Student Society Guidelines

The University of Guelph-Humber encourages students to Get Involved! Be Informed!

Societies at the University of Guelph-Humber are student-led groups with a specific academic focus. Societies enrich student life by providing unique opportunities for student engagement and skill development through co-curricular activities. Every academic department at the University of Guelph-Humber has at least one academic society that unites students across disciplines through activities that contribute to student learning and skills development.

Societies do not exist solely to provide extra-curricular activities; while this may be one of the many types of activities organized, a society’s main goal is to complement their academic discipline through the delivery of events and activities that enhance the student’s learning opportunities in unique ways.

Each society is supervised by a Student Life staff advisor who provides mentorship and support, ensures compliance with university policies and procedures, and administers approved funding. Each society must also secure a Faculty Advisor, whose role is to provide industry knowledge directly related to the society’s mission.

Proposals for new societies must be received each year by December 1. For more information, contact Student Life at life@guelphhumber.ca.

Society Executives and Membership

Membership must be open to all University of Guelph-Humber students. Every society must have a President, Vice President of Activities and Vice President of Communications. Societies can create additional executive positions in consultation with their Student Life staff advisor. Society executives cannot also be an executive of another society. Society executives must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Executive terms run from May 1- April 30. Executives wishing to continue in their role must re-apply. Executive positions are filled annually via an application process in the winter semester. Applications can be found on GHworks, and are due February 5. All executive positions for the following term are finalized by March 1.

Proposals for new society executive positions must be submitted to your Staff Advisor each year by December 1. For more information, contact Student Life at life@guelphhumber.ca.

Duties of President

  • Assume responsibility for the society, ensuring it is operating efficiently and effectively
  • Meet with Student Life staff advisor and Faculty Advisor on a regular basis
  • Attend and chair all society meetings
  • Coordinate filling executive positions for the following term

Duties of Vice President of Activities

  • Plan and execute all society events in collaboration with the executive team
  • Responsible for submitting the Semester Activity Plans by specified deadlines
  • Maintain detailed documentation of all events and initiatives

Duties of Vice President of Communications

  • Assume the duties of the President in their absence
  • Manage the society email account and all online communications, ensuring both executives and members are kept informed
  • Maintain all records for the society including a membership list and meeting minutes
  • Must submit all of the society’s electronic documents to Student Life staff advisor for archival purposes

Performance Expectations

Society executive members are expected to consistently contribute to the society in a positive manner and fulfill all of their duties. If there is a concern over another member’s ability to fulfill their role or responsibilities, the following steps should be followed to address the concern:

Step 1 – Address the member or involved parties in person

Step 2 – Communicate the situation to your Student Life Advisor

Step 3 – Student Life Advisor meets with the member or involved parties (if necessary)

Step 4 – Goals for performance enhancement are mutually agreed upon

Step 5 – Timely follow-up is done by the Student Life Advisor

Step 6 – Consequences will occur if the member’s behaviour has not improved

Academic Representation

Elected University of Guelph-Humber Senators are the only students recognized by the University of Guelph Senate to advocate on behalf of the University of Guelph-Humber student body with respect to academic issues.

As such, academic societies and their membership are prohibited from representing University of Guelph-Humber students on academic related issues.

Executive Training

A mandatory training for society executives will be provided in the spring by Student Life. Additionally, society executives are responsible for scheduling mandatory transition meetings at the beginning of their term with their predecessor and end of their term with their successor.

Semester Activity Plan (SAP)

All events and initiatives must receive approval by the Student Life department before proceeding. Events and initiatives should be related to the society’s mission statement. The Vice President of Activities must submit the Semester Activity Plan by the following deadlines:

  • Fall semester is due by June 15
  • Winter semester is due by December 1

The Student Life department will provide societies with a Semester Activity Plan template to be completed for each activity.

At no time will a student enter into any negotiations with a third party without the express consent of the Student Life staff advisor. Students must adhere to the Code of Student Conduct and follow all University policies and procedures.

Funding

Funding requests must be included in the Semester Activity Plan for each activity. Students are not permitted to handle cash, fundraise or manage funds through external bank accounts. Purchases of goods or services should not be made without prior approval from the Student Life department

Funding for the following will be considered:

  • Supplies and refreshments for events
  • Leadership development opportunities including, but not limited to; non-academic conferences & workshops (conference fees, travel, accommodation, etc.)
  • Promotional materials (banners, specialized signage, website hosting fees, etc.)
  • Specialized networking and employer events (beyond what Career & Placement Services currently offers)
  • Guest speakers (including gifts, food, travel, etc.)
  • Conference and competitions specific to academic programs (membership and registration fees, accommodations, travel, etc.)
  • A maximum of one team-building related activity per semester will be piloted for 2024-25. For more information on these activities, please click here.

Archived Societies

Societies that remain inactive and absent of executives for two years will be archived. Archived societies will be temporarily suspended from active operations until resources and student interest indicate a reactivation. During this period, all society assets, documents, and records will be securely stored by Student Life. Students interested in reactivating a past society would complete the same process as starting a new society by submitting the appropriate paperwork by the December 1 deadline for the following academic year.