Led by students to serve students, we promote the interests of the University of Calgary’s undergraduates. Whether we’re engaging with the University or advocating to all three tiers of government, our elected Students’ Legislative Council (SLC) works tirelessly to improve things on campus and throughout Calgary. Read on and you’ll see we’re not just the org that brings events to Mac Hall, or the mysterious gatekeepers of campus lockers (though the rumours are true—that’s us, too).
Check out our Campaigns page for an outline of what we’re currently fighting for and how it will benefit students. You’ll find a full account of what we want to see from not just the University, but all levels of government.
Contact information for your elected officials (e.g. Faculty Representatives and Council Executives) is here. Got an advocacy-related matter? Meet your advocacy team. Contact information for the whole SU can be found here.
How did you know?! You can find advocacy posts in the SU’s news archives. You can also see archived messages from your elected SU President, containing updates, useful tips and information about campus life.
- Find the Students’ Union Office inside MacEwan Student Centre (8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday).
- Call us direct on 403-220-6551, or drop us a message using our contact form.
- Email your Faculty Rep or Council Executives directly.
- Contact the Advocacy Team for advocacy-related questions.
- Graduate students should direct queries to the Graduate Students’ Association.
- Check out our resources page, or the below shortcuts:
- Find job and volunteer opportunities.
- Access the SU Food Bank.
- Get help with student housing.
- Find bursaries, hardship funds and scholarships.
- Find health resources on campus.
- Get support after sexual and gender-based violence (via the University).
- Find 2SLGBTQIA+ resources on campus.
Our annual Report to the Community contains a summary of our work and achievements (and don’t just take our word for it—we’re often in the news). In the meantime, here’s the recent highlights:
Jan/Feb 2025: Students told us that the Faculty of Arts’ decision to pause new admissions to some programs was announced abruptly, leaving students little room to work out what it all means. Your SU VP Academic and Arts Representatives, through their seats on University academic governance committees, 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 post-secondaries in Alberta suspend admissions to a program, they must tell the provincial government whether the purpose of the suspension is to update the curriculum, or ultimately close the programs. The SU has confirmed that the programs have been submitted for provincial approval to suspend only, with none marked for closure.
November 2024: As a result of the SU’s participation in the University’s Tuition & Fees Consultation Committee, which determines fee increases put to students each year, the University is dropping its international tuition increase from 6% to 4%. This move will save international students thousands of dollars. Also this month, we launched our Quality Meal to help food insecurity on campus. Anyone can purchase a nutritious $3 meal at our campus restaurant, The Den, no questions asked.
October 2024: We funded an Affordable Market for UCalgary students, offering students “fresh, budget-friendly groceries right on campus.”
February 2025: We teamed up with 24 other students’ associations in the province to send an open letter to the Government of Alberta. Representing 290,000 students between us, or 6% of Alberta’s total population, 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: We submitted recommendations to the province ahead of Budget 2025. 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 directly to decision-makers about student issues, including the Minister of Advanced Education, the Critic for Advanced Education, and the Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women. See them being introduced before the Legislative Assembly on our socials.
2024/25: Following our advocacy in the run-up to the City of Calgary’s Housing Plan, which passed in late 2023 with a $25 million student housing investment, we continue to meet with councillors and non-profits to explore affordable, purpose-built student housing options in Calgary. In 2024, we spoke for student interests at an public hearings, delivered over 250 postcards from students to Councillor Terry Wong (Ward 7), and were recognized for putting pressure on councillors to vote YES to blanket rezoning when we held a rally outside City Hall during the rezoning vote.
2025: Our partnership with online platform Places4Students, which connects students to Calgarians willing to rent to them, continues its years-long run. We make sure to namedrop the site during any media or public forums on the topic of student housing, to encourage more people in the city to engage with the platform.
2024/25: Recognizing Alberta’s high youth unemployment rate, we continue to advocate 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. These days, we’re not the only ones who see the value of reviving STEP: the Calgary Chamber of Commerce is also calling for the program’s return. Read more in their October 2024 release, Go Big on Small Business.
The SU is run by students, voted in by students, via the Students’ Legislative Council. Want to make a difference? Every January, eligible students start running for election to SLC, where they’ll serve a one-year term (May 1—April 31). See the link for more info on each position and how to run.
We run two annual surveys: a general one in Jan/Feb, and an advocacy one in Aug/Sep. Both are great opportunities to tell us your views directly, and we use the data to inform our advocacy efforts. (We’re sure you’re eager to participate, but taking part enters you into a $100 gift card draw.)
We organise events such as protests, rallies, town halls and more over the course of our campaigns. You can sign up for our mailing list to ensure you receive the latest updates on the SU’s activities, including calls for students to join us.
