The McMaster Students Union (MSU), is the central undergraduate student government at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. History The McMaster Student Body, the original student government, was formed in 1890 when McMaster University's official first registrants began their studies. In 1911 McMaster women, protesting gender inequality and not being allowed to vote in the general student body elections, elected a female representative student body and formed the Women's Student Body. In 1925, the number of day students began outnumbering the number of residence students. To ensure that both day and resident students were properly represented, the student government split in two bodies, the Student Body and the Residence Council. In 1946 the McMaster Student Body was renamed McMaster Students Union. In 1971 the MSU was incorporated as a non-profit organization without share capital under the Ontario Corporations Act. The MSU's offices have been located in four buildings over time. First in the Alumni Memorial Building (opened in 1951 as the campus' first student centre), then Wentworth House (1961–74), Hamilton Hall (a former science building renovated to serve as a student centre, 1974–2002), and the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC, 2002–present). referendums in 1987 and 1989 approved a long-term levy that funded approximately two-thirds of the $36 million capital costs of the MUSC. Ground for the new building was broken in March 2000 and the official opening took place in September 2002. A student fee retired the remaining term loan in 2010–11. Scope The MSU works to enhance both the academic and extracurricular experience of its members by offering a wide array of resources, services and opportunities to McMaster students and through advocacy of student issues with the university administration and relevant levels of government. The MSU represents approximately 24,000 students, each of whom becomes a member of the students union when registering in a minimum of 18 units of undergraduate courses (3 two-term courses, or equivalent) in an academic session. The University collects mandatory membership fees on the MSU’s behalf as a component of tuition/ancillary fees paid by students on registration. Fees, which are partially courseload-sensitive, are up to a maximum of $587.84 for the MSU, plus up to a further $760.71 in other university or student group supplementary fees which are approved by MSU referendums or General Assembly [2019-20 fee schedule]. Governance The MSU's Constitution and Bylaws establish the political apparatus of the union and its component organs,