AUSU Update

This space is provided free to AUSU: The Voice does not create or edit this content. Contact services@ausu.org with any questions.

IMPORTANT DATES

Dec 15: Jan degree requirements deadline
Dec 16: AUSU Public Council Meeting
Dec 20 – Jan 2: AUSU Holiday Closure
Dec 31: Deadline to apply for course extension for Feb
Jan 10: Deadline to register in a course starting Feb 1
Jan 15: Deadline for exams for courses ending Dec 2019

Chief Returning Officer Required for 2020 General Election

The Athabasca University Students’ Union (AUSU) is currently accepting applications to fill the role of Chief Returning Officer (CRO) for our upcoming 2020 General Election.

The CRO, working with AUSU staff, is responsible for monitoring all aspects of the election process, including but not limited to:

accepting nominations and verifying the eligibility of nominees;
informing candidates of campaign policy;
enforcing campaign policy;
accepting votes;
confirming voter eligibility;
confirming ballot counts from electronic voting system;
reporting election results to Council; and
conducting any election appeals, unless the CRO is the subject of the appeal.

The CRO will be provided with instructions on duties and responsibilities, election forms, and all other materials needed for the job by January 17^th, 2020, to be reviewed prior to January 24^th, 2020. There will also be a half-hour orientation session scheduled within that timeframe. The official CRO duties begin on January 24^th, 2020 corresponding with the beginning of the call for nominations for the election. The CRO position will continue until approximately March 12^th, 2020, which is the end of the initial appeals period. In the event of an appeal, the position may extend 1-2 weeks longer to conduct the appeal. The anticipated time commitment is approximately 35 – 50 hours within the 7 to 9-week period.

The CRO position can be performed from any location, but requires telephone, email, and internet capability. The CRO must be available to respond to inquiries within 1 business day (in some cases during the AUSU office hours of 8:30-4:30pm MST), and must be available on March 3^rd, 2020 to submit the ballot count to AUSU following the close of the election at midnight MT on March 2^nd, 2020. Proficiency in Word and Excel is required.

The successful candidate will receive a $1500 honorarium on successful completion of the role.

If you are interested in this position, please email your resume, a cover letter, and any questions to executivedirector@ausu.org. Previous experience is a definite asset, however not required.

For further information on this role and the AUSU Election process, please refer to our AUSU Election Conduct Policy 3.01 found online here.

For further information about the 2020 General Election timeline, visit the AUSU website here.

Mental Health Support

The holidays can be a stressful time of year. Whether you are juggling too much time or not enough time, or struggling with budgeting, anxiety or loneliness during the holiday season, AU’s Homewood Health Program is there for you.

For immediate support, 24/7, call Homewood Health at 1-800-663-1142.

You can also access a variety of web-based services and resources at homeweb.ca.

AUSU Bylaw Revisions – 1st Reading

AUSU council will be voting on revised bylaws during the January council meeting to make it more accessible for Athabasca University students to run in the AUSU election.

1^st Reading of the Bylaws:

The first reading of the bylaw revisions is coming up on December 10, 2019 at 5:30pm MT. All members are welcome to attend by teleconference. The agenda and instructions for joining are posted online here.

Visit our website here for more information on the bylaw revisions and other member consultations.