Governance
Steering Committee Structure
Undergraduate and graduate students shall occupy the majority of seats on the Caucus Steering Committee. These shall include, but are not limited to, at least one self-identifying Black/African representative of the various student groups at SFU such as SOCA, ASA, as well as self-identifying Black/African student reps from departmental and faculty student unions, SFSS, SFU Senate Student Caucus, Board of Governors student rep, etc.), and at least 2 recent SFU alumni.
The Caucus Steering Committee shall include at least 1 self-identifying Black/African faculty member representing each Faculty at SFU including the University library (total of 9), and at least 2 self-identifying Black/African members representing SFU staff.
The Steering Committee of the Caucus and the Steering Committee of the Institute shall operate independently of each other. However, the Caucus and Institute Steering Committees shall hold joint meetings on issues of mutual concern and interest specifically in relation to achieving the goals/purposes (specified in Section C above).
The Caucus' Steering meets at least once per month with a maximum cadence of once twice per month at two possible timeframes or as voted on by the Steering . Steering meetings must still be open to all, but voting is as per the motion set by the members in the governing document if there is not a consensus among the steering on an action.
Steering Committee Mandate
- The Steering Committee derives its mandate from the membership and shall be subject to review by and accountability to membership at all times. All information at Steering Committee shall be accessible to Members unless specifically voted by the membership to keep only within steering by the membership by a limited and specific timeframe (unless the matter is specifically subject to HR or personnel matters).
- Steering Committee meetings may be attended by any member at any time, and meeting agenda and minutes of The Steering shall be sent to all members to all meetings using the membership mailing list
Steering Committee Quorum
The Quorum of a Steering Meeting is 4. At least one student and one faculty member must be in attendance.
Steering Committee Representative Positions/Officers
Representative positions within the steering committee shall be elected by the membership (or appointed within the steering committee in an acting capacity until the next membership meeting) and shall be at least the following positions: Two Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer and a Chair of Each Committee (External Universities and Black Community relations committee; University Administration Relations committee; Actions, Solidarity and Social Justice committee; Academics, Research and Mentorship committee). Representative positions may also serve as a chair of a committee. At least Two representative positions will be signing officers, and two must sign off on any expenditure of the Caucus.
Duties of Co-chairs:
- Call and Send (or delegate the sending of) notice of meetings alongside a call for agenda items, and the agenda prior to a meeting
- Ensures to organize the rest of the steering committee to ensure that directives and motions are followed upon alongside the Secretary
- Responsible for selecting or delegating the selection of the best time that steering committee and caucus membership may meet
- Work with committees to bring reports and updates at Steering Committee and Membership Meetings
TREASURER
- Prepares provisional budget for approval by the meeting of membership of the caucus
- Give reports on the use of funds by Caucus on request of any Steering member within the next two Steering committee meetings
Secretary
- Ensures the minutes and agenda are captures
- Ensures any previous directives that were not finished as action items are on upcoming agendas as Items to Report on or as Unfinished Business
- Serves as a resource person for the Caucus liaising with various departments such as the IT department to establish and institutionalize the structure of the Caucus
- Shall assist the co-chairs in ensuring proper records are kept
- Shall ensure meeting recordings are stored on an archive or vault for the purposes of record keeping at least for a 24 month period
- Ensure that minutes are kept on the Caucus website(s) and stored for the caucus and easily accessible
Governance Line of Authority
A Membership vote on a matter is of higher authority than the Steering Committee.
Membership Goals
Members shall set goals aligning alongside the committees and shall receive reports from Each committee at Membership meetings. The Steering shall ensure that there are regular updates and the various actions are taken by the committee and reported on at each Steering meeting.
Decision-Making
Decisions at steering meetings and caucus membership meetings and all caucus committees shall strive for consensus. Consensus is defined as not more than 1 tenth of the group is actively vocally opposed to a proposal or an idea.
Process of Consensus
Where consensus cannot be reached at Steering Committee meetings, membership must be canvassed for their opinion on a matter to be voted on. Where consensus still cannot be reached after member feedback is systematically sought, the Steering Committee shall decide on a matter by 2 thirds majority vote. If the Steering still cannot decide on a matter by 2 thirds majority vote, Membership may decide on the matter by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached by membership, membership shall decide on the matter by simple majority vote.
Committees shall be:
- University administration relations committee (work with the various students groups, faculty unions, any groups seeking better outcomes for Black communities to lobby and advance the work of reducing anti-Black Racism at the University and liaise with University decision making bodies to establish policy that improve the Black condition at the University).
- External Universities and Black Community relations committee (working with Black community groups at other Universities and Black led organizations external to the University community).
- Actions, Solidarity and Social Justice committee (grassroots committee) (working on statements and relations with social justice and activist organizations all around that are seeking policy outcomes that reduce the disproportionate impacts of social conditions on Black communities).
- Academics, Research and Mentorship Committee (mentoring and establishing Black research and scholarship and mentorship of students).
- Media Relations committee (overseeing Black Caucus website, newsletter, social media, and advertising).
- Ad Hoc committees for short term actions and specific events, campaigns or activities.