Student Toolkit - About

• Our philosophy
• Hart House Vision Statement
• Role of Student Executive Members
• Role of Staff Advisors
• Outcomes of Your Involvement
• Hart House Membership

Our philosophy

Students + Staff = Meaningful Engagement

The unique partnership between students and staff is an enduring and exciting dynamic at Hart House. Creative minds and enabling spirits join forces in a supportive and collaborative fashion, resulting in meaningful student engagement, growth and satisfaction as well as lifelong friendships and a true sense of belonging. Building strong and productive partnerships requires regular and timely communication and respect for each other’s time and priorities.

Hart House Vision Statement

Hart House is a living laboratory of social, artistic, cultural and recreational experiences where all voices, rhythms and traditions converge.  As the vibrant home for the education of the mind, body and spirit envisioned by its founders, Hart House encourages and supports activities that provide spaces for awakening the capacity for self-knowledge and self-expression.

Role of Student Executive Members

As a Hart House student leader you:

• Contribute to a team where cooperation, respect, open communication, honesty and follow-through are essential
• Exhibit reliability and commitment
• Participate in and learn from training sessions and apply new skills and information in the performance of your duties
• Conduct and learn from event evaluations and executive committee assessments
• Adhere to Hart House policies, procedures and deadlines
• Accept fiscal responsibility and accountability for funds allocated to your group or project
• Ensure activities and events are accessible and inclusive of the diversity represented on campus and in the community
• Act as a Hart House ambassador, sharing and promoting the House and its activities

Role of Staff Advisors

Staff advisors facilitate your Hart House Club or Committee by:

• Acting as a liaison between your group, Hart House, its services and policies
• Providing feedback to your group/group members at meetings or one-on-one
• Mentoring you and your group with a goal of enhancing your learning and success
• Providing valuable background information on your group’s activities
• Providing continuity during student leadership transition
• Reviewing all marketing and communication material before distribution
• Signing off on all financial transactions

Outcomes of Your Involvement

• Students are able to articulate their leadership strengths, opportunity areas and goals
• Students demonstrate self-reliant behavior through an understanding of how Hart House operates
• Students are comfortable working across differences—identifying opportunities and negotiating challenges and conflict
• Students are able to explore complex issues respectfully and mindfully

Your staff advisor is one of many people in Hart House dedicated to working with students. In fact, every employee of Hart House works with students in some capacity or another. Your staff advisor will regularly refer you to the following Hart House employees to help you promote and propel your events and initiatives:

Hart House Communications

Virginia Ise, Communications Manager
Nicole Pointon, Senior Communications Officer
Sara Herron, Senior Graphic Designer
Firoozeh Tangestanian, Graphic Design Assistant
Corrine Aberdeen, Web Content Coordinator
Andrea Wasserman, Marketing Coordinator for Performing Arts (Theatre, Music)

Hart House Events & Catering

Dermot Brennan, Manager, Events & Catering
Booking/Event General Inquiries: Phone: 416 978 2449 | Email: events.harthouse@utoronto.ca

Warden’s Office

Warden - Louise Cowin
Warden’s Assistant - Amanda Greener

Membership/HUB [information/service desk]

Email: inquiries@harthouse.ca
Lynsay Henderson, HUB Coordinator

Hart House Membership

UofT students and community members are all welcome to enjoy Hart House. Student Hart House membership fees are included in tuition, making students automatic members. If you have non-students (faculty, staff, alumni, community) interested in participating in your group, they must join as a member of the House. Memberships are available at the HUB (416.978.2452) or by email: inquiries.harthouse@utoronto.ca

Think of the HUB as the centre for information, class or activity registration, membership, direction, club card sales, key sign outs, bookings (gym, Farm, squash), mailing, faxing, copying, lost and found, to name just a few! The HUB can also help advertise your events. HUB staff should receive a minimum of seven copies of your poster or flyer to post on House bulletin boards and display outside the Warden’s Office.

HUB staff can also handle selling items or processing registration for your events. Simply fill out a Sales Request Form to sell items, or a General Request Form for nonmonetary requests, and submit it to your staff advisor. Forms are available in the Committees Work Room or in your toolkit folder.