Terms of Reference - YU Black Staff Network

The Executive shall:

Be responsible for directing the activities of the YUBSN subject to the provisions of the Terms of Reference and following policies agreed to by the membership;
Report to the YUBSN regularly, and as circumstances warrant;
Establish new committees or working groups and recruit volunteers to fill these vacancies as required;
Appoint new executive member(s) from amongst the membership if a vacancy should arise between elections; and
Hold regular meetings to discuss matters with the chairs of the standing committees in attendance.

Any member of the Executive who ceases to be eligible for membership in the YUBSN will automatically lose the right to hold office.

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be as follows:

Provide overall leadership, governance, and strategic direction for YUBSN and its Executive team.
Lead the development and implementation of YUBSN's strategic priorities, goals, and annual work plan.
Chair and facilitate Executive Committee and full membership meetings.
Serve as the primary liaison between YUBSN and University senior administration, including participation in joint meetings and discussions.
Advocate on behalf of YUBSN members by identifying, elevating, and communicating member interests, concerns, and priorities to University leadership and other stakeholders.
Foster positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance YUBSN's objectives and member interests.
Oversee the YUBSN budget and work closely with the Executive to ensure sound financial planning, management, and stewardship.
Lead Executive succession planning by identifying, recruiting, and encouraging members to serve on the Executive, committees, and as YUBSN representatives.
Prepare and present the President's Annual Report, highlighting YUBSN achievements, activities, advocacy efforts, membership updates, financial and operational highlights, and progress against strategic priorities.
Support and guide special projects, partnerships, and advocacy initiatives on behalf of the membership.
Represent YUBSN at University, community, and stakeholder events and sit on advisory bodies as appropriate.

Support the President in providing leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for YUBSN.
Act on behalf of the President and assume presidential responsibilities in their absence.
Assist in the development and implementation of YUBSN's strategic priorities, goals, and annual work plan.
Lead membership growth initiatives, including developing and implementing strategies to strengthen member recruitment, onboarding, and retention efforts.
Lead the development and implementation of processes to identify, recruit, and fill Executive and committee vacancies.
Develop and maintain election procedures to support a fair, transparent, and consistent process for Executive and committee elections.
Coordinate the YUBSN election process, including candidate recruitment, nominations, election communications, voting administration, and certification of results.
Support advocacy efforts by helping identify, assess, and advance issues of importance to YUBSN members.
Collaborate with the President and Executive team to build and maintain relationships with University leadership and key stakeholders.
Monitor progress on Executive priorities and support the coordination and delivery of key projects, programs, and events.
Contribute to succession planning and leadership development to ensure the sustainability of YUBSN.
Represent YUBSN at meetings, events, and stakeholder engagements as appropriate.

Schedule meetings of the Executive Committee and full membership meetings (as required) including preparing agendas, minute taking and tracking any action items;
Manage and maintain the YUBSN membership list, ensuring member information is accurate and up-to-date.
Develop, implement, and maintain file management and record-keeping processes to support Executive operations.
Serve as the primary administrator for YUBSN email account.
Maintain official YUBSN records, documents, and meeting materials to support organizational continuity and knowledge sharing.
Support the coordination and administration of Executive activities, and member communications.
Monitor and report on communication, website, and engagement metrics, identifying opportunities for improvement.

Manage and maintain YUBSN communication channels, including the website, listserv and Teams channel.
Manage member communications, announcements, newsletters, event promotions including developing key messaging to support organizational initiatives, and member engagement activities.
Coordinate new member onboarding communications and resources to support a positive member experience.
Foster member engagement by managing content and encouraging participation through the Teams channel and other communication platforms.
Promote YUBSN events, programs, and initiatives through effective and timely communications.
Collaborate with the Executive team to ensure communications align with YUBSN goals and priorities.
Support special projects, working groups, and new initiatives as requested by the President, Vice-President, or Executive team.

Plan, coordinate, and deliver professional development, networking, and member engagement events, including Lunch & Learn sessions and other YUBSN programming.
Lead the planning and execution of key annual events, including the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Annual Membership Breakfast/Brunch.
Manage all event logistics, including venue selection and booking, catering, registration, materials, technology requirements, and onsite coordination.
Develop event plans, timelines, and budgets, ensuring activities are delivered on schedule and within approved resources.
Coordinate with speakers, presenters, vendors, sponsors, and other stakeholders to support successful event delivery.
Collaborate with the Executive team to identify and implement programs and events that align with YUBSN's goals and member interests.
Partner with the Communications Coordinator to promote events and support member participation and engagement.
Oversee event execution, troubleshoot issues as they arise, and ensure a positive attendee experience.
Conduct post-event evaluations, including attendance tracking, participant feedback collection, and assessment of event outcomes to support continuous improvement of YUBSN programs and events.

Collaborate with the Communications and Program Coordinators to support the planning and execution of their programs and initiatives.
Support special projects, initiatives, and member engagement activities as requested by the President, Vice-President, or Executive team.

Have 1 member representing each campus — Glendon, Markham, and Keele
Act as the main bridge between the YUBSN and members on the Glendon, Markham, and Keele campuses to help drive recruitment and engagement efforts to help advance YUBSN's objectives and member insterests.
Collaborate with the Executive team to bring greater visibility of the YUBSN and its activities to the Glendon, Markham, and Glendon campuses to better connect and support their Black staff community.
Support special projects, initiatives, and member engagement activities as requested by the President, Vice-President, or Executive team.

Collaborate with the Communications Coordinator to manage and maintain the YUBSN website.
Support special projects, initiatives, and member engagement activities as requested by the President, Vice-President, or Executive team.

The following provisions shall govern the operations of the Executive Committee:

The Executive shall meet regularly but no less than quarterly;
A meeting of the Executive may be held at any time at the call of the President, Vice-President, or upon the request of any two (2) members of the Executive;
Five (5) members of the Executive constitute a meeting quorum;
Each member of the Executive has one (1) vote;
If the votes of the Executive are equally divided, the President has the deciding vote;
A decision or resolution of the majority of the Executive present and constituting a quorum is a decision or resolution of the Executive, except where otherwise provided;
Signing officers shall be either the President or Vice-President.

Meetings shall be held throughout the year, including the Annual General Meeting in May/June of each year, the Membership Forum in October/November of each year, and no less than one general meeting of the members. A special meeting may be called by the Executive by giving 14 calendar days' notice to the YUBSN membership or by any YUBSN member provided that it is supported by a written request to the Executive Committee.

The Executive shall meet with YUBSN Executive Sponsor (Vice-President Equity, People and Culture) on an ad hoc basis. Ad hoc meetings, if required, can be requested by the President and Vice-President. Meetings with the Executive Sponsor are for the purposes of:

Discussing issues within the University which may affect members of the YUBSN;
Presenting committee findings and proposals on behalf of the YUBSN Membership.