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Computer Science Students' Association (CSSA)

Constitution and Bylaws

First Official Draft: May 10th, 2023

Last Amended: January 23, 2026

Definitions

Open Club

These clubs make up a large majority of groups on campus because their memberships are open to any undergraduate or graduate student of the University of Manitoba, so long as no less than two-thirds of the club is undergraduate students.

Executive

This is a label for individuals that take up positions at the top of the club’s management hierarchy. These individuals are the final decision-makers for the club’s business such as Operations, Finance, Events, and Marketing. Regardless of their label internally or externally, if the position is labelled as an executive to UMSU, we will view the individual as an integral position to the club who holds responsibility and oversight.

Signing Authority

This is a label for specific individuals who have authorization to sign cheques, contracts, or anything legally binding in relation the club. Usually this is in reference to individuals who have authority to manage and access bank accounts, but it can also be used in UMSU for individuals who can make contracts with UMSU.

Conflict of Interest

This conflict happens when an entity or individual becomes unreliable because of a clash between personal interests and professional duties or responsibilities. Such a conflict occurs when an organization or person has a specific interest in the outcome and serves to gain from it —such as money, status, knowledge, relationships, or reputation—which puts into question whether their actions, judgement, and/or decision-making can be neutral. (Investopedia)

Council

Any person in power that has any duties or responsibilities to the club such as executives, council members, volunteers, etc. Proxy members part of council must be Computer Science students.

Community

The members of the club which are usually the council and its members.

Member in good standing

This is the status of the member with respect to the club’s internal conduct and rules whose main purpose is to civilly govern their community.

Stakeholder

A person or group who has a vested interest in an organization and can either affect or be affected by its operations and performance. Examples can be customers, businesses, communities, or governments. (Investopedia)

CSSA

Computer Science Students’ Association

Computer Science student(s)

Faculty of Science student(s) enrolled in or intending to enroll in a Computer Science program.

Computer Science program

Any program offered by the Department of Computer Science, including joint majors, joint honors, and the Data Science program.

Section 1: Club Identity

Article 1a: Name

The name of the student club shall be Computer Science Students’ Association, also known as the CSSA.

Article 1b: Purpose

The CSSA represents the CS student body to the Computer Science Department and Faculty of Science, providing advocacy, support and community.

Article 1c: Club Status - Open

CSSA’s Club Status is Open.

Article 1d: Membership

Membership of the club is Free and lasts for a full academic year, September to August. Individuals can join via sign-up form from the executive team, at any event or through the community discord. Signup is not required to participate in the club or its activities.

CSSA will consist of the following executives members, who shall be voting members of the group as part of the council:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Director of Finances
  • Director of Lounge Affairs
  • Director of Student Affairs
  • Director of Events
  • Director of Advocacy
  • Director of Internal Affairs
  • Director of Promotions
  • Director of Technology

CSSA will consist of the following non-executives who shall be non-voting members of the group but will be involved in assisting the executives as part of the council:

Councillor

Councillors may not be on social probation and must be a Member in good standing as defined by UMSU.

Article 1e: Board of Student Groups (SSA)

This clause is active until May 1st 2026. This clause has been added for the CSSA to join the Board of Student Groups (BOSG). After May 1st 2026 this clause can be removed with no vote by the members of the CSSA.

CSSA is a student group that upholds an inclusive and diverse environment that represents a diverse community of students, to remain as such, CSSA is non-partisan and will refrain from associating with politically rooted topics unrelated to computer science and technology or University of Manitoba unions. Any stances that CSSA has will be objective and made without influence of any particular political stance

In the event where CSSA may consider that an initiative, statement or action may be political and unrelated to computer science and technology or University of Manitoba unions, they must refer to the Science Student Association (SSA) Executive Council, for review and approval before moving forward with the initiative, statement or action.

If CSSA violates any of the terms required to join the BOSG the following disciplinary actions will come into effect:

  • Upon the first violation of this constitution, CSSA will be deducted $1000 of their allotted Board of Student Group funding

  • Upon the second violation of this constitution, CSSA will be removed from the Board of Student Groups and will be denied re-application to the Board of Student Groups for 1 academic year.

Section 2: Club Executives, Councillors, and Committees

Article 2a: Terms of Office

The Terms of Office for all Executive Positions at CSSA will last for at most one year from the first day they were officially appointed. Individuals in executive roles will be dismissed from their term in office after one year, unless they have been fairly reappointed into office again.

Article 2b: Executive Officers and Duties

President

  1. Act as a signing authority for CSSA.1
  2. Be the contact person for UMSU.2
  3. Maintain frequent and punctual communication with the Faculty of Science, Department of Computer Science, UMSU, Members of Council, Members of the Association, and all other relevant parties.
  4. Attend Association of Club Executives (ACE) Meetings on behalf of CSSA or appoint a proxy to attend.3
  5. Be responsible for the overall operations of the group.
  6. Deal with issues concerning the club and its individual Members.
  7. Coordinate team-building events for Council.
  8. Serve as signing authority on any group accounts.
  9. Be a voting member of CSSA for management decisions.
  10. Call special meetings.
  11. Attend all meetings.
  12. Carry out provisions of the constitution.
  13. Ensure the group funds remain in budget with local and corporate sponsors along with the Director of Finances and Internal Affairs.
  14. Assign tasks and initiatives to Council, and set deadlines when applicable.
  15. See that tasks and initiatives undertaken by Council are completed by their deadlines.4
  16. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  17. Enforce that the transition report is done by April 30 of the Council’s term.
  18. Perform any other duties incidental to the office of the President or directed by Council.

Vice President

  1. Act as a signing authority for CSSA.1
  2. Act as the primary contact person for external communications with CSSA.
  3. Be the contact person for UMSU and SSA.
  4. Attend Association of Club Executives (ACE) Meetings on behalf of CSSA, or appoint a proxy to attend.3
  5. Attend Board of Science Groups (BOSG) Meetings on behalf of CSSA, or appoint a proxy to attend.3
  6. Ensure that all CSSA Executives have completed any training as required by UMSU and is recorded by UMSU.4
  7. Ensure Executive Officers have adequate support and resources to perform their duties.
  8. See that tasks and initiatives undertaken by Council are completed by their deadlines, when applicable.
  9. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  10. Assist the President with any of their duties as outlined above, as necessary or directed.
  11. Assume the role, duties, and ongoing tasks of the President in their absence.
  12. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Finances

  1. Act as a signing authority for CSSA.1
  2. Provide brief, regular reports on CSSA finances and expenses to Council and members of the CSSA.
  3. Be responsible for and track all funds generated by Council events.
  4. Oversee and track all of Council's expenditures.
  5. Approve or deny potential Council expenditures with discretion and with the best interests of the members of the CSSA in mind.
  6. Make available any audits of CSSA to any Student members upon request with more than two weeks of notice.
  7. Perform a year-end audit at the end of the CSSA Fiscal Year.
  8. Prepare and present the budgets for group activities.
  9. Contact UMSU, the Science Students' Association, and external sponsors for funding when appropriate.
  10. Oversee that any treasury training as required by UMSU happens for all signing authorities and is recorded with UMSU.
  11. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Lounge Affairs

  1. Act as a signing authority for CSSA.1
  2. Create a cleaning schedule for the CSSA Lounge.
  3. Monitor maintenance of the CSSA Office, CSSA Lounge, and purchase pertinent supplies when needed.
  4. Ensure appropriate reservation, organization, and signage for events that take place in the CSSA Lounge.
  5. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  6. Work with the Director of Finances and the Finance Committee to record lounge transactions.
  7. Ensure that the lounge supplies and canteen are restocked routinely.
  8. Lead the Lounge Committee, call committee meetings and delegate tasks to committee members.
  9. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Student Affairs

  1. Act as a liaison for the students towards the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and UMSU.
  2. Act as a liaison between students and Council.
  3. Stay up to date on Faculty and Senate meetings pertaining to the Computer Science program.
  4. Attend Association of Club Executives (ACE) Meetings and Department of Computer Science Meetings on behalf of the CSSA, or put fair effort into acquiring a proxy from Council.3
  5. Summarize the relevant contents of external meetings to Council.
  6. Lead relevant campaigns on issues affecting computer science students.
  7. Work with the Vice President to maintain communication with other University of Manitoba student groups.
  8. Work with the Director of Advocacy to promote opportunities of initiative/programs/organizations pertaining to where the Computer Science community is underrepresented.
  9. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  10. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Events

  1. Oversee the planning of events for computer science students.
  2. Coordinate a minimum of one event or academic initiative in each term, at the discretion of the Council.
  3. Ensure there are an adequate number of social and academic events.
  4. Work in collaboration with other groups to promote and assist with collaborative events and initiatives.
  5. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  6. Work with the Director of Finances to contact UMSU, the Science Students' Association, and external sponsors for event funding.
  7. Work with the Director of Promotions to promote CSSA events ensuring accessibility and availability.
  8. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Advocacy

If not filled by an elected executive in the CSSA elections, an elected executive of an UMSU recognized underrepresented community within the Department of Computer Science may be appointed as the Director of Advocacy for the CSSA, e.g., the Women in Computer Science Council.

  1. Act as a liaison between CSSA and UMSU community representatives: 2SLGBTQIA+, Accessibility, Black, Indigenous, International, Mature, Racialized and Women.
  2. Attend UMSU Community Assemblies.
  3. Guide the council on advocacy for underrepresented communities.
  4. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  5. Oversee the appointment of the Advocacy Committee and ensure that it is run competently, fairly, accessibly, without bias, and transparently to CSSA's members.
  6. Lead the Advocacy Committee, call meetings with, delegate tasks to, and work with committee members.
  7. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.
  8. Work with the Director of Technology and Director of Promotions to ensure that the CSSA's promotional and digital presence is accessible.

Director of Internal Affairs

  1. Ensure the Council is kept updated on ongoing council initiatives.
  2. Reserve the meeting room for CSSA executive meetings, general meetings and the CS Executive Assembly.
  3. Prepare an agenda and council package for executive meetings and distribute them to the Council at least one day prior to the meeting.
  4. Record meeting minutes during CSSA executive meetings and CS Executive Assemblies, or appoint another Council member to do so.
  5. Work with the President to assign any actionable tasks that come about in meetings to members of Council.
  6. See that tasks and initiatives undertaken by Council are completed by their deadlines, when applicable.
  7. Work with the Director of Events to reserve rooms, equipment, and/or catering for on-campus activities.
  8. Monitor applications for Councillor positions and present them for consideration at CSSA executive meetings.
  9. Manage the Councillor selection process, including communication regarding acceptance and rejection.
  10. Receive resignations of Council and inform Executives and the Computer Science student body of any such resignations.
  11. Ensure that the CSSA lounge is a safe and inclusive space.5
  12. Ensure that all CSSA Executives have completed any required training as required by UMSU.
  13. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Promotions

  1. Advertise group events and activities both digitally on CSSA's social media pages and CS Discord and physically around campus.
  2. Direct inquiries from social media channels to the appropriate Council member in a timely manner.
  3. Forward Promotion Requests from the Department and related people to the computer science community.
  4. Consult with Council to ensure initiatives are advertised both physically and digitally.
  5. Coordinate with the Director of Technology to ensure information is available on the CSSA website.
  6. Make photographs taken at group events available online and over email on request.
  7. Consult the Director of Advocacy about the accessibility of promotional graphics.
  8. Verify media consent from all event attendees prior to taking or sharing their photograph.
  9. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

Director of Technology

  1. Manage the CSSA website and ensure all information is clear and up-to-date.
  2. Coordinate with university IST and related relevant parties to administrate the CSSA’s server.
  3. Create and maintain Discord bots and related digital tools for use by the CS community.
  4. Manage any technological systems needed for use during CSSA’s events.
  5. Serve as liaison between Council and external technology service providers.
  6. Consult the Director of Advocacy about the accessibility of the CSSA website.
  7. Work with the Director of Promotions to promote all upcoming events on the CSSA website.
  8. Consult the Director of Events to ensure all events are documented on the CSSA website.
  9. Perform other duties incidental to this office within reasonable discretion as directed by the President and/or Council.

All Executives

  1. Report to council regarding their activities.
  2. Participate in voting on club related activities.
  3. Participate and assist with Group activities.
  4. Be responsible for any specific tasks delegated to them by general resolution of Council.
  5. Declare any conflicts of interest.
  6. Declare any personal or financial interest in any expenditure of the group funds.
  7. Comply with all regulations set out by the Campus Police of the Dean’s Office, specifically those concerning smoking and drinking on campus.
  8. Promote Council cohesion and a respectful atmosphere abiding by the University of Manitoba Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Policy.
  9. Refrain from drug/alcohol use or sexual activity at any CSSA event or in the CSSA lounge. Alcohol consumption is only permitted if the venue of the event distributes alcohol.
  10. Not allow any persons who are not Members of Council to use CSSA Office space in the absence of a Member of Council.
  11. Prepare, in cooperation with other executives of the same position when applicable, an orientation package for the subsequent person to fill each position.
  12. Work with the Director of Promotions to advertise initiatives on CSSA social media pages.
  13. Attend all regular meetings.
  14. Put fair effort into acquiring a proxy, in the event a voting member is unable to attend a Council meeting.

Article 2c: Executive Officer Dismissal Protocol

Executive Officer(s) that fail to uphold their basic duties outlined in Article 2b and/or violate any Governance articles in Section 4: Club Governance are subjected to temporary probation for a performance review. This performance review must be started and conducted by the President and requires a clear written assessment of the officer’s performance versus the minimum threshold of the duties that the officer must do as outlined in Article 2b and/or Section 4: Club Governance. Written assessment must be documented, dated, and stored in case the club is under investigation.

Criteria and reasoning for dismissal must not be discriminatory by nature and cannot be influenced by a person’s race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability. Exceptions can only apply if they are legitimate factors that negatively affect performance. In that case, written minutes with a cover letter explanation must be documented when performing this exception. There must always be a clear record and reason for a dismissal.

If there are no written minutes, written notice, and/or the information presented in the documents are unfaithful before the dismissal, this is considered an unfair dismissal. A club that is under investigation and found to have performed an unfair dismissal(s) will be subjected to the disciplinary items in Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

If an executive officer is dismissed, the club must follow Section 3: Club Changeover in order to follow the proper procedure(s) outlined to fill the vacant position(s).

Article 2d: Committees and Councillors

Committees

A Committee is a group of council members that forms to complete a well-defined goal. Any Executive Officer may propose a committee by outlining its purpose and the criteria of its members (if any). The Council will vote on the formation of this Committee, and upon its formation, the proposing Executive Officer will lead it.

A Committee leader has have the following duties:

  1. Appoint Committee members from Council.
  2. If applicable, announce the formation of the Committee to members of the CSSA so that they may apply for it.
  3. Outline the necessary tasks for the Committee to complete its goal.
  4. Assign tasks to Committee members.
  5. Call Committee meetings.
  6. Report on Committee activities and progress at Council meetings.
  7. Appoint a proxy Committee leader in the event that they become unavailable to lead.

If a Committee leader deems the Committee's goal to be fulfilled, they may propose its dissolution to be voted on by the Council.

Councillors

Councillors are non-voting members of council. Members of CSSA may apply for a Councillor position through an application that is publicly available throughout the year. Councillor applicants may indicate their interest to join an active committee. Once appointed by the Council, a Councillor may assume a general purpose volunteer role, or be appointed to a committee that they express interest in.

Advocacy Councillors

Advocacy Councillors with the specific role that advocate for marginalized groups. Members of CSSA will have the option to self-nominate for a Advocacy Committee position on a application form.

The marginalized groups include, but are not limited to:

  • Women's Advocate
  • Accessibility Advocate
  • 2SLGBTQIA+ Students' Advocate
  • Indigenous Students' Advocate
  • Black Students' Advocate
  • International Students' Advocate
  • Mature Students' Advocate
  • Racialized Students' Advocate

Other groups may be added at the discretion of the Director of Advocacy. An applicant must self-identify as a member of one or more of the communities to be appointed on the Advocacy Committee.

The Director of Advocacy is responsible for appointing Advocacy Councillors and overseeing the application process. Advocacy Councillors will be appointed at the end of September. The Director of Advocacy may hold additional applications throughout the academic year as required.

Dismissal of Councillors

Councillors may step down from their role voluntarily by notifying an executive member.

If necessary, the Council may vote to remove a Councillor from their role. The reason for this vote must be clearly documented, dated, and stored in case the club is under investigation. The Councillor must be notified of their possible dismissal, and of the reasons behind it, with at least two weeks' notice of the vote being conducted. During this time, the Councillor will be subject to temporary probation until Council votes to dismiss or retain them.

As in Article 2c: Executive Officer Dismissal Protocol, criteria and reasoning for dismissal must not be discriminatory by nature and cannot be influenced by a person’s race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.

Section 3: Club Changeover

Article 3a: Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest is defined as when an entity or individual becomes unreliable because of a clash between personal interests and professional duties or responsibilities. Such a conflict occurs when an organization or person has a specific interest in the outcome and serves to gain from it —such as money, status, knowledge, relationships, or reputation—which puts into question whether their actions, judgement, and/or decision-making can be neutral.

During an election process, conflicts of interest may arise. When they do, the individual who has professional duties or responsibilities related to organising the democratic election procedure must identify their conflict of interest and withdraw from the role for that particular election. This is to guarantee a fair democratic process. Failure to identify the conflict of interest and/or withdrawal from the role will be considered a violation to the club’s constitution and the club will be subjected to the disciplinary items outlined in Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Results from a Democratic Election that had a conflict of interest may be subject to be voided. A rerun of the democratic election without any conflicts of interest may begin again for the open executive position(s).

Article 3b: Chief Returning Officer Appointment

Prior to the election, the Executives agree to appoint a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) to oversee the election. This CRO ensures the election is run competently, fairly, and transparently to its members and UMSU.

To ensure the election is run fairly and transparently, the CRO must:

  • Not be a person who is running in the election.
  • Not have any conflicts of interest with the club’s management or electoral candidates. This conflict of interest is outlined in Article 3a: Conflict of Interest.
  • Be neutral and unbiased about the club and their electoral candidates in their election through their professional duties.

If a member or members of the executive team appoint CROs with a conflict of interest and continue to run elections with that conflict of interest, this is considered a violation to the constitution and the club is subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Article 3c: Chief Returning Officer Duties

The duties of the CRO are to:

  1. Oversee and administer the elections for CSSA.
  2. Publicise the elections to the membership of CSSA.
  3. Hear and decide on any appeals or complaints related to the elections.
  4. Oversee and administer the electronic system’s results for votes of the election.
  5. Announce the results of the elections and inform UMSU of who next year’s Executive will be.

Article 3d: President Appointment Procedure

All CSSA Presidential elections for the upcoming year will occur no later than March 31st on an annual basis.

Prior to the election, the Executives shall appoint a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) to oversee the elections via the procedure outlined in Article 3b: Chief Returning Officer Appointment.

Voting for the upcoming year’s President will be conducted as follows:

  1. The electoral President position must be posted adequately and competently advertised to the club’s membership at least 2 weeks in advance. This post must be shown through at least the club’s membership email list and social media.
  2. Nominations for the elected position will last for a minimum of three days. Candidates who wish to be nominated should inform the CRO during that period, and must be a member in good standing of CSSA at the time of their nomination.
  3. Each nominated candidate is allowed to campaign on behalf of themselves and any slate (or team) they are a part of during the campaigning period, which will last for at least a week.
  4. The CRO will collect a brief biography and campaign platform from each candidate and distribute them all to the club’s current membership email list of CSSA prior to voting. This list must be of members from the current academic year and any tampering of this list will void the election results as well as constitute a constitution violation.
  5. Voting will be open for at least two days, and will be held through a secure online voting platform. It has to be accessible to all members of the club.
  6. The results from the online voting platform will be collected by the CRO. These results will be sent to candidates and CSSA members.

Any tampering of the democratic voting process outlined here will constitute as a violation to the constitution and the club is subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

In the case of needing to replace the President it must trigger an election for the position with the Vice President assuming the interim position of President until a new President is elected.

Article 3e: Council Appointment Procedure

Council positions should be opened to nominations during an election period following the democratic voting process as defined in Democratic Election Procedure.

If a position is not filled during the nomination period of the election, the CRO should post an application form that closes at least 2 weeks following the conclusion of the voting process to allow the incoming team to start interviewing and appointing positions immediately at the start of their term.

Application forms should be made in collaboration with the CRO and the memebers of previous executive team that are not candidates within the election to ensure that the application form covers enough information so that the incoming team may be informed in their selections. If there are no previous executives that are not candidates within the election, the recommendation of the form should be made current President and Vice President with the best inerest of the club in mind. The application is subject to follow the procedures in Applicantion Selection Procedure.

Any tampering of the democratic election process, or the application appointment system outlined here will constitute as a violation to the constitution and the club is subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Article 3f: Council Appointment Systems

If there are open council position(s) available, positions can be appointed through either a democratic election procedure or an application selection procedure. It is up to the President to decide which procedure will best fit for the club and their community based on the status of the club at the time of council formation; however a good faith attempt must be made to complete the democratic election procedure. This is subject to Article 2d: Committees and Councillors.

Note that the criteria and reasoning for any aspects of the council appointment such as application, interviews, selection, etc. It must not be discriminatory by nature and should not factor a person’s race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability. Exceptions can only apply if they are legitimate factors that negatively affect performance. In that case, a cover letter explanation must be documented per exception.

If it is found that a council appointment was not appointed in good faith and the procedure was not followed, the action will be considered in violation of the constitution and the club will be subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Democratic Election Procedure

All CSSA Council elections for the upcoming year will occur no later than October 1st on an annual basis. Exceptions can only be made on a case-by-case basis such as an executive being dismissed.

Prior to the election, the President shall appoint a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) to oversee the elections via the procedure outlined in Article 3b: Chief Returning Officer Appointment.

Voting for the upcoming year’s Council will be conducted as follows:

  1. The vacant council position(s) must be posted adequately and competently advertised to the club’s membership at least 2 weeks in advance. This post must be shown through at least the club’s membership email list and social media.
  2. Nominations for the elected positions will last for a minimum of three days. Candidates who wish to be nominated should inform the CRO during that period, and must be a member in good standing of CSSA at the time of their nomination.
  3. Each nominated candidate is allowed to campaign on behalf of themselves and any slate (or team) they are a part of during the campaigning period, which will last for at least a week.
  4. The CRO will collect a brief biography and campaign platform from each candidate and distribute them all to the club’s current membership e-mail list of CSSA prior to voting. This list must be of members from the current academic year and any tampering of this list will void the election results as well as constitute a constitution violation.
  5. Voting will be open for at least two days, and will be held through a secure online voting platform. It has to be accessible to all members of the club.
  6. The results from the online voting platform will be collected by the CRO. These results will be sent to candidates and CSSA members.

Nominations:

  1. Nominees must have a full understanding of the constitution.
  2. Nominees must have a full understanding of any outstanding projects.
  3. Nominees may be given an interview to check their knowledge of both points 1 and 2 prior to their entry into the position.

Any tampering of the democratic voting process outlined here will constitute as a violation to the constitution and the club is subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Application Selection Procedure

All CSSA Council Positions must be filled for the upcoming year by no later than October 1st on an annual basis. Exceptions can only be made on a case-by-case basis such as an executive being dismissed.

Before advertising the vacant council position(s), the new President must appoint a Selections Committee to assist in selecting the upcoming year’s Council:

  • The appointment of the Selections Committee individuals must be chosen through a democratic vote from the previous year’s council.
  • If the Selections Committee does not consist of the new President and last year’s 10 Council Members, then this procedure cannot be enacted. In total, you will have 11 members on this committee. This is considered the general standard for the Selections Committee structure.
  • In the case that the Selections Committee cannot be appointed due to not fulfilling the requirements, the President must use the Democratic Election Procedure outlined above.

Appointment for the upcoming year’s Council will be conducted as follows:

  1. The vacant council position(s) must be posted adequately and competently advertised to the club’s membership at least 2 weeks in advance. This post must be shown through at least the club’s membership email list and social media.
  2. When gathering all of the applications, they all must be given a chance for an interview. Applications can be voided if the application’s information is objectively not considered complete.
  3. When interviewing the candidates for the vacant positions, these must be held and approached in a fair manner.
  4. Documentation for each candidate’s interview must take place for review and auditing purposes.
  5. When interviews are over, the Selections Committee must review the documentation for each candidate’s interview for the selected vacant position.
  6. Selection of candidates for the position must be agreed upon via a majority vote from the Selections Committee.
  7. The offer must be presented to the first candidate of choice.
  8. If the offer is not accepted, then the offer must be presented to the runner-up and it will continue until the list is exhausted.
  9. If the position remains vacant, the President can choose to redo the appointment procedure in this article or remove that position entirely.
  10. Once the selection process is over and the positions are filled, the new President is responsible for announcing to each candidate individually if they have gotten the position or not.

Any tampering of the process outlined here will constitute as a violation to the constitution and the club is subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

Article 3g: Executive Transition Procedure

  1. The moment an incoming executive(s) has been officially named to be appointed into their new role, the transition procedure starts immediately. Ideally, this should be around the mid-end of the Winter Term or beginning of the Summer Term.
  2. The departing executive(s) must prepare and transition the incoming executive(s) into their respective roles. This includes teaching the incoming executives about the student club, UMSU policies and procedures, and completing UMSU Administrative paperwork such as the annual club renewal.
  3. The departing executives must transition all club records, offline and online accounts, bank accounts, and materials to the incoming executives in order for them to be effective in their roles.
  4. The incoming executives are responsible for the custody of all student club records, materials, and accountability for all future financial activities of the club.
  5. The departing President and Finance executive must bring all accounts up to date by the end of the fiscal year. They must also prepare any required financial statements of the club. The old executive signing authorities' must hand over control of the club’s bank account and any related items to the new executive signing authorities.

It is imperative that signing authorities' hand over the club’s bank account on a yearly basis. If the executive team fails to take the appropriate and formal steps to transfer this authority, credit scores may be negatively affected by the bank; or the club's bank account may receive other disciplinary action from the financial institution for not taking the proper steps when transitioning their bank accounts.

The reason this is important is because personal information gets attached to bank accounts. If your name remains attached to a club's bank account after you have finished your term, you may be liable for future actions you have no part in simply because your name was left as an active member of the account.

If you are unsure about your working relationship and status with the bank, please talk to your bank's appropriate representative and they should be able to provide any and all information about your club's bank account.

Section 4: Club Governance

Article 4a: Compliance with University of Manitoba Students' Union (UMSU) Policies

CSSA will comply with the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) and follow all of its bylaws, policies, procedures, and any mandatory training workshop required. Also, CSSA will follow the policies and procedures found in the UMSU Student Clubs Policies and Procedures document.

These bylaws, policies, procedures, and workshops are designed with fostering a healthy safe environment in the clubs and protecting students. When a club does not follow the bylaws, policies, procedures, or workshops, then a club may be investigated. When being investigated, the club will comply with cooperating and providing the necessary documents as well as information. Any club that acts unfaithfully in the investigation process will be subjected to Article 4e: Violations to Constitution.

If any article in the club’s constitution is in direct conflict with Article 4a: Compliance with UMSU Policies, then Article 4a will take first priority and dismiss the effect of the other conflicting article. This is to ensure that clubs are compliant with UMSU policies which are designed to protect students.

Article 4b: Compliance to a Sexual Violence Prevention Workshop

To prevent sexual violence, CSSA council agrees to attend a sexual violence prevention workshop at UMSU’s discretion and direction. CSSA council agree to be held accountable for their community’s conduct with respect to sexual violence.

At this workshop, usually hosted by Justice for Women’s University of Manitoba Club, CSSA council agrees to learn, apply, and adapt the content in the workshop towards their own club’s community. If the Justice for Women’s University of Manitoba Club is absent, UMSU will have full discretion in determining who will host these workshops.

The completion of the workshop is required before CSSA can be recognized as a club by UMSU. This requirement must be completed before the end of the Fall semester in the academic year. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis based on Student Group Services' discretion such as timing of club renewal.

Article 4c: Compliance with University of Manitoba's Community Code of Conduct

To foster an inclusive and welcoming community, CSSA will follow the code of conduct and behaviours expected of the University of Manitoba community outlined by the University of Manitoba Administration.

Also, CSSA agrees to foster an environment that does not encourage STUDENT NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND CONCERNING BEHAVIOUR outlined by the University of Manitoba.

Article 4d: Amendments to Constitution

Any changes (amendments) to this constitution must first be presented and reviewed by UMSU Student Group Services to ensure they align with UMSU policy. Once approved by Student Group Services, the constitution must then be approved by a formal vote of the entire student club membership at a publicised meeting. This meeting can be hosted in-person or virtual.

The student club membership list is generally held by the executive council and the council is responsible for communicating these constitution changes to the members. Failure to communicate these changes and failure to host a publicised meeting qualifies as a violation to the constitution.

The proposed changes must be made available to all members of the club at least two weeks before the meeting. To vote in favour of the amendment, this vote requires the support of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting at the meeting.

After the members of the club approve the constitution, a copy of the amended constitution must be submitted to UMSU to be considered officially updated.

To prevent corruption, Section 4: Club Governance and its associated articles cannot be changed (amended). These articles can only be changed if the change is mandated by UMSU explicitly in writing or the change was first proposed to UMSU by the club’s council and the club has received explicit approval of the change by UMSU Student Group Services in writing.

Article 4e: Violations to Constitution

When an executive or multiple executives violate(s) the article(s) in this constitution, the following disciplinary actions will come into effect:

  1. To avoid any conflict of interest, UMSU oversees any violations of constitutions. Every situation will be different and thus, UMSU will always have full oversight and discretion regarding what the verdict is, when the verdict takes place, and decide if disciplinary action is necessary. This is to guarantee a fair process and the well-being of students, the club, the overall campus community, and relevant stakeholders. UMSU will be responsible for explaining the violation and the possible repercussions. UMSU will also provide recommendations for how the club can move forward after the violation and consequences are settled.
  2. To maintain equity, the severity of repercussions will depend on the weight of the constitution violation and the specifics of the situation. UMSU will act as a neutral third party in assessing the infringement and will pass down an appropriate conclusion on the matter. This will be based on precedent and UMSU bylaw parameters.
  3. Depending on the severity of the violation, CSSA may lose our recognition status, club funding, services, benefits, be expelled from UMSU, and/or receive repercussions from relevant stakeholders. Individual executive(s) may be dismissed from their term in office, lose benefits, lose services, expelled from the club, and/or receive personal repercussions from relevant stakeholders. Relevant stakeholders most importantly include the University of Manitoba Administration.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of disciplinary punishments as UMSU will have full discretion regarding the matter.

CSSA agrees and understands the content above regarding what may happen if they violate their own constitution.

Footnotes

  1. Shared with President, Vice President, Director of Lounge Affairs, and Director of Finance. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. Shared with President and Vice President ↩

  3. Shared with President, Vice President, and Director of Student Affairs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  4. Shared with President, Vice President, and Director of Internal Affairs. ↩ ↩2

  5. Shared with President, Vice President, Director of Lounge Affairs, Director of Student Affairs, Director of Events, Director of Advocacy, and Director of Internal Affairs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7