Board of Governors: Student Member Vacancy

/in /by

Nominations are open for the position of Student Member on the Red Deer Polytechnic Board of Governors.

Red Deer Polytechnic’s Board of Governors is the institution’s highest governing body. The Board of Governors is responsible for defining the role and mission of Red Deer Polytechnic, as well as setting the strategic direction. The Board has the responsibility of fiduciary oversight and institutional performance. All of its decisions and policies are made in the best interest of the institution, not for particular constituents.

Red Deer Polytechnic’s Board of Governors (BOG) consists of:

Two (2) student members Ten (10) community members
Two (2) faculty representatives RDP President
One (1) AUPE representative  

The Board of Governors meets once a month; however, they have other obligations beyond the meetings, such as special events.

As a Student Member with the Board of Governors, you are responsible for offering a student perspective on all matters.

In addition to the monthly meetings, you will:

  • Receive training.
  • Provide a verbal and written report to the Students’ Association Council as requested.
  • Submit discussion topics to the Association’s President for inclusion on the Student Council agenda, as needed.
  • Submit an end-of-term report to Student Council.
  • Act as a liaison between the Board of Governors and the Students’ Association.
  • Meet with the Students’ Association President prior to Board of Governors meetings.
  • Be enrolled in a minimum of three (3) Red Deer Polytechnic credit courses during the Fall and Winter terms.
  • Attend Student Council meetings in a non-voting capacity, as required.

Eligibility

All credit Members of the Association who are in good academic standing and who are not employed by the institution or Association are eligible to put their name forward for the role of Student Member with the Board of Governors.

Nomination

Submit completed Nomination Package to Jacq Patterson, Students’ Association, President, by email to saprez@rdpolytech.ca. Upon receipt of the nomination package and approved eligibility, the candidate’s information will be passed onto Student Council for an interview.

Nominations will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

Note: If you are nominated to the Government of Alberta for the position of Board of Governors Student Member, you will be required to submit your Winter 2026 Unofficial Transcript by May 1, 2026.

Download the Nomination Package

Questions?

Please contact Jacq Patterson, Students’ Association President, if you have any questions regarding the position or general information at saprez@rdpolytech.ca

2026/2027 General Election Results

/in /by

With a record-breaking voter turnout of 23.8% of 5384 eligible voters, the students of Red Deer Polytechnic have elected:

Student Council:

  • Donald Allen
  • Bridget Anderson
  • Orla Briggs
  • Merissa Hughes
  • Mitchell Hummel
  • Enricka Julien
  • Gift Udeme

Executive:

  • Gerald Nel, Vice President Academic
  • Sage Huard, Vice President External
  • Samuel Johannson, President

Elected Council and Executive Council will take office on May 1, 2026, and will remain in office until April 30, 2027.

At this time, we have three (3) vacancies on Student Council. If you are interested in gaining leadership experience, learning about governance and finance, and impacting the lives of Red Deer Polytechnic students, contact sagov@rdpolytech.ca for more information.

Eligible voters saw the following referendum questions on their ballot:

With the knowledge that you can unconditionally opt-out of this program by the deadline and have the fee waived from your RDP student account, do you agree to the establishment of a Mental Health Program fee of $40 per student, per year, starting September 1, 2026, to provide students with uncapped access to comprehensive mental health supports at no additional out-of-pocket costs?

This fee can only increase by a maximum of 4% per year, if necessary, and in accordance with the Students’ Association’s policies and procedures.

Yes – I am in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

No – I am not in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

For the referendum to be deemed successful, the total number of votes cast must have been at least 10% of the total Members of the Association at the time of the referendum AND at least 60% of those voting in support of the referendum question.  

The referendum received 55.7% in support; therefore, it was not successful.

View the 2026/2027 General Election Final Report

 

Notice to the Membership: Referendum

/in , /by

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Mental Health Program Referendum

For many students who want to seek mental health support, it can be challenging to find timely, accessible, and affordable support. Long waiting lists, limited hours of operation, and high fees are among the obstacles that students may face when seeking support.

Your Students’ Association is considering the implementation of a comprehensive mental health program that provides access to counselling and therapy sessions with mental health and medical professionals within 24 hours, at no additional out-of-pocket costs per consultation. Initial triage is available 24/7, and consultations are available during the day, as well as evenings, weekends, and holidays. This means you don’t have to be waitlisted to get mental health support or be limited to a clinic’s limited hours of operation.

Implementation of this new comprehensive Mental Health Program for SARDP members would cost an annual fee of $40.00 per year, with the option to opt-out.

Referendum Timeline

Referendum Question

You will see the following referendum question on the ballot during the SARDP General Election:

With the knowledge that you can unconditionally opt-out of this program by the deadline and have the fee waived from your RDP student account, do you agree to the establishment of a Mental Health Program fee of $40 per student, per year, starting September 1, 2026, to provide students with uncapped access to comprehensive mental health supports at no additional out-of-pocket costs?

This fee can only increase by a maximum of 4% per year, if necessary, and in accordance with the Students’ Association’s policies and procedures.

Yes – I am in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

No – I am not in favour of establishing a Mental Health Program fee.

Online voting will open at 7:00am on Monday, March 9, and close at 5:00pm on Thursday, March 12. To access your ballot, log into your MyRDP account or the direct link sent by email to your RDP email address.

Program Overview

Initial triage is available 24/7, and consultations are available during the day, as well as evenings, weekends, and holidays. This means you don’t have to be waitlisted to get mental health support or be limited to a clinic’s limited hours of operation.

To access the program virtually, students would create an account on the platform’s mobile app or web page and book an appointment from the privacy and comfort of their home.

If students prefer in-person sessions, they can book those through the 24/7 call center.

Students are connected to a care team member within minutes and have access to a multidisciplinary team of therapists, psychologists, physicians, nurse practitioners, mental health specialists, and coaches.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the key features of this program?

  • Consultations & Therapy until remission (uncapped utilization)
  • $0 out-of-pocket expenses per consultation
  • Virtual & In-Person Appointments
  • Appointments available in multiple languages
  • 24/7 initial triage with same-day or next-day appointments
  • Appointments are available from 8:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays and 8:30am to 5:00pm on weekends, including statutory holidays, based on the time zone of the student
  • Medical Support from Physicians & Nurse Practitioners including:
    • Mental health related Medical Diagnosis can be provided, if needed
    • Mental health related Issuing and/or Renewing Prescriptions
  • Multidisciplinary team: Therapists, Psychologists, Mental Health Specialists, Psychotherapists, and Coaches.

Q: Can I choose my therapist or are they assigned to me?

Members have the option to choose their own mental health provider based on their unique needs and preferences, including gender, cultural background, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodiversity, and more. Although the top priority is ensuring you get the care you need on time, being able to select a provider may impact the speed of service and will depend on availability.

Q: Is Artificial Intelligence used during the initial intake/triage process?

No

Q: Does this program cover Physicians and Nurse Practitioners?

Yes, this service also provides virtual medical support from physicians, specific to diagnosing mental health conditions as well as issuing and/or renewing mental health-related prescriptions. Physicians and therapists work together to bring patients to remission.

Q: Can the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner be utilized for other maladies (i.e. cold/flu, illness, infection, reproductive care)?

The scope of this service is limited to treat mental health conditions only.

Q: Is this Mental Health Program covered on my Student Health Plan?

No. This is a separate program, with a separate fee.

Q: How much would it cost?

The fee for the Mental Health program is $40.00 per year. This fee would be automatically charged with your RDP tuition and other fees.

Q: Could I opt out of this fee/program?

Yes, if you don’t want this service, you can opt-out unconditionally by the deadline and get the full fee waived/credited back to your RDP student account.

TIMELINE COVERAGE PERIOD OPT-OUT DEADLINE
Continuing & Returning Students (September 2026) September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 September 15, 2026
Begin studies September 2026 September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 September 15, 2026
Begin studies January 2027 January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027 January 15, 2027
Begin studies May 2027 May 1, 2027 to April 30, 2028 May 15, 2027
Begin studies July 2027 July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028 July 15, 2027

Q: If I decide to opt-out of the SARDP Health & Dental Plans, will I be opting out of this Mental Health Program as well?

No. The SARDP Health and Dental Plans and the SARDP Mental Health Program are separate programs with separate fees. You can choose to opt-out of the Health Plan, the Dental Plan, and/or the Mental Health Program – or you can choose to maintain all three.

Q: Will my dependents have access to his service?

Yes. Your spouse and/or children will have access to this service at no additional fee.

Q: Where and when can I vote?

Students can vote via the secure link sent to their student email address or through their MyRDP account. The voting period is from March 09 – 12, 2026.

Notice to the Membership: Proposed Bylaw Amendments

/in /by
Notice to the Membership: As per Article 13 of the Association Bylaws, notice of Bylaw changes must be submitted to the Membership 21 days prior to Council’s final vote. The Association’s Governance Review Committee will submit the following proposed changes to Council on March 12th, 2025, for review and consideration. Council will be discussing these changes on March 31st, 2025, and conducting a final vote on April 7th, 2025. If you have any questions about the proposed changes, please contact Jacq Patterson, SARDP President at saprez@rdpolytech.ca.

View the Proposed Bylaw Amendments here

2025/2026 General Election Student Council Candidates

/in /by

Bridget Anderson Vote Bridget for Student Council: Let Us Shape the Future Together! Hey Students! I am Bridget Anderson, and I am running for Student Council because I believe in […]

Read more

Notice to Membership

/in /by

Effective February 14th, 2025, Brianne Campbell resigned from her position as the 2024-2025 Students’ Association Vice President Academic. The Students’ Association would like to thank Brianne for her service, and we wish her all the best.

As per article 7.7.2 of the Association Bylaws, If any Executive Council position becomes vacant, the remaining Executive Council members shall make a decision on the division and/or delegation of duties.

For questions or concerns, please contact the Students’ Association President Jacq Patterson at saprez@rdpolytech.ca.

Board of Governors: Student Member Vacancy

/in /by

Nominations are open for the position of Student Member on the Red Deer Polytechnic Board of Governors.

Red Deer Polytechnic’s Board of Governors is this institution’s highest governing body.  The Board of Governors is responsible for defining the role and mission of Red Deer Polytechnic, as well as setting the strategic direction.  The Board has responsibility for fiduciary oversight and institutional performance. All of its decisions and policies are made for the best interest of the institution, not for particular constituents.

Members on the Board of Governors include Red Deer Polytechnic’s President, faculty, staff, students, and valued citizens from our surrounding communities.

As a Student Member on the Board of Governors, you are responsible for offering a student perspective on all matters.

Eligibility:
All members of the Association in Good Academic Standing are eligible to put their name forward for this position, provided they are not employed by the Institution or the Association.

Nomination:
Complete the Board of Governors Student Member Nomination Package and submit to saprez@rdpolytech.ca. Nomination Packages are available here or in the Students’ Association office (room 2010.) Nominations will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

Questions:
If you have further questions regarding the role of Student Member on the Board of Governors, please contact Jacq Patterson, Students’ Association President at saprez@rdpolytech.ca.