Guidelines for Board Elections – Student

PDFGuidelines for Board Elections – Student
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PDFNomination Support Form – Student
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The Board of Governors is the governing body of the Nova Scotia Community College and establishes the policy direction for management and control of the College. The Board of Governors membership includes two Student Representatives who serve a one-year term.

  1. Representation Across the College

    For the student elections, the College will be divided into two electoral districts – Metro and Provincial. Each year, one student will be elected in each district. Because there is such a high concentration of the student population in Metro, this will provide equitable representation from across the province.

    Metro: All campuses and sites located in the Metro area.

    Provincial: Annapolis Valley Campus/COGS, Burridge Campus, Cumberland Campus, Kingstec Campus, Lunenburg Campus, Marconi Campus, Pictou Campus, Shelburne Campus, Strait Area Campus, and Truro Campus.

  2. Eligibility to Run in the Elections

    For the purposes of NSCC Board of Governor elections:

    1. A student must be currently enrolled with the College, and the period of the program of enrollment must be expected to endure for one or more years.
    2. A student is eligible to run in an election regardless of whether they are full-time or parttime, providing they meet the requirements outlined in (i) above.
    3. A student's term on the Board will not change as the result of a change in enrollment location.
  3. Eligibility to Vote

    Any student who is eligible to run in a Board Election is eligible to vote in a Board Election.

  4. Terms of Office

    Student members of the Board are appointed for a term of one year.

    Re-election: Every member of the Board has the right to be re-elected so long as they do not hold the office for more than two consecutive terms. All external Board members (external meaning those other than staff and students) are able to serve two terms; therefore we offer that same opportunity to students.

  5. How to Get Involved

    Candidates interested in running in the elections will nominate themselves. The nominee will complete a Nomination Form, which is used as his or her official entry on the Official Slate of Candidates. The entry provides each candidate with the opportunity to express his or her views and reasons for running.

    A Nomination Support Form will also be completed and submitted. This form bears the signature of your campus principal and faculty member, and is intended to initiate and confirm that a discussion has taken place regarding the time commitment to act as a Board Member. Support will not normally be withheld.

  6. Nomination Process (October 3 – October 14, 2011)

    1. Interested candidates will complete an Online Nomination Form.
    2. The Online Nomination Form will be accessible from October 3 to October 14 at 5:00 p.m.
    3. Once a nomination is submitted candidates will receive a response confirming receipt.
    4. Candidates will then be required to print a copy of the Nomination Support Form and meet with their Faculty Member and Campus Principal.
    5. Candidates must submit their signed Nomination Support Form to Christabell Pinchin, Executive Assistant, Office of the President* by October 14, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.
    6. Each Candidate is also responsible for arranging a telephone (or in-person) meeting with Christabell Pinchin prior to the Nomination Deadline of October 14, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. This meeting will give candidates a chance to review the Election Guidelines prior to the Campaigning Period.
  7. Active Campaigning (October 17 – October 30, 2011)

    Official Slate of Candidates: The Official Slate of Candidates will be posted on the NSCC website. The Official Slate of Candidates will include the Voter's Message from the Nomination Form. Candidates should note that each entry is copied as received – spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. will not be corrected. Christabell Pinchin has the authority to remove information from the Nomination Form if it is determined to be offensive or in some way contrary to the Election Guidelines. The Candidates have the option of including their e-mail addresses, facebook page, website, etc. on the Nomination Form to facilitate voter questions.

    No Time Off Granted for Campaigning: This applies equally to voters and candidates. If a candidate arrives at a campus to campaign, no re-arrangement of schedules will be made to accommodate candidate-voter contact.

    If a candidate would like to make arrangements to visit a campus outside of regular working and instructional hours, an Election Officer may provide information on how this might be achieved. The considerations of the Election Officer in performing this service would be that it is assisting the students and staff of the campus to make an informed decision in casting their votes, and that all candidates seeking to make any after hours visit receive fair treatment.

    Campaign Expenses: All candidates' notices and election materials are at their own personal expense. The College must be reimbursed by a candidate for all identifiable costs to the College associated with the production and distribution of materials and campaign messages.

    Distribution of Campaign Material: Candidates have the option to distribute campaign materials; it is not required.

    Candidate Posters: Candidates are permitted to design one poster which will be posted at campuses by Election Officers not Candidates. The poster is limited to an 8½ x 11 piece of paper. The content of the campaign material is at the discretion of the candidate. If Christabell Pinchin determines that the material is offensive or in some way contrary to the Election Guidelines the poster will not be distributed.

    Candidate posters should be emailed to Christabell Pinchin who will ensure each Election Officer receives the posters to post at their campus. Election Officers will designate public areas at the campus where election material can be posted. This will ensure the amount of space being used is not overwhelming. All candidates will have equal exposure. Posters may not be displayed until Active Campaigning begins on October 17, 201 and posters received after October 30, 2011 will not be displayed.

    Email Message to Voters: Candidates are permitted to develop one message to voters for email distribution. Candidates are not to distribute their own campaign material or messages by email; this is the responsibility of the Election Officer/Christabell Pinchin. Email messages should contain no more than 1000 characters and will be shared as received – spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. will not be corrected. Christabell Pinchin has the authority to remove information from the email message if it is determined to be offensive or in some way contrary to the Election Guidelines. The Candidates have the option of including their e-mail addresses, facebook page, website, etc. in the message. Messages must be received by October 27, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. Email messages should not contain graphics or attachments.

    Campus-specific Rules: An Election Officer has the authority to establish campus-specific rules regarding an election; i.e., posting and removing notices, and the use of campus facilities for speeches or question and answer periods (consult an Election Officer for any such rules).

  8. Candidate Behaviour

    Candidates are to adhere to Great Expectations. Any behaviour deemed inappropriate or in contradiction to the Guidelines for Board Elections – Student or Great Expectations could result in Candidates being removed from the Official Slate of Candidates. Should Candidates create Campaign Teams, it is the responsibility of the Candidate to ensure their team also understands and adheres to the Guidelines for Board Elections – Student and Great Expectations.

  9. Voting Guidelines

    A voter is permitted to cast one vote. They must vote for one candidate from the Metro Electoral District and one candidate from the Provincial Electoral District. Voting will take place online from October 31, 2011 to November 1, 2011. More details will be posted closer to the voting dates.

    Tied Vote: In the event of a tie in the College-wide vote, Christabell Pinchin will draw by lotto to determine the winning candidate.

    Acclamation: Where only one nomination is received from across the College, that candidate will be declared elected by acclamation.

    Appeals: Appeals concerning any act or decision made in implementing the guidelines for this election may be made by a candidate directly to Christabell Pinchin. All appeals must be filed with Christabell Pinchin within 5 calendar days of the voting results being released.

  10. Appointment Process

    Christabell Pinchin will present a report on the elections process, including the results of the election and the recommendations to the Board for new appointments.

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