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2016/2017

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State of the Union

1.4.5.1 The Chief Executive Officer shall deliver a written report outlining Executive and Board decisions and activities including, but not limited to, signed contracts, new employees hired and negotiations concluded and in progress.

msumcmaster.ca iiistate of the union | 2016/2017ii

Welcome to the State of the Union,

The 2016/2017 State of the Union is a document intended to provide an authoritative perspective on the business conducted by the McMaster Students Union, including its officers, directors, staff and volunteers, since we took office in May of 2016. We have endeavoured to make this rather extensive document as readable as possible, in hopes that the large amount of information contained herein will provide a clear understanding of the depth and scope of the MSU’s operations.

What follows is an account of the efforts of 40 full-time staff, 300+ part-time staff and hundreds of volunteers who are instrumental in making the MSU one of - or more likely the most - professional, transparent, inclusive and fiscally responsible student association in the country. As always, the Board of Directors welcomes comments, feedback and criticism of our efforts as stewards of the organization. Please do not hesitate to connect with us, as all members of the Board would be pleased to meet with you at your convenience to discuss any matter related to this document, student life or political advocacy.

Our mission statement reads, “[t]he purpose of the MSU is to draw into a true society all students at McMaster University”. It is our hope that the following pages will accurately depict the huge variety of voices, initiatives, projects, challenges and accomplishments that define student government at McMaster University.

Sincerely,

The 2016/2017 MSU Board of Directors

Justin Monaco-Barnes Shaarujaa Nadarajah President Vice President (Administration)

Ryan MacDonald Blake OliverVice President (Finance) Vice President (Education)

Mission Statement:

Welcome from the MSU Board of Directors

The purpose of the MSU is to draw into a true society all students at McMaster University.

In pursuit of this, it will foster activities and events, which will enhance the University experience of its members and

contribute to the life of the University as a whole.

Further, it will seek to facilitate communication between the student body, the University, and other organizations and will

organize and regulate student self-government.

Justin Monaco-Barnes

Shaarujaa Nadarajah

Ryan MacDonald

Blake Oliver

Welcome from the MSU Board of Directors

msumcmaster.ca vstate of the union | 2016/2017iv

Whereby the MSU is driven to provide a service to the McMaster University undergraduate community, several strategic themes will be applied to ensure a holistic approach is taken in regards to its operations. These core values will be communicated effectively to all services and employees and as such, their mandates will reflect the essence of the McMaster Students Union.

Transparency

MSU operations, finances, milestones and tribulations will be disseminated to the general public without bias or misrepresentation. Any and all decisions which directly impact the mission statement of the MSU will be accessible to all students, unless in violation of legal conduct.

Accountability

MSU stakeholders, directors and subsidiary members will be held responsible for decisions made, both personally and on one’s behalf. As the Board of Directors are the officers of MSU Incorporated, their responsibility is to ensure the functionality and fiscal stability of the MSU as a whole.

Inclusivity

The MSU will place a large emphasis on maintaining neutrality on contentious issues unless undergraduate students are greatly disadvantaged by its outcome. The MSU will create a community that is welcoming of all and as such, will not discriminate against any group of students or contribute to any organization in breach of its mandate.

Sustainability

MSU operations shall prosper and survive. This will not inhibit innovation, creativity or risk, but proper research and analysis must be conducted to ensure longevity of the organization.

Strategic Themes Table of Contents

Organizational Overview 01

Setting the Context: 02McMaster University in 2016/2017

American Election 02

CUPE 3960 Collective Bargaining 02

Equity and Inclusion on 02

McMaster Campus

First-Year Residence Guarantee 02

Indigenization of the Academy 02

L.R. Wilson Building 02

Ontario Student 03

Assistance Program (OSAP)

Stand Alone Sexual Violence Policy 03

Tuition Fee Framework 03

University Funding Formula 03

2016/2017: 04A Year in Review

Student Life 05

Athletics & Recreation Expansion / 05

Student Activity Building

Campus Food 05

Clubs Department Enhancements 05

Compulsory Ancillary Fees 05

Agreement

Exam Support Upgrades 05

First Year Council (FYC) / 05

Inter-Residence Council (IRC)

Frost Week 05

Health & Dental Plans 06

HSR Bus Pass / PRESTO Integration 06

Light Up The Night 06

Macademics 06

Marmor Yearbook 06

McMaster Student 06

Leadership Conference

MUSC Upgrades 06

Peer Tutoring Network 06

Student Assistance Program 06

Student Life Enhancement Fund 07

Sustainability Efforts 07

Welcome Week 07

MSU Services 07

Advocacy 11

Lobby Policies 11

Ancillary Fees 11

First Year Transition 11

Food Security 11

Indigenous Students 11

International Students 11

MSU Policy Conference 11

Sexual and Gender Diversity 11

Internal Advocacy 12

Academic Accommodation for 12

Students with Disabilities

Academic Affairs Council 12

Advocacy Street Team 12

Affordability 12

Bus Routes 12

Gender Neutral Washrooms 12

Hamilton Advocacy Week 12

Indigenous Student Advocacy 12

Learning Portfolio 12

Light Rail Transit (LRT) 13

Mac Talks: Beyond Conversations 13

Medical Notes 13

Podcasted Courses 13

Strategic Mandate Agreement 13

Student Housing 13

Student Retention 13

Student Space / 13

Master Plan Critique

Sustainability 13

Teaching Evaluation 14

Strategic Themes

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Tuition Task Force 14

University Administration 14

University Budget Submission 14

Work-Integrated Learning 14

Provincial Advocacy 14

Hamilton Post-Secondary 14

Advisory Group (HPSAG)

Non-Financial Barriers to Post- 14

Secondary Education Access

in Ontario

Ontario Student 14

Grant Implementation

Ontario Undergraduate 14

Student Alliance (OUSA)

OUSA General Assembly 15

OUSA Provincial Lobbying Week 15

Federal Advocacy 15

Federal Lobbying 15

Indigenous Students 15

International Students 15

Students with Disabilities 15

Communication 16

Campus Screen Network 16

‘MSU & You’ Radio Show 16

Single Message System 16

(SMS) Communication

Social Media Presence 16

President’s Page 16

Video Production 16

Community Engagement 17

20th Annual McMasters: 17

MSU Charity Golf Classic

Ainslie Wood - Westdale 17

Community Association

Be a Good Neighbour Campaign 17

Change Camp 17

For Ward One - Participatory 17

Budgeting Advisory Committee

Network for Campus Community 17

Partnerships

President’s Advisory Committee on 17

Community Relations (PACCR)

President’s Council 17

The Workplace 18

Accessibility for Ontarians 18

with Disabilities Act (AODA)

Compliance

Central Support Staff Restructuring 18

Communications Training 18

IT Infrastructure 18

Joint Health & Safety Committee 18

Longitudinal Staff Feedback 18

MSU Hiring Boards 18

Part-Time Manager Training 18

Part-Time Wage Review 19

Space Audit 19

Training Resources 19

Research Assistant

Finances 20

Audited Statements 20

Budgeting Process Changes 20

Investment Strategy 20

Sponsorship & Donations 20

Transparency / MSU Open House 20

Conclusion 21

Appendix A: 22Breakdown of Full-Time Undergraduate Student Fees 2016/2017

Appendix B: 23MSU Operating Budget 2016/2017

Infographic: Per Student 23

Breakdown of MSU

Operating Fee

2016/2017 Approved 24

Operating Fund:

Smaller Services - Net

2016/2017 Approved 25

Operating Fund:

Larger Services - Net

Appendix C: Personnel 26

Student Representative 26

Assembly (SRA)

Executive Board 27

Part-Time Managers (PTMs) 27

First Year Council (FYC) 28

New Employees Hired 28

Full-Time Staff 28

What is the MSU?

The McMaster Students Union is the largest student organization on campus. All full-time undergraduate students (enrolled in 18 units or more) at McMaster University are members of the MSU.

What does the MSU do?

The McMaster Students Union serves students through two main functions: political representation and the enhancement of student life. The MSU provides political representation and advocates for decisions that are in students’ best interests at the university, municipal, provincial and federal levels of jurisdiction.

The MSU also offers many of the student services available at McMaster University. One might get to know the MSU through Welcome Week and the Campus Events department, visiting the Compass Information Centre, having lunch at TwelvEighty, listening to CFMU 93.3FM, volunteering with more than 30 distinct student services, the funding and assistance of more than 300 clubs on campus, or as a major partner in the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC). The MSU employs more than 300 students each year to run committees, oversee student services and work at businesses, such as the Union Market convenience store or Underground Media + Design. The MSU provides health and dental plan coverage and a universal bus pass with the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR). As a member of the McMaster Students Union, undergraduates have a student-run, multi-million dollar organization at their disposal to help navigate through the challenges, provide services, and protect their interests within and outside the walls of McMaster.

For more information, as well as a complete list of MSU businesses, services and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.msumcmaster.ca, or contact a member of the Board of Directors:

Justin Monaco-Barnes Shaarujaa Nadarajah MSU President Vice President (Administration) president@msu.mcmaster.ca vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca905.525.9140 x23885 905.525.9140 x23250

Ryan MacDonald Blake Oliver Vice President (Finance) Vice President (Education) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca vped@msu.mcmaster.ca905.525.9140 x24109 905.525.9140 x24017

How does the MSU represent students?

The Student Representative Assembly (SRA), the governing body of the MSU, is composed of 35 undergraduate students elected by their peers, inside each academic division. The SRA works to provide the best possible MSU services and departments, address undergraduate students’ concerns and lobby the University to improve McMaster’s academic quality. The MSU exists to represent undergraduates and to help build a better community for all students.

During the academic year, the SRA meets bi-weekly in Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall 111. SRA meetings are open, public forums, to which anyone can attend without invitation or reservation. General elections for the SRA are held every March. Seats on the SRA are allocated by population; larger academic divisions have more representation. If seats become vacant, by-elections are held during the school year.

Questions about the SRA and/or faculty represenation can be directed to the SRA faculty representatives at the following email addresses:

Arts & Science: sraartsci@msu.mcmaster.ca

Business: sracom@msu.mcmaster.ca

Engineering: sraeng@msu.mcmaster.ca

Health Sciences: srahealth@msu.mcmaster.ca

Humanities: srahuman@msu.mcmaster.ca

Kinesiology: srakin@msu.mcmaster.ca

Nursing: sranursing@msu.mcmaster.ca

Science: srasci@msu.mcmaster.ca

Social Sciences: srassci@msu.mcmaster.ca

In addition, please feel free to contact the MSU Speaker at speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca with any SRA related inquiry.

Organizational Overview

Organizational Overview

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Setting the Context:McMaster University in 2016/2017

American Election

This past November, the world witnessed one of the greatest political upsets of all time - Donald Trump’s victory. Trump ran a campaign that was noted for its bully-like, fear mongering, dehumanizing tactics. As well, it routinely featured rhetoric that typically lacked in facts, and at times, was blatantly demeaning. Despite his opponent, Hillary Clinton, winning the popular vote by just under three million votes, Trump was able to secure victory due to the American Electoral College system.

CUPE 3906 Collective Bargaining

McMaster University’s collective agreement with CUPE 3906, the union representing all teaching and research assistants, concluded on August 31, 2016. Since that time, the University engaged in a process of collective bargaining with the union, in the hopes of creating a new agreement. On December 15, 2016, a new agreement was ratified by McMaster University’s Board of Governors.

Equity and Inclusion on McMaster Campus

Over the past year, McMaster has taken significant steps forward in ensuring it is working toward building an inclusive and diverse campus. The addition of a new senior role, Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion, will be a visible presence on campus, helping McMaster advance diversity and equity. In addition to taking a larger leadership role liaising with many campus groups, including the President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC), the McMaster Accessibility Council, and the Indigenous Education Council, the new role will also oversee the transition of the Human Rights and Equity Services Office into the Equity and Inclusion Office.

First-Year Residence Guarantee

Following approval at McMaster University’s Planning and Resources Committee, the MSU was given notice of the University’s intention to provide guaranteed residence spaces to all first-year students. Currently, student housing for first-year students is a major issue, as McMaster is one of the

only universities in Ontario that does not make this guarantee. The University has announced two projects to solve this issue. One is the Living and Learning Centre, which will be situated in the area currently occupied by T28 and T29, as well as an off-campus development project situated on Traymore Avenue. Between the two projects, upwards of 1000 additional students will have a guaranteed residence spot upon acceptance. This is important with respect to the MSU’s priorities. In principle, the admission average required for guaranteed residence could disproportionately exclude students entering the Humanities and Social Sciences, which require lower admission averages.

Indigenization of the Academy

In 2015, the federal government released the final report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, with 94 calls to action for reconciliation. Many of these calls were aimed at post-secondary institutions, as the Commission recognized education as a key to reconciliation. In response, McMaster University and many other institutions began a process of indigenization. Most notably, the outdoor Indigenous Circle teaching and gathering space, located between Alumni Memorial Hall and Whidden Hall opened in September 2016.

L.R. Wilson Building

In early September, a new liberal arts facility opened on the east end of campus, where the former Wentworth House used to stand. The new building houses McMaster’s Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Social Sciences. It includes flexible classrooms, a research centre, the McMaster Indigenous Studies program office, performing arts facilities including a black box theatre and concert hall, public gathering and community spaces, and an outdoor garden. This dual funded project was made possible by a $45.5 million investment from the province of Ontario and a $10 million gift from McMaster’s Chancellor Emeritus, L.R. Wilson. It’s a welcome addition to campus that will hopefully help alleviate growing student space concerns. Beyond that, the building represents the success of student advocacy and working in partnership with the University, to help secure considerable benefits for McMaster students.

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

When the province of Ontario released its 2016 budget last February, the government announced the largest ever modernization of financial aid for post-secondary students. Over $350 million previously used for educational tax credits was reallocated to upfront grants for low-income students. The change will allow incoming students whose household income is below $50,000 annually to receive grants equal to the average cost of tuition in Ontario. The move was applauded by students, as it was a policy advocated by student groups, such as the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, for many years. The first cohort to benefit from the new policy will be students entering post-secondary education in September 2017.

Stand Alone Sexual Violence Policy

Ontario’s Bill 132, the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), received royal assent on March 8, 2016. This action officially required all post-secondary institutions in Ontario to implement stand alone policies and procedures surrounding sexual violence response, in consultation with students, by January 2017. McMaster’s policy was passed by the Board of Governors on December 15, 2016.

Tuition Fee Framework

Since the 2013-14 academic year, universities in Ontario have been operating under the Tuition Fee Framework Guidelines for Publicly-Assisted Universities, a document that expires at the end of this academic year. The Tuition Fee Framework sets many important parameters, including maximum amounts by which institutions can increase tuition for each program, how much tuition universities must set-aside for financial aid, and guidelines for ancillary fees. With the expiry of the current framework looming, students have been advocating for the new framework to include maximum increases tied to inflation exclusively, regulation around international student tuition fees, and increased amounts of tuition set-aside for financial aid. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development is expected to release a new framework by the end of the academic year.

University Funding Formula

In early 2015, Ontario’s then Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (now titled the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development), announced a consultation for the way universities are funded by the province. As the university funding formula is integral to the way universities operate, this consultation process was seen as vital for the future success of post-secondary education in the province. The voices of McMaster students were heard in the consultation process through the MSU’s participation in the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. In winter 2015, the Ministry released a document with recommendations for the new funding formula, many of which were direct reflections of student consultations. The Ministry is expected to begin implementation of the new funding formula by the end of this academic year.

2016/2017

board ofdirectors

Setting the Context

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Student Life

Athletics & Recreation Expansion /Student Activity Building

This year, the MSU President and Vice President (Finance) built a plan that could resolve several urgent student needs on campus. Through various student surveys, and multiple years’ worth of feedback, it is evident that two of the largest space concerns on campus remain the small size of the Pulse, and the Student Centre. After months of hard work from the MSU, Student Affairs, and Athletics & Recreation, a proposal was finalized. The proposed changes would have increased the Pulse by 224% with all new weights and amenities, as well the construction of a new 60,000 sq/ft Student Activity Building, that would have serviced the various needs of all undergraduate students on campus. This project ultimately failed in a very close referendum in January of 2017.

Campus Food

The MSU continued its efforts in offering affordable food with a healthy focus. Mac Farmstand launched its Local Food Discount Card, giving McMaster students discounts at various local food vendors across Hamilton. Union Market also incorporated a wider selection of affordable food, in addition to providing students with the convenience of fast, efficient service. There has also been a greater partnership with Hospitality Services in order to work on lowering food costs, as well as offering more selections of diverse foods such as halal, kosher, and gluten free meals.

Club Department Enhancements The MSU has once again made significant strides in its support of the Clubs Department, as it facilitates more than 300 clubs at McMaster. Administratively, simplifying and revamping the clubs training process has ensured a more seamless transition process for new student leaders in MSU clubs. A major upgrade has been doubling the funding of ‘MSU dollars’ for clubs. In previous years, clubs were given $100 to spend within MSU services. This year the MSU has made a major investment into the Clubs Department by doubling that total, including $150 to the Underground Media + Design, as well as an additional $50 to other MSU services including AVTEK, TwelvEighty, and Union Market. The change was designed to better support clubs, responding to feedback that most clubs needed additional promotional resources. To be clear, the boost to ‘MSU dollars’ funding was in addition to the $100,000 allocated to general club funding for discretionary spending and operations of MSU clubs.

Compulsory Ancillary Fees Agreement

The MSU sets parameters with the University surrounding how ancillary fees can be established through the Compulsory

Ancillary Fees (CAF) agreement. This year, the Board of Directors worked to revise the current agreement. The new CAF agreement will change the way that the amount of funding for the Student Life Enhancement Fund is calculated, ensuring that funds are directed first and foremost into core student services such as the Student Wellness Centre, Student Success Centre, and Athletics & Recreation.

Exam Support Upgrades

A lot of work has been done in continuing to make exam support as practical as possible. One of the main focuses of this year was to extend library hours during exams for the Health Sciences Library. The MSU President worked through the summer and the first term, alongside various McMaster partners, to ensure proper execution. As space continues to be an issue on campus, the MSU believes that this change will help elevate some of the pressure during one of the most high stress seasons of the year.

First Year Council (FYC) / Inter-Residence Council (IRC) This year, the MSU restructured First Year Council (FYC) to take a larger advocacy role in residence. This change was in response to the disbanding of the Inter-Residence Council. With the creation of a new Part-Time Manager position, the FYC Coordinator, the MSU was able to better support first year students elected in the various FYC positions. Some of events run by FYC this year included: First Year Academic Support Fishbowl Night, First Year Formal (in partnership with MSU Spark), and a Marauders Den event. In addition, the IRC fee that was previously levied from residence students, was converted into the Residence Life Activity fee, which will be used for initiatives and projects focused on enhancing student life for residence students. Residence Life will manage the fund in partnership with the McMaster Students Union and FYC.

Frost Week Following the trend of the past few years, Frost Week continued its revitalization and took the form of a multi-partner approach. Starting in May 2015, various campus partners came together through the Student Relations Committee to prepare a week of balanced, inclusive, and exciting programming. With programming ranging from a Pack the House sports game, an outdoor Winterfest carnival, and a student leadership conference, many of the events saw high attendance due to the promotional efforts spearheaded by the MSU.

Student Life

2016/2017:

a year in review

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financial planning, life coaching, and more. The service can be accessed free of charge by all McMaster students, as well as their roommates and family members. Provided by Aspiria, an industry leader in professional student assistance programs and employee assistance programs, the MSU’s SAP is tailored to support students in an accessible platform that can be accessed 24/7, features multilingual support (with over 100 languages) via telephone, in person, email communication and/or video conferencing.

Student Life Enhancement Fund

The Student Life Enhancement Fund (SLEF) is a pool of money set aside to support projects, innovations and ideas that enhance the student experience at McMaster University. This fund is administered by the Student Services Committee (SSC). The membership of the SSC consists of members from the McMaster Students Union, as well as McMaster University. Traditionally, this fund was accessed by various staff members at the University, including managers within the MSU, to enhance their service delivery. This year, the MSU made it a continued priority to ensure that all the ideas that were submitted came directly from students. In January, the MSU began canvassing the student body for ideas to enhance student life. From there, the MSU Board of Directors will evaluate the logistical feasibility of each idea and develop a list of high impact projects and consult with the University to determine the feasibility of each idea. The ideas that are within the scope of funding and timelines of SLEF, will be brought back to students for voting. The top idea, as voted by students, will receive guaranteed funding. Last year’s projects included an outdoor volleyball court and a sleeping pod/nap station which will be installed prior to September 2017.

Sustainability Efforts

The MSU took many strides, both small and large, to contribute to the overall conversation of climate change. On a large scale, the MSU worked alongside McMaster University in securing a federal government investment of $43 million in renovations to the Arthur Bourns Building. The funding will support the repair and retrofit of existing labs, plus the construction of a new addition to that building. The investments also support the campus electricity and heat cogeneration (COGEN) project, which enhances McMaster’s ongoing energy conservation efforts. More sustainability initiatives have also taken place within the MSU, such as replacing photocopy paper at business units with recycled paper, introducing a single use plastic water bottle free policy on all MSU food and drink sales, as well giving each first-year student an MSU branded refillable water bottle, that features a link to a map of the water refill stations on campus.

Welcome Week

Once again, Welcome Week was a huge success for the MSU. This year, the Welcome Week Committee continued with the 2015 strategic priorities, and incorporated them into all facets of Welcome Week programming and training: Alcohol Awareness, Mental Health, and Sexual Violence & Consent. One unique event that was integrated into the orientation programming was “One McMaster” which hosted guest speakers focusing

on presenting key messages about the strategic themes in an interactive way. Compared to previous years, wherein Welcome Week training was given in a conference-style approach, training was revamped into a blended learning model. Reps were expected to complete a series of training pieces online, in addition to a four hour in-person training session.

This was the third year that the MSU employed a Welcome Week Faculty Societies Coordinator (WWFC). This position was created to help support and coordinate with faculty societies during the planning and implementation of orientation. This is a position that the MSU will continue to fund for Welcome Week 2017, as the role has been pivotal in liaising with faculty planners and other campus partners. One innovative project that was introduced by the WWFC, in collaboration with the Residence Orientation Planner, was the integration of faculty connector reps into residence buildings. These select reps were integrated into the residence rep teams to provide incoming students with a greater connection to their faculty.

MSU Services

Accounting DepartmentThe Accounting Department manages all financial transactions, reporting and payroll. As well, the department assists the General Manager and Vice President (Finance) in long-term financial planning of the organization. Be it helping coordinate Shinerama collection efforts, departmental deposits or processing the weekly cheque run, all financial activity flows through the Accounting Department, located in the MSU Main Office. The accounting department continues to operate with tremendous efficiency.

AVTEKAVTEK had its most financially successful year to date, focusing its efforts on providing for the McMaster community, while still being able to execute larger and more comprehensive shows, including motor controlled flying grid systems and mobile stages. Considerable staff restructuring has allowed AVTEK to operate more efficiently. In addition, the service began utilizing a new inventory tracking system and event management software.

Campus EventsCampus Events had another incredible year. The department offered two spectacular concerts during Welcome Week, boasting 5000+ students in attendance for both shows. The department once again increased their vendor total for Sidewalk Sale, in yet another record breaking event. In addition, Campus Events partnered with the Westdale BIA to host WestFest for students and members of the community during Welcome Week. While fostering a strong relationship with Alumni Advancement, the marquee event for 2016/2017 was undoubtedly the expanded Homecoming celebration, wherein Campus Events hosted Shaggy and Hedley in two Faculty Hollow performances. This marked the first time a Homecoming show was held in the Hollow. Alumni Advancement and the MSU continued to work closely with all levels of Homecoming planning, as well as co-chairing the “Light up the Night” end of year event. In March of 2016, the inaugural Light Up the Night

Health & Dental Plans

In 2014, students voted in favour of increased health care coverage, in the form of additional paramedical services, vision care and oral contraceptives. While students paid an increased premium for these services, the savings could result in thousands of dollars in savings over the course of their undergraduate career. While it has been only two academic years since the implementation of the new extended health plan coverage, the MSU continues to evaluate the program and will look to enhance the plan with additional services, without any increase to the plan fees. Further, not only will the MSU ensure there is no increase to the fee, based on efficient cost procurement, the fee may in fact be lowered for 2017/2018.

HSR Bus Pass / PRESTO Integration

Every three years, full-time undergraduate students vote on a new HSR bus pass contract. Three years ago, the pass was renewed, adding a four month summer pass, as well as extended service into the downtown core until 3AM Monday-Saturday. In January of 2017, students voted on a new pass. It passed resoundingly, keeping the McMaster pass as a 12 month bus pass, including extended service. After two months of negotiations, the MSU brought forward a contract that remained the best value in the province, considering the level of service students receive. Further, McMaster University students will be the first in the province to have their university/college transit pass integrated into the provincial pass using PRESTO. The HSR has committed to using PRESTO technology for the student bus pass moving into next year. This PRESTO integrated card will be pre-authorized for the GO Transit post-secondary education discount and can be used as a traditional PRESTO card outside of the HSR network.

Light Up The Night

Light Up The Night is a year-end celebration that is open to students and the public. This event features amusement park rides, carnival games, buskers, live entertainment, fireworks, guest speakers, free food, and fun for everyone. The intention of this event is to celebrate the academic year as it comes to a close, as well as to continue to build the community connection for which McMaster is known. This event was such a success that it was nominated for a Canadian Event Industry Award and won the 2016 title of “Best Event Produced by an In House Team.” George Stroumboulopoulos was the keynote speaker at last year’s event, helping to provide a night that many students will never forget.

Macademics

The MSU’s newest service, MSU Macademics, was established in the summer of 2016. The service brought together many components of the MSU related to academic services, such as the Teaching Awards Committee, operation of the MSU Course Wiki, and promotion of the McMaster course evaluations period. In addition, the service focuses on issues surrounding pedagogy and the learning environment, while disseminating information

to students in an accessible way. The service will soon establish a hub of resources for students who are looking for academic aid.

Marmor Yearbook

After nearly 80 years, the Marmor will conclude producing yearbooks following the graduating class of 2020. For many years, McMaster students have paid a fee for a yearbook to be developed in their graduating year. In October of 2016, students voted overwhelmingly to eliminate the Marmor fee of $9.22 per year. Due to prudent financial planning on behalf of the organization, the Marmor will continue operations for four more editions without collecting any additional money. The elimination of the Marmor will ultimately save students upwards of $200,000 per year.

McMaster Student Leadership Conference

The McMaster Student Leadership Conference was planned by a variety of campus partners including the MSU, the Student Success Centre, Residence Life, and Athletics & Recreation. It will serve as a professional development and training opportunity for staff and volunteers. All studentswere welcome to attend. Over the past four years, the conference has grown to engage with more than 400 participants. The conference was held in January, the theme was Shake It Up. The day began with a keynote address, followed by students’ choice of workshops focused on social responsibility, pluralism, social justice, empowerment, and internationalization.

MUSC Upgrades

In the summer of 2016, numerous renovations were made to the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC). Compass Information Centre was renovated to become AODA compliant. In addition, the lounge space outside of Starbucks was expanded to include significantly more seating, and the outer doors were moved to accomodate the new lounge. Finally, a new staircase and walkway was introduced by the north entrance of MUSC, in order to improve traffic flow and alleviate congestion.

Peer Tutoring Network

In 2014, MSU President Teddy Saull was elected on a platform to build an affordable peer tutoring service. In May 2016, after years of work and consultation, the Student Success Centre launched the Peer Tutoring Network, an online platform in which McMaster tutors (students who have received a B+ or higher in a course) can be connected with tutees. The platform allows students to pay $10/hour for tutoring, while tutors receive $15. The subsidy is covered through the Student Life Enhancement Fund.

Student Assistance Program

The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a new suite of services offered under the MSU health plan. The SAP supports students through a variety of personal, academic, and life services, including psychological counseling, legal counsel,

Student LifeStudent Life

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event won Best Event Produced by an in House Team or Planner from the distinguished Canadian Event Industry Awards.

CFMU FM 93.3CFMU continued to expand its role on McMaster’s campus and in the Hamilton community. Its student volunteer team expanded, and as always CFMU featured music, issues, and multicultural programming from both the community and student body. This year was a big one for CFMU with a major rebrand in the works and the launch of their brand new multimedia focused website, planned for spring of 2017.

ClubsThe MSU facilitates more than 300 clubs on campus. In 2016, upgrades to ClubSpace included club office painting and window frosting to the outer windows. There was also a critical evaluation of ClubSpace policy. In addition to the numerous upgrades to department infrastructure, more money was allocated to MSU clubs than ever before. Over 50% of clubs received more money than they had in the past and more than half of all clubs received 100% of their funding request. Every club was given an extra $150 credit to MSU Underground Media + Design at the start of the year, and an additional $50 credit at other MSU business units. Moreover, clubs training was further improved this year. Finally, a new online club registration and election process was introduced, making it easier and faster to process club applications and integrate the approved clubs into the MSU’s Clubs Directory / Clubza.

Compass Information Centre Compass continued to be the one-stop-shop for information regarding transit, event ticketing, and campus knowledge. Options for student transit tickets available at Compass included: the HSR, Burlington Transit, GO Transit, Greyhound, and Megabus. Compass added the ability to instantly load PRESTO cards. Compass formed partnerships with both the Hamilton Bulldogs and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, along with other attractions, such as Canada’s Wonderland and African Lion Safari, to bring new and exciting entertainment to students. Its summer renovations were successful, making the storefront AODA compliant.

Creating Leadership Amongst Youth (CLAY)CLAY continued to experience a tremendous amount of growth over the course of the past year. In 2016, delegate registration was the highest in the history of the conference. With financial accessibility a central goal of the conference, the conference developed partnerships with community organizations and schools to sponsor delegates. In 2016, CLAY partnered with the Crown Ward program in Hamilton to bring 45 students to CLAY at no cost to the delegates.

Diversity Services MSU Diversity Services had a highly engaged and active year. After undergoing a complete restructuring, the service has several new executive roles and two new volunteer committees: the Community Events & Planning Committee, and the Social & Political Advocacy Committee. This year, the service has been able to gain strong volunteer support and interest from students

through programming and offering Anti-Oppressive Practices training to student groups. Diversity Services participated in the annual Indigenous Cultural Gathering, held a voluntourism campaign, hosted “Stories for the Soul” - a cultural appropriation campaign, ran a “Video on Trial” event, and facilitated a discourse addressing the election of Donald Trump. In addition, an online resources hub is in development. The annual Diversity Week ran throughout the first full week back to school in January.

Elections Department The Elections Department began its year with First Year Council elections, as well as the newly created Residence Councilor positions. The year continued with October SRA by-elections and referenda. The January MSU presidential election and referenda garnered 9327 votes, resulting in 41.6% voter turnout. This marks the fifth straight year of 40%+ voter turnout for the MSU presidential election. The Elections Department continues to facilitate a number of external elections for MSU clubs and campus societies. Additionally, the department is building on the success of two exciting initiatives from last year, designed to get students more engaged and informed about elections in the MSU. First, Elections 101 nights were held wherein students found out how to run in an election and asked any questions they had. Second, the “MSU Wants You” campaign continued, with the support of a number of different stakeholders.

Emergency First Response Team (EFRT) This year, eleven new volunteers were selected and trained. EFRT changed and improved training for volunteers, reorganized the service and replaced equipment. EFRT had a particularly strong year on a promotional front as well. The service increased its focus on mental health assistance when responding to calls and placed increased emphasis on responder self-care. EFRT attended the MIXER conference through the Association of Campus Emergency Response Teams in November. EFRT hosted the annual NCCER conference in February at McMaster University. Additionally, EFRT continued to provide excellent first aid and CPR training to the community for a low cost. Overall, call volume has been elevated in recent years but the activation of outside medical attention has remained static, meaning that people are more aware of the service and comfortable activating EFRT.

Horizons Horizons continued to receive a lot of interest from incoming students, as many people value a first year transition and orientation. The service capitalized on the success of expanded registration and developed conference sessions that emphasized themes such as community engagement and diversity. For the first time ever, Horizons partnered with Westdale Theatre to provide students with a unique off-campus experience. An ongoing focus of the conference is to seek out ways to make Horizons more financially accessible for delegates.

Mac Bread Bin Mac Bread Bin continues to provide services to address the food security needs of the McMaster community. The service made strides in increasing its advocacy efforts by collaborating with McMaster Libraries to start a canned food donation

program as a method of paying overdue fines. In addition, as the MSU works toward writing a food security policy, a large focus of the service in second semester will be collaborating with campus partners to run a food security forum. In addition to providing the Lockers of Love and Good Food Box programs, the service is looking to offer students cooking classes. A long term goal of the service is to have an established Food Collective Centre and Community Kitchen space.

Mac Farmstand Mac Farmstand ran a weekly local food market on campus from June through October, offering a wide variety of in-season fruits, vegetables, preserves and baked goods. The service made enormous strides in increasing its advocacy and education efforts by collaborating with campus stakeholders to offer a Local Food Fest, Farmstand 1A03 lectures, sustainable student workshops, and screened food related documentaries. A new addition to Mac Farmstand’s promotional efforts was the creation of the Tasty Videos series, consisting of four cooking episodes, in which great meals were made using ingredients sold at Mac Farmstand. Finally, the service created a Local Food Discount Card that supplied 10% off to 11 different restaurants and stores, focused on local food in the Hamilton community.

Macademics In its inagural year, Macademics focused on its launch and subsequent visibility on campus. The new service brought together many components of the MSU related to academics, such as the Teaching Awards Committee, operation of the MSU Course Wiki, and promotion of the McMaster course evaluations periods. The first semester Teaching Awards campaign garnered over 1000 nominations and received a record breaking number of TA nominations. Macademics hosted the first ever Wikithon where faculty and club teams registered and competed to fill out as many course wiki templates as possible, thus bolstering the depth and usefulness of the wiki.

Maccess Maccess had an exciting first full year. While waiting for a retrofit of exsiting space in MUSC to become its permanent home, Maccess offered a variety of community building and peer support hours every week via MUSC meeting rooms. From its launch in September with Humans of Maccess, a social media campaign highlighting student perspectives on disability at McMaster, to (In)Accessibility Week, an interactive and online campaign looking at the barriers students face on campus, Maccess has begun to take a role in accessibility and disability related advocacy. Maccess took ownership of its new space in MUSC B118 in February.

MACycle MACycle continued to foster relationships with both on- and off-campus partners, such as McMaster Cycling club and Social Bicycles (Sobi). In addition, there was massive growth in the co-op members and volunteers for the service. A new event hosted by the service this year was a newcomers bike repair night where emphasis was placed on connecting the MACycle service with refugees in the greater Hamilton community.

Maroons This year the Maroons were very successful in the operation of the service, and increasing its visibility on campus. During Welcome Week, the Maroons assisted at MSU, residence, and faculty events, while also hosting some of its own. Throughout the year, the Maroons continued to interact and volunteer with different MSU services and played an instrumental role in this year’s new Homecoming programming. The Maroons began a new initiative called First Year Maroons, which recruited first-year students. This program has been very successful in gathering dedicated volunteers and increasing the Maroons’ outreach to students. The Maroons continue to partner with Alumni Advancement, as well as Athletics & Recreation to enhance student life.

Peer Support Line (PSL) The Peer Support Line had a highly successful year. Usage has more than doubled compared to last year, both in calls and online chats. Volunteer hiring and training processes were refined in order to improve the quality of support provided to students who accessed PSL, particularly with respect to suicide intervention training. PSL extended its hours in November, its busiest month, remaining open until 2am on Sundays and Mondays. The Peer Support Line partnered with Mac Bread Bin for a December exam promotion, which included Study Snack Support events. At these events, study space, along with healthy food and tutors were provided. In addition, PSL and Mac Bread Bin handed out free, nutritious snacks at libraries throughout the exam period.

Queer Students Community Centre (QSCC)The Queer Students Community Centre had an exciting year. The QSCC held several events that brought hundreds of LGBTQ+ students together, including marching at the Toronto Pride Parade and Speed Friending. Mac Pride was held in early November, featuring 13 events such as the Mac Pride March and Rally and the Let’s Talk Queer series of workshops. In collaboration with the MSU’s Women and Gender Equity Network, QSCC hosted (Trans)forming Mac Week, wherein trans focused programming and events were held. The service also launched new programs and initiatives, such as providing drop-in peer support in the QSCC space, and launching the Trans Community Group, aimed at providing a safer space for trans students to meet and find community. The service has also undertaken advocacy work, such as collaborating with the University Affairs Committee to write the new Sexual and Gender Diversity Policy. In addition, QSCC is looking forward to supporting the new LGBTQ Working Group inside the President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community.

Shinerama and Terry FoxThe MSU continued to support both the Shinerama and Terry Fox initiatives in 2016. Shinerama is an annual fundraiser held by universities across the country. The primary goals of this year’s campaign were increased education about cystic fibrosis along with fundraising. The MSU’s Shinerama efforts for 2016 raised an impressive $110,000 - a figure that may continue to grow slightly over the remainder of this academic year. The Terry Fox campaign also expanded this year, as participants included more Hamilton community members.

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Spark Spark continued to grow and evolve, offering new ways to engage with the first-year community. This year, Spark introduced a first-year student formal, which boasted a turnout of 300 students. Spark’s mentorship program continued to support over 500 students, through weekly skill-building sessions with upper-year students. The online guidebooks initiative helped equip students for their first week on campus, learn more about Hamilton, and feel more confident navigating their first year at McMaster. The Wellness & Midterm Prep workshop helped students prepare for their first round of midterms. Finally, an upcoming housing workshop will prepare first-year students for their search for off-campus housing.

Student Community Support Network (SCSN) SCSN endeavoured to inform students about housing by-laws and help improve community relations. SCSN’s community connectors have been busy patrolling neighbourhoods, ensuring students are having positive interactions with the community. SCSN ran programming encouraging students to discover their city, such as taking a trip to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, and visiting a Hamilton Youth Poets Slam. Moreover, SCSN ran a new campaing this year, encouraging Cycle Your City to students.

Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) SHEC continued to offer peer-based health education and resources for McMaster students. Through highly successful programming such as the Sex 101 residence series, the service continued to deliver quality information to students about sexual health, mental health, nutrition & active living, and addictions awareness. SHEC maintains its peer support program, along with its free anonymous pregnancy testing and its collection of safe sex and menstrual items. Looking ahead, SHEC will be rebuilding its resource library to update and recognize the limitations in both the pamphlet and book offerings in the space. As well, the centre underwent some minor renovations in terms of paint and furniture, making the service more inviting and better aligned with its long-term goals.

Student Walk Home Attendant Team (SWHAT) The Student Walk Home Attendant Team (SWHAT) provided a safe walk home for students, seven days a week from 7pm-1am. This year, the focus of SWHAT was to increase volunteer commitment, by improving volunteer appreciationefforts. To that effect, SWHAT held a diverse range of events, aswell as improved the overall atmosphere while on shift in MUSC 226. SWHAT partnered with Compass Information Centre for promotional events throughout the year, such as free hot chocolate and raffles with the SWHAT Chocolate event. SWHAT held their annual November Walk-a-Thon, with all donations benefiting the Neighbour-to-Neighbour Centre.

TwelvEightyTwelvEighty continued to be the best value on campus regarding food and dining. With a revamped menu for 2016/2017, food sales reached record highs. This year’s menu featured a renewed focus on product quality, along with a variety of options for those with dietary restrictions. TwelvEighty continued the general trend away from alcohol sales, instead bolstering food quality and

event programming options. To that effect, TwelvEighty launched Ping Pong nights, which have proven very successful. Within second semester, TwelvEighty club nights have been re-imagined with better theme nights, premium contests and give-a-ways, as well as a schedule that better reflects the academic calendar.

Underground Media + DesignUnderground Media + Design continued to meet and exceed the everyday design and copy needs of McMaster students. It remains the go-to destination for both standard and large format printing, as well as general media production. Underground continued to be the central hub for advertisement and design, via its postering services and the campus screen network. During winter 2017, the Underground underwent a significant restructuring, with a focus on multimedia and design to better support student and community usage.

Union Market Union Market provided coffee, tea, snacks, light meal items and beverages at affordable, student friendly prices. Healthy and restrictive dietary options are offered. Union Market expanded its grab-and-go options, including fruit, vegetables, and yogurt. In 2017, Union Market became the first retail location at McMaster to eliminate plastic water bottles from its inventory, serving an environmentally safer alternative in boxed water. Union Market’s partnership with Donut Monster, a local Hamilton artisanal doughnut vendor, continues to be very popular with the campus marketplace.

Women and Gender Equity Network (WGEN) WGEN continued to provide a safe(r) space and peer support in MUSC 204 for all survivors of sexual assault. Its volunteer core increased to over 40 people this year. WGEN hosted a number of annual events and campaigns, some of which included the Halloween event ‘Spooptacular’, (Trans)forming Mac campaign, and an event for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women hosted with the Anti-Violence Network. A new initiative this year is the Binder Program; WGEN has partnered with a clothing company called gc2b to provide free chest binders to students. WGEN’s resource library continues to grow. To that effect, WGEN launched a ‘Pick of the Week’ photo series to highlight the new books in their resource library. The WGEN team was highly involved in the student consultation process for McMaster’s Sexual Violence Response Protocol, passed in December. WGEN will be working with the Sexual Violence Response Coordinator to educate and inform students on the policy moving forward.

Advocacy

Lobby Policies

Ancillary Fees

The Ancillary Fees policy paper was passed by the SRA on November 13, 2016. Rather than focusing on a particular group of students, this paper covered all issues related to fees at McMaster University, excluding tuition. Topics of the paper included faculty society fees, University ancillary fees, opt-out fees, residence fees, faculty-specific fees, student contribution to operating costs, graduation fees, student contribution to capital projects, Ombuds office, athletics centre, field-trip fees, textbooks, courseware, physical learning materials, digital learning materials, medical documentation, work-integrated learning fees, and grade appeal fees.

First Year Transition

This will be the final policy paper of 2017. It will be reviewed by the SRA on March 12. It will be authored by representatives from First Year Council, the University Affairs Committee, and the External Affairs Committee. This is a new policy that will make recommendations for improving the transition from high school to university - including residence, off-campus experiences, welcome week, dining, and academics.

Food Security

A new policy coming to the SRA on March 12, this paper will be prepared by the University Affairs Committee, in collaboration with Mac Bread Bin and other campus partners. The Food Security Forum on January 13, 2017 will gather feedback from students on this topic, which will be used to shape policy principles, concerns, and recommendations.

Indigenous Students

One of the papers coming to the March 11 Policy Conference concerns Indigenous student policy. Led by the External Affairs Committee, in collaboration with many Indigenous student

groups on campus, the policy will be discussed at the March 12 SRA meeting. The MSU currently has a policy titled

“Aboriginal Students”, which will be repealed when the new Indigenous Students policy is passed. This policy will focus on recommendations for Indigenous student access, campus culture, and education.

International Students

The International Students policy paper, passed by the SRA on November 13, focused on various issues surrounding international students at McMaster University. Topics included welcoming international students, integrating into the community, resources & support, communicating resources, access to healthcare, diverse recruitment, representation, visas, tuition, financial aid, and employment.

MSU Policy Conference

This past November, the MSU held its first ever Policy Conference, for the purpose of gaining feedback on three lobby policies that were later passed by the SRA. The conference consisted of a training session for delegates to familiarize themselves with the policy process, overviews of each paper, breakout sessions in which delegates were able to interact with policy authors in a small group environment, as well as a guest speaker, McMaster’s Dean of Students, Sean Van Koughnett. The conference was attended by over 50 students and all three policies were passed by the SRA on November 13. The second Policy Conference will occur on March 11, 2017.

Sexual and Gender Diversity

This paper, passed by the SRA on November 13, focused largely on issues pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community on campus. Topics of this paper included campus life & climate, classroom experience, resources & training, health services, athletics & recreation, Hamilton community, residence, and Welcome Week.

Advocacy

Advocacy is an

integral aspect of the

daily operations of the

MSU, particularly at

the level of the Board

of Directors.

For the purposes of this document, advocacy should be understood as any effort to effect change or ameliorate policies, funding levels, opportunities, programs and/or legislation as they pertain to the undergraduate students of McMaster University. The Advocacy section of the 2016/2017 MSU State of the Union is sub-divided into four parts: Lobby Policies, Internal Advocacy, Provincial Advocacy and Federal Advocacy.

Lobby policies are documents created through comprehensive committee work, via the Student Representative Assembly (SRA), to guide current and future advocacy efforts of the MSU, in general terms. Internal advocacy will refer to the work done at and within McMaster University, while provincial and federal advocacy will highlight the MSU’s efforts in regards to the governments of Ontario and Canada respectively.

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Internal Advocacy

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

McMaster University is currently in the process of revising its policy on Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities. The MSU Vice President (Education) sits on the committee charged with revision, and has encouraged changes to the exsisting policy, such as removing mandatory annual intake appointments at Student Accessibility Services, removing hand-delivery of letters to professors in order receive accommodation, outlining a clear process for retroactive accommodations, removing the requirement to disclose a Diagnostic and Statistic Manual diagnosis in order to receive accommodations, and including a structure for informal and temporary accommodations.

Academic Affairs Council

The Academic Affairs Council (AAC) is chaired by the Vice President (Education), and consists of the VP Academics or equivalents from each of McMaster’s faculty societies, as well as the Macademics Coordinator and the University Affairs Commissioner. The AAC serves as a body for best practice sharing and networking, as well as discussing shared concerns within the University. This year, the AAC focused on work-integrated learning opportunities, the learning portfolio, and best-practice sharing.

Advocacy Street Team

The MSU Advocacy Street Team is a group of passionate students who run campaigns on various advocacy initiatives throughout the year. This academic year, the Advocacy Street Team was involved in three campaigns. The annual MacTalks campaign was a success yet again, exploring mental health and illness awareness on campus. A new effort this year was the #myWILis campaign, which focused on work-integrated learning opportunities for students. Finally, the Be a Good Neighbour campaign was designed to improve student-community relations in the Ainslie Wood - Westdale community. In second semester, the Advocacy Street Team will be involved in campaigns related to the upcoming revision of the Tuition Fee Framework, and environmental sustainability on campus.

Affordability

Affordability continues to be an advocacy priority for the MSU. The MSU is pushing for increased affordability through the annual budget submission process with two distinct requests. The first is the elimination of additional tuition fees, such as the $35 Flex Plan Fee, charged to students who require tuition to be split into two separate payments. The second is the elimination of the second-year Hooker and Senate awards, reallocating $250,000 from merit based scholarships into needs-based bursaries. Both of these actions would increase affordability, and ensure that University financial aid programs are as equitable as possible.

Bus Routes

Over the summer, a proposal was made to move the 1A King bus line from its current route on King Street, Sterling Avenue, and University Avenue onto Main Street. The Board of Directors engaged in a process with the Ward 1 Councillor, Aidan Johnson to advocate for the route to remain on campus. This effort was successful; the 1A King route continues to operate through campus unabated.

Gender Neutral Washrooms

The MSU worked with the Equity and Inclusion Office, as well as Facility Services to discuss the next steps for increasing the number of gender neutral washrooms on campus. Some of the items that this group discussed include, creating a PACBIC working group for LGBTQ+ issues, (which has since come to fruition), researching building code requirements for all-gender washrooms, contacting the Ontario Human Rights Commission for recommendations, researching multi-user stall design, determining signage, and creating an educational campaign geared towards the general population.

Hamilton Advocacy Week

From January 9 - 13, the MSU engaged in its second annual Hamilton Advocacy Week, meeting with a variety of stakeholders and decision-makers in the local community. The MSU focused on achieving advocacy outcomes related to sustainability, student retention, student housing, and transportation for students. This year, lobby training for all students involved was a priority. The week of lobby efforts was accompanied by a presentation to City Council on the MSU’s municipal advocacy priorities.

Indigenous Student Advocacy

The MSU strengthened its relationship with the McMaster Indigenous Student Community Alliance (MISCA) through numerous meetings, as well as working together in talks with the President’s Office regarding issues on campus. One of the outcomes of this advocacy was the creation of the Joint Indigenous - Administration Consultation Group, which consists of various members from both University administration, the Indigenous Studies Program and Indigenous Student Services, as well as the MSU Vice President (Education). In addition to working with MISCA, the MSU strengthened its relationship with the Cooperative of Indigenous Students Students (CISSA), by working to collaborate on the upcoming MSU Indigenous Students Policy.

Learning Portfolio

The Learning Portfolio has existed at McMaster for several years, with various iterations ranging from an Avenue to Learn extension, to the most recent PebblePad. The MSU President and the Vice President (Education) sit on the Provost’s Learning Portfolio Advisory Committee, in which they have been adamant about the student dissatisfaction surrounding the

learning portfolio. In the University Budget Submission, the MSU will recommend to the University that the Learning Portfolio cease to exist in its current form.

Light Rail Transit (LRT)

In May 2015, the provincial government announced a $1.2 billion investment for the construction of the Hamilton LRT. This funding would fully cover LRT construction from McMaster University to the Queenston traffic circle, as well as a spur line from Jackson Square to the West Habour GO station. Metrolinx has recently modified the original spur line to include rapid bus transit instead of LRT, extending from up the mountain to the harbourfront. Students have long been advocates of LRT, and will continue to be advocates as City Council continues to debate construction of the LRT, despite full funding from the province. As well, the MSU has participated in the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce LRT sub-committee, lending support where necessary.

MacTalks: Beyond Conversations

From November 7 to 11, the MSU held the annual MacTalks campaign under this year’s title, “MacTalks: Beyond Conversations”. The campaign focused on highlighting the intersection of mental health and illness with other identities, and thus collaborated with a wide variety of groups on campus. In addition, leading up to the campaign, a survey was distributed regarding mental health advocacy, which was later used to shape campaign offerings. The outcomes will be used to develop specific requests to the University regarding mental health.

Medical Notes

In the summer of 2016, the Student Wellness Centre began charging $20 to students for medical notes, required to explain absences. The MSU disagreed with this charge, concerned that it would academically penalize students who could not afford the $20 charge for notes. In response, the Student Wellness Centre reversed its decision to apply this fee. Moving forward, the MSU has outlined a stance on medical notes in its Ancillary Fees policy.

Podcasted Courses

This year, many elected representatives on the SRA were interested in increasing the amount of podcasted lectures. Lectures can be “captured” using technology called “Echo 360”, which is available in close to 20 classrooms on campus. The MSU has worked with the Registrar’s Office to compile a list of lectures that could be podcasted, and in particular, worked with the Faculty of Science to inform instructors that they are able to capture lectures with minimal effort.

Strategic Mandate Agreement

At the end of the 2016/2017 academic year, McMaster University’s Strategic Mandate Agreement with the province of Ontario will expire. This document outlines the future direction

of the University in regards to institutional strengths and provincial differentiation, and is especially important with the upcoming implementation of the funding formula. The MSU will provide the University with a submission for the Strategic Mandate Agreement, with a particular focus on access for underrepresented groups.

Student Housing

This year, Hamilton City Council has entertained many motions aimed at remedying bylaw violations in the Ainslie Wood - Westdale neighbourhood. The Board of Directors has been active in working with McMaster University and city stakeholders in advocating for better community relationships and higher standards for landlords. As well, the MSU has been an advocate at the provincial level for increased tenant rights through the Landlord Tenant Board.

Student Retention

As Hamilton prepares for massive growth - particularly downtown - over the next decade, students are increasingly likely to remain within the city, post graduation. In particular, the MSU has been involved in conversations surrounding the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Economic Development, advocating for increased graduate employment efforts, in order to increase retention. As well, the MSU has been a leader in establishing a committee between councillors, the mayor, and student representatives from all three post-secondary institutions in Hamilton, in order to magnify the student voice when it comes to matters of student retention.

Student Space / Master Plan Critique

Student space has been a major focus for students over the course of the last several years. In particular, the MSU made significant strides in providing analytical evidence to prove the extent to which student feedback suggests that major upgrades are necessary. Over the course of the last two years, numerous surveys and focus groups have ascertained both quantitative and qualitative data to reinforce the need to expand space. Key takeaways include a significant desire for student study space, unprogrammed collaborative work space, multi-faith prayer space and additional recreation space, particularly for fitness programming. The MSU will develop a formal Master Plan critique, once it is approved by the McMaster Board of Governors. The critique will provide a set of recommendations to steer the McMaster University Campus Master Plan to be more student focused.

Sustainability

Internally, the MSU has been pushing for a single-use plastic water-bottle free campus, as is seen at other institutions in Ontario. The MSU will include this recommendation in its University Budget Submission this year. In addition, the MSU has advocated for sustainable materials in new and retrofitted buildings on campus. Finally, the MSU has eliminated plastic water bottle sales from Union Market.

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Teaching Evaluation

The MSU has been an active participant in the conversation on campus surrounding how to evaluate teaching, especially as it relates to student course evaluations. The MSU Vice President (Education) sits on the University Teaching Evaluations Committee, which is currently designing recommendations on how to increase the number of students who complete course evaluations, how to re-design course evaluations, implementing mid-term/formative course evaluations, and how to better use course evaluations as an assessment tool for teaching. Phase I of this committee is set to be completed in April 2017.

Tuition Task Force

A committee of the SRA, the Tuition Task Force exists to ensure advocacy on all topics related to tuition, student financial aid, and ancillary fees. This year, the Tuition Task Force was involved in efforts to improve the transparency of fees, complete policies, and tackle the MSU’s advocacy framework surrounding tuition. In the second term, the task force will focus on tuition and affordability, as it relates to specific groups, including Indigenous students and international students.

University Administration

An integral part of the MSU’s internal advocacy efforts lies with its relationship to members of the University’s senior administration. Senior administrators play a critical role in the allocation of resources on campus, as well as the direction of several departments. The MSU proudly maintains thriving relationships with all members of the University’s senior leadership team. These relationships are thanks in part to a team of administrators committed to providing a world class student experience, a strong core of MSU full-time staff providing continuity from year-to-year, and passionate group of student leaders, working in the best interest of McMaster students.

University Budget Submission

The MSU University budget submission seeks to highlight areas in which students believe the University can alter its operating budget. This year, the budget submission will focus on four main categories: sustainability, teaching & learning, student support, and affordability. The MSU will make eight recommendations surrounding the upcoming 2017/2018 budget to improve and invest in each of the aforementioned areas.

Work-Integrated Learning

From November 21 to 25, the MSU held the #myWILis campaign, alongside other schools in Ontario. The campaign specifically focused on the diversity of experiences within work-integrated learning, including service learning, experiential education, co-op, internship, and field work. During this time, the MSU publicized a survey on student experience with work-integrated learning at McMaster. This survey will be used to advocate for more work-integrated learning opportunities on campus.

Provincial Advocacy

Hamilton Post-Secondary Advisory Group (HPSAG)

The MSU has an established and long running Hamilton Post-Secondary Advisory Group, composed of the MSU, the Mohawk Students’ Association, Redeemer Student Senate, and local MPP Ted McMeekin. Local MP Filomena Tassi and Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon also join the committee on occasion. This group meets every four months to discuss student issues and the advocacy priorities of each student association within the provincial context. During the 2016/2017 year, the MSU focused advocacy efforts on funding for student services, the provincial tuition framework, and data accessibility for students entering post-secondary.

Non-Financial Barriers to Post-Secondary Education Access in Ontario

Alongside plans to make tuition free for low-income students, the provincial government is looking to eliminate non-financial barriers for underrepresented groups in Ontario’s system of post-secondary education. The MSU Vice President (Education) has been involved in round-table discussions with both the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and the Ministry of Education to bring these barriers to the forefront and advocate for policies that would seek to increase representation from these groups. Robust data accessibility, early outreach strategies, and investment into student supports have been identified as such mechanisms.

Ontario Student Grant Implementation

The “new OSAP”, including a generous grant for low-income students equal to the average cost of tuition, is due to be rolled out for students entering post-secondary education in the 2017/2018 academic year. There remain many important details within the new system to be decided. The MSU Vice President (Education) has been involved in consultation at the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development to ensure full access to the Student Access Guarantee for first-entry undergraduate students, reasonable exemptions for scholarships, and clear explanation of the grant and loan systems for students.

Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA)

The MSU participates in OUSA through the Vice President (Education), who sits on the organization’s steering committee and contributes to determining advocacy priorities and methods throughout the year. This year’s advocacy priorities included sexual violence prevention, data accessibility, the tuition framework, implementation of the new OSAP program, work-integrated learning opportunities, and funding for essential student services, such as wellness centres and accessibility centres. The MSU was involved in bringing OUSA to McMaster for its annual best-practice sharing day, as well as a very successful campus visit in October.

OUSA General Assembly

OUSA’s General Assembly is a semi-annual event that allows student delegates from each member association to gather and act as the highest governing body of the organization. In March 2016, OUSA General Assembly was held at Brock University, and the delegation passed three policy papers: Students with Disabilities, Online Learning, and Student Employment. The previous MSU Vice President (Administration) and President were authors of the Student Employment paper. In November 2016, OUSA General Assembly was held at Western University in London, and the delegation again passed three papers: Sexual Violence Prevention & Response, Ancillary Fees, and Rural & Northern Students. The MSU University Affairs Commissioner was one of the authors of the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response paper, while the Vice President (Education) and Vice President (Finance) authored the Ancillary Fees paper. In March 2017, the OUSA General Assembly will be held at Queen’s University, and three papers are slated for consideration: A Comprehensive Access Strategy, International Students, and Municipal Affairs. The Vice President (Education) will help author A Comprehensive Access Strategy, while the SRA Health Sciences caucus leader will author the International Students paper. Overall, the MSU remains a strong collaborator and contributor to OUSA policy and a leader at OUSA General Assemblies.

OUSA Provincial Lobbying Week

Each year, two leaders from each OUSA member association spend a week at Queen’s Park in Toronto to lobby the provincial government regarding student issues. This year, the week was completed from November 28 - December 1, with the MSU represented by the Vice President (Education) and the President. Priorities for this year’s advocacy week included ensuring increased tuition set-aside funds, regulations on international students, inflationary caps on tuition for domestic students, increased measures and training for sexual violence prevention on campus, and supporting Bill 76: Pathways to Post-Secondary Education Excellence Act, which focuses on data accessibility. OUSA met collectively with over 60 stakeholders, including the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, Deb Matthews.

Federal Advocacy

Federal Lobbying

At the conclusion of the 2014/2015 academic year, the MSU ended its affiliation with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), thereby leaving itself without a formal federal lobbying organization. In that time, several student associations within Ontario and elsewhere have also left CASA. Some of these associations, including the MSU, began ADVOCAN, a coalition of student associations from the U15 Canada schools. However, this year, the MSU chose not to lobby alongside ADVOCAN due to differences in student priorities. From November 14 - 18, the MSU travelled to Ottawa alongside the Wilfred Laurier University Students’ Union (WLUSU) to advocate on priorities as established jointly by the MSU and WLUSU. These priorities included International Students, Students with Disabilities, and Indigenous Students. Between the two associations, the MSU and WLUSU had over 30 meetings with stakeholders in the federal government. Indigenous Students

The Post-Secondary Student Support Program is a federal financial assistance fund that exists to alleviate financial barriers for Inuit and First Nations students wanting to access post-secondary education. During its federal advocacy week, the MSU lobbied to eliminate the cap on the program, which has been at 2% since 1996. This cap restricts growth of the program and does not match tuition, living, or population increases. On December 7, 2016, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs recommended that the Government of Canada should remove the 2% cap.

International Students

International student policy was one of the priorities for the MSU’s federal advocacy week. This advocacy effort focused on the Express Entry program, as established by the government of Canada. The MSU advocated for the creation of a separate pathway within the Express Entry program for international students, in order to make it easier to obtain work visas post-graduation, ideally leading to more permanent residents and Canadian citizens. This stance was widely echoed and there has been some movement on this priority within the government since November.

Students with Disabilities

Another priority for the MSU’s federal advocacy week, this point focused on the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. The MSU lobbied the government to both create parallel programs for students with temporary disabilities, as well as to increase the amount that these programs reimburse students for mandatory diagnostic assessments. The MSU also advocated for increased debt amnesty from the federal government for students with disabilities, by removing the 2% cap for this program.

AdvocacyAdvocacy

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Communication

Campus Screen Network

The campus screen network continues to grow in usage by both internal and external users. In partnership with Security Services, as well as the Offices of Student Affairs and Public Relations, the McMaster Students Union designed a Student Life Enhancement Fund proposal to create the system in 2012. The network grew by three screens this year. In addition, older monitors were replaced and several locations were updated with larger units. With its 32 screens in 17 major buildings across campus, the network is available for use by all departments and student groups. Underground Media + Design continued to offer advertising access on both a weekly and subscription based model, in order to provide more cost effective marketing options for internal and external clients. Costs are subsidized for MSU clubs, making the screens very accessible to student advertising. In the case of an emergency, the system can be requisitioned by Security Services to broadcast important and/or critical information or instructions.

‘MSU & You’ Radio Show

A tradition for each year’s Board of Directors, the ‘MSU & You’ radio show on CFMU 93.3FM continues every Monday from 12pm-1pm. This year, the show was equally driven by all members of the Board of Directors, with guest appearances by SRA members, and Part-Time Managers. This year’s show featured the segment, ‘Brockville news’, highlighting humorous a quirky news stories of the Vice President (Education)’s hometown. The show typically addressed current topics in the MSU and pop culture, while also introducing listeners to local and Canadian artists. The radio show attempted to have a guest each week to allow for new perspectives to be showcased.

Single Message System (SMS) Communication The MSU renewed its partnership with On Campus Text, continuing the SMS service offered to students and campus community members. With more than 7200 people registered for the MSU’s text based message system, adoption of the service amongst the student body has proven strong. MSU Administration and Campus Events use the SMS system to advertise events, promotions and important news at a rate of 1-2 texts a month to all users. The MSU will look to expand its contract with On Campus Text next year, as growth in usage by students is outpacing the MSU’s current subscription level.

Social Media Presence The MSU continued to place an emphasis on utilizing and expanding its social media presence. Through active and engaging use of both @MSU_McMaster and facebook.com/MSUMcMaster, the MSU has grown its followership considerably. Now boasting over 9700 followers, the MSU’s Twitter account is a campus staple for information, contests, give-a-ways, and updates. The MSU’s Facebook page is in excess of 8400 likes this year. The use of social media tools within individual MSU services has also grown in prominence, as Part-Time Managers received greater amounts of support and training in the conduct of their service’s social media accounts. Moreover, thanks to the MSU, partnership programs such as Welcome Week, Homecoming, Frost Week and Light Up the Night, all operate under respective hashtags, establishing greater community and popularity of the events. Finally, the MSU launched its SnapChat account this year, with the account name MSU_McMaster.

President’s Page The Board of Directors continues to make use of The Silhouette as a means of communicating timely information about projects and events in the MSU, to the student body. Located opposite the editorial inside of each issue of The Sil, the President’s Page features graphics and articles relating to issues in post-secondary education, updates on MSU events, financial reports and project briefings. The page is published weekly.

Video Production

The Communications Officer role continues to provide benefits to the organization by acting as a resource to both Administration and service mangers, in the creation of video and photography. The MSU has tripled its video output and doubled its YouTube subscribers since creating the role. In addition, MSU produced videos often average thousands of views, with some notables, such as Mac Farmstand’s “Scoring a Goal for Local Food” and Macademics’ “MACevals2016” boasting nearly 20,000 views apiece. MSU presidential election and referenda related video content generated tens of thousands of views as well. MSU video content continues to be a strong communications tool for the organization and its services.

Communication

Community Engagement

20th Annual McMasters: MSU Charity Golf Classic For the past 20 years, the MSU has hosted a charity golf tournament, with all proceeds benefiting the MSU Child Care Centre. Since 2011, the MSU’s Shinerama campaign has also benefited from the charitable efforts of the MSU. In 2016, The McMasters continued to generate proceeds to both entities, and helped contribute to the $110,000 raised by MSU Shinerama this year. The MSU is grateful for the tremendous support that campus and community partners continue to bestow on this special event.

Ainslie Wood - Westdale Community Association

The MSU spent 2016/2017 improving community relationships with permanent residents of the near-campus neighbourhood. As one example, the MSU purchased memberships for students to sit on and participate in the Ainslie Wood - Westdale Community Association (AWWCA), with the goal of strengthening the student voice in the community and facilitating relationships with members of the community.

Be a Good Neighbour Campaign

From November 28 - December 1, the External Affairs Committee and the Student Community Support Network collaborated on a campaign aimed at improving student / community relationships. This campaign highlighted bylaws that students may be unaware of, such as clearing ice and snow within 24 hours, being mindful of excess noise, and removing garbage bins from the curb by 7pm on pick-up day. As well, students were encouraged to meet their neighbours and have a discussion on how they could be a better neighbour and community member.

Change Camp

Last March, the second annual Change Camp occurred at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre in downtown Hamilton. The event discussed areas of the city of Hamilton’s evolution amongst 200+ students, McMaster staff, community members, and political representatives. From this event, a report was created with over 200 action items for improved community engagement and relationships. Over this academic year, the MSU has supported projects stemming from these recommendations, such as Hack the City. In addition, the Vice President (Education) and External Affairs Commissioner have been involved in efforts to increase follow-up for Change Camp, with the MSU hosting one of three workshops in November to work on Change Camp action items. This year’s Change Camp event will occur in spring 2017.

For Ward One - Participatory Budgeting Advisory Committee

For Ward One is the Participating Budgeting Advisory Committee (PBAC) for Hamilton’s Ward 1. The participatory budgeting process engages the community and helps Ward 1 Councillor, Aidan Johnson determine the best way to distribute the Area Rating Dollars that Ward 1 is assigned annually. As McMaster students are a key feature inside Ward 1, the MSU’s Community Engagement Coordinator has a seat on the committee. This year, the MSU emphasized student involvement in participatory budgeting. In December 2016, the MSU ran an event called “Cupcakes and Community Change” to encourage students to submit ideas for participatory budgeting, generating over 40 ideas. During the second term, the MSU will be advertising the PBAC voting period.

Network for Campus Community Partnerships The MSU has served on McMaster’s Network for Campus Community Partnerships since its inception. This year, many changes have come to the structure of the committee, most noteably the introduction of core working groups. The Vice President (Education) sits on the working group for Community Engaged Service. One project to come out of said working group was the creation of training for MSU Clubs that participate in community engagement. In addition, the MSU Community Engagement Coordinator is actively involved in the working group for Community Engaged Education.

President’s Advisory Committee on Community Relations (PACCR)

PACCR is a group of community stakeholders, consisting of the MSU, McMaster University, as well as members of the Ainslie Wood/Westdale community. Within this committee, everyone works together to strategize as to better ways the University can work with the community, and vice versa. The Ward 1 Councillor is often in attendance, so there is always an opportunity to see tangible changes on a wide scale.

President’s Council

President’s Council is a biweekly meeting of all faculty society Presidents, chaired by the MSU President. It is here where Presidents from across campus share common challenges, collaborate on various projects, and provide advice and insight on diverse student issues. By working as a team and keeping each other informed, the President’s Council builds connectivity amongst all of the faculty societies and MSU, in search of common goals.

Community Engagement

msumcmaster.ca 19state of the union | 2016/201718

The Workplace

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Compliance All volunteers and staff of the MSU are required to complete the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) modules, offered through the Equity and Inclusion Office. All AODA compliance standards must be met by 2025. The MSU has been working diligently with the Operations Coordinator to make MSU spaces barrier free, based on the recommendations given from the AODA audit conducted last year.

Central Support Staff Restructuring

Two years ago, the MSU Board of Directors created a new vision for how central support staff would be structured to better facilitate the operations of the organization. The elimination of one of the administrative assistant roles, as well as the Student Life Development Coordinator, saw the creation of the Marketing & Communications Director, the Administrative Services Coordinator and the Operations Coordinator. All roles were graded under the full-time wage evaluation system and thus far, results have been tremendous. New support and focus on providing marketing and communications support for business units has been considerable and there is increased administrative support for part-time services, clubs and the human resources of the MSU.

Communications Training

Within the context of a redesigned Part-Time Manager training, communications specific training was expanded in September 2016. Led by the Marketing & Communications Director, and the Communications Officer, PTMs worked through communications training in September, rather than the usual May training period. The new timeline, along with a smaller group sessions, was designed to allow PTMs the time to learn the administrative aspects of their respective roles first, before the detailed and nuanced training of communications work. The results have been positive, with better use of MSU communications systems, leading to increase social media and web presence.

IT Infrastructure

Led by the Network Administrator and Vice President (Finance), a sizeable review of the MSU’s network infrastructure has started to take shape. The IT infrastructure review focused on organizational standards of practice, development of new productivity tools and applications, as well as a holistic understanding of security and contingency for MSU users, both staff and students employees alike.

Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC)

The Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) has found a renewed focus on organizational compliance and developing industry leading best practices when it comes to health and safety in the various MSU workplaces. Conducting regular audits of organizational spaces and a comprehensive tracking system, the JHSC has cemented itself as a critical part of MSU infrastructure and support for the health and safety of staff and student employees.

Longitudinal Staff Feedback

For the first time in many years, the MSU Board of Directors and General Manager underwent a process of significant longitudinal staff feedback, to better understand how staff were feeling, address concerns, and develop better processes for efficiency inside the organization. This process started at the beginning of November and will be concluded by mid-February 2017. The MSU firmly believes that while ultimately it is a student organization, a culture of support and empowerment towards its staff is critical to the organization’s success.

MSU Hiring Boards

This year, the MSU continued to work towards creating a more transparent and fair selection process. The organization integrated Behaviour Descriptive Interviewing (BDI) into all Part-Time Manager and service executive hiring. BDI operates under the premise that people’s past behaviour in a similar situation is the best predictor of future performance. In addition, the MSU has revamped its website to provide better resources for students looking for employment. Students can now access information about how to craft a résumé, how to write a cover letter, and tips for preparing for an interview. Lastly, the MSU will partner with the Degroote HR Association to give commerce students the opportunity to externally audit the hiring process.

Part-Time Manager Training This year, the MSU revamped its Part-Time Manager (PTM) training, ensuring it provided staff with ongoing resources and training. Training moved away from the singular training weekend, into multiple training sessions focusing on risk management, event planning, budgeting, equitable hiring, conflict resolution, management of volunteers, goal setting and more. A new addition to training this year included parcing out formal promotions training into a stand alone module, led by the communications team. Communications training focused on MSU branding strategies, promotional tools, social media techniques, as well as public relations training. Over the winter

The Workplace The Workplace

term, the Vice President (Administration) will focus on developing a blended learning training module for PTM training for the 2017/2018 academic year.

Part-Time Wage Review

One of the most significant projects that the MSU undertook during the 2016/2017 school year was the review of all part-time wages within the organization. Previously, the system of evaluating and determining wages in the MSU was decided upon using arbitrary criteria and inconsistent measurement tools. The new system is based on pay equity and developed compensable factors as criteria for evaluation. This evaluation takes into consideration both the organizational and supervisory understanding of a job, and gives a comprehensive opportunity for employees to contribute their understanding. Wage changes, if applicable, will be implemented at the beginning of the MSU’s fiscal year on May 1, 2017.

Space Audit

In May 2016, the MSU struck a space audit committee to investigate the efficiency in which MSU spaces and capital assets are used. The committee worked throughout the summer to gather feedback from Part-Time Managers and evaluate service spaces, under the criteria of efficiency of office setup, service space requirements, storage space, and compliance with other MSU space priorities. A report was published at the end of the summer and there were three recommendations that came out of the committee’s work, ultimately approved by Executive Board. First, the MSU Maroons vacated their office and the space underwent renovations to create suitable space for the new MSU Maccess service. The Elections Department relocated inside the MSU Main Office, in order to free up office space for the new Administrative Assistant. Lastly, the long-term priorities of the MSU would be to acquire space for a peer support center, a community kitchen, permanent space for Mac Farmstand, and accessible event programming space for student groups.

Training Resources Research Assistant

Beginning in May 2016, the MSU created a student position dedicated to developing training resources for the organization. Over the summer, this position primarily focused on revamping the peer support-training weekend for service volunteers. Moreover, this position also acted as a support to MSU Diversity Services, in administering and developing tiered Anti-Oppressive Practices training, in addition to creating new peer support training for leadership conference staff members. Over the winter term, the Training Resources Research Assistant will focus on developing assessment checks for the peer support volunteers, and integrating training information to online modules. The position will be reviewed in March, evaluating the success of the new role in providing support to the Vice President (Administration), with respect to developing training and resources for volunteers and staff members.

msumcmaster.ca 21state of the union | 2016/201720

Finances

Audited Statements

The MSU’s 2015/2016 fiscal year ended with a year-over-year deficit of $192,000 taking overall net assets from about $5.8 million to just over $5.6 million. The deficit in the operating fund was $457,424, or 4.9% of revenues The organization is in a healthy financial position and chose to invest in the start-up of key programs this past year. The deficit is due to the performance of the MSU investment portfolio. During fiscal 2016, the portfolio incurred a loss of 2% (or $114,000). That said, the same portfolio earned over $495,000 of investment income in the prior fiscal year. Tracking fiscal year 2017, the same investment fund is expected to generate a revenue in excess of $300,000. The MSU remains in a very healthy financial position.

The remainder of the operating fund, consisting of discretionary spending on services, advocacy and programming, along with revenue from business units, generated a modest surplus of $20,000. With significant growth expected from the markets into 2017, the MSU expects to have a great year financially. With respect to the MSU’s audited statements presented and delivered by KPMG annually, the organization made all changes suggested by auditors, all of which were minor. The MSU will continue to ensure best practices are upheld in regards to its financial operations.

Budget Process Changes

Following recommendations from the MSU’s annual audit, the organization has begun the 2017/2018 budgeting cycle. The process will engage budget managers to determine plans and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, as well as foster a renewed focus on investing in strategic objectives for the organization, and advancing the ability for future Boards of Directors to have the flexibility to act on the mandate to which they are elected. In addition to consultation with budget managers, the MSU will also engage part-time employees and elected representatives as to the direction the organization should take.

Investment Strategy

After several years of significant financial success for the organization, the MSU is beginning to review its approach to investments. The organization has accumulated a healthy reserve, currently held in marketable securities. Moving forward, the MSU will look to make investments inside the organization, as well as the community, with a goal a creating significant impact with respect to organizational priorities. Investments will always be made with respect to ensuring a return for students, as the MSU continues to make responsible financial decisions.

Sponsorship & Donations

The MSU continues to operate the Sponsorship and Donations committee, and receives a high volume of requests. Sponsorships are requests that provide promotional opportunity, while donations are requests that provide benefit to students and the greater community. The MSU is on pace to fully distribute the $10,000 allocated to students and student groups. Pending available funds, the committee will accept requests until the end of the academic year.

Transparency / MSU Open House

The MSU consistently maintains transparency and accountability in its spending and financial affairs. This year, the MSU continued the “Your Money” infographic project, ensuring students could easily see how money is distributed within the MSU. In addition, the project was bolstered by creating a more engaging opportunity for students in the form of the MSU Open House. The Open House allowed students to walk around MUSC while viewing large format displays of all MSU, University and non-aligned fees charged to students. In addition, a complete breakdown of each MSU service was also on display. This format allowed students to critically evaluate which areas they would like to see more significant investment, as well as suggest areas where they might not be getting the value they would want. In addition, and as per usual, the MSU posted the complete audited financial statements of its previous fiscal year online, and published a review of the audited statements on the President’s Page of The Silhouette.

Finances

Conclusion

As a student union, the MSU is not alone in the challenges it faces regarding transition and continuity within the organization. The fundamental pillar of its identity, that it is run by students on a rotating basis, remains to be both the strongest asset of the organization, as well as its largest obstacle.

As such, institutional memory and a thorough transition process are cardinal to the organization’s success and relevancy. Strategy plays an important role in making positive, sustainable improvements to the organization as well. In order to secure the long-term viability of projects and initiatives, the responsible individual(s) must take the necessary steps to ensure their projects evolve in a strategic manner, whether through a comprehensive transition report, changes to Bylaws and Operating Policies, or documentation outlining a long-term plan.

The State of the Union also plays an important role in improving continuity by outlining the events and challenges of the previous year, while describing areas which warrant further attention and work. Given that the majority of terms within the MSU last a year or less, the completion of certain projects is not feasible within such a timeframe. While it is important to continuously evolve in response to student opinion, the completion of relevant projects already begun cannot be neglected.

The coming months will bring forward many new ideas, opinions, and criticisms of the MSU. As MSU members, students should immerse themselves in the debate and devote time to making an informed choice in all forthcoming elections. There are many areas in which the MSU can focus, and which priorities are eventually pursued is determined by the individuals elected to represent the student body. McMaster University boasts an abundance of different opinions and values. In order to ensure one’s views are adequately represented, it is essential to engage in the democratic process and hold elected representatives accountable.

Thank you for taking the time to read this document. Given that undergraduate years are numbered, the MSU exists to help students get the most out of the university experience. This document was established in part to help students be active participants in deciding how the MSU goes about doing just that.

Conclusion

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Appendix A

Appendix A

Breakdown of full-time undergraduate student fees (2016/2017)

A full-time student is enrolled in 18 units or more Infographic: Per Student Breakdown of MSU Operating Fee

McMaster University Fees, Approved by MSU Referenda or Quorate General Assembly: Administrative Services Fee $1.22 per unit to a maximum of 30 units

Athletics & Recreation Activity Fee $117.49

McMaster University Student Centre $0.64 per unit to a (MUSC) Operation Fee maximum of 30 units

Orientation Levy $116.74 (first time, level I only) Sports Complex Building Fee $4.72 per unit to a maximum of 30 units

Student Health Services Fee $60.10

Student Services Fee $4.58 per unit to a maximum of 30 units

MSU Fees

CFMU Operating and Capital fund $12.95

HSR Bus Pass $150.80

Marmor Operating Fund $9.22(MSU’s University yearbook)

MSU Dental Plan $120.30

MSU Health Plan $111.25

MSU Operating Fund $125.82

WUSC Refugee Scholarship $1.54

Non-MSU / Non-University Fees:

Engineers Without Borders $0.39

Incite Magazine $1.00

McMaster Marching Band $0.93

McMaster Solar Car Project $1.11

OPIRG $7.93

Faculty Society and Support Fees

Arts & Science Society $28.11

DeGroote Commerce Society $207.90

Health Sciences (Honours) Society $30 McMaster Engineering Society $192.17

McMaster Humanities Society $60

Medical Radiation Science $148.81

McMaster Science Society / Kinesilogy $51.21

McMaster Social Sciences Society $65.76

Nursing Society $197.10

Appendix B

Appendix B

MSU Operating Budget 2016/2017

Fee breakdowns are approximate and may be rounded.

Administration = majority of overhead costs and staffing across all services.

Statistics based on 2015/2016 finances (May−April).

msumcmaster.ca 25state of the union | 2016/201724

2016/2017 Approved Operating Fund: Smaller Services – Net 2016/2017 Approved Operating Fund: Larger Services – Net

1 Union Market $93,750.002 House of Games (Taro) $18,400.003 Student Wellness Centre $29,400.004 Underground Media + Design $27,500.00

5 WGEN -$13,600.006 Child Care Centre -$67,720.007 EFRT -$35,232.008 MACycle -$10,770.009 SHEC -$15.575.0010 SWHAT -$14,695.0011 Maccess -$11,750.0012 QSCC -$14,574.0013 Maroons -$17,980.0014 CLAY -$16,602.0015 Shinerama & Terry Fox -$11,470.0016 Horizons -$9,020.0017 Spark -$13,380.0018 Elections Dept. -$27,804.0019 SCSN -$29,530.0020 Macademics -$6,490.0021 Diversity Services -$26,124.0022 Mac Bread Bin -$16,645.0023 FYC -$2,020.0024 Compass Info Centre -$27,680.0025 Peer Support Line -$13,400.0026 Mac Farmstand -$10,570.0027 Ombuds Office -$65,600.00

The Silhouette

-$138,650.00

TwelvEighty

-$75,740.00

Executive

(including

OUSA)

-$453,550.00

Public Relations

-$256,354.00

Campus Events

-$493,055.00

Admin and

Operation

$1,822,500.00

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$100,000.00

$80,000.00

$60,000.00

$40,000.00

$20,000.00

$0.00

-$20,000.00

-$40,000.00

-$60,000.00

-$80,000.00

$2,000.000.00

$1,500,000.00

$1,000,000.00

$500,000.00

-$0.00

-$500,000.00

-$1,000,000.00

1 158 224 1811 252 169 235 1912 263 1710 246 2013 277 2114

msumcmaster.ca 27state of the union | 2016/201726

Appendix C: Personnel

Student Representative Assembly (SRA)(May 2016—present)

Board of Directors

Justin Monaco-Barnes MSU President

Ryan MacDonald Vice President (Finance)

Shaarujaa Nadarajah Vice President (Administration)

Blake Oliver Vice President (Education)

Nursing

Kelly Long

Allisa Ragnanan

Business

Labika Ghani Resigned October 2016

Jay Krause Resigned October 2016

Taylor Mertens

Jackie Phung Elected October 2016

Scott Robinson

Eklavya Sehrawat Elected October 2016

Engineering

Ezekiel Areghan

Jason Dales

Desmond Flowers

Sarah Kula

Maxwell Lightstone

Andrew McBride

Humanities

Esra Bengizi Resigned January 2017

Lindsay D’Souza

Zach Rudge

Science

Preethi Anbalagan

Gilbert Kobina Baiden Megan Hsu Aquino Inigo

Ryan Threndyle

Social Sciences

Gabriel Carrera Resigned October 2016

Jordan Cole

Ikram Farah

Hannah Martin Elected November 2016

Kathleen Quinn

Eric Shingleton-Smith

Health Sciences

Ashley Eom

David Lee

Arts & Science

Pearl Almeida

Appendix C Appendix C

Kinesiology

Justis Beley

Natacha Ngo

Speaker

Genya Oparin

Commissioners Standing Committee on Bylaws & Procedures: David Lee

Standing Committee on External Affairs: Victoria Liu

Standing Committee on Finance: Yelena Banjavcic

Standing Committee on Operations: Preethi Anbalagan

Standing Committee on Services: Kevan McDougall

Standing Committee on University Affairs: Megan Hsu

Executive Board

Pearl Almeida Elected June 2016

Lindsay D’Souza Resigned May 2016

Ashley Eom

Ikram Farah

Desmond Flowers

Ryan MacDonald

Justin Monaco-Barnes

Shaarujaa Nadarajah

Blake Oliver

Eric Shingleton-Smith

Part-Time Managers (PTMs)

Advocacy Coordinator Sandy Tat

Creating Leadership Taylor BridgensAmongst Youth (CLAY)

Diversity Services Ryan Deshpande (Director) Lilian Obeng (Asst Director)

Elections Department Helen Zeng (CRO) Kritika Seth (DRO)

Emergency First Stephanie Black Response Team (EFRT) Horizons Conference Raymond Khanano

Mac Bread Bin Veronica Van Der Vliet (Director) Zoe Davidson (Asst Director)

Mac Farmstand Kaitlyn Zarcone-Beam

Macademics Rohoma Zakir

Maccess Alexander Wilson

MACycle Andy Tran

Maroons Megan O’Brien

Peer Support Line (PSL) Zeinab Khawaja

Queer Students Aly KhalifaCommunity Centre (QSCC)

Shinerama / Terry Fox Samantha Jones

Spark Wid Yaseen

Student Community Support Balie Tomar Network (SCSN)

Student Health Sutina ChouEducation Centre (SHEC)

Student Walk Home Leon ZhangAttendant Team (SWHAT)

Women and Gender Equity Lainey StirlingNetwork (WGEN)

msumcmaster.ca 29state of the union | 2016/201728

First Year Council

Kristen Webster Coordinator

Selene Florean Chair

Angel Huang VP External

Grace Bryson VP Internal

Shanna Ingram VP Events

Tiffany Tse Residence Councilor: Bates

Rani Mao Residence Councilor: Brandon

Anna Mary Wilfred Residence Councilor: Edwards

Andrew Estrada Residence Councilor: Hedden

Harneet Hothi Residence Councilor: Les Prince

Alissa Liu Residence Councilor: Mary Keyes

Emma Jayne Chaikowsky Residence Councilor: Matthews

Toni-Rose Asuncian Residence Councilor: McKay

Reni Gandhi Residence Councilor: Moulton

Christy Yu Residence Councilor: Wallingford

Abdul Stoit Residence Councilor: Whidden

Ernest Wong Residence Councilor: Woodstock

New Employess Hired

Child Care Centre Dana Russell* Early Childhood Educator

Administrative Assistant Emma Ferguson

Underground Media + Design Dave DedrickManager

*Dana was hired as an ECE whilst Sherri Huffman is away on maternity leave.

Full-Time Staff

Accounts Payable/ Kevin O’Mara (5 years) Payroll Supervisor

Accounts Receivable Supervisor Sean Duncan (1 year)

Administrative Assistant Emma Ferguson (<1 year)

Administrative Services Victora Scott (9 years) Coordinator

Campus Events Director Al Legault (7 years)

Campus Events Office Manager Ian Thompson Student Opportunity Position

CFMU Administrative Director Sandeep Bhandari (19 years)

CFMU Community Mark Gonzalez Outreach Coordinator Student Opportunity Position

CFMU Program Director James Tennant (19 years)

Child Care Centre Cook Marlene James (26 years)

Child Care Centre Director Debbie Thomson (35 years)

Child Care Centre Emily Young (31 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Karen Iles (29 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Lisette Ann Madore (33 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Michelle Fairbairn (24 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Miranda Vanderveen (8 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Peggy-Sue Paterson (20 years)Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Sharon MacDougall (34 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Sherri Huffman (4 years) Early Childhood Educator

Child Care Centre Dana Russell (maternity leave) Early Childhood Educator

Clubs Administrator Jonathan Davis Student Opportunity Position

Communications Officer Sarah Mae Conrad Student Opportunity Position

Compass Manager Debbie Good (30 years)

Comptroller Maggie Gallagher (8 years)

Food and Beverage Manager Richard Haja (7 years)

General Manager John McGowan (15 years)

Marketing & Communications Michael Wooder (9 years) Director

Network Administrator Pauline Taggart (25 years)

Operations Coordinator Jess Bauman (5 years)

Silhouette Editor-in-Chief Scott Hastie Student Opportunity Position

TwelvEighty Stuart Gold (6 years) Assistant Kitchen Manager

TwelvEighty Andrej Vilks (1 year) Night Club Manager

TwelvEighty Jen Simas (3 years) Restaurant Manager

Underground Media + Design Dave Dedrick (9 years) Manager

Underground Media + Design Rebecca Arboly (5 years) Multi-Media Designer

Underground Media + Design Madeline LockeService Coordinator Student Opportunity Position Union Market Manager Shaina McDonald Student Opportunity Position

University Ombuds Carolyn Brendon (13 years)*

*Ombuds is co-funded between the MSU and McMaster University.

Appendix C Appendix C

msumcmaster.ca 31state of the union | 2016/201730

Editor Michael Wooder

Design & Layout Dave Dedrick Special Thanks John McGowan, Jess Bauman and Sarah Mae Conrad

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

state of the union | 2016/201732

msumcmaster.ca