Advocacy in Action

Consultation and Collaboration with the University

On campus, the SU engages with university administration and campus stakeholders in a variety of ways to ensure the student voice is well represented as decisions are made on issues that affect your education and university experience. Your elected officials hold seats on a number of university committees and groups including the University Board of Governors (BoG), the General Faculties Council (GFC) as well as committees from the Office of the Provost.

Along with these formal positions your SU President and SU Executive maintain relations and meet regularly with all U of C senior administration including the President , the Provost Office, the Registrar, and Student and Enrollment Services, to name a few.

In recent years issues the SU has addressed through its work with university administration include:

  • Affordability of course and academic materials;
  • Providing input and revisions during the university’s recent Arts Faculty amalgamation, addressing issues such as revisions of policies and procedures, advising for students and admission requirements for the new faculty;
  • Through its seat on GFC the SU worked to protect students’ interests in the drafting of a new university Non-Academic Misconduct Policy;
  • Advocating for the affordability of your education. The SU has and continues to engage students annually on tuition and fee increases; and
  • Advocating for the quality of student life to ensure that the university is committed to continually improving non-academic programs and services for students. Annual programs like Quality Money are key to engaging students in improving the campus environment.
     

Municipal, Provincial and Federal Advocacy

Your SU is not just relegated to actions on campus. Your elected officials also play an important role in advocating on your behalf to the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government both independently and as part of provincial or federal post-secondary lobby groups.

Your President and VP External regularly meet with key government stakeholders including members of the City of Calgary Council, the provincial ministry of Advanced Education and Technology and members of Parliament. Your SU is an active member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) and the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS).

Recent and current external advocacy activities by your SU include:

  • Lobbying city council to change the restrictive Land Use Bylaw which limits the availability of secondary suites (basement apartments) in Calgary, with the goal of  increasing access to safe affordable housing for students;
  • Successfully influencing the provincial government to reject the majority of a  proposal from the university to raise tuition fees above the tuition cap for a variety of programs based on “market modifiers”;
  • Launching the iVote Campaign to encourage students to get engaged on civic issues affecting them and to get out and vote. iVote included the holding a Ward 1 and mayoral forum and the promotion of an advance polling station on campus;
  • Lobbying the federal government by convincing Members of Parliament and Senators to take action on improving the accessibility of Canadian Student Loan Program (CSLP), maintaining the education fair dealing exemption in the copyright bill (Bill C-32), and increasing federal support for aboriginal students;
  • Lobbying the province to increase up-front grants to enable more students to attend postsecondary institutions as opposed to providing after-the-fact tax credits which many students do not have the income to take advantage of.
     

Assisting Undergrads in Advocating for Themselves

Your SU is here to help you succeed in your academic career. We also know from time to time you may encounter academic or non-academic issues that could negatively affect your success. Your SU, along with the university and the Graduate Student Association (GSA), fund the Office of the Student Ombudsperson.

This Office provides independent, impartial and confidential support for students who require assistance and advice in addressing issues related to their academic careers. Some of the reasons you may wish to visit the Student Ombudsperson include: being required to withdraw for poor grades, wishing to have an appraisal of your final grades, or if you are accused of academic misconduct involving cheating, copying and plagiarism.

For more details on the Office of the Student Ombuds visit our Student Ombudsperson page.

If you have concerns about the affordability and accessibility of your postsecondary education, contact the SU’s VP External or drop in to the SU Office in the MacEwan Student Centre. 

Municipal, Provincial and Federal Advocacy

Your SU is not just relegated to actions on campus. Your elected officials also play an important role in advocating on your behalf to the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government both independently and sometimes as part of provincial or federal post-secondary interest groups.

Your President and VP External regularly meet with key government stakeholders including members of the City of Calgary Council, the provincial ministry of Advanced Education and Technology and members of Parliament. Your SU is also an active member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations(CASA) and the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS).

Recent  and current external advocacy activities by your SU include:

  • Lobbying City of Calgary Council to change the restrictive Land Use Bylaw which limits the number of secondary suites (basement apartments) in Calgary to increase student access to safe affordable housing;
  • Successfully influencing the provincial government to reject the majority of a  proposal from the university to raise tuition fees above the tuition cap for a variety of programs based on “market modifiers”;
  • Joining students from the University of Alberta and the University of Lethbridge for a province-wide demonstration.  Students from all three institutions gathered on the steps of the legislature in Edmonton to collectively call on the provincial government to properly fund the provincial post-secondary system to ensure affordability and accessibility.