Mount Royal University
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

Students (SGB), Staff (MRSA), and Faculty (MRFA) hold representation on the Board of Directors at Mount Royal University. Students, Staff, and Faculty are further engaged in governance through seats on the General Faculty Council (GFC).

The Mount Royal Staff Association (MRSA) endeavors to maintain a mutual and respectful relationship between the Staff and Mount Royal University. The MRSA has the responsibility of ensuring fair and equitable working conditions for Staff and strives to uphold a constant communication link between Staff and the University. We recognize and promote important contributions and continued efforts of our Staff. In a collaborative effort, the MRSA and Staff build the foundation of strength upon which the University rests. The MRSA is  governed by the MRSA Executive Board who are elected from within the membership. There is a Full-time President and an Executive Assistant within the MRSA office.  The rest of the Executive Board meet on a weekly basis to conduct Association business.  Communication with the membership occurs through emails, monthly newsletters, surveys, the website, open houses, GM and AGM https://mrustaff.ca/about-us/

The Mount Royal Faculty Association (MRFA) provides a collective voice for faculty. We are incorporated under Alberta’s Post-secondary Learning Act, and are deemed as a trade union under Alberta’s Labour Relations Code to serve as the bargaining agent representing all academic staff members at MRU in matters relating to the terms and conditions of their employment. All full-time, limited-term, and contract faculty teaching credit courses are members of the MRFA. This includes librarians, counsellors, educational developers, laboratory instructors, and all employees designated as members of the academic staff. The core mandate of the MRFA is to negotiate the Collective Agreement on behalf of all of our members through collective bargaining, and to resolve alleged contraventions of the collective agreement through the grievance process. In addition, the MRFA strives to promote the professional standing of our members, foster the faculty voice in the shared academic governance of MRU and advocate for high quality and accessible post-secondary education. The governance of the MRFA is overseen by a 10-member Executive Board with the support of several standing committees.  We strive to communicate clearly with our members through a variety of channels and to foster an engaged membership.  We hold multiple meetings of the membership throughout the year, consistent with strong democratic principles. https://mrfa.net/about/

The General Faculties Council (GFC) is established in accordance with the Post-Secondary Learning Act (PSLA). 

The GFC functions through a standing committee structure consisting of the following seven committees that carry out much of the detailed work and recommend actions that the GFC should take.
Executive Committee
Academic Planning and Budget Committee
Academic Programs and Curriculum Committee
Academic Standards Committee
Research and Scholarship Committee
Student Affairs Committee
Teaching and Learning Committee
https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/OfficesGovernance/GeneralFacultiesCouncil/Committees/index.htm
GFC Bylaws (includes membership) https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/OfficesGovernance/_pdfs/gfc_approvedbylaws.pdf

Board of Governors hosts public meetings that all members of community can attend. There are also members from NGO's, private sector and educational organizations involved in the decision making. The recruitment of public members is competency based and led by the Department of Advanced Education in consultation with the Board. The Department develops competencies for all public board members against which the candidates are screened. The Board develops a competency matrix for the Board as a whole as well as competencies required for individual members for each search. The steps that are taken or intended to be taken in the recruitment process and any identified skills, knowledge, experience or attributes required of a member to be appointed will be made public either before the member is appointed [APAGA Section 13(2)]. A public posting of all vacancies is the responsibility of the Department. Current members include: Ms. Sue Mallon (Board Chair), Public Member, CEO, Carya (formerly Calgary Family Services) Mr. Paul Singh Kundan (Board Vice-Chair), Public Member, CEO and Founder of Stone West Homes Inc. Ms. Tracee Collins, Public Member, Commission Member, Alberta Utilities Commission Ms. Corinne Jamieson, Public Member, Executive Director and General Counsel, Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta Dr. Jen Magnus, Public Member, President of Magnus Consulting Inc. Ms. Shannon Ryhorchuk, Public Member, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Ms. Keri Smith, Public Member Ms. Whitney Smithers, Public Member Ms. Michèle Stanners, Public Member Ms. Susan Swan, Public Member

GFC Bylaws (includes membership) https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/OfficesGovernance/_pdfs/gfc_approvedbylaws.pdf