Student Union
Strategic Plan
2015-2018
Introduction
In September 2014, the New Initiatives and Future Directions committee was struck with the mandate to engage in a year-long strategic planning process. With a diverse committee membership and support from the UPEI SU Council, they began the creation of the 2015-2018 UPEI SU Strategic Plan.
The UPEI Student Union New Initiatives and Future Directions Committee was tasked with creating a document of both long-term relevance and short-term flexibility that would strategically align with the Union’s mission, vision, and values. The challenge associated with any student union long-term strategic plan is creating a plan that will be suitable and relevant to future executive and councils.
This document seeks to outline broad organizational priorities and goals, while leaving the means and strategies up to those in office. The following strategic priorities are of the utmost importance to effectively move the University of Prince Edward Island Student Union forward.
This process began at the annual UPEI SU Council retreat, where council members were engaged in various strategic planning and visioning exercises. One of those activities included a brainstorming session where Councillors had the opportunities to share ideas, feedback, and suggestions on 4 broad categories including: the University; the Student Union; Council; and UPEI SU Business/Services. This data was then collected and categorized by NIFD.
Using the themes and data collected from the Council Retreat activity, an online survey was created and distributed to all full-time UPEI students in December 2014 via the UPEI Campus Login. This survey was available to students until the beginning of January. The responses were analyzed by NIFD and recurring themes and concerns expressed by the membership were identified so that they could be included in the strategic plan.
During the week of January 26th, 2015, the NIFD committee organized the Student Union’s first ever Outreach Week. This week allowed councillors to engage with their constituent groups through facilitated conversation starters and a newly purchased suggestion box. Those comments were then passed onto NIFD, who then developed 4 strategic pillars encompassing all areas identified by councillors, students, and key stakeholders. This plan was developed through consultation with hundreds of our members; it is based on what UPEI students want and need from their Union.
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Our Strategic Plan has 4 strategic pillars: • Building Community;
• Reputation & Representation; • Strengthening the SU; and
• Member Engagement, Satisfaction, & Success,
all with their respective goals.
A draft of this plan has been circulated to key University of Prince Edward Island staff and faculty, and we are pleased to have their full support as we continue to be an integral part of the UPEI campus. This strategy sets our ambition to be a thriving, active and inclusive student union. We believe that with a clear vision, an engaged community, and powerful voice, we can adapt to deliver relevant services, business, and opportunities for the students of UPEI.
Executive 2014-2015
Lucas MacArthur - President
Alexandra Heighington - Vice President Communication Emilie Sullivan - Vice President Student Life Travis Gordon - Vice President Academic & External
Willem MacKenzie - Vice President Finance
New Initiatives and Future Directions Committee 2014-2015
Lucas MacArthur (Chair) – President Melissa Morrow – UPEI SU General Manager
Alexandra Barry – Arts Representative Anastasia McCarvill – Science Representative
Nathan Hood – Business Representative Colin Stetson – Graduate Student Representative Luke Poirier – Graduate Student Senate Representative Akanksha (Nancy) Drotch – International Student Representative
Dylan Power – Student-at-Large
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Putting the Plan into Perspective:
This plan will be in effect until May 2018. At each Transition week the incoming executive team will draft an Executive Mandate for the current year with the assistance of the outgoing executive. These mandates will be derived from this long term strategic plan and complement and execute the broad ideas contained in this document. Each executive will have an opportunity to develop goals from this plan in relation to their respective portfolios. These will empower each executive to create a strong outline of their year in office.
This mandate will include roles and responsibilities of each executive and clear, concrete goals and initiatives for their year in office. The President will be overall responsible for the completion of the Executive Mandates. This document will be presented at the first council of the year. A full presentation and description of these year long goals will be presented, where the Council will give feedback and eventually approve. Not only will this give Council a comprehensive outline for the year ahead but will also provide a strong accountability tool.
At the annual Council Retreat held in first semester, there will be a session on creating benchmarks and how to track progress on all SU initiatives related to this plan. Students will receive regular updates on the completion of Executive Mandate goals. NIFD will play a role in all new initiatives, measuring and evaluating to ensure that all pillars of the plan are being met. The renewal process of the long-term strategic plan is outlined in the Strategic Planning Policy.
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udent Union
Long-term Strategic Plan
Executive Yearly Mandate
Our Mission:
The UPEI Student Union is a not-for-profit democratic representation of students. We are dedicated to fostering pride in the university, to the betterment of university life, and enhancing the student experience at UPEI. We value our independence as an organization while maintaining productive relationships with the university and surrounding community.
Our Vision:
As a unifying body, the UPEI Student Union strives to provide leadership to UPEI students while assisting them as they obtain the highest standards in their academic and personal life, with the purpose of enhancing their quality of life now and into the future.
Our Core Values:
Providing representation for all students while remaining transparent, honest, and accountable.
Promoting sustainable environmental, financial, and social progress with an emphasis on the participation and engagement of our members.
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Pillar 1:
Building Community
Volunteer Opportunities
Provide and facilitate outstanding external and internal student
volunteering experiences by working in partnership with the university and greater community to provide clear information on existing volunteering opportunities.
Seek opportunities for volunteer engagement wherever possible in Union-led projects; furthermore, allocating specific financial resources to recruit, retain, and reward UPEI SU volunteers.
Provide appropriate training and recognition to support effective work and sustained engagement of student volunteers. The VP Student Life portfolio must develop to incorporate and manage a higher volume of volunteer initiatives.
Increase the financial resources available to support UPEI student-led volunteer initiatives.
Building Communit
y
Volunteers are a highly important resource to both the UPEI SU and the greater community. The UPEI SU strives to implement a creative, supportive and accessible environment for skill development and relationship building through valuable volunteer opportunities.
School spirit is a vital part of developing a strong and healthy campus culture that creates the lasting experiences that enrich student life. Expanding opportunities for student involvement in UPEI athletic, recreation, cultural, and extracurricular experiences is the perpetual goal of UPEI SU. School spirit
Foster collaborative relationships between Alumni, Faculty, Residence Life, Athletics and Recreation, and the student body.
Cultivate and promote an environment in which students can take pride in their university. Improve student engagement/attendance in all UPEI SU and UPEI campus events, including, but not limiting to, welcoming new students into the UPEI community prior to arrival on campus.
Student Life
The UPEI SU strives to cater to full-time student’s needs beyond the academic, ensuring a balance of events and activities that respond to students’ educational, cultural, personal, and entertainment needs.
Create mechanisms to encourage students to bring forward new and innovative events and activities and develop mechanisms to support student-generated ideas.
Facilitate and encourage collaboration amongst different campus organizations, with UPEI Residence Life in particular.
Review all events, programs, and services to ensure their fiscal responsibility and continued relevance to students.
Increase the frequency and diversity of campus events, emphasizing inclusion and active participation.
Diversity & Equity
The UPEI SU recognizes that there is knowledge to be gained from the wide spectrum of backgrounds, lifestyles, cultural heritages, and other differences represented in our diverse campus community.
Provide services that are barrier-free and reflect the diverse cultures and identities that make up our campus community including, but not limited to, culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Responding to growing internationalization by ensuring that we provide adequate support resources and programming for international students on campus.
Regularly review and update SU policy to reflect changing cultural and social dynamics.
Ensure that all students feel welcomed and supported within the UPEI SU community and, and, as an organization, build a stronger connection between the UPEI SU and Student Diversity Office.
Building Communit
Pillar 2:
Reputation & Representation
CouncilThe UPEI SU strives to be democratic, representative, accountable, and accessible. Our governance structure should meet all of these standards, holding in consideration the views of our diverse stakeholders.
A key to our legitimacy as an actor on behalf of the students is the effectiveness of our governance; therefore, we must maintain an active, well-known, and engaged UPEI SU Council.
Provide a range of training and resources to educate councillors regarding UPEI SU constitution, bylaws and policies, and best practices in not-for-profit governance and communications.
Emphasize councillor visibility, outreach, and accountability, while developing mechanisms to effectively communicate the role of the council to constituent groups.
Critically review and evaluate the efficacy of the UPEI SU Council and Executive Committee structure.
Effective Representation
We need to ensure the needs of UPEI students are met. Part of this will be ensuring the voice of all students is heard at all levels of the University. Whether in the classroom, boardroom, City Hall, Province House or Parliament, we will have an organization where confident, well-trained representatives relay the student voice.
Ensuring that trained student representatives are at the heart of decision-making bodies and committees within the university.
Developing specialized approaches to engage specific groups of students, emphasizing adequate representation of traditionally underrepresented groups.
Communicate how and when decisions are made within the SU and gauge the impact of each decision on student life.
Reputation & Repr
Advocacy
Advocacy is a crucial factor in making tangible, constructive
improvements to student lives. Achieving positive internal and external advocacy results is a central goal of the UPEI SU. Advancing policies, contributing to discussions, and engaging with government officials, faculty and senior administration will improve the educational experience of full time students at UPEI.
Increased student involvement in the creation of UPEI SU policy priorities while focusing on communication, advocacy education, and building consensus regarding policy within the student body.
Developing relationships with key decision-makers with regards to PEI post-secondary education. The UPEI SU should be regarded as a prominent voice within this portfolio and be fully engaged on all relevant policy decisions.
Expanding our voice at the municipal, provincial, and federal government levels through effective lobbying and a positive and increased media presence emphasizing the policy priorities of the UPEI SU.
Community Outreach
We will work within our local communities to improve areas where our members reside and to enhance the relationship between our membership and the greater community. Students should be seen as positive assets to Prince Edward Island, contributing to the life of the city and province.
Establish reciprocally beneficial relationships between students and local businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
Maintain strong connections with the university and larger community, with a focus on building upon already-established partnerships with like-minded not-for-profit organizations. The Student Union will continue to run student-led fundraising campaigns with a focus on local and national campaigns.
In partnership with the University, establish a measure for the social impact of student activity in the local community and improve performance in this measure year to year.
Connect students to municipal and provincial services, while encouraging the improvement and expansion of these services to help as many
students as possible.
Reputation & Repr
Str
engthening the SU
Pillar 3:
Strengthening the SU
Sustainability
The UPEI SU will promote sustainable initiatives, as we recognize that sustainability is an essential progressive practice which will ultimately determine the success of the UPEI SU in coming years.
Fostering an increased focus on environmental sustainability, while working closely with environmentally-focused groups on campus to develop progressive environmental initiatives.
Working towards decreased reliance on SU student fees by shifting towards alternative revenue streams including, but not limited to, Student Union-run businesses, and promoting financial transparency in all SU endeavours Encouraging and heavily promoting student involvement in the UPEI SU to ensure social sustainability of the organization
The UPEI SU will be committed to supporting local businesses and services and using local products whenever possible.
Student Jobs
As a student-led organization, the UPEI SU will continue to employ UPEI students in a variety of roles within the Union.
Student employees are crucial to the success of our businesses and services, and the UPEI SU will strive to create and provide relevant student jobs that are accessible to our diverse campus.
Ensure all student employees are aware that they are ultimately held accountable to the policies and bylaws of the UPEI SU. Creating meaningful employment opportunities for students throughout all levels of the organization. In all hirings, first priority will be giving to UPEI students.
Recruit and retain skilled student employees in the pursuit of personal and organizational growth.
Invest in training and development for all staff, creating
opportunities for them to deliver excellent activities and services for students.
Businesses & Services
UPEI SU operates a number of businesses and services that enhance student experience by providing student employment opportunities and low-cost options for students on campus. Our businesses serve students by generating revenue to sustain facilities and services.
Strive to cater to the unique needs our membership to ensure overall member satisfaction. Not only improve upon existing services, but also create new services to meet the needs of our students.
Increase awareness of UPEI SU-run businesses and services and what they provide to students while consulting with students to ensure an active student voice in all business-related decisions.
All staff shall strive to hold all operations to the highest possible standards of cost-efficiency, environmental sustainability, and productivity.
Engage in a business contingency plan process to assess the feasibility of current and future operations.
Str
Member Engagement, Satisfaction & Success
Elections
The perceived value and relevance of the UPEI SU to its members must be an area of focused efforts. The engagement of students in SU elections will contribute positively to both the student body and our entire campus community. Fair, democratic election processes are the foundation of the UPEI SU.
Continue to effectively promote our nomination period to ensure that a high number of qualified candidates run in our elections, while developing strategies to increase candidate numbers.
Continue to improve upon our transition period in order to ensure an effective changeover between executives.
Develop strategies to increase student voter turnout, showcasing effective student governance.
Election regulations should be simplified, with an emphasis put on a clear and consistent process.
Communications
Students must be aware of what is taking place on campus, and should have the opportunity to engage with all levels and areas of the
university. We will seek to mobilize our student body through enhanced communication practices.
Ensure that information about events, services and programs is easily accessible to all UPEI students while developing mechanisms to ensure that students can easily provide feedback.
Further establish the UPEI SU Street Team presence to aid communication beyond the Student Centre. Expand the UPEI SU ‘s online presence, while maintaining the traditional communication methods, including face-to-face connections.
Continue to promote the UPEI SU logo through graphic and branded items. The UPEI SU needs to have an established brand identity on campus and in the community.
Develop mechanisms for UPEI SU achievements and initiatives to be communicated and showcased to the student body, as well as the greater community. Ensuring that all information is presented in a transparent and honest manner.
Pillar 4:
Health & Wellness
The UPEI SU will strive to create a safe, healthy, and caring campus for all members of our student community.
Implement projects and initiatives through the newly created Mental Health Initiatives Fund.
Seek sponsorships, donations and other opportunities to increase the value of the Mental Health Initiatives fund.
Provide access to an array of healthy, affordable, and culturally diverse food options.
Collaborate with Student Affairs, Residence Life, and other campus groups to encourage healthy lifestyles for our students while expanding the newly implemented Health & Wellness Representative position.
Student Space
The UPEI community is brought together through a variety of vibrant and multifunctional gathering spaces. We will encourage the creation of student space to fit the needs of all of our students.
Set aside financial resources to maintain and develop our physical spaces to ensure that they meet student requirements.
Have appropriate and accessible space and facilities available for all of the SU’s activities.
Increasing awareness of space availability for SU sub-organizations, while consulting with all building stakeholders.
Responsibly manage, renovate, and develop the student space in the W.A Murphy Student Centre.
UPEI Student Union
W.A Murphy Student Centre University of Prince Edward Island
550 University Ave C1A C1A 4P3 www.upeisu.ca (902) 566-0530
