Sri Lankan Students' Association
Last active term
Club Name
The name of the club will be Sri Lankan Students' Association. We are not agent or representative of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), and our views and actions in no way represent the WUSA.
Governance
The club will uphold the values, mission, and mandate of both the University of Waterloo (UW) and WUSA through following the directives outlined in the WUSA Clubs Manual, all WUSA By-Laws, Policies, and Procedures, as well as all policies and procedures outlined by the UW Secretariat. Furthermore, the club will abide by all laws of the Region of Waterloo, Province of Ontario, and Government of Canada. All club matters will ultimately be governed by the WUSA Clubs Manager.
Purpose
The purpose of the club is to gather University of Waterloo students, staff, faculty and members of the UW community at large to
We are dedicated to building a vibrant, inclusive community for students of Sri Lankan descent and those interested in learning about our diverse culture and traditions. Our mission is to provide a welcoming, non-political environment where everyone can come together to connect, share, and celebrate our heritage. Through cultural events, social activities, and engaging discussions, we aim to foster friendships and offer an opportunity to explore the beauty of Sri Lanka. Whether you're from Sri Lanka or simply curious about our island’s rich culture and traditions, we invite you to be a part of our community, celebrate our shared values, and contribute to a stronger, more diverse campus environment.
Club events, activities, and/or initatives will include
Social Mixers & Community Meet-Ups:
- Casual, themed social mixers made to help students meet one another in a relaxed environment.
- Themes may include cultural icebreakers, seasonal gatherings, or informal networking.
- Focus on building friendships and fostering a sense of belonging.
Game & Trivia Nights:
- Interactive game nights featuring board games and group activities.
- Trivia focused on Sri Lankan culture in a fun and relaxed environment.
- Team-based activities to promote collaboration and social connection.
Cultural Cuisines:
- Opportunity to explore the diversity of Sri Lankan cuisine and food traditions.
- Community potluck events where members can bring homemade or store-bought dishes.
Movie Nights:
- Screenings of Sri Lankan films (with English subtitles when applicable).
- Accompanied by traditional or culturally inspired snacks.
- Provides a shared cultural experience while introducing members to Sri Lankan cinema and storytelling.
Cultural Arts & Craft Workshops:
- Hands-on craft nights inspired by Sri Lankan cultural art forms.
- Encourages creativity while sharing cultural knowledge.
Traditional Dance Nights:
- Introductory workshops focused on Sri Lankan dance styles or culturally inspired movement.
- Open to beginners with no prior experience required.
- Emphasis on cultural appreciation, participation, and enjoyment rather than performance.
Collaborative Events:
- Joint events with other cultural and student clubs on campus.
- Participation in multicultural showcases and festivals.
- Opportunities to share Sri Lankan culture within the broader university community.
Membership Structure
The club will be fully inclusive and welcoming to both its current and potential membership. New membership is welcome and accepted at any time during a club’s active term. Eligible club members may be current: WUSA Members, as outlined by the WUSA By-Laws; UW graduate students; UW staff or faculty; and/or members of the UW community at large, as defined in the Clubs Manual.
Only current UW students (graduate or undergraduate) may hold voting membership within the club. UW Staff, faculty, and members of the UW community at large may hold non-voting membership within the club. (If Applicable) UW undergrad students who are eligible to obtain voting membership in the club who do not wish to pay the club membership fee at the time of joining may hold non-voting membership within the club. Voting membership can be obtained for said members by paying the membership fee.
At least two thirds of the club's membership must be current UW students (graduate or undergraduate).
Membership Fee
Executive Officers
The majority of executives will be current UW students (graduate or undergraduate). The club president will be a current UW undergraduate student. All club executives will be elected, not hired or appointed. The term of office for all executive positions is one academic term, as outlined by the UW Registrar’s Office. All club decisions will be determined by executive vote, as no executive officer (not even the President) holds decision making power for the collective.
The President ensures that:
- The club operates according to the guidelines of its constitution and some agreed upon guidelines for running a meeting, such as Robert's Rules of Order;
- The club works towards its objectives as agreed upon by the membership; and
- Their successor is trained.
- Key events are planned and coordinated, including setting and tracking all necessary milestones leading up to each event.
- The mission and vision of SLSA are clearly defined and consistently guide the club's goals and activities.
- Administrative access to the club's social media accounts and groups is maintained along with the marketing team.
- Event budgets are created and managed alongside the Treasurer to ensure that financial resources are allocated efficiently.
- Oversight of the registration process for all events.
- Leadership transitions are seamless, with incoming executives well-prepared and supported by the outgoing President.
The President is a signing authority.
The Secretary ensures that:
- Records of what the group has done are maintained, distributed, and are accessibile to all the members;
- Meeting minutes/notes are recorded and made available to all voting members;
- All club correspondence is monitored and brought to the attention of the appropriate person(s);
- Their successor is trained.
- Assist with organizing and coordinating club meetings. This incudes arranging meetings, creating agendas in coordination with the President or other leadership members, and delivering meeting materials.
- Work closely with fellow club executives.
- In charge of maintaining SLSA's email account.
- Maintains and updates member information, including a current list of registered members.
- Coordination of room bookings as needed for weekly executive meetings.
The Secretary is a signing authority.
The Treasurer ensures that:
- The club's WUSA bank account and all financial transactions for the club are monitored and verified;
- All club revenues are collected, deposited into the club's WUSA bank account, and reconciled correctly and within a timely manner;
- Club cheque requests are submitted correctly and in a timely manner; and
- Their successor is trained.
- SLSA's cash-flow, receipts, expenses, revenues, and other financial records are accurately monitored and recorded.
- A financial analysis is delivered following each event, as well as a comprehensive report at the end of each term.
The Vice President ensures that:
- Assist the President in providing overall leadership to the club.
- The club works towards its objectives as outlined in the constitution and agreed upon by the members.
- Collaboration with the marketing team and oversees posts on social media accounts alongside the President.
- Attend meetings or events on behalf of SLSA.
- All members are reminded of upcoming deadlines for tasks they have volunteered for or been assigned.
- Oversees registrations for events and ensures RSVPs, ticketing, and attendance tracking are properly managed.
- Step in to carry out the President's duties in their absence, ensuring that organizational activities continue.
- Ensures that the next Vice President is trained.
The Vice President is a signing authority.
The Marketing Executive ensures that:
- SLSA maintains an active and engaging presence on social media platforms, creating community engagement and promoting events to a wider audience.
- All posts/ advertisements are created and executed alongside the President and VP.
- The creation of event banners and posters for each SLSA event.
- Feedback from the SLSA group is incorporated and suggestions for content and posters are followed.
- Comprehensive marketing strategies are developed and used to promote SLSA events, maximizing attendance and engagement.
- Content includes interactive features, such as polls and quizzes, to engage the audience and gather feedback.
- Collabrates with other content creators, influencers, and organizations to expand SLSA's visibility and connect with a wider audience.
- Ensures that the next Marketing Executive is trained.
It is important to assure that the person with the most information and/or knowledge in the club is not the full-time chairperson. Therefore, the club will occasionally rotate the role of chairperson among voting members.
Meetings
General Meetings
The club will hold monthly general meetings. Quorum for general meetings will be 15 voting members of 20% of voting membership (whichever is more).
Executive Meetings
The club will hold weekly executive meetings. Quorum for executive meetings will be 2 executives or at least 51% of the executive body (whichever is more).
The first meetings (both general and executive) of the following term will be arranged by the outgoing executive. At said meetings, subsequent meeting dates and locations will be set. Meeting dates and times will be forwarded to voting members by:
- Phone
- Email Whatsapp Instagram
Emergency meetings can be called by an executive via:
- Phone
- Email Whatsapp Instagram
and must be sent to the appropriate members at least 48 hours prior to the meeting time.
ELECTION PROCESS
Elections shall take place at the end of each term for the following academic term. Only University of Waterloo students who are members of the club can vote. Club members must be notified, by email, two weeks in advance of the meeting where executive elections will take place. The term of office shall be for one term. An executive can only hold office (any position) for a total of up to three terms.
Nominations for executives can be made from any club member. The majority of executives must be undergraduate University of Waterloo students. The successful candidate will be the one with the most votes. In the case of a tie, a re-vote will take place until the tie is broken.
IMPEACHMENT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
A movement to impeach an executive officer may be made by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. When the motion is made the Clubs Manager will be informed. An emergency general meeting will be called as soon as is reasonably possible. No club funds will be spent until the issue is resolved.
At the impeachment meeting, the individual(s) who initiated the process will state their case. Afterwards, the officer(s) under impeachment will have an opportunity to defend their position(s) on the matter.
There will then be a question and answer period followed by the selection process for a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) who will oversee the voting process to ensure the decision is fair and democratic. Any executive officer who is neither the initiator nor subject of the impeachment may volunteer as CRO. If there is no such officer, then any voting member of the club present at the meeting may volunteer. If there are multiple volunteers, then the CRO will be selected based on a simple majority vote cast by secret ballot and tallied publically by the chairperson of the meeting. If there is no such volunteer for CRO, then the meeting will be at a standstill until either an eligible executive officer or voting member volunteers.
The vote will be by a “YES/NO” secret ballot, tallied publically by the CRO. If at least two thirds of the votes are for impeachment, then said officer will immediately be stripped of their position. The remaining executive may choose to call an immediate by-election to replace the newly vacant executive officer position.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A claim against any executive officer or club member regarding a potential conflict of interest can be made by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. If such a claim arises, then said individual(s) under suspicion have the opportunity to remove them self (or themselves) from said potential conflict without acknowledging intention of wrongdoing. In the event the claim is contested, then the Clubs Manager will be informed and an emergency executive meeting will be called to determine the validity of the claim. Executive officers who have a claim against them cannot vote to determine the validity of said claim. If executive quorum is not possible due to the removal of said vote(s), then an emergency general meeting will be called and the same proceedings described for impeachment will be used to determine the validity of the claim.
If the claim is validated and there is suspicion of intentional wrongdoing, an immediate impeachment proceeding may be called by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members, of whom are not named in the claim. If it is determined that a club member is involved in intentional wrongdoing, the impeachment proceeding will be called to determine said member’s club status.
AMENDMENTS
Constitutional amendments may be proposed by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. The amendment will then be voted on by referendum. The voting procedure will be the same as for the impeachment process. If the vote passes, the amendment and the vote will be forwarded to the Clubs Manager for final approval. If the Clubs Manager approves, then the constitution will be amended and any changes will be inserted into the constitution.
A motion to officially close the club will follow the same procedure as a constitutional amendment. If such a motion passes, then the club will be purged from the clubs system.
AFFILIATIONS
No organization(s) is/are currently affiliated with this club.