Provincial Executive
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- Photo by Jens Nielsen
The 10-member Executive is responsible for overseeing the provincial organization according to the legislated objectives of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the guidance provided by Council and the membership.
Trusteeship
The provincial Executive makes policy directives, sets goals, establishes priorities and participates in program planning. The Executive appoints the Administrative Staff that carry out the work of the Federation and are accountable to the Executive. Collectively, Executive members are trustees for the property and funds of the Federation. They participate in budget development, review financial statements and auditor’s reports, and monitor the investments of the Federation. Requests for grants or other financial assistance outside the policies come to the Executive for consideration.
The Executive participates in the professional discipline process of the Federation by receiving complaints, referring them for investigation, referring complaints for hearings before the elected committees and determining appropriate penalties.
In overseeing the operations of the provincial organization, the Executive endeavours to act as the agent of the Council, and therefore the membership, when Council is not in session. However, trusteeship requires that the Executive act in the interests of the Federation and evaluate the legal, fiscal and organizational implications of any policies or directives from Council prior to implementing them. The Executive and Council check and balance each other in the decision-making process to ensure that policies and programs meet the needs of members and address the goals of the Federation.
Leadership
The Executive are called upon to represent the views of teachers in various forums and through service on a variety of committees and boards. The Executive meets occasionally with the Minister of Learning and other politicians and government officials. Executive members serve on such bodies as the Board of Teacher Education and Certification, and the Teacher Classification Board. They participate in preparing briefs and other documents that set out the teacher perspective on a broad range of educational and other issues.
Service
Except for the President, who takes a leave of absence to serve the STF full-time, all members of the Executive are active teachers either in the classroom or on full-time release serving as a local association president. The Executive meets monthly for regular business, and holds special meetings as needed. In addition, twice annually the Executive engages in planning sessions with Federation staff. Executive members are reimbursed for expenses incurred on Federation business. There is no honorarium. The Federation reimburses the employing school board for substitute expenses incurred when the Executive members is attending to Federation business.
Elections
The President, Vice-President and other members of the Executive are elected at the Annual Meeting of Council held each spring. The terms of office are one- or two-year. To be eligible for election, you must be a member of the Federation and a councillor elected by the local body of which you are a member. Nominations may be made up until the opening of the Council meeting. Candidates are invited to address the Council prior to the election. The voting takes place during the Council meeting and the results are announced there.
The term begins on July 1 following the election.
Member Relations
Members of the Executive attempt to remain in close contact with the membership through personal contact with individual members, attendance at local association meetings and communications with Federation advisory committees. Teachers are invited to contact members of the provincial Executive to discuss the affairs of the Federation, or to extend invitations to attend local association or school staff meetings.