Board Structure & Committees

The UTSU is governed by a Board of Directors (advised by the Senate) and Executive Committee (student representatives who are elected annually by the UTSU membership).

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is composed of student representatives dedicated to advocacy and strategic leadership. This committee includes a President and several Vice-Presidents, all elected annually to champion the interests of the undergraduate community at the University of Toronto.

The President and the Vice-President of Finance & Operations are integral members of the UTSU Management Committee, collaborating with the CAO/General Manager to provide leadership to fellow Executives, the Board of Directors, and the UTSU staff team.

  • President
  • Vice-President Finance & Operations
  • Vice-President Public & University Affairs
  • Vice-President Student Life
  • Vice-President Equity
  • Vice-President Professional Faculties
  • General Manager (ex-officio)

Board of Directors

The composition of the Board of Directors is: ten (10) at-large members, meaning students elected from the students at-large; and two (2) ex-officio members, the President and the Vice-President Finance & Operations. 

Board members are volunteers who serve as fiduciaries of the organization. As fiduciaries, directors share responsibility for overseeing the organization’s financial and legal matters, and for actively participating in board meetings to guide the organization in alignment with the interests of its student membership.

Directors meet at two types of meetings: regular and special meetings. Regular meetings are held monthly (with 14 days notice). Special meetings are only called for specific/time-sensitive purpose (with 24 hours notice) allowing UTSU to respond to emergent matters.

Daily operations are entrusted to executives and staff, who are responsible for steering initiatives in line with the vision set forth by the board and UTSU members. 

Senate

The UTSU Senate acts as an advisory body providing recommendations to the Board on academic and campus issues. The Senate may be comprised of up to seventy-five (75) members.

Committees

At UTSU, ten committees assume responsibility for seeking and reviewing information, forming positions, and making recommendations to the Board and the Executive. Committee members are elected by the Board and meet in-between Board meetings. Each committee has a specific mandate, and all decisions made at the committee level are then sent to the Board of Directors for approval. The committees include:

Executive Committee The chief decision-making committee of the UTSU, and oversees the day-to-day activities of the UTSU.

The Chair of the Executive Committee is the President, who may be reached at: president@utsu.ca.

 
Clubs  and Societies Committee Allocates funding to student clubs, and discusses the UTSU’s policies surrounding student groups.  The Chair of the Clubs and Societies Committee is the Vice-President Student Life who can be reached at: vpstudentlife@utsu.ca.
Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC) Oversees and administers all elections and referenda held by the UTSU.

The Chair of the ERC is the President, who may be reached at: president@utsu.ca

 
People and Culture Committee Investigates complaints against members of the Executive Committee, and when required, makes recommendations for disciplinary action.

The Chair of the People & Culture Committee is the Director of People & Culture who can be reached at: directorpeople@utsu.ca.

 
Finance Committee Oversees all the financial operations of the UTSU, including the budgeting process. The Chair of the Finance Committee is the Vice-President Finance & Operations who can be reached at: vpoperations@utsu.ca. 
Member Services Committee Reviews and recommends changes to the services provided by the UTSU. The Chair of the Services Committee is the Vice-President Finance & Operations who can be reached at: vpoperations@utsu.ca.
Student Aid Committee Provides financial aid to students in need.

The Chair of the Student Aid Committee is the Vice-President Finance & Operations who can be reached at: vpoperations@utsu.ca.

 
Governance Committee Tasked with providing good governance, maintaining the Bylaws and Policies, and other governance aspects of UTSU.

The Chair of the Governance Committee the Vice-President Finance & Operations who can be reached at: vpoperations@utsu.ca.

 
Student Commons Committee (SCMC) Oversees operations at the Student Commons and makes recommendations on facilities-related matters. The Chair of the Student Commons Management Committee is the CAO/General Manager. Questions regarding the Student Commons may be directed to:  vpoperations@utsu.ca.