By Wendy Maloff
A unique opportunity for brainstorming, idea-sharing and stargazing will descend on Calgary this week.
From June 7-12, Calgary will welcome hundreds of delegates attending the Congress of Canadian Student Associations, hosted by the University of Calgary Students’ Union, the Students’ Association of Mount Royal College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Students’ Association.
"We hope to gain some insights and have a lot of opportunities to discuss how other students have implemented things," said U of C SU President Barb Wright. "We hope to be able to gain knowledge from other people’s experiences."
Delegates of the conference include student leaders and staff of post-secondary institution students’ associations across Canada. Traditionally, such groups have met at five conferences held throughout the year that focus on the standard portfolios of a typical students’ association.
"Our pre-registration numbers show that the conference is bigger than any of the individual conferences," said Greg Curtis, SU Program Director. "We can have a higher profile, more organized conference as a result of combining the conferences."
Conference delegates will attend numerous workshops on topics ranging from legal issues and student government to stress and time management. The conference will also serve as a forum for networking and exchanging ideas, and several guest speakers will be featured, including Peter Mansbridge of CBC’s The
National.
Conference planners anticipate a success.
"Hosting the conference in Calgary is a great chance to show the other student organizations as well as the rest of the Calgary community that we are capable of pulling off a 600 delegate conference," said Wright.
The majority of events will take place at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary. Students interested in taking part can contact the SU Volunteer Services for information on volunteering opportunities at 220-3092.