Mandate
The goal of the Campus Wellness (CW) Student Advisory Committee (SAC) is to serve as an essential mechanism for ensuring CW implements, delivers, and evaluates programs and services that meet client* needs by aiming to incorporate client voices/perspectives into everything they do.
The SAC will enhance client engagement and improve the quality of programs and services at CW by:
- Providing input on/recommendations for improving or enhancing CW services, initiatives, procedures, processes, practices etc.
- Representing client perspectives about theirs and others experiences at CW, including undergraduate and graduate students and their respective families**.
- Supporting CW to enhance its client engagement and client-centred care practices.
- Strengthening communication and collaboration with service users and non-service users.
Role and process
- The committee is an advisory body to Campus Wellness units.
- The committee is not a decision-making body.
- CW units can request to bring items to the SAC for information, consultation, deliberation, or collaboration.
- The committee is welcome to bring forward suggestions and recommendations to the chair and to the CW Senior Management Team for consideration.
Committee Structure
- Chair, Executive Director of Campus Wellness
- 12 student representatives
- Registered UWaterloo students for the duration of their term
- Includes graduate and undergraduate representatives
- Ideally 50% are current service users or have used services in the past 2 years
- Represent the diversity of UWaterloo’s student population with respect to race, ethnic origin, international status, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or disability
- Associate Directors
- Process Improvement Specialist
- Staff coordinators
The committee may invite non-committee members to attend as guests as necessary.
Duties of the chair
- Ensures the SAC functions properly, that there is full participation during meetings, that all relevant matters are discussed, and that recommendations are brought back to the CW Senior Leadership Team
- Conducts meetings according to the terms in this document, and ensures that matters are dealt with in an orderly, efficient manner
Duties of the members
As a member, you will be expected to:
- Come prepared to actively participate in-person for all scheduled committee meetings. Accommodations will be made for those members on co-op placements outside of the region.
- Review minutes and materials posted in MS Teams Channel in advance of meetings
- Represent, to the best of your ability, the views and interests of the communities you are connected with
- Respect lived experience and bring broader perspectives
- Approach one another with understanding, empathy, curiosity, and patience
- Respect the confidentiality of all sensitive information disclosed or discussed at committee meetings
Members who accept a seat on this advisory committee will serve a one-year term. If extenuating circumstances arise where a student is no longer able to fulfill the entirety of their term, they should alert the chair as soon as possible. Members may reapply to extend their term by another year up to two years total served on the committee. The SAC may retain up to 50% of eligible incumbent members to support continuity and allow space for new perspectives. Final membership decisions will be made at the discretion of the chair to ensure membership is fair, balanced, and meets the requirements outlined under Committee Structure.
If members are unable to attend a meeting, they will notify the staff coordinator in advance. Members who miss a scheduled meeting without notice will be contacted by the staff coordinator to discuss whether reasonable accommodations can be made and/or if they are unable to continue their commitment as a member.
Meeting frequency
The SAC will meet in-person three times during the academic year. Members will receive an honorarium of $360 after the third meeting for their active participation in all scheduled meetings. Students will only be compensated for the meeting hours they attend.
Recruitment and onboarding
Recruitment for a new cohort will take place once a year for a fall term start-date. Recruitment to replace inactive or withdrawn members will take place on an as-needed basis. In the event that membership is unbalanced in terms of diversity, applicants may be declined or deferred accordingly. Call for applications will open in the spring term. Final recruitment decisions will be made at the discretion of the chair to ensure recruitment is fair, balanced, and meets the requirements outlined under Committee Structure.
Students interested in joining the SAC will submit a written application identifying what perspectives, experiences and skills they bring to CW SAC.
*Client refers to any UW student who receives CW support/services or engages with any CW program.
**Families includes a student’s spouse/partner/child.
