NAIT BOG Student-at-large election

NAIT BOARD OF GOVERNORS

STUDENT-AT-LARGE ELECTION 2023-2024

Nomination Package
NAIT Board of Governors
Frequently asked questions

Download nomination package

Frequently asked questions

What is NAIT’s Board of Governors (BOG)?
  • The mandate and role of NAIT’s BOG was developed collaboratively between the Ministry of Innovation and Advanced Education and the Board of Governors to reflect a common understanding of respective roles and responsibilities.
  • NAIT’s BOG manages and operates NAIT within its approved mandate in the PSLA Section 60(1)(a). NAIT is a public, board governed technical institute operated as a Polytechnic Institution under the authority of the Post Secondary Learning Act of Alberta.
  • The board acts as an intermediary between the Institution and the public that it is intended to serve.
What do board members do?

The individual responsibilities of the Board members include (but are not limited to):

1. Attending all general and special board meetings;
2. Sitting on committees and attending committee meetings as required;
3. Additional responsibilities of the Board as reflected in NAIT’s Bylaws.

Who is eligible to run in this election?
NAIT students who are enrolled in a credit class in the winter 2023 term (1222 term) with a previously completed term of no less than a 2.4 GPA.
Who votes in this election?
The NAITSA Senate, consisting of 12 elected student-members, votes to appoint NAIT’s BOG student-at-large member.
Do I have to maintain a specific window of class registration if I am elected?
Yes. You would need to be enrolled in a minimum of 1 credit class at NAIT in the Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024 terms.
How many student-at-large positions are there? How long is a student BOG position?

In total there are two (2) student positions on NAIT’s Board of Governors: 1 current NAITSA Executive Council member (determined by that EC team) and 1 student-at-large appointed by the NAITSA Senate. In this election, only one student-at-large candidate will be elected.

The term of appointment is one year starting September 1, 2023.

What amount of training will I receive?
You will receive a one-hour training session before your first official BOG meeting. However, you are encouraged to reach out to the Board’s Chair and the Board’s Executive Assistant if you have additional questions. The NAITSA Executive Council member who will also be a student member of the BOG will be your best resource, so it’s encouraged that you two stay connected from the beginning of the term until the last BOG meeting.
What is the time commitment? How many meetings will I need to attend? How long is a BOG meeting?

Throughout your term (September 1, 2023-August 31, 2024), you will need to attend:

  • Four (4) 3.5-hour BOG meetings;
  • One (1) 8-hour BOG Strategic Planning Session during a weekend; and
  • You will be assigned to sit on one of two NAIT committees as a Board representative: Campus Development Committee or Industry Partnerships and External Relations Committee. Each committee meets on an average of 4-5 times per year, in 1-2-hour meetings.
What is the meeting dress code?
You will be meeting with NAIT’s Executives and CEO’s from big Canadian corporations, which will be a great opportunity to network, so you will want to look professional. The recommended dress code is between business casual and business professional.
Can I hold another position within NAITSA & be a NAIT BOG member?

Yes! However, you will have to learn how to switch from the “NAITSA” hat to the “BOG member” hat when going into the meetings, because you will have to make decisions based on what it’s best for the institution as a business in the long term.

How do I prepare for each meeting?
Read through the agenda. Agendas for the meetings are issued one week in advance. You will need to spend approximately 1.5 hours reading through the material in advance of the meeting.
What meeting expectations are there?
Read through the meeting agenda package in advance of the meeting and come prepared to ask questions;

Connect with your fellow student BOG member, so you can come to the meeting confident you’ll have a familiar face there;

Are these meetings in person or held remotely and where are they hosted?
As of Winter 2023, the meetings are expected to remain in person at NAIT with an option to join remotely if necessary. This may change for the fall 2023 term and onward.
Who am I making decisions for?
You are making decisions in the best interest of NAIT students from NAIT’s perspective.
Do I have to change the number of classes I am enrolled in, to do this position?
No. If elected to this position your enrollment stays the same. NAIT BOG meetings are always late afternoon into the evening. Some training will occur over a weekend.
Are NAIT BOG Student-at-Large positions paid?
No, but student members on NAIT BOG get their tuition fees covered by NAIT for the terms that they are sitting members of the BOG.
What would the benefits be for me?
  • Networking with highly respected business people in the Edmonton area.
  • Reimbursement for your tuition (by NAIT) at the domestic or international student rate, for the Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024 terms.
  • Dinner will be provided during each in-person BOG meeting, and Board members are invited to a celebratory holiday dinner at the end of the year.

Got more questions?

If you have specific questions about the role of the NAIT BOG student-at-large position, please contact Renata Medeiros at savpacademic@nait.ca.

Please contact Leeanne Mills with questions or to submit your Application Form at leeannem@nait.ca.