By Julie Bogle
This past year, your Students’ Union has been through it all. We’ve played nice, we’ve protested, we’ve had elections, we’ve financially supported a tonne of students and now we’re prepping for one of the best days of the year–BSD!
Your SU exists to serve and represent students. We’ve advocated on your behalf by attending national conferences to help get better deals on textbooks. We campaigned the federal government to renew the $350 million it allocates for financial aid each year. We’ve fought hard on the affordable housing front, making headway with a new residence being built in the next few years and potential for an off-campus inter-institutional residence. We worked with university administration to ensure the quality of your education improves. We made the student body’s voice heard and created a media buzz as we protested the decision to no longer accept credit cards for tuition payments.
We’ve also worked hard to ensure that you have money in your pockets. We’ve given out numerous scholarships based on leadership and involvement, supported clubs with free space and event funding, as well as financially supporting students as they head off to conferences.
We continue to expand on these financial investments. This year, we created 10 new scholarships for club members! Next year, we’ll have “co-curricular records,” which will supplement your academic transcript by recognizing the extra work so many students manage while attending school.
We’ve listened to you through the Student Advisory Council and the SU Survey and have allocated our Quality Money based on your needs. This year, $1.5 million was distributed to nine projects that will enhance your student experience. The MacEwan student centre south courtyard should be completed shortly, providing more comfortable seating and a stage to assist student groups with their events. We’re helping re-vamp U of C 101 to include more Trimedia and club interaction with frosh students. A free online exam bank is just around the corner to help prepare for finals. As well, our SU Sustainability Board conducted a waste audit to identify what really goes on in Mac Hall and to see what we can do to help green our actions.
I could go on, but I’m sure you’re all busy prepping for the last few weeks before summer. It’s been an incredible year for the 65th SU and I gotta give a shout out to my exec crew…WFTDL?