The Religious and Spiritual Advisory Committee (RSAC) advises appointed Religious/Spiritual Care Givers. Religious/Spiritual Care Givers provide for the religious/spiritual needs of students and employees of Wilfrid Laurier University.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. To promote standards of religious/spiritual care at Wilfrid Laurier University in recognition of religious difference, diversity and the promotion of religious tolerance in academic and non-academic areas.
2. To support and facilitate student clubs with a religious/spiritual orientation.
3. To be responsible for advising for budget planning and management.
4. To ensure effective means of encouraging and evaluating Religious/Spiritual Care Givers on an annual basis.
5. To improve the effectiveness of religious spiritual care persons through in-service-training and by the exchange of ideas regarding programming and spiritual care initiatives.
6. The membership of RSAC shall include:
a. Dean of Students (ex-officio)
b. Director of Counselling Services
c. Two faculty members
d. one staff member
e. one WLUSU member
f. Campus Chaplains
g. recognized Religious/Spiritual Care Givers/Representatives
h. Secretary
I. two undergraduate students
j. one graduate student
7. The RSAC will meet twice per semester and on other occasions when deemed necessary. The Committee will appoint a Chairperson and a Secretary. The minutes and notice of meetings will be sent to all members including those ex-officio. The RSAC will designate a Religious/Spiritual Care Giver Chair who shall report to the Dean of Students on an annual basis.
What are chaplains? What do chaplains do?
Chaplains are like ministers, or priests, or other clergy, except that most of their work is done outside of a traditional church. The Laurier chaplains are all recognized leaders in their churches, and have been commissioned to represent their traditions on campus.
The work of a Chaplain is nearly endlessly diverse:
Chaplains offer spiritual counsel, encouragement, and education. The chaplains seek to help students, faculty, and staff integrate their faith with their learning.
Chaplains offer pastoral care.
Chaplains provide forums for multi-faith discussion, and participate in other extra-curricular educational and awareness-raising events.
Chaplains offer nourishment: food and drink are a big part of their ministry.
Chaplains like to meet people, to shoot the breeze, or have deep discussions about nearly any topic under the sun.
The Chaplains’ office is in Macdonald House, room 119. The chaplains can be reached by phone at ext. 3587#. Or, just stop by.
