OPIRG McMaster

Room Booking Policy

OPIRG McMaster's objectives are to

1. Engage in charitable non-profit research and activities to advance the welfare of the University and general community;
2. To execute, sponsor and publish educational studies and programs to advance the welfare of the University and general community;
3. To facilitate and encourage students to develop their research and advocacy skills in order to become active and informed citizens;
4. To make diverse view points available to the University and general community.

As part of accomplishing these objectives, OPIRG McMaster uses its institutional resources to book University space on behalf of other groups for the purposes of public meetings, conferences, speakers' events, or any other legitimate use of space that furthers OPIRG McMaster's objectives as stated above.

OPIRG McMaster will review and grant or deny all internal and external requests for bookings on the criteria listed above. Applicants may be asked to speak with the Board during the review process.

OPIRG McMaster will deny requests for bookings if there is any reasonable concern that the booking will negatively affect the reputation of the organization, its working groups, or its community partners on and off campus.

OPIRG McMaster will not grant requests to book rooms on behalf of MSU campus clubs or other McMaster groups that already have access to booking privileges.

OPIRG McMaster reserves the right to re-evaluate all applications and reverse decisions at any point before a scheduled booking.

Successful applicants agree to act in the best interests of OPIRG McMaster over the course of their booking and act lawfully and responsibly.

Successful applicants are responsible for any extraneous costs charged to OPIRG McMaster during the course of their booking and will be billed accordingly.

All bookings will be reviewed after their completion, to be used in reviewing future applications.

______________________________________________________________________

Approved by OPIRG McMaster Board of Directors: February 25, 2009

       Be Cause you can: McMaster’s Alternative Welcome Week 2011

Mac’s second annual AltWW 2011 isn’t your typical WW and that’s why it’s your alternative. Join us September 12-16 as AWW11 invites all students to participate and celebrate in a week of FREE events on-campus (and some off) events. Some of the themes that will be explored during this year’s week include: women’s and queer rights, Indigenous sovereignty, anti-racism, environmental and social justice globally/ locally, sustainable agriculture and transportation, diversity on campus, and economic and migrant justice. 

Whether you’re a new student to McMaster or new to AltWW there will be many different events and mediums to get involved in. Be a part of your campus and community Be Cause you can!        

Be Cause:

 What motivates us to get involved? Whatever your “Cause” or connection to social and environmental justice might make up part of who you might “Be.” Maybe you don’t know what that is or where to begin and that’s ok too! McMaster’s Alternative Welcome Week provides a week of FREE fun and interactive events for students of all years to make those connections both locally and globally. Inclusion, positive spaces and information are powerful ingredients for a food for thought approach to our world. Check out our event calendar and “Be” part of McMaster’s Alternative Welcome Week 2011!

Check back for details on all of our events! And be sure to follow us for regular updates:

http://www.facebook.com/altwwmcmaster 

http://twitter.com/#!/altww2011

Events Guide:

***Just a reminder -The DIY Cosmetics event is happening in 10min and the room is now changed to MUSC 318! Be there :) 

Wednesday, September 14^th 2011

Supporting Survivors                                                                                12pm-1pm MUSC 214

“Four out of five female undergraduates surveyed at Canadian universities said they had been victims of violence in a dating relationship.” (StatsCan) Learn how to support survivors! An honest and frank discussion facilitated by SACHA, the Hamilton area sexual assault centre of Hamilton.

Free Event!

D.I.Y. Cosmetics  3pm-4pm MUSC 230

Learn how to use regular ingredients to create truly natural beauty! Free of chemicals & dyes and good to your skin! Join the lovely Amina Z Suhrwardy at 3:30pm in MUSC 230. We'll make deodorant and body scrub with items whose names you can pronounce! Last minute sign-ups are acceptable - email: altww@opirg.ca

Free Event!

Wednesday, September 14^th 2011

Bike in Movie                                                                                         Meet time 6:30 at MUSC 214  

Bike to an outdoor movie screening (public transit/walking is also an option) at the Hill Street Garden! Experience an outdoor viewing of the film Hayao Miyazaki’s “Princess Mononoke”  -bring a blanket & don’t worry popcorn’s on the house! Organized by the HamiltonWomyns BikeCollective         

Free Event!

Wednesday, September 14^th 2011

Waterlife (film & discussion)                                                                7pm MUSC 318

This National Film Board of Canada documentary film explores the importance and beauty of the Great Lakes as well as their degradation. Director Kevin McMahon uses a range of different perspectives including that of a seagull, a fish or a water molecule to highlight how “we are all a product of our environment.” Discussion to follow.

Free Event!

Tuesday September 13th 2011:

FAIR TRADE BREAKFAST!

Start the day out right! -Join us from 10:00-11:30 in MUSC 230 for a fair trade breakfast :) FREE EVENT!

Monday, September 12^th 2011

 PIRGtopia

11-2pm MUSC Atrium

 The Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster is a place where you can learn about important social and environmental issues, but more than that, OPIRG empowers you to take action on the issues that matter.

 Join us in the Atrium, the big space in the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) to learn more about OPIRG McMaster and the working groups who create a different PIRGspective about our campus and our world.

 Free Event!

Monday, September 12^th 2011

 Drum Circle

Provided by OpenCircle and MacBeat

11:30 -1:30pm MUSC Atrium

 Move to the beat of the MacBEAT drumming circle organized by McMaster’s OpenCircle! A student initiative founded to further the music scene at McMaster by creating a network where musicians communicate and collaborate. Percussion instruments will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Your ears won’t be able to miss this event with students jamming throughout this midday performance. 

No experience needed!

For more information:
Open Circle: www.OpenCircle.mcmaster.ca
MacBEAT: facebook -  "MacBEAT: McMaster's Music Community" or macmusicnet@gmail.com

  Free Event! 

 Monday, September 12^th 2011

 HSR Bike Rack Display

3:00pm-4:30pm Outside MUSC/Mills Library

 So you’re feeling pretty good about getting to know that Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) transit lines but like being able to opt for your bike. Can both worlds exist? YES! Of course they can, but there is that daunting task of actually getting your bike loaded to the front of a giant bus while people are quizzically starring at you wondering how long this will take…Fears be gone! Join us for our HSR bike rack demonstration get some tips and even try it out yourself.

 Free Event!

Monday, September 12^th 2011

 Written Word Workshop

7:30pm-8:30pm &

Dub-Poetry/Open Mic Night

8:30pm-11:00pm

Bridges Café

Dub poetry is a form of spoken word performance poetry originating in the West Indies. The content is often associated with social commentary, social justice and politics but always meant to engage audiences as a form of free expression. Dub artists will perform and facilitate a workshop on dub poetry and will then leave the stage open for anyone who wants to perform a poem, a song, a dance, or any other form of creative expression. Bring your talents and your friends!

Facilitators: Louis Stroud, from Hamilton FreeSkool, and our local dubPoet Klyde Brooks!

Free event!

VENUE CHANGE OF LOCATION: TONIGHT:

Written Word Workshop 7:30pm (ish)-8:30pm with the creative Louis Stroud & Dub-Poetry/Open Mic Night with the talented Brook Kylde will now take place in the MUSC ATRIUM (Bridges has been temporarily closed due to unforeseen circumstances) Our apologies for the late notice!!!

Sponsored by the McMaster Students Union, Human Rights and Equity Services, Faculty of Engineering, the School of Social Work, the School of Labour Studies, CAW 555, Diversity Services

Endorsed by the Sky Dragon Centre, Worker's Arts & Heritage Centre, Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton, The Well, The Hamilton Centre for Teaching Peace, Common Cause Hamilton, McMaster First Nations Student Association, Hamilton FreeSkool, McMaster School of Social Work Students Association, The Women & Liminal Committee, MacGreen, Organization of Latin American Students, Queer Students Community Centre, Environment Hamilton

content to come

Contact: macgreenroof@gmail.com

The OPIRG has been working on  creating a green roof plan for the McMaster Student Centre 3rd floor terrace as part of an initiative to promote the benefits of green roofs and to show their potential for success on campus. 

There are many spaces on campus where green roofs could be successfully implemented to improve the appearance of the area and to provide many cost saving and aesthetic benefits. Some of the benefits include:

• amenity space

• supporting biodiversity

• lowering energy demands

• increasing the lifespan of the roof's waterproofing membrane 

• reducing airborne pollutants 

• reducing noise 

• reducing run off from storm water

• reducing heat island effect

• and, providing LEED building credits

The McMaster Student Centre (MUSC) was chosen for this project because of its availability, accessibility, high visibility and high energy demands. These factors make it an ideal location to showcase the potential of green roofs and to act as a demonstration as to how they might be implemented on other roofs on campus. Furthermore, the design being proposed for this space complements the ability for the space to hold large events and gatherings while also adding a great amount of aesthetic and environmental value to the terrace. 

The design maximizes the potential of the terrace by incorporating well layered plants of varying heights at the side of the location. The plants chosen for the design are well suited to enduring hot, dry, and sunny environments with minimal maintenance and watering requirements. For periods with very little rainfall, the green roof design being proposed is to be connected to a nearby water line in the student centre which would be used as part of an irrigation system (which comes standard with many of the green roof packages being considered for the design).

A thorough proposal (see below) was created by Andrew Cruikshank, an OPIRG summer student (also an engineering student at McMaster) and Joe Sneep, a member of OPIRG's Board of Director. 

Introduction

Under the umbrella of OPIRG (Ontario Public Interest Research Group), the Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative (HSCI) is comprised of a group of post-secondary students who are determined in assisting Hamilton’s youth in the betterment of their own communities. The HSCI focuses on facilitating change in communities through a simple yet self-sustainable method, in which the process is initiated from within, and not by external parties. The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI) is a project that will focus on the specialized knowledge of youth regarding the prominent issues and concerns in their corresponding community and city-at-large, while collectively brainstorming tangible solutions to recommend as consultation for legislative public policy.

Vision

The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative is an inaugurating project employing participatory, inclusive and collective methods for effective and cohesive community initiatives. Presently, it is comprised of a team of students with a goal of engaging and attracting a much larger team in the future. In doing so, the HSCI will require greater networks with partners within the Hamilton community such as local businesses and other organizations with similar values and goals in mind. These partnerships are all beneficial in maximizing the use of existing resources. As this initiative focuses on engaging city youth, a cooperative relationship with Hamilton’s District School Boards will play a decisive role in the growth and success of this organization.

Ultimately, the Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative, and its inaugurating project – the Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative - hopes to inspire young students across Canada to become active and contributing members in their communities.

Mission

What is the Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative?

The HYEI is a dynamic, creative, yet basic approach in engaging adolescent youth in Hamilton through a method of inclusive, participatory dialogue. It is an attempt to establish an environment of collective discussion, social interaction and direct participation in the political process. Through the means of basic focus groups, adolescent youth will not only be taking part in collectively drafting a formal Hamilton Youth Policy Recommendation Report (that will be submitted to Hamilton City Hall), but they will be implementing the project themselves.

 As part of a self-sustaining methodology, the role of the members of HSCI will be one of mentorship, guidance and facilitation throughout the process – the youth will be executing the discussions. This initiative will teach valuable skills in organizing information and working in a collaborative setting, while actively participating in the development of communities and neighborhoods. 

Considering secondary schools are avenues comprised of adolescent youth, the most convenient locations to conduct this initiative would take place at secondary school locations. Therefore, arrangements are to be made with administrative representatives of participating schools for the HYEI to take place after academic school hours at their facilities (classrooms).

The objective set in place by the HSCI is to establish a group of adolescent youth in each secondary school in Hamilton to work with.

This process will ensure qualitative, empirical information conducted, executed and organized by the participants themselves. HSCI members will work as a facilitating mechanism to ensure that participating youth can successfully accomplish this initiative, while teaching them the basic fundamentals in addressing issues in their communities in a collective, inclusive and participatory manner.  Once this process is complete, each student will be an influential leader in his or her community.

Official Partners & Endorsers

·       HARRRP – Hamilton Association for Residential Recreational Redevelopment Programs

·       OPIRG (McMaster Branch) – Ontario Public Interest Research Group

·       Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI)

·       Dr. Ahmed Shafiqul Huque – Department of Political Science – McMaster University         (General Consultant)

·       Dr. Richard Mitchell – Department of Child & Youth Studies – Brock University (General Consultant)

·       Brian McHattie – Hamilton City Councillor Ward 1 (Westdale)