Calling all students: Vote for your favourite Student Life Enhancement Fund project
MSU president Teddy Saull and a team of campus partners wanted students to have more of a say in how Student Life Enhancement Fund (SLEF) money is spent. Each year, SLEF solicits project ideas that are designed to enhance undergraduate student life at McMaster. This year's process received a 400 per cent spike in student engagement, thanks to a streamlined submission process.
A campus garden and wildlife zone. An outdoor fitness circuit and climbing wall. A miniature Times Square display in the Student Centre.
Want to see a bold new project come to life on campus? Vote today for your favourite Student Life Enhancement Fund (SLEF) project.
Managed by the Student Service Committee — with equal representation from the MSU and the Office of Student Affairs — SLEF is a pool of funds derived from the Student Services Fee. Each year, the fund solicits project ideas that are designed to enhance undergraduate life at McMaster.
Traditionally, the fund only targeted student service managers from either the MSU or Student Affairs. MSU president Teddy Saull wanted greater student input on the use of this money, so a plan was devised to encourage student participation.
Throughout September and October, a retooled enhance.mcmaster.ca facilitated the quick intake of students ideas, replacing the traditional long-form applications. As a result, the fund received a 400 per cent increase in participation. More than 80 projects were submitted for consideration.
Saull and MSU vice president (finance) Scott Mallon vetted each idea for financial and logistical viability, and projects of a similar nature were merged into single concepts. Seven projects were ultimately chosen as finalists.
View the finalists and make your voice heard:
The final seven SLEF projects are now online at enhance.mcmaster.ca, along with a full description and estimated budget. Students can view the projects, login with their Mac ID and vote for their favourite ideas. The website will assign a weight to each vote.
First-place votes have the highest weight, while seventh-place votes have the lowest. Tabulation will determine the most popular ideas based on all votes cast. When voting closes at 5 p.m. on Jan. 29, the two ideas with the greatest student preference will be funded through SLEF.
PLEASE NOTE: A valid Mac ID is required to vote, ensuring only McMaster students can vote and that a student can only vote once. Personal information will not be stored, and there is no way to identify a student’s choices.
For more information, please contact MSU president Teddy Saull at president@msu.mcmaster.ca, and watch the video below:
