Each year the Division of Student Life submits its Annual Report & Operating Plan to the Council of Student Services (COSS). These reports provide an overview of everything Student Life does to support students at the University of Toronto.
Check out current and previous reports (from 2018 to 2023).
For more information on COSS, contact Erin Clifford at erin.clifford@utoronto.ca.
Origin of COSS
In 1994, the Ontario government introduced Compulsory Ancillary Fee Policy Guidelines which outlined how non-tuition related fees could be introduced or increased. The Guideline requires that students be involved in decisions to increase non-tuition ancillary fees, and mandates that each institution establish a protocol to govern how this involvement would take place. In 1996, the Council of Student Services (COSS) was created to facilitate this involvement. All fees charged for Student Life, the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and Hart House are charged pursuant to this Protocol.
COSS rules, procedures and policies
- COSS Overview of Rules (PDF)
- COSS BOURINOTS (PDF)
- COSS Guidelines for Remote Meeting Participation (PDF)
- COSS Chair Appointments (PDF)
- COSS Minutes Approving COSS Chair Process (PDF)
- Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees
- Protocol on the Increase or Introduction of Compulsory Non-tuition Related Fees
Key provisions
- The Protocol establishes the Council on Student Services (“COSS”), consisting of students and University representatives, whose mandate is to enhance the experience of the students by promoting the provision of the most efficient and effective student services. Its key powers include the power to advise Governing Council, through its advice to UAB, on policy regarding many student services and to review the operating plans of these services.
- All proposals for the increase, decrease, introduction or elimination of a fee covered by the Protocol are to be first considered by COSS, and the Council’s advice will be sent to Governing Council through the University Affairs Board (UAB).
- Increases in existing fees based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and/or the University of Toronto Inflation Index (UTI) may be approved by UAB and GC not withstanding the advice of COSS.
- The creation of new fees, or increases in existing fees greater than CPI and UTI require the approval of UAB, GC, and either COSS or a Student referendum.
Membership
COSS consists of seventeen voting members:
- The President of the University or the person delegated by the President
- Two part-time undergraduate students, appointed by the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students
- Two graduate students, appointed by the Graduate Students’ Union
- Four full-time undergraduate students or members of the executive of the University of Toronto Students’ Union, appointed by the University of Toronto Students’ Union
- One full-time or part-time student, chosen by QSS (the COSS equivalent at UTM)
- One full-time or part time student, chosen by the CSS (the COSS equivalent at UTSC)
- Six other persons appointed by the President of the University of Toronto
COSS has a non voting Chair that is appointed by University Affairs Board. The nominee is selected from a list of candidates supplied by the student governments that are members of COSS (UTSU, GSU, APUS).
COSS agendas, minutes, presentations and archives
All COSS materials are stored on the SharePoint site. All members of the U of T community are welcome to review these documents, and all meetings are open to visitors. If U of T community members would like to attend any of our meetings or gain access to the SharePoint site, please contact Kristin at kristin.radley@utoronto.ca.
