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SLP Terms of Reference
Membership
SLP members consist of self-identified University of Toronto staff whose primary career responsibility is student community development and student life. This includes working with student groups, enhancing student development opportunities, encouraging student leadership and involvement, and developing community-based initiatives to respond to student needs. Membership is drawn from across the University of Toronto colleges, faculties, and central administration.The SLP group shall conduct outreach activities to ensure that under-represented divisions or faculties with student life staff are encouraged to participate. The group shall assist new student life staff members to become oriented to the SLP group, its activities, and the University of Toronto.
Goals
- To create a broad sense of community among students at the University of Toronto, including diverse and non-traditional students;
- To integrate academic and co-curricular facets of the student experience;
- To enhance the credibility, resources and expertise of student life professionals at the University of Toronto;
- To create a culture of respect, transparency, openness and partnership between the institution and its students;
- To promote an environment that results in the development of the value system that is reflected in the university’s policy documents during students’ time at the institution
Meetings
The SLP group shall meet at least eight times a year, generally on a monthly basis. Meetings shall be rotated between the three campuses and hosted on a voluntary basis by different divisions. The SLP group shall attempt to vary the day, time and location in order to facilitate broad participation.Meetings shall follow an agenda set by the Chair in consultation with the interest groups, action groups, the secretary and the meeting host. Each meeting shall include an update on professional development activities and opportunities. Election of the chair for the upcoming year shall be held at the January meeting. The secretary shall be a staff member appointed by the Office of Student Life.
Meetings shall be conducted in a semi-formal, consensus-based manner.
Retreat
At least once a year, the SLP group will host a retreat for its members, which will focus on the following:- Identifying major issues related to student life at the University of Toronto;
- Developing specific plans for the SLP group for the upcoming year, including setting goals and planning timelines;
- Estimating funding required to accomplish these goals and establishing project funding pool/proposed funding requests for the upcoming year;
- Proposing any necessary amendments to the SLP Terms of Reference or mandate, subject to approval at a subsequent meeting.
Committees
a) Functional groups
From time to time and as required, the SLP group will form standing committees known as “functional groups” from among its members who have identified particular areas of job responsibility, interests, or groups of students to which they wish to address attention.b) Action groups
When the SLP group decides as a whole to pursue a course of action, develop a program, examine an issue, or plan an activity, it will strike an “action group” to accomplish this goal. Action groups are ad-hoc committees formed for a limited period of time in order to perform a specific task.Each group shall select one person to liaise with the SLP Chair/Secretary and coordinate the group’s meetings.
Executive
Chair
The chair of the SLP group is chosen annually from among its members. The chair’s term of office is for one year. The chair’s duties include:- Setting the meeting agenda in consultation with the interest groups, action groups, secretary and meeting host, and chairing meetings.
- Organizing the SLP annual retreat, including setting the agenda in consultation with the SLP membership, interest groups and action groups.
- With the secretary, following up with action groups to ensure goals are met.
- Requesting funding from the university and/or outside organizations on behalf of action groups when appropriate; managing a project funding pool if applicable.
Secretary
The secretary of the SLP group is a staff member appointed by the Office of Student Life. The secretary’s duties include:- Taking minutes at meetings and the annual retreat and distributing them to members via listserv;
- With the chair, setting the meeting agenda in consultation with the interest groups, action groups, meeting host;
- Maintaining the listserv membership and posting notices to the group;
- Maintaining archives related to past SLP meetings, retreats and activities.
Campus liaison
Each of the three campuses (St. George, Scarborough and Mississauga) will have one person appointed as campus liaison. The three positions are chosen annually from among its members. Their duties include:- Identifying under-represented divisions/faculties performing outreach on behalf of SLP;
- Orienting new staff to the SLP group, its activities, and helping them in orientation to the University of Toronto