How your student voice shapes your Sheridan Life 

By: Dilas Siddiqui

Hi Sheridan! You may recognize me if you’ve read my previous letter or seen my face plastered on one of the TV screens around campus, but if this is your first time meeting me, hello! My name is Dilas and I’m your Governance Coordinator and Chief Returning Officer.

As Governance Coordinator, my role involves dealing with the governance aspect of our organization, The Sheridan Student Union. This includes but is not limited to, maintaining communications with our Board of Directors and ensuring compliance with board meeting documentation (meeting minutes, agendas, and more). As Chief Returning Officer, I’ll be overseeing the SSU’s election process for the new Board of Directors in March. 

As the name indicates, the SSU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) happens once every year and is a meeting open to the general Sheridan Membership wherein the SSU showcases financial statements and presents an overall summary of what it has done over the past year. The AGM also provides a platform for members to vote on any proposed changes to the SSU’s by-laws and policies. The SSU’s by-laws define the rules and regulations concerning its governance and are an important factor in outlining how the organization is run. If you’re interested in looking at what the by-laws and policies look like for the academic year 2021-2022, take a look here!

One of the main aspects of working as the SSU Governance Coordinator is that I frequently collaborate with employees from different departments. This is particularly beneficial to me when I’m planning the AGM because it allows me to witness firsthand how each department has contributed to a successful year, especially because the AGM is an event that highlights the work from every department! Our Finance department compiled a comprehensive set of Financial Statements (that will be shown at the AGM), our Creative and Marketing departments created stunning promotional materials, and our Services and Events departments helped with the logistical and other marketing details.

Let’s get into what I did when I started planning for the AGM!

The first thing I did was compile a list of documents that would be presented at the AGM. This included meeting minutes from last year's AGM, the financial statements that showcased the SSU’s fiscal performance over the past year, the current year’s AGM meeting agenda, and a summary of the proposed amendments that would be voted upon at the AGM.  

Considering that the first two documents from the above list had already been created last year, I set about creating a detailed agenda that would be sent out to attendees at least 10 business days before the AGM so that they would have an idea of what to expect. Many individuals—such as the SSU President, members of our Finance department, and the members of the Board—held important discussions to determine what topics needed to be covered at the AGM. Once I had a list of key topics, I allocated time for each one and set aside time slots for other events, such as introductions, networking, and lunch.

The next step in the process involved choosing the meeting venue. I knew I wanted the AGM to take place at our new student center in HMC since the 5th floor has a wonderful, open-concept area that would be perfect for the event (and because HMC is my home campus!). However, I wanted to be mindful of students at other campuses and understood that it wouldn't be easy for everyone to make the trek to ‘Sauga. I looked at how past AGMs were held and decided that a hybrid approach would be the most inclusive option. The AGM will now be streamed at both Davis and Trafalgar from the boardrooms of each campus’ respective SSU office.  

Once the venue had been selected, I went about deciding on a theme and decorations. This year’s theme is ‘A Time for Change,’ since many important changes are being made to the SSU’s by-laws and it was important to me that students are aware of that. 

The last, but definitely not the least, element of planning the AGM is marketing and promoting the event—which are our Marketing department’s areas of expertise. Once I let them know how and when I wanted it promoted, they wiggled their magical little Marketing wands and started creating promotional materials and campaigns. As we get closer to the date, you’ll be seeing more posters and social media posts about the AGM, and that’s all thanks to them! 

That was a little peek behind the scenes of the process of planning for an AGM and I hope it made things more interesting for you all!

Now you may be wondering, “What’s in it for me?”

Excellent question! The AGM is a platform where students have the opportunity to voice their opinions, vote on changes to by-laws, and actively participate in decision-making processes that directly impact the Sheridan Student Union and therefore, students like you and me! The SSU is such an important part of the Sheridan Life experience and since one of our major objectives is student advocacy, it is incredibly important that our by-laws and policies are vetted by students. Also, the AGM is an amazing networking opportunity for students interested in meeting and connecting with like-minded individuals who are passionate about student engagement and advocacy! For students attending the AGM at HMC, there will be time set aside to connect with the SSU’s student leaders, professional staff, and Board members.

The upcoming AGM is an important event that directly influences campus life for Sheridan students, which is why I encourage everyone who’s part of the General Membership to attend and actively take part in the discussions and voting processes. Although student feedback is valued year-round, the AGM is a direct channel for students to ask questions, vote on important by-laws and policy changes, and influence the direction of our organization. Attending the AGM empowers students and allows them to be informed, active participants in the Sheridan community.  

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the AGM, feel free to email me or stop by the SSU office at HMC. I hope to see you all in person or virtually on March 13th at 12 PM! Ciao!

Interested in joining the SSU team?

Learn more about the SSU and check out which positions are currently available at your main campus!