UOIT Engineering Students' Society

UOIT Engineering Students' Society

Institution	University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Location	2000 Simcoe Street North, UL109, Oshawa, Ontario
Established	2003
President	Cristina Mazza
Vice presidents	Sharakha Shashikumar Jiaqi Zhao Hesham Ferhadi Sanjana Pillai Ezekiel Inocencio Osama Baig Talib Ali
Members	1,800
Affiliations	Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES),[1] Engineering Students Societies’ Council of Ontario (ESSCO),[2] Western Engineering Students' Societies Team (WESST), Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), Women in Engineering, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE),[3] American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME),[4] Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Website	www.uoitengsoc.ca

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society, also known as UOIT EngSoc, is the representative student body for all undergraduate full-time students enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS) and the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science (FESNS) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). In addition to providing funding for engineering clubs and groups, UOIT EngSoc organizes professional development, extracurricular and sports events for over 1,800 members, proudly representing engineering students at Ontario’s fastest growing university.^[5] Established and registered in 2003 under the Student Association at Durham College and UOIT originally as a club and later in 2008 as a society, UOIT EngSoc is one of the largest and most active students’ societies at the university.^[6] UOIT EngSoc is recognized by both the engineering faculties at UOIT and is formally affiliated with Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES) and the Engineering Students’ Societies’ Council of Ontario (ESSCO). The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society currently operates under the governing policies of Student Association at Durham College and UOIT,^[7] in addition to its own governing documents including a constitution and policy manual. In addition to the base funding provided by UOIT’s Student Association, UOIT EngSoc has, in previous years, attempted to create a referendum to establish a levied fee for all its members in order to provide better services and increase representation for engineering students.^[8] In 2013, UOIT EngSoc was successful in passing the referendum, due to the efforts of Arnold Odrigio and the Engineering Opportunities Fee Committee.

History

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society was formed in 2003 by the first year of engineering students at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. That year, the society was officially registered as a club under the Student Association at Durham College and UOIT, also known as the SA. For the following years the society remained relatively small and ran few events due to limited funding. In 2007, with Matt Cannon as President, the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society formally joined the Engineering Student Societies’ Council of Ontario (ESSCO), and attended their first conference the Presidents’ Meeting, hosted by the University of Ottawa in September. The following year ESSCO Executives mandated the UOIT EngSoc to hold the 2008 Presidents’ Meeting, a conference attended by 30 participants, 2 from each member university. With Mary Viloria as President, the society’s team of executives ran that weekend-long conference with $300 from a bake sale and a $3000 donation by the faculty. That year the society organized the sale of engineering leather jackets, a Movember campaign, a pub night, and the engineering hockey team to go play in the interschool tournament. The society ran a very successful internal engineering competition and was able to send teams to compete provincially, and because the society also joined the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES) that year, the teams were also able to compete nationally. In 2008, with the initiatives of the then President of the SA, Amy England, and Janelle MacDougall, an executive for the UOIT EngSoc, the SA formed a structure to support societies. The faculty heads of both FEAS and FESNS, advised representing all students in both faculties under one organization, and thus in 2008 the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society was registered as a society, which represented all students from FEAS and FESNS, under the Student Association.^[9]
In 2011, during the annual CFES Congress (hosted that year by Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland), UOIT officially joined Western Engineering Students' Societies Team (WESST). Ryan Farrugia, the VP External at the time, purchased several raffle tickets under the name UOIT EngSoc and placed them all in the prize box for a Lifetime Membership is WESST. During the final banquet, with delegates from all CFES member schools in attendance, one of the UOIT EngSoc's tickets was drawn and the UOIT EngSoc was made an official member of WESST. The prize, along with the WESST member rules, and picture of Ryan and Glen Courtis accepting the prize was framed and hung in the UOIT EngSoc office.

Places

OPG Engineering Building (ENG)

The Ontario Power Generation Engineering Building was opened on March 30, 2007, and is home to the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS). The 40,000-square-foot, three story building houses 17 state-of-the art labs and provides industry specific technology for UOIT’s engineering students.^[10][11] Most engineering students will attend upper year engineering labs in this building and it is also home to the office of the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, FEAS academic advisers, and other FEAS academic and administrative staff.

Energy Research Centre (ERC)

The Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre was opened in August, 2011, is home to the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science and houses a 72-seat lecture theatre, three 50-seat classrooms, two 30-seat tutorial rooms, and 12 labs.^[12][13] Many Engineering tutorials and labs are held in this building and it is also home to the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science, FESNS academic advisers, and other FESNS academic and administrative staff.

GM Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE)

The ACE building is 16,300 square meters and is used for a full range of testing for research on campus.^[14] It is divided into two areas, a core research facility (CRF) and an integrated research and training facility (IRTF). The CRF is a heavy lab area that is used for a lifecycle testing and included the infamous wind tunnel, known to be one of the largest and sophisticated wind tunnels in the world. The IRTF is five floors used for research, education and training. It consists of offices, laboratories, conference rooms and common work areas. It was developed in partnership between UOIT, General Motors of Canada, the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE), the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada. The total cost of the facility is over $100 million.^[15]

Structure and organization

Council members

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society’s Council is composed of voting and non-voting members.^[6]

Executive Council

The Executive Council of the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society is formed by nine voting positions annually elected by the membership to oversee all general affairs of the Society. Each position is also responsible for managing different day-to-day affairs of the Society.

President Cristina Mazza	The President is ultimately responsible for: maintaining the integrity of the UOIT EngSoc, enforcing compliance with the Constitution and Policy Manual, and general supervision of all activities of the UOIT EngSoc and its subsidiary bodies.
VP Internal Sharakha Sashikumar	The VP Internal is responsible for: acting as the President in all capacities in the absence of the President, supervising and acting on internal matters such as communication, transportation, and reports; and the supervision of all subsidiary bodies of the UOIT EngSoc.
VP External Jiaqi Zhao	The VP External is responsible for: liaising with all student and professional organizations, supervising the PEO Relations Director and the OSPE Relations Director, coordinate recruitment initiatives with VP Academics and the UOIT Registrar’s Office, and attend all conferences supported by UOIT EngSoc as Head Delegate as well as propose and chair any special committee to organize conferences hosted by the UOIT EngSoc.
VP Finance & Administration Theo Tang	The VP Finance and Administration is responsible for: the management of all UOIT EngSoc finances and financial statement according to the Financial Policy, the supervision of all UOIT EngSoc assets, and taking minutes in all UOIT EngSoc Council Meetings and General Meetings.
VP Academic Sanjana Pillai	The VP Academic is responsible for: ensuring the selection of FEAS and FESNS Student Representatives, liaising with subsidiary bodies, Faculty and students to investigate educational and academic issues, sitting on the FEAS Council, and recruitment of Student Representatives to sit on faculty academic councils.
VP Student Life FEAS Ezekiel Inocencio	The VP's of Student Life is responsible for: the organization of all social and professional development activities that are not organized by an appointed director, initiation of new social activities with diverse scheduling and interest, coordination of the promotion of events with the VP Makreting and Design and the funding and sponsorship of events with the VP Finance and Administration.
VP Student Life FESNS Osama Baig	The VP's of Student Life is responsible for: the organization of all social and professional development activities that are not organized by an appointed director, initiation of new social activities with diverse scheduling and interest, coordination of the promotion of events with the VP Makreting and Design and the funding and sponsorship of events with the VP Finance and Administration.
VP Marketing and Design Talib Ali	The VP Marketing and Design is responsible for: all one-way communication from the UOIT EngSoc, active promotion of UOIT EngSoc activities, and overseeing the distribution and maintenance of the EngStore and all swag items for sale.

^[16]

Chair and Director Positions

The Directors of the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society are responsible for the organization of specific affairs of the society and the Chair positions are responsible for heading specific societal committees. Chair and Directorship Positions are non-voting members of the council.

• Chief Returning Officer (CRO) - Arnold Odrigo
• Secretary - Anoja Wijayasri
• Administration Director - Cole Arthurs
• Chair of Council - Baker Baha
• Communications Director - Henry Chan
• Graphic Design Director - Peter Botros
• First Year Council Chair - (Vacant)
• Mentorship Director - Vacant
• Alumni Directors - Ryan Farrugia
• Competitions Committee Director - Connor Prole
• National Engineering Month Director - Connor Prole
• Fundraising Director - Vacant
• Merchandise Director - Alex Unnippillil
• EngBall Director - Cristina Mazza
• Movember Director - Lowell Bower
• Sports Director - Nichol Ferguson

^[17]

Membership

All full-time undergraduate engineering students enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS) or the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science (FESNS) are Full Members of the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society and entitled to vote in its elections, referenda and General Meetings. Associate members of the UOIT EngSoc are those that have received special approval from the council. Honorary Membership may be granted to Alumni of FEAS and FESNS at UOIT and Faculty members of FEAS or FESNS at UOIT; honorary members do not receive all membership benefits. The membership is the highest authority within the Engineering Society, and decisions of the membership supersede decisions by the council.

Operations and procedures

The Student Association at Durham College and UOIT

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society is officially registered under the Student Association at Durham College and UOIT, also known as the SA. UOIT EngSoc is governed by the SA policies. The governance consists of a board of directors, the SA President, VP of College Affairs, and VP of University Affairs. All faculty societies on campus work under the VP of University Affairs and most SA interaction with EngSoc is through him/her. The SA provides all students a positive academic experience by developing a sense of community and diversity on campus through the deliverance of superior advocacy, support, and services.

Governing Documents

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society is governed by its own governing Constitution and Policy Manual, in addition to the governing documents of the Student Association.

UOIT Engineering Students' Society - Constitution
UOIT Engineering Students' Society - Policy Manual

Elections

Elected Executives by Academic Year

	2013-2014	2012–2013	2011–2012	2010–2011
President	Shane Comella	Sean Kell and Glen Courtis Jr.***	Janelle MacDougall	Mats van Kleef and Arif Qureshi*
VP Internal	Chandan Sharma	Arnold Odrigo	Sean Kell	Janelle McDougall
VP External	Tushar Karanwal	Jared Burton	Justin Vanden Bosch	Ryan Farrugia
VP Finance & Administration	Dan Chaudhry	Carly Valcheff	Nicholas Soldera	Krista Nicholson
VP Academic FEAS		Dan Chaudhry	Waqar Ali	Glen Courtis
VP Academic FESNS		Rob McIntosh	Glen Courtis**	Glen Courtis
VP Academic ****	Maaz Tanveer
VP Social	Cristina Mazza	Justin Rizzi	Danielle Kitts	N/A
VP Marketing & Design (*)	N/A	Zack Freedman	Shane Comella	Shane Comella
VP Professional Development (*)	Dany Awad
Councilor, FEAS (*)	Trish Jennett
Councilor, FESNS (*)	Mason Verkruisen

*Co-Presidents; **Rob McIntosh appointed Interim VP Academic FESNS; *** Sean Kell resigned, council voted Glen Courtis Jr. as interim President **** United VP Academic positions, (*) new position added ^[6]

Events

EngBall

The UOIT EngBall is an annual formal dance and social get-together for all members of the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society. During this event the EngSoc Awards and The MacDougies are formally awarded to their recipient, and traditionally the election results for the following years team of executives are also announced.

Internal Engineering Competition

This is an interactive event that gathers undergraduate engineering students at UOIT to use their skills outside the classroom to compete and advance to the Ontario Engineering Competitions. There is a senior design and junior design to ensure fair competition with lower and upper year students. They are asked to design, construct, test, and present feasible solutions to problems with limited time and materials. In 2011 this competition was judged by Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO).^[18]

Professional Development Day

The Professional Development Day is a learning day for students to meet educators and business professionals in engineering. The Engineering Students' Society offers keynote speakers, seminars, and workshops to educate UOIT students and give them the opportunity to learn and discuss new ideas in the engineering field.

Annual General Meeting

The entire membership (including Full Members, Associate Members, and Honorary Members) of the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society may attend, speak, and vote at the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society Annual General Meeting (AGM). AGM is an opportunity for all members of the society to discuss current and future issues pertaining to the society and the students it represents. A minimum of 5% of the total Membership is needed to reach Quorum, and proxy votes are not accepted. The AGM is chaired by the CRO.

Traditions

Veronica

Veronica is the symbol of any student in FEAS and FESNS at UOIT; she is the symbol of the UOIT Engineering Students' Society (UOIT EngSoc). Veronica is a graphical image with the gear with an atom. Veronica's history lies in the society’s need to have a symbol for the representation of all engineering students UOIT. The idea was originally codenamed “Vanna White,” however it was later changed to Veronica and has since been established as the symbol of all engineering students at UOIT. Veronica has also been incorporated into the UOIT Engineering Student Society’s Logo, representing as the ‘o’ in “EngSoc”.

Iron Ring

The Iron Ring is a unique Canadian tradition. Since 1922, Canadian engineering graduates have been able to participate in The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, a welcoming ceremony wherein new professionals receive an iron ring. The Iron ring represents an engineers choice to obligate themselves to the highest professionalism and humility for their profession and their moral and ethical commitment. The Iron Ring is worn on the little finger of the dominant hand and it acts a reminder of an engineers obligation because as an engineer works, it symbolically rubs off on all the engineers drawings and writings. Receiving an iron ring is separate from obtaining a university degree or an engineering license from a provincial or territorial engineering association such as Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO). The Ritual is administered for UOIT engineering graduates by Camp 1 (Toronto region) of the body that oversees the Iron Ring tradition, The Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc. All graduating engineering students at UOIT may participate in this ceremony at the end of their final year.

Lady Godiva and Godiva's Hymn

Similarly to other engineering universities across Britain and Canada, at UOIT Lady Godiva is generally regarded as an engineering mascot and called the “Patron Saint of Engineers” or the “Goddess of Engineering.” Historically, some university engineering organisations staged an annual "Godiva Ride" in which a naked female rode a horse across campus. This practice is not held at UOIT, perhaps due to modern feminist attitudes. Godiva’s Hymn, an international engineering song, is sung by many UOIT Engineers at various events and conferences.

Collaboration with Health Sciences

Both the university’s Engineering Students’ Society and the Health Science Council arrange and participate in events together like an annual pancake breakfast.

Services

Mentorship Program

There are currently over 60 volunteers signed up for this new initiative at UOIT. The Mentorship Program is offered by the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society and provides incoming students (mentee) a upper year student (mentor) to help them transition from high school to university. The mentees are provided the mentor’s contact information and can e-mail the mentor at any time to ask any questions regarding services and classes on campus, as well as to offer social and emotional support in their first year at UOIT.^[19]

Student Representation Program

The UOIT Engineering Students’ Society Student Representatives recruited by the VP Academics and are responsible for representing students in their specific year and programs and reporting all issues facing students, academic, educational or otherwise, to the VP Academics. There are a total of 40 Student Representatives per year for both FEAS and FESNS, one for every program in each year. Upper year Student Representatives may be recruited by the VP Academics to sit on faculty academics councils. Unlike members of the council of the UOIT EngSoc, Student Representatives have no constitutional authorities other than the authorities of all members of the Membership.

Engineering Study Sessions

Engineering Study Sessions are a service provided by the UOIT Engineering Students’ Society in cooperation with the UOIT Academic Success Centre and professors from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Faculty of Science. Engineering Study Sessions are hosted specifically before midterms and final exams generally for 3-4 hour each. All UOIT engineering students are invited to attend these sessions and a variety of professors and teaching assistants are especially invited to teach approximately one-hour-long reviews in their respective subjects in order to aid engineering students in preparation for their exams. In addition, peer tutors and study skills specialists are also available to help students with questions one on one or in small groups.

Clubs and groups

Competitions Committee

The Competitions Committee is in charge of making and running the build competitions and the prestigious Internal Engineering Competition. The committee is for those helping to design, build, and test the ideas that are used to make our build competitions successful. The committee is chaired by the Competitions Committee Chair.^[20]

Exotic Car Club

The UOIT Exotic Car club was made to bring together students interested in exotic cars and fabricate a UOIT based exotic car. It provide students with a chance to learn about the construction of cars. The club holds regular meetings to discuss prototypes, design specifications, assembly, and fundraising ideas. The club hopes to move into a shop and begin to construct a powerful and agile car when they acquire adequate funding.^[21]

First Year Council

The First Year Council is responsible for promoting involvement of First Year students in Engineering Activities held throughout the year. The council is chaired by the First Year Council Chair.^[22]

GNCTR

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) is an annual event that has been held since 1974 amongst universities and technical schools from across Canada (with the odd entry from the United States and Europe). The project involves creating a toboggan with a metal frame and a running surface made completely out of concrete. The sled must weigh less than 136 kg with a braking system, a stirring system, and a roll bar to protect its five passengers. UOIT’s first took part in this race during the 2011-2012 academic year.^[23]

National Engineering Month Committee

The National Engineering Month (NEM) Committee is responsible for making the Rube Goldberg machine that works in conjunction with the other schools involved in the Engineering Students' Society Council of Ontario (ESSCO) to make one giant Rube Goldberg Machine that has its purpose change every year. The NEM Committee also helps with doing outreach programs for high schools to get students interested in the field of Engineering.

National Society of Black Engineers

Original Mission Statement: “The primary mission at NSBE UOIT is to improve ourselves as individuals, so we can significantly increase the amount of impact that we have on others. In creating this club, we anticipate the creation of a space which is comfortable and encourages students to flourish within this organization. We aim to encourage minorities across the surrounding communities to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in an effort to cater to the current local demands for such professionals in these fields.”^[3]

Women in Engineering

Women in Engineering is a group of male and female students at UOIT who are interested in working on understanding women's issues in engineering, preparing themselves for the professional workplace, conducting outreach activities to high school students and organizing events.^[24]

EngSoc Awards and the MacDougies

EngSoc Awards and The MacDougies are awarded every year in recognition of the hard work and continued efforts of students, teaching assistants and professors at UOIT.

The recipients for the 2011-2012 academic year were:

• Presidents Award - Roshan Rajmohan and Mahalia Cardinal
• Most Active Club - ASME
• Most Helpful TA FEAS - Sima Kouhi Fayegh Dehkordi
• Most Helpful TA FESNS - Neville Malabre-O'Sullivan
• Best Professor - Dan Zhang
• E4TW - Calvin Tang

The MacDougies (Named in honour of Janelle MacDougall, Ex-President of UOIT EngSoc):

• ERTW - Justin Vanden Bosch
• Best Dressed (theme wise at EngBall) - Courtney Stallman
• Most Enthusiastic - Justin Vanden Bosch and Nichol Ferguson
• Most Likely to have plans A-Z foiled - Riccardo Zavatti
• Most Likely to try Parkour - Nichol Ferguson
• Most Likely to get Clubbed - Shane Comella

Engineering conferences

First Year Integration Conference

The First Year Integration Conference is put on by the Engineering Student Societies Council of Ontario with the goal of getting the first year students excited and involved with the engineering society outside off of campus.

CFES Presidents Meeting

The Canadian Federation of Engineering Students provides representation feedback on issues relevant to engineering students in Canada. The event and promotes the free exchange of ideas and experiences to support the evolution of student environments across Canada. This conference is held for more detailed discussion of issues.

National Conference on Women in Engineering

The National Conference on Women in Engineering is help held to discuss the struggles faced by women in Engineering; including challenging the social norms of today’s society. Many successful women are currently paving the path for a more promising future for women in engineering and this conference helps explore the past and our future steps into this new revolution.

External links

• Official UOIT Engineering Students' Society website

References