Engineering Student Fee

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Engineering Student Fee

• Supporting student activities through a
  student-financed fund

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Presentation Outline

• History
• Goals
• Consultation
• Proposal
• Implementation
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Please ask questions after the presentation

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History

• Discussion over Canadian Federation of
  Engineering Students mailing list on mandatory
  fees at other engineering schools (fall 2001)
• Our Engineering Students Society is one of the
  few that doesnt raise money for non-academic
  purposes (e.g. vehicle projects, special events)

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History

• Fees Elsewhere
• Waterloo
• 28/year to Engineering Society
• additional amount for endowment fund
• Toronto
• 35/year to Engineering Society
• additional amount for athletics, vehicle projects

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History

• Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund
• established in Nov. 1996 by referendum
• 40 voter turnout, 80 approval
• upgrades student lab equipment
• 25/term, collected by Registrars Office, held
  by Faculty of Engineering, allocated by
  engineering students to proposals brought by
  students

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Goals

• Make ESS more efficient
• membership drive drains our resources, with this
  fee we can focus on real priorities
• stable funding, so we can budget properly
• no more need for distinction between active and
  passive members, such as two prices on
  merchandise and event tickets

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Goals

• Increase the opportunities for engineering
  students to develop skills not learned in the
  classroom, and enhance their university
  experience
• support projects that have a successful history
  of student involvement (clubs, student vehicle
  projects, Engineering Week)

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Consultation

• ESS Board of Directors
• Student Vehicle Projects
• Council of Faculty Associations
• Students Union Executive
• Engineering students at large
• Meet the ESS President Day
• Informal consultation

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Proposal

• 3.73 per engineering student per term
• Sunset clause of four years
• Allocation to be decided by a General Meeting of
  the Engineering Students Society, open to all
  engineers

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Implementation

• Referendum of engineering students
• March 4 General Meeting
• March 20 - 21 election referendum
• Registrars Office
• Faculty of Engineering
• Students Union Bylaw

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Is this legal?
• A Yes, DIE Board ruled Bylaw 8400 is
  constitutional. This bylaw covers academic fees,
  parallels our proposal. Also, the Tuition Fee
  Policy explicitly exempts SU fees and fees that
  apply only to one faculty. This fee is legal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Isnt this a cash grab?
• A No, the ESS will not directly have more money
  as a result, but money will flow to clubs and
  student projects.
• A No. It is the engineering students that
  decide whether to support this fee.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Isnt this unfair?
• A No, the current ESS membership structure is
  unfair, with only 18 of students funding the
  ESS activities which benefit all engineers.
  This fee would internalize the many positive
  externalities that the ESS provides.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Isnt this a lot of money?
• A Yes, it is. This fee would be subject to
  audits to ensure that the money is spent
  appropriately. Misuse could be grounds for
  Students Council to revoke approval for the fee.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Wont faculties use this to raise fees?
• A No. The money raised goes to the faculty
  association under a plan approved by Students
  Council. This would be student-initiated and
  student-approved. Money could not go to a
  faculty unless approved by Council.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Cant this be done with Bylaw 8400?
• A No. Bylaw 8400 creates academic fees. This
  proposal is for non-academic purposes. They are
  conceptually different and should not be mixed.
  By having two separate bylaws, we run each
  appropriately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Q Will we have to have one?
• A No. The choice is up to a faculty
  association, subject to a referendum of students
  in the faculty, with the approval of a plan by
  Students Council.

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• Other Questions?