Does the GSA and the university have some kind of agreement for this plan? And how can we afford this?

An important piece of the referendum is the memorandum of understanding. This page will highlight what a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is and review the documentation that was approved by the GSA’s Board of Directors in early 2021. Wondering what the new building levy is? Don’t worry – that will also be explained further on, but a quick highlight of this is that the new building levy wouldn’t be collected until substantial completion of the building!

Memorandum of Understanding
New Building Levy Information

Memorandum of Understanding

What is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) anyway? Simply put it is a document that binds the GSA to a task set out by its members. In this case, it is a document that we have developed with the university that identifies a fee graduate students would be willing to pay in order to build their own building on campus.  We have negotiated with the university that should this project move forward, the fee would not be charged to current graduate students. Instead, the university would front the cost for the project and future graduate students would pay back the fee overtime.  This fee would not be charged until the new graduate student building was open.  

Beyond binding the GSA to a specific goal set out by our members, a successful referendum also shows the university that graduate students are serious about their own space and the way in which they interact with the campus more broadly.  They are willing to show their intentions to create a more distinct graduate culture on campus, and in doing so we are also compelling the university to invest more heavily alongside these efforts to truly develop graduate infrastructure that shows current and future students that Brock is a comprehensive university.  

Fee Question:

Do you support the creation of a $65.00 per term levy that would result in the building of a new, dedicated Graduate Student Building as per the Memorandum of Understanding? The collection of this levy shall commence only once the new Graduate Student Building is open.

Yes / No

Memorandum of Understanding
Brock University Graduate Students’ Association
New Building Levy
March 2021

  1. The purpose of this levy is to provide funding to support the building and maintenance of a new Graduate Student building.
  2. The new Student Centre building will be centrally located on campus.
  3. The new Student Centre building (considered phase one) will be developed in such a way that will allow for future additional expansion, (considered phase two).
  4. The New Student Centre building Levy shall be a $65.00 per term levy, charged until one hundred percent (100%) of the initial capital cost, plus any additional financing carrying costs associated with the build (Phase One) are recuperated. The levy will be charged to all graduate students, both full-time and part-time. It shall be charged in all academic sessions and durations. The fee will be mandatory.
  5. Once the initial capital cost of the build is recuperated the $65.00 per term levy will be transitioned into the GSA Building Maintenance & Strategic Expansion Fund, to be administered by the GSA to cover the ongoing costs of operations associated with the building, including utilities, equipment, deferred maintenance and infrastructure.  This fund shall also be used to support future expansion of GSA space (Phase Two).
  6. Once transitioned to the GSA the levy will continue to be charged to all graduate students, both full-time and part-time. It shall be charged in all academic sessions and duration. The fee will remain mandatory.
  7. The subsequent $65.00 per term levy shall be transitioned to the purview of the GSA, under Document 003. The amount of this per term levy may be adjusted by the GSA Board of Directors, pursuant to Document 001 of the GSA.
  8. The first term of fee collection will occur following the substantial completion of the new Graduate Student building.
  9. The New Graduate Student Building Levy will be used for all costs associated with the creation and maintenance of the new building which can include but is not limited to:
    • Hiring an architecture firm
    • Hiring a Project Management team
    • Associated trades
    • Utilities
    • Deferred maintenance
    • Additional expansion
  10. If the GSA engages in fundraising to support the construction of the new graduate student building, these funds shall be spent in accordance with this Memorandum of Understanding.  Additional funds raised shall reduce the duration in which the levy of $65.00 is charged, this will not reduce the rate of the term-based fee.
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