University of Waterloo Federation of Students

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Federation of Students, University of Waterloo represents 20,047 full-time undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo. They market themselves on-campus as the Feds. They have an office in the University's Student Life Centre, and have nearly 20 full-time staff members.

Contents 1 Governance 2 Services 3 Bars and pubs 3.1 Liquor dispute 4 Clubs 4.1 ESA Suspension 5 Student participation 6 Representation 7 External links

[edit] Governance

The Federation is headed by a four-member executive, which includes the President, Vice-President Internal, Vice-President Administration and Finance, and Vice-President Education. These positions are elected by a vote of all Federation members in February of each year.

The Federation is governed by two bodies an elected Students' Council and a Board of Directors. Students' Council consists of the executive, student society presidents as non-voting ex-officio members and elected student councillors. Student councillors are elected by the students in various constituencies like the Faculties, affiliated Colleges, the School of Optometry, and the School of Architecture (a part of the Faculty of Engineering). These students serve one-year terms. The Board of Directors consists of the four executive and five students elected from the student councillors.

[edit] Services

The Federation runs a round-trip weekend bus service to Hamilton, London and Toronto, which it calls the Fed Bus. The Fed Bus also takes occasional trips to Ottawa. The Fed Bus service may end soon though. In May 2006 a government board ruled that the way the Fed Bus and its charter company operated contravened the law and ordered them to cease by July 31, 2006 [1]

In addition, the University of Waterloo Student Life Centre has these recognized services that are affiliated with the FEDS.

CRT - Campus Response Team

Campus Response Team is a volunteer-run body that provides first aid and CPR services at campus events. CRT volunteers attend events, ready to handle emergency situations if they arise, and constantly raise awareness of safety issues at the University of Waterloo. CRT members work in two-rescuer teams at campus events, and all members are certified to a minimum of Standard First Aid and CPR-C. CRT trains constantly to refresh and improve their skills. CRT is also equipped with a large variety of first aid supplies to ensure safe and efficient treatment.

UW Food Bank

The student-run Food Bank is a place to get some groceries for free. It's a confidential; no questions asked service. Students should never have to skip a meal if they can't afford one. The Food Bank is also the home to the UW Chapter of Meal Exchange, a program that gets students involved in unique projects to raise awareness of hunger problems and to raise food for needy groups in the local area.

GLOW - Gays and Lesbians of Waterloo

GLOW is the longest running LGBTQ organization in Canada. GLOW offer many services to the LGBTQ community including advocacy, peer-support phone line (519-888-GLOW), education and outreach, a large lending/resource library located in their community centre/office, weekly discussion groups and social/special events. GLOW strives to provide a positive environment for members of all sexualities, not just "gays" and "lesbians" as their name might suggest. (GLOW is just a nice-sounding acronym.) GLOW welcomes bicurious, bisexual, dyke, homosexual, intersexual, queer, transsexual, transgender, uncertain, undecided, and straight people, (etc.), too. GLOW's services are available to students of UW, and to the community at large. GLOW also runs a safe/positive space program called the GLOW ALLY Network.

OCD - Off Campus Dons

Off Campus Dons is a Feds service for first year students living off campus. Student volunteers organize a portion of orientation week, and plenty of social and educational events throughout the school year. Dons are upper-year students experienced with off campus living, and are here to help students get adjusted to the university and the surrounding community.

UWSP - University of Waterloo Sustainability Project

UWSP strives to increase environmental awareness, leadership, and the involvement of students in the community, thus aiming to broaden the environmental network of UW students, faculty, and administration. UWSP Coordinators facilitate individual, group, and class-related projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the University of Waterloo.

The Women's Centre

The Women's Centre is a women's centred organization who welcomes everyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, age, ability, class, ethnicity, political affiliation, marital status, number of dependents, gender orientation, religion, citizenship or any other factor that would constitute as a violation of human rights. The Centre's goal was, and still is, to be active against unfair or discriminatory treatment of women in society while recognizing and celebrating the differences between women and men.

At the October 30, 2006 Federation of Student's Annual General Meeting a majority of members voted to change the Women's Centre's name from "Womyn's Centre" to "Women's Centre".

ISC - International Student Connection

A newly formed service. The International Student Connection it the main hub for students from all over the world to get to know each other and to gather resources to help international students find their way around UW.

As of Summer 2006, The Wellness Centre and LRO - Legal Resource Office ceased operations.

[edit] Bars and pubs

The Federation operates the Bombshelter Pub (more commonly known as the Bomber), located in the Student Life Centre, as well as Federation Hall (more commonly known as Fed Hall), the largest campus nightclub in North America. Until 2004, they also operated Ground Zero, a restaurant in the Student Life Centre. The space now operates a Tim Horton's, operated by the university's Food Services. The Federation receives money from Food Services each year for the use of the space.

Until the fall of 2004, Fed Hall was subsidized by a student fee. The fee was collected to cover mortgage payments for the building, with the remainder going to subsidize operations. This subsidy averaged $80,000 in the decade until the fee was terminated. [2]

[edit] Liquor dispute

In January of 2003, administration at the university took control of, and eventually ordered closed, the liquor-serving establishments operated by the Federation in response to fights and a beating that took place following a New Years' party at Fed Hall. In response, the Federation sued the university in March of that year for $11 million, claiming the university had breached a long-standing contract. [3] The lawsuit was eventually settled and the bars reopened in June.

[edit] Clubs

The Federation is the only entity with the power to recognize the majority of clubs on campus. They supervise and fund more than 170 student clubs. Clubs must have a Federation-approved constitution, submit to financial review by the Federation, and restrict full membership to members of the Federation, among other restrictions. In return, clubs receive up to $50 per 4-month term in funding, the right to use the name "University of Waterloo," the right to book rooms on campus, and the right to have a presence at Clubs Days, an opportunity to recruit new members at the beginning of each term.

[edit] ESA Suspension

In October of 2004, the Federation suspended the Embassy Students' Association (ESA), a club on campus. The Federation provided a list of infractions, including failing to conform to financial procedures: the ESA was using a separate bank account rather than submitting its funds to the Federation; the Federation asserted it was unaware that money was being collected at ESA events. The Federation also felt that the ESA was simply a front used by a local church, 'The Embassy', for access to reduced rental fees on the Federation's night club, Fed Hall. In its defense, the ESA stated, among other things, that the Federation had, in the past, encouraged them to operate this way, and ought reasonably to have known that they were collecting money, as they had been doing so at Fed Hall, a Federation-operated establishment, for several years. The club was eventually reinstated at the end of the term, though it did not resume meeting at Fed Hall. The club was active early in 2005, but was dissolved by the Federation in April of that year over a debt issue with the university.

[edit] Student participation

In recent years, student participation in the activities of the Federation has declined significantly. Voting in executive elections has seen a downward trend from a high of more than 60% in the 1960s to approximately 17% of student members. Seats for Students' Council are more often than not filled by acclamation, if at all.

[edit] Representation

The Federation is a founding member of the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations (CASA), which represents them federally. Provincially they participate in the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. Prior to 1993, the Federation was a member of the Canadian Federation of Students. At that time, the Federation held a referendum in which 75% of its students voted to leave CFS. However, CFS contested the results of the referendum, claiming improprieties. More than three years later, CFS reversed its position and chose to ratify the results of the referendum, and the Federation was allowed to defederate from CFS. [4]

In 2003, The Federation held a referendum to determine if members were in favour of remaining in CASA. The result was close and non-binding, with less than 4% of students voting. [5] In the end, the Federation chose to remain in CASA.

[edit] External links

• Official Site
• Campus Newspaper
• University Site

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