Referenda

A Referendum is a vote to affect change in the Engineering Undergraduate Society. This can include changes to bylaws and constitutions, fee renewals, creation of mandates, and more. You, the members, can basically order EUS to do anything.

Referenda tend to occur once per semester of the academic year, usually taking place around mid November and March. All regular members have the right to vote in all referenda.

History

EUSMEUS

Group	Semester	Title	Question	Results Y		Results N		Results A
EUS	Winter 2018	Engineering Career Centre (ECC) Fee Renewal	Whereas​ the employment of four Industry Liaison Managers, an internship manager, and a Recruitment, Events and Communications officer has resulted in 54% of Faculty of Engineering students graduating with at least one 4-month internship or CO-OP work term, and 54% “employed” rated at time of graduation, Whereas​ the Engineering Career Centre (ECC) continues to offer an increase number of career advising appointments, as well as engaging with student groups, clubs and organizations to further increase (i) internship and career opportunities, (ii) career education workshops and seminars, and (iii) links with industry, Whereas​ the Office of the Dean in the Faculty of Engineering co-funds the ECC and MESC operations, Do you agree​ that in order to maintain the current operations of the ECC, the ECC keeps the $50.00 per term fee up to and including its renewal date of Winter 2021 for all regular members of the Engineering Undergraduate Society?	403/586	68.77%	94/586	16.04%	89/586	15.19%
EUS	Winter 2018	Board of Governors (BoG) Changes in the Constitution	Whereas, ​the changes listed in Appendix A and B were discussed at length with the Board of Governors, Council, and Executives present in the Constitution working group. Whereas, ​the Constitution needs upgraded grammar, wording, removal of gendered language, legal terms, punctuation, and numbering. Be it resolved ​that the following question be put to the members in the EUS Winter Referendum Period Do you agree to adopting the modifications made to the EUS Constitution which modify the powers, duties and responsibilities of the EUS Board of Governors as listed in the Appendix below? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmNuPu6Am9isFqzLQIpIp0qnYCN5dABe/view	333/586	56.83%	46/586	7.85%	207/586	35.32%
EUS	Fall 2017	Increasing the Eus General Fee	Whereas the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) is composed of over 3000 engineering and architecture undergraduates, all of whom pay fees to the EUS, Whereas the EUS general fee for full-time students has not been raised since 2006, Whereas inflation in Quebec has risen by 16.1% between 2006 and 2017, Whereas since 2006, the EUS has become increasingly dependent on supplemental sources of funding including Open Air Pub, Tech Fair, and third-party sponsorship, Whereas the revenue generated by these supplemental sources of funding can vary considerably from one year to the next, Whereas losses in revenue from any of these sources would limit the EUS’s ability to finance its activities and services, Whereas an increase in the EUS general fee would allow the EUS to finance its operations in a more sustainable way, without overly depending on additional sources of funding, Do you agree to increasing the compulsory Engineering Undergraduate Society general fee from $22.00 per semester to $27.00 per semester for a full-time Engineering and Architecture undergraduate student, and from $14.00 to $17.00 per semester for a part-time Engineering undergraduate student, beginning winter 2018 semester, with the understanding that a majority no vote will result in the EUS continuing its operations at its current level of funding with no changes to its general fee? (You may abstain from this question by leaving the response field blank.)	690/992	69.56%	251/992	25.30%	51/992	5.14%
EUS	Fall 2017	Engineers Without Border Fee Renewal	Whereas the Engineers Without Borders fee is an opt-outable $2.00 per semester, Whereas the Engineers Without Borders fee has been in place since 2009, Whereas the Engineers Without Borders Fee (“EWB Fee”) is a fee paid by Engineering undergraduate students, whose purpose is to create opportunities for the McGill engineering community to learn about development issues and take an active role in creating positive, sustainable change, both through overseas volunteer programs and in-Canada initiatives, Whereas the EWB Fee is reinvested in engineers through National Conference opportunities, member learning and professional development events, and managing the Fair-Trade Corner, Whereas the Engineers Without Borders fee is perpetual, Whereas the University administration requires that all student initiated fees, except for association base fees, have end dates, Whereas the Engineers Without Borders fee states all changes must be ratified by E.U.S. council, Do you agree that the opt-outable Engineers Without Borders fee of $2.00 per semester, charged to all undergraduate Engineering students (including Architecture students), be renewed for five (5) years, with the end date of fall 2022, understanding that a majority no vote will end this fee? (You may abstain from this question by leaving the response field blank.)	673/992	67.84%	247/992	24.90%	72/992	7.26%
EUS	Fall 2017	Renewal of the Design Team Fund Fee	Whereas the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) is composed of over 3000 engineering and architecture undergraduates, all of whom pay fees to the EUS, Whereas the EUS Design Team fund fee for full-time students has not been raised since it was created in Winter 2008, Whereas since 2008, the number of Design Teams has increased from two to ten, Whereas the increase in the number of Design Teams has significantly decreased the amount of funding available per team from the Design Team fund, Whereas inflation in Quebec has risen by 11.98% between 2008 and 2017, Whereas since 2008, the Design Teams have become increasingly dependent on the EUS operating budget, as well as supplemental sources of funding such as third-party sponsorship, Whereas the revenue generated by these supplemental sources of funding can vary considerably from one year to the next, Whereas losses in revenue from any of these sources would limit the Design Teams’ ability to finance their activities and provide hands-on opportunities for students, Whereas an increase in the Design Team fund fee would allow the Design Teams to finance their operations in a more sustainable way, without overly depending on additional sources of funding, Whereas an increase in the Design Team fund fee would allow the Design Teams to become more competitive against other universities and put them in a better position to successfully represent McGill University abroad, Do you agree to renew the opt-outable Engineering Undergraduate Society Design Team Fund fee of $3.00 per semester, effective winter 2018 up to and including fall 2022, with the understanding that a majority no vote will terminate the fee? (You may abstain from this question by leaving the response field blank.)	841/992	84.78%	123/992	12.40%	28/992	2.82%
EUS	Fall 2017	Increase of the Design Team Fund Fee	Please refer to the above Whereas clauses for details surrounding the reasoning for the Design Team Fund Fee increase posed below. DO YOU FURTHER AGREE to increase the Engineering Undergraduate Society Design Team Fund fee to $9.00 per semester for a full-time undergraduate Engineering students excluding Architecture students, and from $1.50 to $4.50 per semester for a part-time undergraduate Engineering students, excluding Architecture students? (You may abstain from this question by leaving the response field blank.)	723/992	72.88%	223/992	22.48%	46/992	4.64%
EUS	Fall 2015	Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund Referendum Question – Fall 2015	'Whereas, the Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund (“Equipment Fund”) is a fund composed of fees paid by Engineering undergraduate students and of other contributions, whose purpose is to provide those students with additional laboratory equipment to that normally supplied by the University, Whereas, the Equipment Fund has been in place since 1987, Whereas, the existence of the Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund must be put to referendum once every four years, Whereas, the Engineering Undergraduate Society (E.U.S.) Council would like to renew the Equipment Fund for all EUS members by renewing the non opt-outable fee of $50/student per semester for full-time students (9 credits or more), and $25/student per semester for part-time students (less than 9 credits), Whereas, the Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund has been used with great success to purchase equipment including but not limited to: computers for labs in FDA, Trottier; lab equipment for all departments (e.g. Solid Mechanics, Mech Labs, DPM, Surveying, etc.); printers and plotters for Architecture; 3D Printers for use by all undergraduate students, etc; with the full list of equipment available here (http://www.mcgilleus.ca/efc), Do you agree to renew the non-opt outable Engineering Undergraduate Equipment Fund fee of $50/full-time student per semester or $25/part-time student per semester for all EUS members, effective Winter 2016 up to and including Fall 2020, with the understanding that a majority no vote will lead to the termination of the fee and all investments by the E.U.S. into equipment for undergraduate students?	733/892	82.17%	97/892	10.87%	62/892	6.95%
EUS	Winter 2015	Engineering Career Centre Fee Increase	Whereas the current Policy Document of the Engineering Career Centre (ECC) at the McGill Engineering Student Centre (MESC) requires that any fee changes be made through a student-initiated referendum, Whereas the Engineering Career Center (ECC) fee of $40 per term has been frozen since Fall 2012, Whereas the engineering undergraduate student body has grown by 20% since 2012, Whereas the Engineering Undergraduate Society is no longer able to administer Iron ring operations, Whereas upon successful passing of this question the ECC and MESC will be acquiring the planning, organization, and implementation of the Faculty of Engineering Iron Ring Ceremonies (in consultation with the EUS Graduation Committee), and associated ring replacement activities, Whereas if this question fails to pass, Iron Ring services to students will be severely reduced, Whereas the employment of two Industry Liaison Managers, an Internship Manager, and a Recruitment, Events and Communications Officer has resulted in 49% of Faculty of Engineering students graduating with at least one 4-month internship or CO-OP work term, and 46% “employed” rated at time of graduation, Whereas the ECC continues to offer an increase number of career advising appointments, as well as engaging with student groups, clubs and organizations to further increase (i) internship and career opportunities, (ii) career education workshops and seminars, and (iii) links with industry, Whereas the Office of the Dean in the Faculty of Engineering co-funds the ECC and MESC operations, Do you agree that in order to maintain and expand the current operations of the ECC, including assuming all responsibilities for the Iron Ring operations, effective Fall 2015 up to and including Winter 2018, the Engineering Career Centre (ECC) fee be increased from $40 to $50 per term for all regular members of the Engineering Undergraduate Society?	505/792	63.76%	251/792	31.69%	36/792	4.55%
EUS	Winter 2015	Renewal of Engineering Undergraduate Support Fund	Whereas McGill University faced $45M in permanent cuts since 2012, the equivalent of a 15% decrease in the University’s budget across all Faculties, including Engineering, Whereas no financial relief is expected next year from the Quebec government and further cuts are expected for the 2015-2016 academic year, Whereas the EUSF is to be terminated as per its bylaws this semester unless it is renewed by EUS referendum, Whereas the Engineering Undergraduate Society Council would like to renew the Support Fund (EUSF) by renewing the non opt-outable student fee of $40/student per semester for full-time students, and $20/student per semester for part-time students, Whereas the EUSF would be used to continue to pay the salaries of more TA's, lab personnel, McGill Engineering Student Centre staff, and Departmental staff, Whereas the scope of the EUSF would be expanded to allow funds to be invested in the professional development of our students, Whereas the EUSF has been used with great success to create innovative projects such as note-taking, course improvements, extra tutorials and workshops, and would continue to do so, Whereas the EUSF would expire after two (2) years, and be re-evaluated in Winter 2017 on whether to initiate another referendum to continue this Fund, Do you agree to renew the non opt-outable Engineering Undergraduate Support Fund (EUSF) fee of $40/full-time student or $20/part-time student, per semester, effective Fall 2015 up to and including Winter 2017, which includes amendment to §2.1 as follows (amendment in asterisks): 2.1 The Support Fund Committee shall coordinate the expenditure of the Engineering Undergraduate Support Fund monies in such a manner that it most benefits the Engineering Undergraduate Society’s members in their academic environment *and professional development*. Proposed amended EUSF bylaws: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tbfk4xlhy0fpa2i/Bylaws-EUSF%202015-03-09%20Amended%20for%20W2015%20Referendum.pdf?dl=0	549/792	69.32%	208/792	26.26%	35/792	4.42%
EUS	Fall 2014	Engineering Student Space Fund (Opt-outable Fee) Referendum Question	Whereas, the Engineering Undergraduate Society (“E.U.S.”) is made up of around 3,000 engineering & architecture students, many of whom partake in clubs, design teams, and other activities that are co-curricular in nature, Whereas, students in the Faculty are proposing to create a Student Space Fund (“S.S.F.”) by levying an opt-outable student fee of $15/student per semester for full-time students, and $7.50/student per semester for part-time students, Whereas, the purpose of the Student Space Fund (“S.S.F.”) would be as follows: To be a sustainable resource for the future to improve, maintain, and create engineering undergraduate student space through capital expenditures. A capital expenditure is an outlay to acquire the use of long-term assets; it is a mechanism that allows for the maintenance and acquisition of space over the long term, allowing for planning and budgeting for long-term projects, including renovations. For all undergraduate students who pay into the Fund to always have say in the use, maintenance, and future of space improved by the Fund. Whereas, the S.S.F. would replace the Space Improvement Fund (“S.I.F.”), and thus replace the collection of that fee, which is a fund that supports short-term projects (those that are made and completed per semester), Whereas, the surplus in the S.I.F. from Fall 2014 would be deposited into the S.S.F., Whereas, money was set aside to a Grant Fund in 2003 from the sale of the E.U.S. cafeteria to McGill University, Whereas, the majority of the Grant Fund has recently been spent to fund, in part, the approximately $630,000 project, which includes creating clubs space and renovating the McGill Engineering Design Network space to bring it up to multiple building codes, and also funded by the Faculty of Engineering, Alumni, and other McGill units, Whereas, the remainder of the partially depleted Grant Fund would be deposited to the S.S.F. to invest in long-term space projects, Whereas, the S.S.F. would be managed by bylaws passed at E.U.S. Council and would exist in two accounts, one that models the current Space Improvement Fund, and one that is for reserve funds for long-term space projects, where the majority of fees collected would be deposited in the reserve account, Do you agree to renaming the Space Improvement Fund fee to the Student Space Fund fee with a purpose as defined above, and in doing so increasing the fee amount from $1.50/student, per semester to $15/full-time student and $7.50/part-time student, per semester, effective Fall 2014? The existence of the fee shall be put to referendum once every ten (10) years.	120/195	61.54%	63/195	32.31%	12/195	6.15%

Group	Semester	Title	Question	Results Y		Results N		Results A
MEUS	Winter 2017	Changes to the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society Constitution	'Whereas, the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society needs to grow to continue to service the growing student body in the Materials Engineering Co-op Program: the constitution has not been updated to reflect that in the last 3 years. Whereas, the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society has currently no corporate sponsorship, the position of Vice-President External has been added to the constitution replacing the two half-votes of the student chapter presidents. Conference trips, industry tours, networking events, sponsorship, and aiding the Materials Advantage and CIM-MetSoc Student Chapters should they need any help in maintaining their active chapter status is the portfolio of this position. Whereas, the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society should strive engage a growing student population, the administrative tasks of maintaining and managing the MetRoom, running a peer mentorship program, and maintaining MEUS official documents have been removed from the Vice-President Internal, the President and the Vice-President Communications portfolios, and put together to create a new position of Vice-President Administration. Whereas, the logistics of holding a General Assembly have been updated to match the EUS Constitution and Bylaws and the requirement of holding a General Assembly on an annual basis has been removed. Whereas, the rights, privileges, and obligations of Members of the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society have been laid out in their own article. Whereas, the chain of command has been changed from President, Academic, Finance to President, Finance, Internal. Whereas, Vice-President Finance will now be required to be in classes the full duration of their term in office and to maintain a second, backup copy of the records of the student chapters. Whereas, Class Representatives will now be required to host at least one event per term (excluding co-op terms) for their year. Whereas, an exit report will be required form each Executive who should leave at any time during their term of office to ensure a smooth transition for the incoming Executive. Whereas, an exit report will be required form each Executive who should leave at any time during their term of office to ensure a smooth transition for the incoming Executive. Whereas, the transition period at the end of the academic year will now start in April instead of May and an in person or video meeting will be required for each position. REFERENDUM QUESTION Do you agree to accept the proposed changes outlined above to the Materials Engineering Undergraduate Society Constitution?	49/67	73.13%	9/67	13.43%	9/67	13.43%