Guide for New Members

SFU Racerbot · Version: 1.0 · Matches: Constitution v4.0 and the v4.0 policy suite, adopted October 11, 2026

1. WHAT RACERBOT IS

Racerbot designs, builds, tests and races 1/10-scale autonomous cars, and competes in autonomous racing competitions. You learn robotics, software, electronics and mechanical engineering by doing real project work.

Members work in subteams. The Autonomous Team covers software, perception, planning and control. The Tech Team covers mechanical, electrical, PCB and fabrication work. Other subteams, such as Marketing, may also be open.

You never pay to be a member, and you don’t need prior experience. Any SFU undergraduate, or student of Fraser International College, can apply. Lab access is only for currently registered SFU students, because that is a Faculty of Applied Sciences rule.

2. HOW JOINING WORKS

Your Stage 1 credit lasts twelve months. If an interview or placement doesn’t work out, you can apply again in a later window.

3. MEMBERSHIP STATUSES

4. WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

• Deliver the work you take on, by the deadline you agreed, to your team’s standard.
• Reply to messages directed to you within three days.
• Come to your subteam meetings, or let your lead know you can’t.
• Work safely and follow the lab rules.
• Document your work so someone else could pick it up.
• If you’re going to miss something, say so early. It always counts in your favour.

Your team lead sets the standard of work for your subteam, through team rules, task descriptions and review feedback. If you’re unsure what’s expected, ask.

5. DEADLINES, EXAMS AND LEAVE

Deadlines. You agree deadlines with your team lead. Ask for an extension before the deadline, not after. Leads usually give one if you’ve been making steady progress.

Exams. Non-essential work pauses during the final exam period. You can keep working if you want to. For midterms, plan realistic deadlines with your lead.

Leave. You can take leave for a co-op or work term, an absence of more than three weeks, or genuine extenuating circumstances. A heavy course load is not a reason for leave. Tell your team lead and Internal Affairs in writing, and hand over your current work first. Leave lasts up to twelve months, and you can come back at any time.

6. WARNINGS AND REMOVAL

Racerbot works because people do the work. If that stops, here is what happens.

You always get a warning first. Before anyone is removed for inactivity or performance, they get a warning. It can come in person, verbally, by call, by text or DM, or by email. It tells you what the problem is, what’s expected, and by when. The warning is recorded with Internal Affairs.

Inactivity. If you go fourteen days without contributing and without replying to messages directed to you, you become a General Member automatically. You’ll get a warning around day seven. During final exams, only not replying counts.

Performance. After a warning, your team lead can remove you from the subteam if you miss an agreed deadline, hand in work below standard, or don’t fix the problem in the time given. A performance warning stays active for sixty days.

Conduct. Serious conduct needs no warning. This includes harassment, discrimination, hate speech, bullying, hazing, violence, retaliation, theft, or breaking the commitments in the Constitution. Complaints go to Internal Affairs, and you’ll get a chance to respond before any decision.

Executives are held to the same standard. They get a warning before any performance removal, and can then be removed by the President or the Executive Board.

What becoming a General Member means. You’re still a member, you keep your vote, and nothing about it is announced. You lose your subteam place and lab access for now. You can ask your team lead to come back, or reapply through intake.

7. YOUR RIGHTS

These rights can’t be taken away by any policy or decision:

• Fair removal. You can only be removed on a permitted ground, after a fair process, and after a warning where one is required.
• Reasons. You’ll be told why in writing.
• Appeal. You can appeal any decision once, within seven days. The appeal goes to the President, or to the Executive Board if the President was involved. A removal made without a required warning is always reversed.
• Your vote. Only a membership vote can end your membership or take away your vote.
• Privacy. Performance and conduct matters stay private. No role, channel or label will mark you out.
• Safety. You can stop any unsafe work, and you’ll never be penalized for raising a concern.
• Verification. You can always get written confirmation of your role and dates.

8. CONDUCT AND HONESTY

• Treat people with respect, and disagree about the work, not the person.
• Use your real first name as your display name on Discord. If you need an exception for privacy or safety, ask Internal Affairs.
• Claim only the work you did. Don’t inflate your title or present team work as yours alone.
• You’re encouraged to describe your real contribution on your résumé. You don’t need approval.
• Racerbot may keep using and publishing work you make for the club. You stay the author and can keep a copy for your portfolio.

9. SAFETY AND THE LAB

Our lab is in the FAS Student Team Lab, ASB 9819, so the Faculty of Applied Sciences’ rules apply on top of ours.

Before you get lab access, you need to:

• be a currently registered SFU student;
• complete SFU’s online safety training: the SFU Safety Orientation and EHS Safety Essentials, plus WHMIS and SFU 3D Printer Safety if you’re on the Tech Team, and submit proof of each one on the club’s training form (links are on the Stage 2 onboarding page);
• sign the FAS Student Team Space End-User Agreement, which asks you to upload your Safety Essentials certificate;
• pass the safety quizzes for your subteam; and
• pass a short in-person safety check with the Tech Team Lead, the Operations Coordinator or the President.

In the lab:

• Sign in and out. Scan the QR code at the door when you arrive and when you leave. Sign tools and equipment out and back in on the same form.
• Never alone. At least one other authorized person must be in the lab with you, whatever you’re doing.
• No visitors without approval from the FAS Safety Team, arranged through the Operations Coordinator. Never prop the door open or leave it unlocked. No more than 16 people from all teams can be in the lab at once.
• Respect other teams. If other teams are using the lab, don’t use their tools or materials without asking, and don’t photograph or share anything about their projects. Keep our things in our storage and clear your bench when you’re done.
• No food or drink, unless it’s sealed in a closed bag. Wash your hands after working, because benches can carry lead.
• Approved work only. Only activities in our Lab Safety Plan happen in the lab. Anything new needs a risk assessment and an SOP first. Doing unapproved work can cost the whole team its lab.
• Anyone can call stop. If something looks unsafe, say stop, and work stops.
• Batteries. Only members cleared by the Tech Team Lead charge packs. If a battery fire spreads, get out and call 911. You’ll never be penalized for doing that.
• No impaired work. Don’t handle vehicles, batteries or tools while impaired or exhausted.
• Report everything. Report injuries, near misses and damage, including your own mistakes. Reporting is never punished; hiding things is. You can also raise a concern anonymously with FAS at fas_safety@sfu.ca.

10. COMMUNICATION

• Discord is our main channel. Join only through sfuracerbot.ca/discord. Please don’t share direct invite links, because they let bots in.
• Club email. Executives and anyone acting for Racerbot use club Gmail accounts, never personal email.
• Official channels are Discord and club email. Decisions and warnings sent there count.
• Speaking publicly. Only the President and the Marketing Coordinator speak for the club, but you’re always free to talk about your own work.

11. USING AI

You can use AI for club work if:

• the result meets the normal standard;
• others can understand and maintain it; and
• you can fully explain it.

If you can’t explain it, don’t submit it. Mark AI-generated material where someone would assume it’s original. Never put members’ personal data, passwords or confidential sponsor material into an AI tool. The club AI subscription is for club work only, not coursework or personal projects.

12. MONEY

You never have to pay anything. Contributions to optional things like competition travel or apparel are always voluntary. Not contributing never affects your standing or selection. If cost is a barrier, tell the President or the Finance Lead confidentially.

13. WHO TO ASK

Read more: the Constitution, policies and procedures are on sfuracerbot.ca under Resources, Governance, and in the club Drive.