The Monash Residents Services (MRS) Residents’ Committee is an elected/nominated group of current MRS residents that provides a direct resident voice to the Director MRS. The Residents’ Committee is funded through a contribution from the annual MRS budget which is reviewed annually. 

Residents’ Committee members are engaged to represent all current MRS residents and must act for the direct benefit of current MRS residents. 

1. The committee will meet once per month (February – October) except during exam times.

2. To take appropriate action when presented with problems/issues that residents face whilst living at an MRS site.

3. To liaise with the relevant bodies and/or Halls’ Societies to promote academic, cultural, personal, social and recreational activities within MRS.

4. To liaise with Monash Residential Life Staff (RLS) through representation at their Residential Support Team meetings.

5. To organise large-scale, inclusive, annual resident events and other inter-residential functions, including fundraising initiatives, whilst ensuring that the dates are set early to minimise clashes with major events (e.g. Dine-Ins and Academic Dinners).

1. 7 Executive Officer Positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Creative Officer, Functions Officer, Advocacy Officer and Immediate Past President/ Executive. All Executive Officers except the Immediate Past President/Executive will be elected in accordance with these Terms of Reference (TOR).

2. A Resident Advisor and Hall Society President representing each residence (each of the five Residential Village Halls, six Urban Community Halls, South East Flats and Peninsula Residential), each appointed by their RLS Senior Coordinator (the Residence Representatives). These positions can be reviewed/changed at any time during the year by the RLS Senior Coordinators. These Residence Representatives are responsible for representing and reporting back to/from the residents of their residence.

3. Central Portfolio Representatives: One from each of Sports & Wellbeing Resident Advisors, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Resident Advisors, Environmental Resident Advisors, Pride Community Resident Advisors and Gender Equality Resident Advisors.

4. Advisory members: 2 RLS representatives and Associate Director Residential Support (ADRS) or their representative.

5. Interim membership may be carried over from the previous year until the first meeting by which time new representatives should have been elected.

1. Executive Officers shall consist of: President, Vice President, Secretary, Creative Officer, Functions Officer, Advocacy Officer and Immediate Past President/Executive. All must be current residents throughout their term.

2. Those nominating and elected for Executive Officer positions:

a. cannot hold another Student Organisation Executive Position within the University or any affiliated associations;

b. must campaign as an individual and not as a group or an affiliated party within the University;

c. must have special approval by the Associate Director Residential Support if they have been an MRS resident for less than 6 months at the time that nominations close;

d. cannot have served as an Executive Officer in the Residents’ Committee in a previous term (with the exception of the Immediate Past President/Executive);

e. cannot be in breach of the MRS Conditions of Residency.

All Executive Officers shall be elected annually for a term of one year or until the next group of Executive Officers is elected.

All Executive Officers except the Immediate Past President/Executive must be elected in accordance with the process below. Elections will take place in October (unless exceptional circumstances apply as determined by the ADRA). The process for elections will be:-

a. Communication will be sent to all residents asking for nominations.

b. Nominations will be promoted online and advertised for no more than a 2-week period.

c. Once nominations close, the ADRS will establish a process for voting and arrange for information to be distributed to all residents.

d. Successful applicants will be required to complete certain training (see below under ‘Training’) before they are appointed to an Executive Officer Position.

The Associate Director Residential Support or their representative will serve as the Returning Staff Member. Their role is to support the committee to ensure adherence to MRS and University policy and procedure. 

President

The President will:

a) chair meetings of the Residents’ Committee;

b) be the Resident Representative on the University Committees where required;

c) have a casting vote but not a deliberative vote;

d) communicate with the other Executive members and chairpersons of relevant sub-committees to ensure that any problems/issues be resolved immediately;

e) be designated as the reporter of proposals to/from the Residents’ Committee; 

f) liaise with any external stakeholders as required and in conjunction with Associate Director Residential Support (ADRS);

g) shall remain a close connection with each Hall Society and attend all Central Hall Society meetings; and

h) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role.

Vice President

The Vice President will:

a) in the absence of the President, chair meetings of the Residents’ Committee;

b) assume the position of President for the remainder of the term of office should the President step down or be removed from office; (should this occur, a new Vice President shall be duly elected). Following the election of the new Vice President, another representative will be selected from their residence as a replacement;

c) assist the President in their duties;

d) be the first point of reference for financial matters regarding the Residents’ Committee;

e) prepares a financial plan at the start of each semester (in conjunction with ADRS);

f) updates committee members at each meeting on the state of finances;

g) assists committee members in the financial planning of their events;

h) oversee special projects; 

i) assist other executives with their duties as required; and

j) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role 

Secretary

The Secretary will:

a) ensure that an updated list of members (with contact details) is forwarded on to the committee members, advisory members and ADR;

b) manage, prepare and distribute agendas, minutes and all other written documentation for each formal meeting;

c) send agendas to all Residents’ Committee members at least a week before the formal meetings and minutes at least a week after the formal meetings;

d) facilitate logistical operations of the committee (booking rooms, etc);

e) manage formal and informal channels of internal communication to Residents’ Committee members (email, written, Facebook and social media, etc);

f) promote to all residents the option to attend a Residents Committee to raise any matters; and

g) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role.

Creative Officer

The Creative Officer will:

a) be responsible for the content and community of the Residents’ Committee in all digital media spaces;

b) create compelling communications content and appropriate artwork;

c) release Residents’ Committee content through committee channels and ensure timely distribution of communication material; and

d) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role.

Functions Officer

The Functions Officer will:

a) consult with the current Residents’ Committee members on choosing the venue and date for the following year’s annual Residents’ Ball;

b) be responsible for coordinating recreational and social activities of the Residents’ Committee;

c) comply with procedures relating to the running of activities at MRS (refer to the Associate Director Residential Support);

d) manage timeline deadlines required for event delivery, ensuring deadlines are met; 

e) provide (or assist other committee members) in the evaluation of events; and

f) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role.

Advocacy Officer

The Advocacy Officer will:

a) advocate for the interests of all residents;

b) maintain frequent communication will each hall representative in order to remain abreast of any issues or suggestions that the community may have;

c) maintain strong ties with MRS Staff;

d) prepare detailed reports on issues brought to their attention, including outlining benefits, costs, and impact on various stakeholders.

i. These reports shall be available in full to the Executive Group and the ADRS;

ii. These reports shall be available with sensitive information redacted to all committee members and MRS staff following approval from ADRS; and

e) complete all mandatory training as listed below, prior to the commencement of their role.

Immediate Past President/Executive

The Immediate Past President/Executive will: 

a) be held by the immediate past President in the first instance.

i. If the President is to decline or is no longer a current resident, the position would be opened to all members of the Executive Team; 

ii. If more than one Executive applies, an election process would be undertaken and administered by ADRS;

b) support the incoming President and Executive team;

c) facilitate the effective transfer of information;

d) orchestrates the handover procedure

i. develops handover procedure;

e) engage in strategic planning;

f) act in a support role to the executive and committee;

g) work with the president to orchestrate training within the committee;

h) upskill the executive and further committee members in all Residents’ Committee matters; and

i) oversee special projects. 

At the first meeting of each year, the Immediate Past President shall chair the meeting, if the new President still has not been elected. In their absence, the Vice President of the Residents’ Committee shall chair the initial meeting. In their absence, the RLS representative shall chair the meeting until an election has been held.

The first meeting of the new committee is to be held in November of the preceding year (unless under exceptional circumstances, the first meeting may be delayed until the following year).

Prior to committing to any joint events with external parties beyond MRS, the Executive Officers must first discuss the matter at a committee meeting with a majority vote in favour and with the approval of the ADRS.

The person holding the position of President of the MRS Residents Committee is also an ex-officio member of the Vice Chancellors Student Presidents Advisory Forum (VCSPAF) and as an executive office bearer of the MRS Residents Committee they must advise members of the Residents Committee of any MRS matters they raise and or discuss at VCSPAF.

The President or Vice President can be removed from office by a vote of no confidence by a majority (i.e. 50% + 1) of the whole elected committee, provided that one week’s notice of the motion is given and that the motion is proposed and seconded by members of this Committee. Votes by proxy are permitted.

An Executive Officer must not have breached any of the Residential Community Standards. Where an Executive Officer is the subject of an investigation into an alleged breach of the Residential Community Standards, their position will be suspended until an outcome has been determined.

Quorum for meetings shall be fifteen members of the Residents’ Committee (excluding Executive Officer & Advisory Member positions).

This Committee can determine its membership on the basis of attendance. If any member misses two consecutive meetings without a suitable apology, the relevant RLS Senior Coordinator will review their role on the committee and may decide on a replacement. 

All Executive Positions must have a current Victorian Working With Children’s Check and complete the required training before undertaking the position.