Governance
Membership (Plenary) Structure
Membership in the Black Caucus is open to all SFU faculty, staff, and current/former students who self-identify as Black and/or African and who share the vision and mission of the Caucus. The Caucus Steering Committee shall approve Caucus members. Black Caucus members strive to meet at least once per semester to discuss updates, initiatives and deepen a sense of community by connecting with each other.
All self-Identifying Black folks interested on request Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni who sign on to our purpose, vision, statement of beliefs and values of decolonization, anti-racism, Black liberation, redress and reparations, empowerment of the marginalized.
Membership Standing Seats
Standing Positional seats on Caucus Membership
- All self-identifying Black student group executives including but not limited to SOCA, ASA, self-Identifying Black student reps from local department and faculty student unions, SFSS, SFU Senate Student Caucus, Board of Governors student rep, etc)
- Black staff and faculty hired in specific Black-community facing services and departments such as Black student office, EDI office, etc
- Representatives and groups of these organizations outlined as standing seats shall be added to the caucus membership mailing list, including organizational emails.
Membership (Plenary) Meetings
Caucus membership meets at least once or twice per semester ever as determined by the first General Membership Meeting of the Caucus for each year in January or February
Membership Annual Meeting
One of the Caucus Membership meetings Shall be determined as the Annual General meeting, preferably the second general meeting of the year where the audited financial statements must be submitted as a report and received by the membership.
Caucus Budget
The budget for the following year shall be proposed and approved at the last Membership meeting prior to the end of the year with rough financial projections and annual spending taken into account, and subsequent general meetings. Shall have periodic updates on the finances, plans and goals and report on the progress of each.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year will be determined as January to December each year.
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
- To vote
- To speak at meetings and be heard
- To have their grievances with within the University fought for by the Caucus as long as it's in line with the values and purposes of the caucus
- Others as determined by Members from time to time
MEMBERSHIP EXPULSION
- Expulsion by two thirds majority vote of Members if the constitution of the Black Caucus has been breached or if another particularly egregious act has been taken by the Member. A Member can be temporarily suspended access to the Mailing List by the Steering Committee, and matter brought to the Next scheduled Membership meeting for consideration. All and every effort must be taken to mediate the matter prior to this Membership meeting.
- The member will still be represented in the capacity as a member of the wider Black community that the Caucus will continue to fight for, however, rights of voting and others as outlined in Caucus governance documents will not be guaranteed.
- A Member expelled may request reentry after a year of removal and this may be considered by the Membership or Steering Committee.
DUTIES OF MEMBERS
- To stand in solidarity with the most marginalized within the caucus societally and at University
- To make space for others and amplify others voices
- To ensure Caucus meeting free of harassment, sexism, bullying, racism, homophobia, transphobia
- Others as determined by Members from time to time
INSTITUTIONAL LINKAGE WITH THE INSTITUTE OF DIASPORA RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT
The Institute of Diaspora Research and Engagement shall exist and operate autonomously from, and be governed independently of, the Black Caucus except where both bodies see fit to collaborate. Membership in the Institute and Caucus will overlap where members of the Institute are also Caucus members. However, Black Caucus members are not automatically members of the Institute unless approved by the Institute Steering Committee. Likewise, Institute members are not automatically Caucus members unless approved by the Caucus Steering Committee.