Niagara Catholic District School Board STUDENT TRUSTEES POLICY  ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
100 – Board	Policy No 100.4
Adopted Date: March 28, 1998	Latest Reviewed/Revised Date: January 31, 2023

3.  Student Trustees will be responsible for reporting Board activities to the Student Senate on a regular basis.

 

4.  Student Trustees will represent Niagara Catholic students at public and official Board functions and on Board committees as assigned by the Chair of the Board and/or Director of Education.

 

5.  Student Trustees are expected to wear their school uniform when in attendance at Board or Board Committee meetings, when representing the Board at either internal or external Board-related meetings and/or events. Exceptions require the approval of the Director of Education.

 

6.  Student Trustees are expected to regularly attend and participate in the Public Sessions and Part A of the In-Camera Sessions of the Committee of the Whole Meetings, and Board Meetings. Student Trustees are to inform the Administrative Assistant to Corporate Services of the Board when they are unable to attend a meeting.

 

In accordance with the Education Act – Section 207, Student Trustees are not eligible to attend In-Camera meetings when the subject matter under consideration involves:

 

·   the security of the property of the Board;

·   the disclosure of intimate, personal or financial information in respect of a member of the Board or committee, an employee or prospective employee of the Board or a pupil or his or her parent or guardian;

·   the acquisition or disposal of a school site;

·   decisions in respect of negotiations with employees of the Board; or

·   litigation affecting the Board.

 

7.  A Student Trustee will not count towards quorum at Committee Meetings or at Board Meetings. Student Trustees are not entitled to a binding vote, but they have the right to have their vote recorded in the Board Minutes upon request through the Chair of the Board.

 

8.  A Student Trustee may request that a matter before the Board or any of its committees, be put to a recorded vote, in which case there must be two votes, a non-binding recorded vote that includes the Student Trustee’s vote; and a recorded binding vote that does not include the Student Trustee’s vote.

 

9.  A Student Trustee is not entitled to move a motion, but is entitled to suggest a motion on any matter at a meeting of the Board or of one of its committees on which the Student Trustee sits. If no member of the Board or committee moves the suggested motion, the record shall show the suggested motion.

 

10.  A Student Trustee may be disqualified from serving as a Student Trustee based on:

·   legislative criteria

·   ceasing to be a student within the Board

·   ineligibility to meet the terms of the Student Trustees Policy and/or Administrative Operational Procedures

·   committing a serious breach of Board Policy or Code of Conduct infraction as determined by the Director of Education and/or Board

·   breaking the Conflict of Interest regulations or disclosed in camera information

·   being absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board

·   conduct as determined by the Board which is incompatible with the roles and responsibilities of the position of Student Trustee

 

11.  The consequences for a Student Trustee who may be disqualified will be in consultation with the Director of Education.

 

2.  Prior to April 30 of each year, the Niagara Catholic Student Senate will host a Student Leadership Symposium whereby the newly elected Student Senate and newly elected Student Council Presidents will elect two Co-Chairs of the Student Senate who will also serve as the two Student Trustees on the Board, from August 1 to July 31 inclusive.

Given the importance placed on the role of Student Trustees serving on the Board and as Co-Chairs of the Niagara Catholic Student Senate, one of the two Student Trustees elected by the Student Senate must have at least one year of experience as a Student Trustee before the start of the new term.

·   One Student Trustee must be enrolled in Grade 10 at a Niagara Catholic secondary school at the time of the election and must be eligible to serve a two (2) year term.

·   The other Student Trustee must be enrolled in Grade 11 at a Niagara Catholic secondary school at the time of election and must be eligible to serve a one (1) year term.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

 

In accordance with the Education Statutes and Regulations of Ontario, Ontario Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, the Niagara Catholic District School Board By-Laws and the Trustee Code of Conduct Policy, if a Student Trustee is present at a meeting where a matter in which they have a direct, indirect or deemed pecuniary interest is considered, they must act as follows:

 

·   The Student Trustee’s interest and the general nature of that interest must be disclosed prior to any consideration of the matter.

·   The Student Trustee must not take part in the discussion of, or vote on any question in respect of the matter.

·   The Student Trustee must not attempt in any way whether before, during or after the meeting to influence the voting on any such question.

·   In the case of a meeting that is closed to the public (“in camera meeting”), the Student Trustee must, in addition to complying with the above, leave the meeting.

·   If absent from a meeting where such a matter is considered, the Student Trustee must disclose their interest and comply with the requirements provided above at the next meeting.

 

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