Government Affairs Commission (GAC)
The Government Affairs Commission is here to encourage and develop programs dealing with educational issues of municipal, provincial or federal interest.
We provide our student body with a direct link to our lobby organizations, OUSA and CASA. Membership is open to all UW students interested in making education in Ontario accessible, affordable, accountable, and of high quality.
GAC Mandate, What is the GAC?
Duties and Functions:
i. To encourage and develop programs dealing with educational issues of provincial or federal interest;
ii. To assist the Vice-President, Education in encouraging and developing programs to raise the awareness of provincial or federal lobby groups of which the Federation may be a member, as well as other relevant education issues;
iii. To assist the Vice-President, Education and Students’ Council with the development of policies regarding education issues;
iv. To assist the President and Students’ Council with the development of policies regarding municipal issues;
v. To encourage and facilitate students’ interest and involvement in educational, national and provincial issues including the development of a volunteer base;
vi. To encourage and facilitate students’ interest and involvement in municipal issues including the development of a volunteer base;
vi. To encourage the participation of students in the electoral process;
viii. To assist the Vice-President, Education in preparing the Federation of Students for municipal, provincial and federal elections, as well as local by-elections; The Commission shall be overseen by a duly appointed Government Affairs Commissioner, who shall report to the Vice-President, Education, and follow all guidelines concerning Commissioners of the Federation of Students as outlined in the Bylaws.
Who can become the Commissoner of the GAC?
The Federation of Students Vice-President Education is responsible to hire the GAC Comissioner. The qualifications will be based on the duties of the position. The Commissioners shall:
i. Encourage and develop student representation within the Commission.
ii. Chair meetings of the Commission;
iii. Be the sole representative of the Commission to Students’ Council;
iv. Sit as a full member on all committees of the Commission;
v. Act as a chief spokesperson of the Commission to the appropriate Executive Board member;
vi. Regularly advise the appropriate Executive Board member of the plans, policies and programs of the Commission;
vii. Report to Students’ Council once per term on the activities of the Commission;
viii. Act in the name of the Commission and with full Commission authority between meetings, subject to ratification by the Commission at its next meeting; and
ix. Act to ensure the comission fulfills other duties as outlined in the bylaws.
Past Government Affairs Commissioners have helped advertise partner organized campaigns such as the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance Put a Lid on It tuition campaign:
Put A Lid On It:
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OUSA's 2005/06 campaign put a lid on it: cap tuition is designed to communicate that the tuition freeze in Ontario is set to expire this year and that the government must implement a new tuition cap. Did you know?
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