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McMaster Students Union

First-Year Council

FYC is the unique representative body for McMaster first year students that serves to inform and speak for their distinctive needs and concerns. FYC is one of McMaster’s only institutions completely operated by first year students who are elected each fall by their peers. The purpose of the FYC, is to represent both current and future first year McMaster students, and to ensure that their issues and interests are addressed by acting as a voice, and as a guiding and informative body of resources. FYC membership is open to all full-time first year undergraduate students or students who represent the interests of the first years at McMaster. Those students who are not in their first year but represent the interests of first year students, are always welcome to participate.

Expandable List

What’s it all about?

Getting involved in First-Year Council is an amazing opportunity for first year students to take on a leadership position advocating on behalf of the interests and needs of their peers. First-Year Council has enabled first year students to better network with each other through:

  1. Advocacy
  2. Mentorship
  3. Event Planning/Promotions
  4. Volunteering

No longer do the boundaries or restrictions commonly found in High School student governments exist. First-Year Council is essentially run by first students for first year students. Consisting of the Chair, 3 Vice Chairs, and 13 Residence Chairs, the council works closely with the MSU’s Board of Directors as well as reporting to the Student Representative Assembly.

Visit the MSU Elections page to download the 2021-22 November By-Election nomination forms!

First-Year Council has a set of consultation committees that address various concerns & aspects of first year life. The committees are represented by your FYC Residence Chairs.

Dining Committee: Addresses concerns relating to dining on campus. Efforts include advocating for extended Centro hours during exam season, pushing for diverse menu selection, promoting healthy food options on campus and more!

Student Life Committee: This committee focuses on the daily lives of students living in residences. From concerns related to residence admissions, work orders, residence facilities and more.

Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities: This committees jurisdiction includes the code of rights and responsibilities that all first-year students must sign pertaining to individual conduct as well as individual rights granted within residence.

Housing and Conferences Committee: Reviews the Residence Life budget and works closely with Residence Life staff to coordinate small- and large-scale improvements to residence buildings.

External Committee: The external committee is led by the Vice Chair External of FYC and is represented by your First-Year Society Faculty representatives and the Society of Off Campus Students first year rep.

Academic Committee: This committee addresses concerns related to academics in the first-year curriculum and issues regarding off-campus life.