Structure

VIPIRG work is carried out by the volunteer Coordinating Collective, student and community volunteers, and all staff.

VIPIRG is funded almost entirely through ancillary student fees; $3.00 per full-time undergraduate student and $1.50 per part-time undergraduate student and $2.00 per graduate student, per term. These fees cover all of VIPIRGs operating costs: office space, human resources, library resources, funding for working groups, campaigns, and publications.

Students can, on providing proof of payment of student tuition and fees, opt-out of their term contribution to VIPIRG during the term refund period occurring each term. Upon receiving their refund, student members are no longer eligible to participate in VIPIRG activities or vote in the Annual General Meeting.

Coordinating collective

The VIPIRG coordinating collective (known as the “coord,” to rhyme with “board”) oversees the organization, working with staff to ensure that things are running smoothly and that VIPIRG is effective. The coord has the same responsibilities as a Board of Directors, including management of funds, supervision of staff, and long-term planning.

The coord is elected every year by students and community members at an Annual General Meeting. There are ten seats on the coord, with eight seats reserved for UVic students and two seats for community members. The current coord was elected November 21, 2012 and is made of the following group of people:

Coord meetings are held monthly from September to April, and as needed in the summer. Students and community members are welcome to attend coord meetings and participate in coord discussions.

Becoming a coord member provides an opportunity to develop the following skills:

• human resources support of staff in an autonomous, unionized workplace,
• sustainable fiscal management in non-profits, and
• effective leadership through strategic planning and community outreach and education.