TERMS OF REFERENCE
FOR CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING (CEWIL ATLANTIC)
As agreed by the CEWIL Atlantic Membership, June 26, 2020.
1. TERMS OF REFERENCE, CEWIL ATLANTIC.
a) An established group, known as Co-operative Education and Work-integrated Learning – Atlantic Group, reporting to Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) shall be governed by the following Terms of Reference.
2. NAME AND MEMBERSHIP
a) Name. The Group shall be called Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Atlantic Group (CEWIL Atlantic).
b) Membership. Membership shall include co-operative education and work–integrated learning practitioners and other stakeholders who are engaged or interested in the development of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning within the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
c) Membership Categories
(i) Institutional. Institutional members are typically employed within post-secondary universities, colleges and technical institutes in the Atlantic region interested in the development of co-operative education or work- integrated learning.
(ii) Employer & Community Partners. Employer and Community Partner members are employers, government and community organizations operating in Atlantic Canada with an interest in the development of post-secondary co-operative education or work-integrated learning.
(iii) Honourary. Honourary members may be appointed for life by the Executive and for which the annual membership fee is waived. An honourary member shall be a non-voting member.
d) The membership list shall be updated annually by the four Provincial Representatives and members can opt out at any time by informing their Provincial Representative.
e) Annual Membership Fee. There is an annual fee for individual membership in CEWIL Atlantic assessed per person per year. Fees must set by a unanimous vote of the CEWIL Atlantic Executive and communicated to the membership a minimum of 30 days prior to the commencement of the membership year. The membership year will run from April 1st to March 31st annually. The Treasurer shall notify the members of fees at any time payable by them and, if any are not paid within thirty (30) days of the date of such notice the members in default shall thereupon automatically cease to be members of CEWIL Atlantic. Annual membership will not be prorated.
3. ASSOCIATION VALUES, GOALS and OBJECTIVES
a) Values. The foundational principle of CEWIL Atlantic or “raison d’etre” is that members in our association are “engaged or interested in the development of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning within Atlantic Canada. Members from institutions, organizations, employers & community partners shall have a compatible mission and/or vision and be engaged in work that is complementary or compatible not only with CEWIL Atlantic but also aligned with those of CEWIL Canada (our national association). As such, members shall adhere to CEWIL Atlantic values and shall commit to:
(i) Supporting all Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) stakeholders, with an emphasis on providing quality student learning experiences
(ii) Advancement of WIL through the development of best practices, research, committee participation, professional development, and support any collective initiatives
(iii) Abide by CEWIL Canada’s Recruitment Ethics policy and not be subject to any complaint or prosecution
(iv) Promote principles of access, diversity, equity and inclusion within the context of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning
(v) Be committed to ensuring high quality practices within Co-op and WIL programs
b) Goals. The overarching goals for CEWIL Atlantic are:
(i) To provide a forum for the discussion of ideas, concerns and recommendations related to the operation, development and growth of co-operative education and work-integrated learning in Atlantic Canada;
(ii) To provide professional development activities for the membership;
(iii) To liaise with CEWIL Canada and other appropriate government and private agencies and organizations with respect to requests, ideas, concerns and recommendations related to co-operative education and work-integrated learning;
(iv) To further develop strategies for, and to promote the philosophy of co-operative education and work-integrated learning as an integral part of the learning process in the Atlantic Region;
(v) To disseminate information related to the continuing development of co-operative education and work-integrated learning; and
(vi) To provide expertise in co-operative education and work-integrated learning to the educational system at large.
c) Objectives. Annual priorities and objectives for the group will be set annually by the CEWIL Atlantic Chair in consultation with the membership.
4. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a) The Executive Committee shall consist of a Chair, Chair Elect, Past Chair, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Officer, National Board Representative, Government Representative, Community Partner Representative and four (4) Provincial Representatives. In so far as possible, there should be at least one Executive Committee Member from each of the four Atlantic Provinces.
5. ELECTION AND TERM OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a) The Chair-Elect shall be elected by the Group for a three-year term of Chair-Elect, Chair and Past Chair at the Annual General Meeting of the group prior to June 30 each year and shall assume office effective July 1. An election shall be held for the Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Officer and Provincial Representatives at this meeting. The Government Representative and Community Partner Representative appointments shall be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting.
b) In recognition of the nature of relationship between the Executive and the Government Representative and Community Partner Representative, the Executive Committee shall be responsible for their respective appointments for a term of 1 year prior to the Annual General Meeting. The appointments will be added to the agenda of the Annual General Meeting for ratification.
c) The National Board Representative shall be voted by the CEWIL Atlantic membership in accordance to the annual voting processes and dates for the CEWIL Canada Annual General Meeting which takes place in October or November. The National Board Representative will be appointed to the CEWIL Atlantic Executive until the next CEWIL Canada Annual General Meeting.
6. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE
The term of office for each Executive position shall be a one-year term from July 1 to June 30 with the exception of the National Board Representative which is a one-year position in accordance with the election dates imposed by CEWIL Canada.
a) Chair:
(i) To call and chair all group meetings;
(ii) To be the official representative of CEWIL Atlantic at all official functions as required by the CEWIL Atlantic Executive;
(iii) To consult with the CEWIL Atlantic membership to determine priorities for the year.
b) Chair Elect:
(i) To fulfill the responsibilities of the Chair in his/her absence; and
(ii) To replace the Chair if the Chair vacates his/her office prior to the end of the term.
c) Past Chair:
(i) to act as the Nominating Officer and Chief Returning Officer in the election of the Executive Committee.
d) Executive Secretary:
(i) to be responsible for minutes at both Executive Committee and Group Meetings;
(ii) to initiate and collect membership updates from the Provincial Representatives;
(iii) to be responsible for receiving voting proxies;
(iv) to be responsible for correspondence at both the Executive and Group Level;
(v) to gather and distribute the Annual General Meeting package to the membership 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting;
(vi) to provide a history of CEWIL Atlantic by maintaining minutes of all current and past Annual General Meetings; and
(vii) to maintain the directory of the CEWIL Atlantic membership.
e) Treasurer:
(i) To be responsible for the finances of the group;
(ii) To develop a budget for the upcoming fiscal year;
(iii) To ensure all financial activities are in accordance with the mandate of the organization;
(iv) To develop statement of income and projected budget and distribute to the membership 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting; and
(v) To co-sign all cheques with one other designated member of the CEWIL Atlantic Executive Committee.
f) Communications Officer:
(i) develop a communications plan that will engage current members and attract new members;
(ii) maintain CEWIL Atlantic website;
(iii) propose new communication initiatives across various platforms including social media;
(iv) survey members regarding preferred methods of communication; and
(v) prepare emails and updates on relevant topics;
g) Provincial Representatives: (one representing each province)
(i) To be advisors and provide continuity to the Executive;
(ii) To act as Parliamentarians;
(iii) To provide the first line of communication to the Atlantic Chair;
(iv) To help evaluate, determine and facilitate their provincial professional development requirements;
(v) To contact universities/colleges in designated province to update membership list;
(vi) To provide support to new co-operative education programs within their province;
(vii) To coordinate provincial promotion of National Co-op Week and provide feedback to the CEWIL National Committee Chair; and
(viii) To prepare and deliver provincial annual report at the CEWIL Atlantic Annual General Meeting.
h) Government Representative. The Government Representative is a person within government with a mandate directly or indirectly related with the development of post-secondary co-operative education or other forms of work-integrated learning. Government representatives shall be appointed by the majority of the Board, serving office from the time of their appointment subsequent to the Annual General Meeting, and hold office until the following Annual General Meeting or until a successor is appointed.
(i) Liaise with vested government stakeholders (provincial and federal);
(ii) Represent the various interests and perspectives of government;
(iii) Perform other such duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board
(iv) Non-voting member of the Executive, but a Voting Member at the Annual General Meeting
i) Community Partner Representative. The Community Partner Representative is a person employed by an employer and/or community organizations with an interest in the development of post-secondary co-operative education or other forms of work-integrated learning. Community Partner Representatives shall be appointed by the majority of the Board, serving office from the time of their appointment subsequent the Annual General Meeting, and hold office until the following Annual General Meeting or until a successor is appointed.
(i) Represent the various interests and perspectives of community partners on the Board.
(ii) Perform other such duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board
(iii) Non-voting member of the Executive, but a Voting Member at the Annual General Meeting
j) National Board Representative:
*The National Board Representative is required to attend three National Board Meetings each year. CEWIL - Atlantic will provide a $500 allowance for each trip (up to maximum of $1500 per year). Receipts must be sent to the CEWIL Atlantic Treasurer within 30 days of each National Board Meeting for reimbursement.
(i) To represent the Atlantic Region at the national level;
(ii) To report back to CEWIL Atlantic Executive Membership within one month of each National Board Meeting on issues and updates at the national level in the form of a written report;
(iii) Seek updates, questions and comments from the Atlantic Membership prior to each National Board Meeting and report to CEWIL Canada;
(iv) To represent CEWIL Canada at regional events; and
(v) To prepare and deliver a CEWIL Canada report at the CEWIL Atlantic Annual General Meeting.
*It is advised that permission be received from the representative’s Director and/or Manager prior to volunteering for this position as expenses in excess of $500 to attend each National Board Meeting must be supported by the representative’s university/college budget.
7. NOMINATIONS
a) Nominations for the Executive Committee, in writing and signed by the nominee and one other member of CEWIL Atlantic, must be received by the Nominating Officer (Past Chair) at least 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Slate of nominations must be distributed to the membership at least 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting by the Nominating Officer.
b) The Nominating Officer may seek nominations 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting if no nominations were received for an Executive Committee position. Nominations may only be made from the floor during the Annual General Meeting if no nominations were received for an Executive Committee position through the above-mentioned processes.
8. QUORUM
a) At the Annual General Meeting, quorum shall consist of 20 CEWIL Atlantic members in order for a vote to be held (in person or through proxy vote).
9. VOTING
a) Each member of CEWIL Atlantic shall have one vote. Voting may be in person or by proxy. Proxies must be submitted in writing to the CEWIL Atlantic Executive Secretary at least seven calendar days prior to the commencement of the Annual General Meeting. Election of the Executive Committee shall be by secret ballot.
b) The majority (50 percent plus one vote) of the members at the meeting, or through proxy vote, must vote in favour for a motion to be approved. The Chair shall vote only in the case of a tie vote.
10. AMENDMENTS
a) Proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Secretary at least 30 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Proposed amendments must be sent to the membership at least 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
b) Amendments shall be presented and voted upon at the Annual General Meeting. The majority (50 percent plus one vote) of the members at the meeting must vote in favour for the proposed amendments to be adopted.
11. PROTOCOL and CONFLICT RESOLUTION
a) Unless otherwise stated in this document, all meetings and procedures shall be covered by Roberts Rules of Order (http://www.robertsrules.com/).
b) Should a conflict arise between these Terms of Reference and the CEWIL Canada By-laws, the latter will apply.
c) The Executive Committee may terminate any member of CEWIL Atlantic for any act, including but not limited to, that is prejudicial, inconsistent or not aligned with the values, goals and objects for which the association was formed. The resolution must be passed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote with quorum present at any meeting considering the resolution.
(i) Any member whose membership has been terminated or has been asked to resign shall be notified of the decision and specific reasons in writing. They shall also be afforded thirty (30) days to present their case to the Executive Committee as to why the decision or action should not have been taken. Once the presentation has been heard by the Executive Committee, the pursuant decision shall be final and binding.
(ii) The membership of an officer of the Executive Committee cannot be revoked or terminated unless they have first been removed as a member of the Executive Committee.
12. CEWIL ATLANTIC COMMITTEES
a) Committees within CEWIL Atlantic may be formed as required to complete special events, projects and initiatives. The development of these Committees will be formed and voted on during the Annual General Meeting.
b) All action items and budgets for a committee must be approved by the CEWIL Atlantic Executive before commencing.
13. FISCAL YEAR
a) The fiscal year for CEWIL Atlantic shall be June 1– May 31.
14. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) An Annual General Meeting for the membership shall be conducted once per calendar year. This meeting shall be held in the month of June, unless deemed not possible by the Executive for the given year.
b) The Annual General Meeting will allow the membership to elect the new Executive Committee Members, vote on amendments to the Terms of Reference, vote on expenditures, and accept financial information and any other matters identified by the membership.
c) The membership shall receive a slate of nominations for the Executive Committee Members, and all information which will be voted on by the active membership, at least 15 calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting.