accounts at safety levels 25
ensures the welfare of CFES in case of an emergency such as shortage of sponsorship. The CFES main account should keep a reserve amount of at least $10,000.00. The activity reserve account amounts are specified in the activity agreements. If, after its mandate is fulfilled, a CFES service or activity account has a surplus or deficit, the VPFA shall be responsible for ensuring the procedure for either: a) Reallocating the surplus or b) Paying the deficit is followed as prescribed in the following section, and the corresponding Activity Agreement, within one month of that activity ending. 1. Create the transition committee consisting of: VP Finance and Administration, Outgoing Activity Manager, and Incoming Activity Manager. 2. Verify the presence of surplus or deficit In the event of a surplus: •
•
If the respective reserve account is lower than its safety level: o Fill up the reserve account to its safety level, or until the surplus is depleted. o If there is still surplus after the reserve account has reached its safety level, proceed with transferring the remaining surplus to the account of the respective Activity of the following year If the respective reserve account is at or higher than its safety level: o Proceed with transferring the remaining surplus to the account of the respective Activity of the following year
In the event of an activity running a deficit, the CFES will pay the outstanding deficit, and the member society who signed the Activity Agreement will no longer be in good standing with the CFES. The Engineering Society can regain Good Standing with the CFES if the Organizing Committee provides: • • •
Proof they have exhausted funding from their Faculty; Proof they have exhausted funding from their Student Union; and Proof they have exhausted funding from their Engineering Society
Any additional funding obtained by the Organizing Committee in effort to pay off the deficit will be paid to CFES. The Organizing Committee must obtain approval from the Board of Directors to solicit funding from sources not specified above in effort to pay off the deficit.
12.5
Use of Reserve Funds
The Use of Reserve Funds section was created to distribute reserve account funds in case of an emergency. A committee, which may only make a recommendation to the Board of Directors, must be created to evaluate funding requests on a case-by-case basis; the committee includes the following positions: 26
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
CFES President CFES VP Finance and Administration One CFES National Councilor, as appointed by the Board of Directors Three Regional Ambassadors from the regions other than that of the requesting organizing committee Outgoing activity manager
The committee will review the request, which must include the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
A letter from the requesting committee Amount requested and the urgency of the request Proposed and actual budget Up-to-date cash and cash equivalents Reasons for discrepancies and shortfall Contingency plans Consequences of being denied funding Proof that dean/director of the organizing committee is aware of the financial situation Other supporting information as necessary
In the event that the outgoing activity manager is unavailable, the position will be filled by the Chair of the CFES Board of Directors. After the submitted documents have been reviewed by the committee, the Activity Manager must present the case for funding in real-time (i.e. conference call, in person, etc). After the presentation, the Activity Manager must answer all questions from the committee. The committee must be created maximum two weeks after acknowledgement by the CFES President. The decision of the committee must be presented to the Board of Directors at the next meeting following the decision. All documentation must be archived for purposes of precedence for future cases.
12.6
CEAB and International Travel and Accommodation
The CEAB Travel and Accommodation and International Travel Funds are for transportation to get to CEAB meetings and the meetings of partners located internationally, respectively, and for accommodations at such meetings. The assessment for the distribution of funds will be done in the same manner as the Officer Travel Fund. The individual attending the event in question should submit to the VPFA an application for funding. The application should be submitted to the chair no later than one month before the meeting occurs, and include cost of travel and accommodation, where the conference is held, and an explanation of why the relevant engineering society or school cannot pay for their attendance.
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12.7
Officer Meeting Applications and Travel Funding
As the chief administrator of the travel fund, the VPFA is responsible for coordinating the submission of applications for officer meetings and President’s Meeting. These applications are subject to approval by the Board of Directors. All officers must submit an application regardless of if they are applying for travel funding. The application will include justification of the applicants’ value of attending the meeting. The National Executive will provide a recommendation to the Board of Directors around the allocation of the Fund. The Board is empowered to approve the recommendations as presented, or to make amendments as necessary.
12.7.1 Timeline for Officer Meetings and President’s Meeting The typical timeline for these Travel Funding Applications is outlined in the table below, but may vary based on the timing of the meetings themselves. Applications must be open for at least fourteen (14) days. Latest Call for Applications Date
Latest Close Applications Date
Latest BOD Meeting Date
Spring Meeting
February 1st
February 21st
February 28th
Summer Meeting
April 15th
May 8th
May 15th
President’s Meeting
July 15th
August 1st
August 8th
Fall Meeting
September 1st
September 15th
September 22nd
Congress Pre-Week
October 31st
November 15th
November 22nd
12.7.3 Officer Travel Application Details Applications for travel funding must include the following documentation at a minimum: • • • • •
Documentation supporting the amount requested. This could include receipts, current flight/bus/train ticket prices, or gas cost per mileage calculations. Proof they have exhausted funding from their Faculty; Proof they have exhausted funding from their Student Union; Proof they have exhausted funding from their Engineering Society; and Proof they have chosen the least expensive feasible travel mode.
Funding may be approved based on estimates costs rather than a specific dollar amount. If funding is approved based on estimated costs, funding will be issued partially or fully as approved by the Board of Directors once proof of payment is provided. Funding issued will only exceed estimated cost provided in application if tickets are purchased within three (3) days of officer receiving confirmation of funding. 12.7.4 Application Assessment Rubric All applications shall be assessed by the following four criteria, weighted equally:
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• The relevance of the position of the person applying for funding at the meeting • The performance of the person applying for funding over the last fiscal year • Evidence of need (has the person looked for alternative funding, etc.) The appropriateness of the funding being requested (e.g. is the mode of transportation appropriate, is the cost appropriate, has the person used the travel fund, etc.)
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13. Awards 13.1
Purpose
At each Congress, the CFES presents awards to select individuals, groups, and Members in acknowledgement of their contributions to either the Federation or to the Canadian engineering community.
13.2
Awards Presented
The following awards are to be presented each year. The organizing committee of Congress or the Awards Committee may decide to present additional awards based on outstanding contributions or significant merit.
13.3.1 Appreciation Award The CFES Appreciation Award recognizes significant contributions to the CFES from a non-student. The award is presented annually to a higher education institution staff or faculty member, someone from industry or from another organization.
13.3.2 Leadership Award The CFES Leadership Award recognizes significant contributions by an engineering student to enhance the image of the undergraduate engineering community in Canada. The award is presented annually to an engineering student who has, through various higher education institution and community endeavors, promoted the good of engineering students and the profession to society.
13.3.3 Charity Award The CFES Charity Award recognizes significant charitable contributions. The award is presented annually to the member that has made outstanding contributions towards a charitable cause over the past year. The plaque for this award is to be engraved before the closing banquet of Congress.
13.3.4 Officer Appreciation Award The CFES Officer Appreciation Award is chosen by the National Executive to recognize the contribution of an Ambassador, Commissioner, Service Chair or Activity Manager to the officer team. The award is presented at the final banquet at Congress.
13.3.5 Chair’s Award This award is chosen by the Chair of the Board of Directors and is given to the representative of a member society who participated in the Annual General Meeting in an exceptional and enthusiastic fashion.
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14. Elections 14.1
Annual Elections at Congress
The President, Vice President Academic, Vice President Services, Vice President Finance & Administration, and two National Councilors are elected at Congress in January of each year to take office on April 1st. Host Schools are also elected at this time. The Congress host school is elected 24 months in advance; the CEC host school is elected 26 months in advance; the CDE host school is elected 22 months in advance; and the President’s Meeting host school is elected 21 months in advance.
14.1.1 Chief Returning Officer The Chief Returning Officer (CRO) is responsible for the conducting of the annual elections at Congress. The CRO will normally be the Chair of the Board of Directors, but the Board of Directors may resolve to appoint another individual by two-thirds (2/3) resolution, including in the event the current Chair of the Board of Directors stands for election. The CRO is responsible for the resolution of any conflicts or ambiguities, and interpretations of the electoral procedures. All decisions of the CRO are final.
14.1.2 Nominations The nomination period will consist of two nomination sessions on consecutive days as decided between the CRO and Congress Chair. Nomination rounds consist of the CRO going through each of the positions and asking for nominations from the membership. Any student who is enrolled at a member school may nominate someone for a position. During the first nomination round, a candidate may either accept, decline, or defer the nomination. During the second nomination round, after the call has been completed, anyone who deferred their nomination must either accept or decline.
14.1.3 Speeches All candidates for individual positions will be allowed to present a speech to the members of a length determined by the CRO, no less than 2 minutes, and no more than 5 minutes. All candidates for host schools will be allowed to present a slideshow to the members for up to 10 minutes. The CRO shall determine the order in which candidates speak. Speeches will take place between the second nomination period and the General Assembly voting session; the exact time will be determined by the CRO and Congress Chair. Speeches will end at least twelve hours before voting.
14.1.4 Question Period A question period will be held after all candidates for a given position or event have spoken and will be mediated by the CRO. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to answer any and all questions in an order determined by the CRO.
14.1.5 Voting The election must be held by means of a secret ballot. To be elected, a candidate must receive the absolute majority of the members voting (50% +1), abstentions excluded. Each Member shall submit a ballot comprised of a ranked list of candidates. The member is able to rank as many or as few of the candidates as desired. 31
For the President, Vice President Academic, Vice President Services, and Vice President Finance & Administration positions, one candidate may be ranked as a first choice. Should less than one candidate receive the majority of first-choice votes outright, the single candidate runoff procedure shall be enacted. For the National Councillor positions, up to two distinct candidates may be ranked equally as first choices. One candidate may be ranked for each rank other than first. Should fewer than two candidates receive majorities of first-choice votes outright, the dual candidate runoff procedure shall be enacted. The current National Executive, excluding any National Executive member who is standing for election, shall submit a ballot comprised of a ranked list of candidates. The National Executive must rank all candidates, each receiving a unique rank. This ballot will only be viewed in the event of a tie, as outlined below. Votes will be counted by the CRO, under the supervision of a scrutineer, who is appointed by the General Assembly. 14.1.5.1 Single Candidate Runoff Procedure 1. The number of first‐choice votes for each candidate is counted. 2. If one candidate has received more than 50% of the vote, this candidate is declared the winner, and the procedure is complete. 3. In the event that no candidate has received more than 50% of the vote, the candidate who received the lowest number of first choice votes is dropped from the running. In the event that two or more candidates are tied in receiving the lowest number of firstplace votes, all tied candidates are dropped from the running, except in the case when this would reduce the remaining eligible candidates to zero. In such a case, the candidate to be dropped will be the candidate with the lower rank on the executive ballot. Only one candidate will be dropped in this case. 4. On all ballots with the dropped candidate ranked as a first choice, the candidate ranked second on the ballot is treated as having been ranked first, unless the second choice candidate has already been dropped. In this case, the next choice will be counted as first, etc. 5. The number of first choice votes for each candidate is counted again. 6. If there is only one candidate remaining and this candidate does not have more than 50% of the vote, the vote is declared void due to no confidence, and the elections are held again. 7. Repeat steps 2–6 until one winner is declared. 14.1.5.2 Dual Candidate Runoff Procedure 1. The number of first‐choice votes for each candidate is counted. 2. If two or more candidates have each received more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates are declared the winners, and the procedure is complete.
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3. In the event that there is only one candidate with more than 50% of the vote, or zero candidates with more than 50% of the vote, the candidate who received the lowest number of first choice votes is dropped from the running. In the event that two or more candidates are tied in receiving the lowest number of first-place votes, all tied candidates are dropped from the running, except in the case when this would reduce the remaining eligible candidates to one. In such a case, the candidate to be dropped will be the candidate with the lower rank on the executive ballot. Only one candidate will be dropped. 4. On all ballots with the dropped candidate ranked as a first choice, the candidate ranked second on the ballot is treated as having been ranked first, unless the second choice candidate has already been dropped. In this case, the next choice will be counted as first, etc. 5. The number of first choice votes for each candidate is counted again. 6. If only one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote when there are two candidates remaining, that person is elected, and the remaining National Councillor position is reopened. If no candidates receive more than 50% of the vote when there are two candidates remaining, no one is elected, and the elections are held again. 7. Repeat steps 2–6 until two winners are declared.
14.1.6 Ratification The elected candidates will be put forth to the General Assembly for ratification by the members.
14.2
By-Elections
Should a position be vacant after the Annual Elections, or vacated during the year, the Chair of the Board of Directors acts as the CRO. Elections are held during a meeting of the Board of Directors and additional election procedures are established at the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Directors in their capacity as the CRO.
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15.
Document Writing Guidelines
15.1
Translation Guidelines
The following items generally require translation before distribution: • Constitution and Policy Manual • Binding documents • Strategic Plan • CEC Rules • Information directed at students of members (such as delegate packages, surveys, information manuals, guides, etc.) • Text of any member-wide communications from the National Executive • All documentation related to legal complaints and proceedings • Assembly minutes • Officers’ reports • Official reports on major issues • Congress documents • Document of Statements Agendas and supporting documents for the General Assembly may be distributed before translation. They must be fully translated and distributed in both English and French as quickly as possible. The Constitution and Policy Manual should each be translated at least once every three years. Minutes of General Assemblies and reports may also be distributed before translation. Members may request the translation of any other documents.
15.2
Feminization of French Text
Any text written in or translated into the French language must be feminized or gender-neutralized, namely by applying the guidelines laid out in the guide op epicene writing published by the Quebec Board of the French Language.
15.3
Policy Manual
15.3.1 Substantive Amendments The Policy Manual of the Federation may be repealed or amended by resolution of the General Assembly, or by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the CFES Board of Directors . Any amendments passed by the Board of Directors shall be communicated to all members within ten (10) business days.
15.3.2 Non-Substantive Amendments Amendments to the Policy Manual that are simply corrective measures to ensure accurate translation and grammatical structure may be made by the Chair of the Board of Directors, provided these amendments do not change the concept or spirit of the point being amended, and that the Board of Directors is given notice of any such changes.
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16. Inclusive Conference Guidelines To best serve our members, it is essential that the Federation’s conferences and activities be safe spaces that encourage discussion and learning amongst its members. To this end, it shall be the policy of the Federation to facilitate the following: • • • •
16.1
A Conference Code of Conduct; An Incident Reporting System, with a Response Committee at each Activity; Inclusivity Orientation at Congress every year Provide Inclusive Conference Planning information to Activity Managers upon ratification
Conference Code of Conduct
The CFES Conference Code of Conduct shall be distributed at least one month before each Activity, and shall be as follows: The Canadian Federation of Engineering Students aims to promote inclusive and respectful environments where all students feel safe, welcome, and valued. To accomplish this, the CFES expects students to behave in an inclusive and respectful manner befitting a future engineer. By attending a CFES conference, you commit to: o o o o o o o
Value other people’s experiences; Embody a spirit of respect and fellowship; Maintain respectful communication regardless of disagreements; Have an open mind for new ideas and information; Refrain from behaving in a manner that degrades, insults, or otherwise negatively affects others; Support your peers; and Grow and develop professionally, academically, and socially.
The CFES is based on the combined effort, dedication, and commitment of its students. Abiding by this Code of Conduct actively contributes to building a better CFES and promotes positive CFES environments.
I, (delegate name) of (delegate’s member society) have read the CFES Conference Code of Conduct. I not only understand the Code, but also appreciate its importance to my personal experience and the experience of others. I agree to actively follow the Code for _______________________________, and to encourage and support others in doing the same.
Observed violations of the Code of Conduct should be reported via the Incident Reporting System. Failure to follow the Code may result in consequences ranging from verbal reprimand to expulsion from the current and future CFES events. The attendee’s academic institution may also be contacted.
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16.2
Incident Reporting & Response
The Incident Reporting System will be the way that the Incident Response Committee receives complaints of violations of the Code of Conduct. To ensure that CFES Activities are a safe and welcoming space for everyone, an Incident Response Committee shall be formed to investigate and attempt to resolve any reported issues.
16.2.1 Incident Reporting System The Incident Response System shall be a form created by the Incident Response Committee and made accessible to all delegates at a CFES Activity during the Activity and up to 3 days afterwards. The form shall include the following fields: 1. Name of Reporting Individual 2. School of Reporting Individual 3. Name(s) of the Individual(s) or Organization Involved in the Incident (or description(s)) 4. Incident Date and Time 5. Incident Details 6. Incident Witness(es), if appropriate 7. Contact Information (Optional) 8. Whether or not the Reporter is comfortable being contacted by the IRC 16.2.1.1 Confidentiality of Reports Any identifying contents of Incident Reports, and identifying information discovered during the investigation, shall be kept confidential by the members of the Incident Response Committee (IRC) subject only to Sub-Section 1.2.5: Release of Information. 16.2.1.2 Incident Response Timeline Should a report be submitted between 8am and 8pm, the Incident Response Committee shall begin to address the report within four hours. Should a report be submitted outside of these times, but during the conference, the IRC shall begin to address the report by the following noon. Should a report be submitted with less than 4 hours remaining in the conference, or within three days (72 hours) of the end of the conference, the IRC shall begin to address the report within 36 hours.
16.2.2 Incident Response Committee An Incident Response Committee (IRC) shall be formed for each CFES Activity. 16.2.2.1 Committee Membership The IRC shall consist of three (3) members including: 1. One member of the CFES Board of Directors who shall serve as IRC Chair. 2. One member appointed by the relevant Activity Manager. 3. One member selected by the CFES Board of Directors. The IRC membership will: 1. Have at least 2 members who have sensitivity training ( e.g. bystander intervention training ) 2. Have no more than one member of the CFES Board of Directors. 3. Be ratified by the CFES Board of Directors before the start of the Activity.
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16.2.2.2 Committee Authority Decisions made by the IRC shall be considered final for the duration of the Activity, and may range from verbally reprimanding an offending delegate to expulsion from the conference. After the conclusion of the Activity, the respondent may appeal decisions made by the IRC. Delegates may not be expelled by any other authority of the CFES. The IRC may not make decisions that affect the delegate’s ability to contribute to the CFES in the future, such as conditionally or completely banning from further conferences, but may recommend these actions to the Appeal Board. 16.2.2.3 Committee Response Procedure To ensure that the IRC has a complete picture of the Incident, and the impact it has had on the involved parties, they should contact the following parties and discuss the Incident and appropriate responses: 1. The Respondent(s) 2. The Victim(s) 3. The individual who made the report, if appropriate 4. Any witnesses to the Incident, if appropriate Note: The Respondent(s) and the Victim(s) will be invited to have an additional individual for support present during any conversations. After these discussions, the IRC shall use their best judgement on what response is appropriate or if further investigation is needed. All IRC decisions require a majority vote. Any official communications should be made by the Chair of the IRC, with the knowledge and approval of all members of the IRC. Responses to any official communication should be shared with all IRC members. The IRC should ensure that there are at least two IRC members present for any conversation with anyone involved with the Incident. 16.2.2.4 Conflict of Interest A conflict of interest shall be defined as a strong personal relationship between a member of the IRC and the Respondent, Victim, or other individuals involved in the Incident that unfairly biases their actions or decisions. A member of the IRC should remove themselves from the IRC if they believe they have a perceived or real conflict of interest. Should anyone believe that an IRC member has a conflict of interest, it should be presented to the IRC. If one member of the IRC believes that a perceived or real conflict of interest exists, the appropriate member shall be removed from the IRC. The remaining members of the IRC will be responsible for choosing a replacement member on a temporary or permanent basis, as appropriate, and notifying the Appeal Board of the change. The remaining members of the IRC may also decide to release changes of membership to the Activity delegates should they deem it appropriate. 16.2.2.5 Release of Information The IRC is expected to keep all identifying information for anyone involved other than the Respondent permanently confidential except in the following situations: 1. The IRC or anyone involved with the Incident decides that the Police should be notified, or; 37
2.
The IRC has obtained written consent of everyone involved to release the information.
The IRC is expected to keep confidential any information that may identify the Respondent, except in the following situations: 1. The IRC or anyone involved with the Incident decides that the Police should be notified, or; 2. The IRC has obtained written consent of everyone involved to release the information, or; 3. The IRC decides to notify the Respondent’s school that an Incident was reported, or; 4. The IRC decides to limit or end an individual’s involvement with CFES Activities, in which case the Respondent’s school should be notified and the IRC will record the decision according to Section 1.4: Recording of Information.
16.2.3 Appeal of Decision Should anyone feel that a decision made by the Incident Response Committee (IRC), or that the process followed by the IRC, was unfair they may Appeal the decision by informing the IRC Chair. 16.2.3.1 Appeal Board The CFES Board of Directors shall hear all appeals resulting from decisions made by the IRC. Any members of the Board of Directors who were members of the IRC should attend the meeting where an appeal is heard to provide information, but should not participate in any decision made regarding the appeal. The Board of Directors may uphold or overturn decisions made by the IRC, and may accept the recommendation of the IRC to limit an individual's involvement with the CFES for a period of time, or until certain conditions are met. All decisions made by the Board of Directors are final. 16.2.3.2 Appeal Timeline Appeals will be accepted by the IRC Chair for 72 hours after either the close of the Activity, or notice of a decision made by the IRC, whichever happens last. A meeting will be scheduled by the Chair of the CFES Board of Directors within 14 days of the Appeal being made to hear from the individual who brings forward the Appeal and, separately, the Chair of the IRC. 16.2.3.3 Conflict of Interest A member of the Board of Directors should remove themselves from the Appeal Process if they believe they have conflict of interest as defined in Sub-Section 1.2.4: Conflict of Interest.
16.2.4 Recording of Information In the case that a school is notified of the IRC’s decision, or that a decision to limit or end an individual’s involvement is made, the following should be recorded and kept by the CFES National Councillors for future iterations of the IRC: 1. Name of Respondent. 2. Decision that was reached. 3. Relevant copies of correspondence with the School and/or Individual. Otherwise, the following information should be recorded and kept by the CFES National Councillors for future IRCs: 38
1. 2.
16.3
High level summary of the incident names, schools, or any other identifying information. Decision that was reached.
Inclusivity Orientation
Each year at Congress, on the first day of sessions, there will be an Inclusivity Orientation to familiarize delegates with welcoming environment concepts and values. This session will be mandatory for all delegates.
16.4
Inclusive Conference Planning
The Inclusive Conference Planning document will be distributed to all Activity Managers upon their ratification as the chair of an Activity.
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17. Small School Travel Bursary The small school travel bursary shall exist to promote the participation of small school member societies in any CFES general assembly.
17.1
Funding
A fund of between $2000 and $10000 will be included in each CFES budget to administer the program. The exact value of the fund in a given year will be determined by the General Assembly during budget deliberation. Two main factors for this decision will be the CFES’s current financial situation, and the location of the Congress in the fiscal year of the budget being approved.
17.2
Eligibility
A member society is eligible to apply for the travel bursary fund if they meet at least one of the following conditions: • •
Their annual budget is less than $50 000 each year Their membership totals less than 1000 students.
A member society may apply to cover the cost of the delegate fee and travel expenses of one (1) student from their school. A member may only apply if they will be the voting representative on behalf of the member society.
17.3
Application Process
An application shall be made available to member societies through the CFES website at least 6 months in advance of Congress. The Vice President Finance and Administration will review all applications submitted in accordance with this policy, and submit recommendations of funding to the Board of Directors for allocation. Applications for Congress are to be submitted by the Thursday before the Fall Meeting of the same fiscal year. A decision will be rendered by the Board of Directors at Fall Meeting of the same fiscal year, and the results of the allocation of funds will be made available to all active members. Heavy preference will be put to schools who are only sending one delegate. The application will require the following information from an applicant member society: • Statement of intent explaining why the applicant is unable to finance their attendance at Congress, and further explaining how there will be mutual benefit from attending Congress to both the applicant and CFES • Amount requested and expected cost • Detailed budget of the applicant society • Planned method of travel • List of conferences the applicant has attended and/or intends to attend in the period between the Congress the application is for, and of the previous fiscal year. • Detailed explanation of how the applicant has attempted to raise the amount being requested from their Dean, alumni and other available sources. If the school is sending any other delegates and how the other delegates are being funded.
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18. Document of Stances The Document of Stances of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students contains the official positions taken by CFES. Stances contained in the Document may be added or modified by a ¾ resolution passed to that end. Stances may also be removed by a majority resolution passed to that end. Modifications to the Document require two readings, and amendments to the modification may be put forth at the second reading. Modifications may be made in exception to these requirements with approval of 90% of all members present. The Vice President Academic is responsible for alerting the membership to the procedure surrounding the Document of Stances in advance of President’s Meeting, as well as conducting background research to ensure that potential stances are generally beneficial for all members, and alerting the membership to any associated implications in advance of the vote.
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