OPIRG-OTTAWA IS LOOKING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!

Are you interested in getting involved with an organization that works on social, environmental and economic justice? Do you want to gain experience working with other people who are passionate about these issues? This might be the opportunity for you!
OPIRG-Ottawa is looking to appoint new board members to fill vacant seats. These board members will be appointed to be on the board until the end of March. If they wish to remain on the board for the following year, they have the option of running in the March OPIRG board elections, which coincide with the OPIRG AGM. If you are interested in being appointed to the board, please fill out an OPIRG Board of Directors Application Form and submit it by Thursday, November 22nd, 2012. All applicants will be contacted with the status of their application by midNovember, either with an offer to join the OPIRG Board or suggestions on other ways to get involved. We look forward to your application!

What is OPIRG-Ottawa?
OPIRG-Ottawa is an organization that works on research, education and action around social, environmental and economic justice. It is a University of Ottawabased, student-levied organization that facilitates and supports campus and community activism in Ottawa and that strives to work in an anti-oppressive framework. OPIRG-Ottawa has a resource centre, supports over ten different action groups, and has organized events such as the 2011 Forum on Police Violence, Incarceration and Alternatives, 2012 Forum on Sex Work in Canada: Working it from Every Angle, and several years of Alternative 101, the radical orientation week at the University of Ottawa.

What is the OPIRG Board of Directors?

The OPIRG Board of Directors strives to contribute to OPIRGs mandate of working toward social, environmental and economic justice and is the employer of the five permanent staff members who work at OPIRG. The board consists of up to nine (9) volunteers who are elected at OPIRGs Annual General Meeting or who are appointed by the current board at another time when there are vacant seats. The

OPIRG board is responsible for working with staff to determine the general direction of the organization, and functions in a model of consensus-decision making. The boards composition is mainly undergraduate and graduate students, with some community members.

What are the responsibilities of OPIRG board members?

Attending and participating in biweekly OPIRG Board meetings and in alternate biweekly work sessions (3 hours per week) Doing work on different portfolios that are voluntarily committed to such as boardstaff liaison work, policy work, human resources, community relations, board relations, and anti-oppression (time commitments vary) The safety and equitable treatment of staff members according to the law and to OPIRGs Collective Agreement Ensuring that legally mandated policies are written and are in effect Contributing to OPIRG with enthusiasm and a critical perspective to create a dynamic and positive space for everyone

What are some things you will get out of being on the board?
Opportunities to learn more about issues of social, environmental and economic justice Gaining connections to diverse organizations in the Ottawa area that work on environmental, economic and social justice issues Skill-building and knowledge related to time management, initiative, staff management, conflict resolution, meeting facilitation, minute-taking, consensus decision-making, unionized work environments and more Being able to give direction, suggestions and ideas to an organization that is pivotal in both on and off campus environmental, economic, and social justice communities Meeting and working with other people who are passionate about these issues!

What are we looking for in OPIRG board members?

An understanding of oppression and marginalization in society through personal experience, solidarity work, or other ways of learning, and a commitment to and passion for learning and unlearning about different forms of oppression Interest in learning about and supporting different forms of activism on campus and in the Ottawa community Commitment to teamwork and communication with other board members and staff Passion for building team spirit and creating a safe space so that board members can enjoy working together French and English bilingualism (an asset)