Jan/Feb 2025: Students told us that the Faculty of Arts’ decision to pause new admissions to some programs was announced abruptly, leaving students unsure of what it all means. Through their seats on academic governance committees, your SU VP Academic and Arts Representatives have confirmed a communications plan with the Faculty to ensure this doesn’t happen again. The Faculty has also confirmed that all current students will be able to graduate.

Furthermore, when Albertan post-secondaries suspend admissions to a program, they must tell the provincial government whether the suspension’s purpose is to update the curriculum, or ultimately close the program. The SU has confirmed that the programs were submitted for provincial approval to suspend only, with none marked for closure.

January 2025: The SU found common ground with the University during the Tuition & Fees Consultation Committee, as we successfully argued against compelling some students to pay for AI software subscriptions.

November 2024: As a result of the SU’s work on the Tuition & Fees Consultation Committee, which determines fee increases put to students each year, the University dropped its international tuition increase from 6% to 4%, a move that will save international students thousands of dollars.

September 2024: The SU joined with other Albertan students’ associations to protest proposed Exceptional Tuition Increases (ETIs) for the 25/26 academic year. At UCalgary, the proposal would have seen the Faculty of Science hike tuition above the 2% cap, citing scholastic need. After hearing affordability concerns raised by student groups, the Ministry of Advanced Education declined to allow ETIs province-wide for the year.

June 2024: Following long consultations, the SU successfully convinced the University Appeals Office to retain its second layer of appeals, maintaining accountability through the ability to appeal an original decision due to procedural unfairness. Without this layer, students would need to appeal through the civil courts instead. The SU continues to engage with the Appeals Office to ensure students receive fair and thorough consideration.

February 2025: We teamed up with 24 other Albertan students’ associations to send an open letter to the Government of Alberta. Representing 6% of Alberta’s total population between us, we called upon the province to reverse cuts to post-secondary funding that began in 2019. See our press release here or skip right to the letter.

January 2025: The SU submitted recommendations to the province ahead of Budget 2025, highlighting the struggles students experience in the province. Our recommendations were crafted in conjunction with our neighbours, UCalgary’s Graduate Students’ Association, and our friends at the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University. You can read the submission here, which we first sent to the province early, in October 2024.

November 2024: SU Executives visited Edmonton to speak with decision-makers about student issues, including the Minister and Critic of Advanced Education, and the Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women. See student leaders representing UCalgary before the Legislative Assembly on our socials.

May 2024: After the SU delivered over 250 postcards to Ward 7 Councillor Terry Wong, and spoke at a public hearing about why the Rezoning for Housing motion impacted students, Calgary City Council passed the motion on May 14. This loosened zoning bylaws to allow more housing to be built, and faster. The zoning change was one of the recommendations in the housing strategy, which the SU also advocated for until it was successfully passed in 2023.

2025: Our partnership with online platform Places4Students, which connects students to Calgarians willing to rent to them, continues its years-long run.

November 2024: The SU launched the Quality Meal program, funded via Quality Money to help alleviate food insecurity on campus. Anyone can buy a nutritious $3 meal at our campus restaurant, The Den, no questions asked.

October 2024: We funded an on-campus Affordable Market, offering students “fresh, budget-friendly groceries right on campus.” The initiative, located in Crowsnest Hall, offers subsidized produce and will run for two years.

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2024/25: To combat Alberta’s high youth unemployment rate, we continue to call for the return of the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP), by making the case for the scheme during our meetings with provincial decision-makers. In the meantime, we continue to run our SUPERWork initiative, which provides a $1,000 wage subsidy to qualifying students at UCalgary.

These days, we’re not the only ones who see the value of reviving STEP: the Edmonton and Calgary Chambers of Commerce are also joining us in calling for the program’s return. Read more in the latter’s October 2024 release, Go Big on Small Business.