While the current BUSU elections are well-advertised, those who are live outside residence may not be familiar with the Residence Council elections. These take place sometime in March. There are generally four positions which a student may run for; President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and Floor Representative. To further break this down, each of the 3 Residence Halls (Flora Cowan, McMaster, and Darrach) have a President, Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer. There is a Floor Representative for each floor of each Hall, so there are typically four Floor Reps in Flora, nine Floor Reps in McMaster, and three in Darrach Hall. Being elected as Residence Council President results in being hired by the University for one academic year period, while the other positions receive an honorarium from their respective councils at the end of the fall and winter terms. It is the responsibility of the President to chair weekly council meetings, regularly report to the Director of Residence Hall Programs, and enforce the rules and regulations of the council. The Vice-President assumes the duties of the President in the case of absence, and represents their Hall at Inter-residence Meetings. The Secretary/Treasurer takes minutes at council meetings and keeps a balance of the Council’s funds and transactions. The job of a Floor Rep is to hold events for students living in Residence, such as study breaks, for example getting a group together to see a movie at the theatre, or cupcake decorating in the lounge. Floor Reps have lots of freedom to hold events they would like, being limited only by the potential cost of the activities and their creativity. The Floor Rep position is great for students who enjoy being social. All council members are also involved with the Residence Banquets. Fulfilling the expectations and responsibilities of being on Residence Council can be a great stepping stone towards building skills that look great on a resume, such as taking initiative, effective communication, and working cooperatively. Residence Council is also an excellent opportunity to learn about how meetings flow and to stay updated on what is happening within Residence. An active Council can help the Residence community flourish, and encourage students to enjoy their time living on Campus.

Republished from The Quill print edition, Volume 107, Issue 23, February 28th, 2017.