Hi Badgers! AbdulRahman here – your 2026-2027 Chair of the BUSU Board of Directors.

I hope everyone is having a great summer so far whether you are back home, traveling or still in Niagara. To provide some additional transparency into BUSU’s governance, you will see a report written by myself or the Board Vice Chair, Aaron, after each meeting. It’s an attempt to keep you up-to-date on what we are working on to advance student interests at BUSU. In addition to these reports, you can also view recordings of the meetings on YouTube and read the minutes which will be posted to our website. 

Below is our first report which covers our May training and our first meeting which took place on June 25th.  

BUSU Board of Directors Training 

On May 19th, the new Board of Directors, along with members of senior staff, attended a full day of training at White Oaks Conference Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This was a full day of sessions which started with a governance consultant reviewing the role of a Board, and how we, as your representatives, can support furthering the strategic direction of BUSU.  

After lunch, we had two sessions – one with our legal counsel on our fiduciary responsibilities and one of with our insurance representative who spoke about risk management. We also discussed social media use and finished the day with a dinner on site. 

Meeting 1 – June 25, 2026 

The Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) Board of Directors convened on June 25, 2026, to consider a number of governance, policy, sustainability, and organizational matters in accordance with its responsibilities under the BUSU By-Laws and governing policies. The meeting focused on strengthening organizational governance, supporting sustainable initiatives, and advancing executive recruitment for the 2026-2027 governance year. 

At the beginning of each meeting the Board approves the agenda, minutes from the previous meeting and hears any conflict of interest declarations.  

Election of Board Leadership 

The Board elected its Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2026-2027 term. 

Following nominations and voting, AbdulRahman was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors, and Aaron Mukendi was elected as Vice-Chair. 

Governance Review Report Received 

The Board received the independent Governance Review Report prepared by Risser and Hughes for information. 

Recognizing the significance of the recommendations contained within the report, the Board resolved to establish a Governance Review Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the recommendations prior to any implementation. 

The Committee has been mandated to: 

• Review each recommendation in detail 
• Consult with appropriate stakeholders 
• Assess the operational and governance implications of each recommendation; and 
• Report back to the Board with recommendations identifying which proposals should be adopted, amended, deferred, or rejected. 

The Committee consists of four members of the Board of Directors together with one non-voting representative from Brock University Administration and two non-voting members of BUSU Senior Staff. 

This process is intended to ensure that any future governance reforms are carefully evaluated through consultation, due diligence, and informed decision-making. 

Green Levy Funding Approved 

The Board approved the allocation of Green Levy funding to support sustainability initiatives during the 2026-2027 fiscal year. 

Approved initiatives include funding to enhance waste sorting infrastructure within Union Station, and funding for environmentally sustainable promotional materials (Eco SWAG). 

These initiatives reflect BUSU’s continued commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible stewardship of student funds. 

Executive Appointment Policy Updated 

The Board approved amendments to Policy 200 - Executive Appointment Policy. 

The revised policy comes into effect immediately and will govern future executive appointment processes. The amendments are intended to strengthen recruitment procedures, improve governance oversight, and promote consistency and transparency in future executive hiring processes. 

Vice-President Hiring Committees Established 

Following the adoption of the revised Executive Appointment Policy, the Board established hiring committees for the vacant Vice-President positions. 

Committees have been tasked with conducting the recruitment process, reviewing applications, interviewing shortlisted candidates, and making recommendations to the Board for final consideration. 

The Board remains committed to ensuring that all appointments are conducted through a fair, transparent, and merit-based process. 

In Camera Session 

The Board also met in an in-camera session to consider matters appropriately dealt with in closed session in accordance with BUSU’s governing documents and established governance practices. 

Consistent with good governance principles, discussions held in-camera remain confidential. 

Looking Forward 

The Board of Directors remains committed to providing strong governance, maintaining transparency and accountability, and acting in the best interests of BUSU and its members. 

The Board will continue advancing its work on governance modernization, sustainability initiatives, and executive recruitment while ensuring that future decisions are informed, transparent, and consistent with the organization’s governing documents. 

Further updates will be provided as these initiatives progress.

Watch the full meeting on BUSU's YouTube Channel