Advocacy

Happy February, UCalgary, 

If you felt like January dragged on forever, you’re not alone! I’ve got a few updates on what the SU has been working on this semester. 

Big News on CR/F for Winter Semester 

I am pleased to announce that the U of C will extend CR/F to include the current semester. 

While there is work being on done on a permanent policy that will allow students to take CR for a certain percentage of courses during the course of their degree, this policy will not be ready for approval until late March. Since I believed it was important for students to know their options as early as possible in the semester, I recommended that we either push the policy forward, or instate another temporary policy. Yesterday, this temporary policy was implemented. 

These CR/F policies are not insignificant wins and could not have been delivered if students did not make themselves collectively heard. Your hundreds of letters to university admin last semester in favour of CR/F were a major factor in this decision. 

Read the full details here. 

Other Advocacy Updates  

Advocacy continues on a number of fronts, including work on flexible exam windows, quality of academic instruction, and the continued ban on proctoring. On governmental issues, we have been pushing for affordable student monthly transit passes, increased financial support for students, and support for student employment over the summer months.  

SU General Election 

Are you a leader in the campus community? Would you like to be? Think about running in the upcoming SU Elections. The SU is a great place to gain professional experience, connect with your faculty, and influence university policy. Curious about running but not sure if it’s for you? Everything else you need to know, including the positions available, can be found on our website. Nomination days are next week, Feb. 8 – 10.If you have more specific questions about running, you can also book an appointment with one of our Chief Returning Officers.  

Sex Week 

Not interested in student politics? How about sex? UCalgary’s annual Sex Week is coming up next week, Feb. 8 – 12. It’s a great opportunity to have all your questions about sex, love, relationships and so much more answered. Check out the schedule of events and other resources on our website. 

Teaching Excellence Awards 

We know that profs and TAs have had a challenging year, just like all of us. They have had to work extra hard and get extra creative to help students learn from a distance. But we also know that students have noticed – last semester, we received a record number of Teaching Excellence nominations from UCalgary students. So do you have a prof that has been going the extra mile this semester? Or a TA that makes it worth getting up for an 8 a.m. lab? If you do, make sure you nominate them for a Teaching Excellence Award. Complete a short online form and we’ll make sure they know their extra effort is appreciated. 

SU Survey – last call 

Have you taken the SU Survey yet? There are two good reasons to do it: (1) We use your feedback to improve our programs, services, and advocacy every year. (2) You could win one of ten $100 Amazon gift cards. The survey closes this Friday, Feb.5, so take it now and tell a friend. 

Not that anyone’s counting, but as of today you’re only 9 days away from Reading Week! Hang in there – you’ve got this! 

All the best, 

Frank, President
The Students’ Union

Hello, UCalgary, and welcome back to the winter semester.  

In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Frank Finley – your Students’ Union President. I’ve got some information that you might find useful as you ease back into these next few weeks.  

Take the SU Survey 

First up – Take the annual SU Survey now and enter to win one of ten $100 Amazon.ca gift cards. I want to hear your thoughts on the SU’s programs, services, and businesses – we want to make them even better, but we can’t do it without your help. Past survey data has influenced everything from payment options at Stor to funding for new study spaces. It only takes 10 minutes – take the survey now.  

Clubs Week Virtual Fair 

Speaking of new friends, there are more than 300 clubs that are part of our SU family! This semester, we are hosting over 100 clubs each day at our virtual January Clubs Week on ClubHub from Jan. 19 – 21. The event will be live from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. each day. Drop in and say hi – there’s bound to be one (or more!) clubs that’ll be a perfect fit for you.  

Advocacy Notes 

Moving into this new semester, we have a number of ongoing advocacy initiatives. We have been fighting for various academic regulations, including the continued prevention of proctoring, flexible exam windows, and the ability for students see all questions of each exam in D2L during their exam times. Further advocacy at the municipal and provincial levels includes continued efforts to increase student financial support, demands for increased investment in student mental health, and work to hold our government and university to account. 

Run in the SU General Election 

Have you ever thought about taking on a leadership role at the SU? The SU General Election is coming soon. Official nomination packages will be available at the end of the month – but in the meantime, we’re regularly updating our election webpages with important information and deadlines. Want the details about what it’s like to campaign? Need insight into the life of an SLC member? You are welcome to check out our tip sheets, make an appointment with one of our CROs, or attend one of our Pre-Election Workshops from Jan. 19 – 29!  

Bound and Copied Used Textbooks 

Finally, are you still working out which books you are going to pick up, and hoping to save some cash? Bound and Copied is open for consignment and in-person shopping. Drop by from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, lower level of Mac Hall. 

Stay safe, UCalgary. See you in a couple weeks!  

Frank,

President, The Students’ Union
The University of Calgary

Hello UCalgary students,

I’m Frank Finley, your SU President. I’ve got a few quick updates for you on our advocacy efforts and some upcoming events that are happening around campus.

Advocacy Updates

Earlier this week, UCalgary held a tuition town hall to announce proposed increases to tuition and fees. We have heard your voices on social media and saw the remarkable student attendance at this town hall, and we will represent you at the Board of Governors meeting on Dec. 11 when these increases are put to a vote. It is our belief that there is no worse time to raise tuition than during the largest crisis of our lifetimes, and we continue to fight against increased costs to students.

In other news, the UPass program will continue to be on hold for the Winter 2021 term. Discounted Calgary Transit ticket books are available to current UCalgary students at the Campus Service Centre, Main Campus Bookstore, and Foothills Medical Bookstore with your UCID. You can direct questions about this program to campusservicecentre@ucalgary.ca.

Other ongoing advocacy is focused on CR/F for fall and winter 2021, an extension of the add/drop/swap deadline, an extension of time off in the winter 2021 semester, and quality of online academic instruction.

URS Research Week: Nov. 23 – 27

The 15th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium is happening this week. This year’s event is a virtual showcase of undergraduate student research from all faculties, hosted here on YouTube. Forty-eight undergraduate researchers have submitted short video presentations, and are competing for $23,000 in prizes and scholarships. Judges have been busy adjudicating these presentations, and the awards will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Stress Less in December

We know this year has been stressful, to say the least, so we have collected a series of quick, easy de-stressing activities that you can do at home. Watch the SU’s Instagram for no-bake holiday recipes, crafts, and even some special guests (hint: if you’ve been missing Fitness in the Space, your instructors have been missing you, too!) Stress Less runs from Dec. 1 – 11 on Instagram stories.

Textbook Consignment

Are you ready to say goodbye to some old textbooks? Bound and Copied can help you turn them into cash. Bring your used textbooks to the consignment window at Bound and Copied, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Are you already thinking about 2021? So are we.

Clubs Week We are excited to announce that January Clubs Week will be held virtually through our ClubHub platform from Jan. 19 – 21. Each club will have their own virtual “table”, and event participants will have a chance to chat with participating club executives over Zoom. Watch our social media channels for more information over the next few weeks.

SU General Election

Have you ever thought about taking on a leadership role at the SU? Official nomination packages will be available Jan. 25 – but in the meantime, we’re regularly updating our election webpages with important information and deadlines. Want the details about what it’s like to campaign? Need insight into the life of an SLC member? Stay tuned to social media and our website for dates of pre-election workshops in January.

Holiday Closure

The SU offices and Bound and Copied will be closed after Friday, Dec. 11, and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

Good luck on your exams! You’re only a few weeks away from a well-deserved break.

Frank

President, The Students’ Union
The University of Calgary

Hello UCalgary,

I’m Frank Finley, your SU President. I’ve got a few quick updates for you on some important things that are happening around campus.

Teaching Excellence Nominations: Deadline this Friday

Do you have an instructor or TA who has gone the extra mile adapting to remote delivery to keep the quality of their courses high? You should nominate them for a Teaching Excellence Award! It’s really easy: just complete the short online form. All nominations for your Fall 2020 profs/TAs must be received by October 23.

Meet Your City Councillors: Join Marley on Facebook Live

Join VP External Marley Gillies next week on Facebook Live as she discusses issues that affect students with a panel of city councillors. Marley will be chatting with Councillors George Chahal (Ward 5), Jyoti Gondek (Ward 3), and Jeff Davidson (Ward 6) at 3 p.m. on Oct. 28, and Councillors Evan Woolley (Ward 8), Druh Farrell (Ward 7), and Jeromy Farkas (Ward 11) at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29. Send us your questions ahead of time through the SU’s social media channels, or submit them live during the event.

Alberta 2030 Survey Closes Oct. 25

We believe in affordable, accessible, high-quality education. Do you agree? The Government of Alberta is conducting a review of Alberta post-secondary education, and it’s important that student voices are heard. Surveys are open until Oct. 25, and you can find them here.

Halloween Pet Therapy

Check out our Instagram stories on Friday, Oct. 30, and get ready to share photos of your pets working their best Halloween looks.

Fall Harvest Food Drive Final Days

We are into the final days of our Fall Harvest Food Drive, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has already donated this month. You can participate on your own or as part of a team; if you make a donation, let us know by sharing a photo on social media and tagging us at @suuofc, and you or your team will be entered to win prizes. See our website for all of the details.

Q Centre Pride Scholarship

Did you know that the Q Centre is open again with virtual drop-in hours three days a week? We have also opened nominations for the Q Centre Pride Scholarship. This SU Quality Money initiative recognizes individuals that are passionate advocates in the queer community. Check out our website for more information. Scholarship applications are due on Nov. 20.

Quality Money Proposals

If you’ve got a big idea that will enhance the quality of student life on campus, apply for an SU Quality Money grant and make it a reality. The deadline is November 27 – start your application today!

Find a Tutor

Do you need some help with your course work or preparing for an exam? Want to help someone else? Your SU has a searchable database of independent tutors that can help you in a wide range of subjects.

Locker Clean-Outs

If you are still missing items from last year, the last day to retrieve them is Friday, October 30th., you can fill out the content retrieval form and we will contact you when your items are ready to go.
You’re over the halfway mark in the semester – keep going!

Frank Finley, President
The Students’ Union

It’s already October – I hope you’ve managed to get outside and enjoyed the first few days of fall. I’m Frank Finley, your SU President, and I have another set of updates for you to keep you up to speed on what’s happening around the SU.

Fall Harvest Food Drive

October 1 marks the beginning of our Fall Harvest Food Drive, and we’re asking for your help to secure the SU Campus Food Bank for the fall and winter months. Participation is easy – we’ll post new ideas each day to our social media channels. You can choose one, or many, and participate on your own or as part of a team. If you make a donation, let us know by sharing a photo on social media and tagging us at @suuofc, and you or your team will be entered to win prizes. Or make an anonymous donation – it’s up to you! See our website for all of the details.

Alberta 2030 Survey

We believe in affordable, accessible, high-quality education. Do you agree? The Government of Alberta is conducting a review of Alberta post-secondary education, and it’s important that student voices are heard. Surveys are open until Oct. 25, and you can find them here.

Fall By-Election

Our SLC By-Election Nomination Days are over, and we’ve got some updates for you. Our faculty representative vacancy in Social Work has been filled by acclamation – your rep is Jovanna Rodney. We are running a By-Election to fill a seat on the Board of Governors. Voting days for the By-Election are October 14, 15, and 16, and you can vote online in your student centre. Info on all the candidates and their platforms will be available on our website on Friday.

Undergraduate Research Symposium Applications

Have you spent some time in the lab and made a unique discovery? Will your critical analysis lead to positive social change? Share your accomplishments at the 2020 SU Undergraduate Research Symposium for the chance to win a scholarship and get presentation experience. Abstracts are due October 5 at 4:00 p.m. This year’s URS will be held online in late November, and the presentations will be in video format. For more information or to submit an abstract, visit our website.

Teaching Excellence Nominations

Do you have a professor that makes your class extraordinary – whether in person or online? Has an instructor or TA gone the extra mile adapting to remote delivery to keep the quality of their courses high? You should nominate them for a Teaching Excellence Award! It’s really easy: just complete the short online form. All nominations for your Fall 2020 profs/TAs must be received by October 23.

Quality Money Proposals

The SU knows that the best ideas for projects or services that enhance the quality of student life on campus come directly from students. In the past, we’ve funded brilliant ideas like club scholarships, sexual violence prevention programming, Indigenous programming, and peer-assisted study sessions. If you’ve got a big idea, apply for an SU Quality Money grant and make it a reality. The deadline is November 27 – start your application today!

Locker Clean-Outs

Did you leave anything behind in your locker last spring? The last day to retrieve any items that you are missing is Friday, October 30^th. Please fill out the content retrieval form and we will contact you when your items are ready to go.

Textbook Consignment

Do you have some old textbooks lying around that you would rather turn into some extra cash? Bound and Copied is open Monday through Friday to consign your old books. Our vendors in the Mac Hall food court are open, too, so make sure to drop by one of your old favourites (or try out the new Freshco Poke) while you are on campus.

Best of luck as you head into midterm season – you’ve got this!

Frank Finley
President, The Students’ Union

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I’m Frank Finley, and I’m your SU President.

I know many of you won’t be coming back in person this semester, but I wanted to make sure you knew that even if things look a lot different, we are still here providing services, advice, events, and working with all levels of government and the university administration to ensure quality and affordability for UCalgary students. Whether you are beginning your first year or returning to class and feeling a little uncertain of what to expect, we are here to help you navigate Fall 2020.

The SU is your advocate and representative on campus. We represent your voice to the university, government, and the wider community. We do this in a lot of different ways, such as sitting on university committees, meeting with government officials, and giving you information about what’s happening on and off campus. We’ve heard your concerns: 1,189 students responded to our advocacy survey this summer. And we’ve been working all summer long on your behalf – asking the provincial government to provide direct financial supports for students and cancel the tuition increases they allowed last year, working with the City of Calgary on an affordable alternative to the U-Pass, and lobbying the federal government to increase Canada Student Grants and get more direct financial support for students. You can read a summary of all of our recent advocacy efforts here.

If you are already familiar with the SU, it’s probably because of our regular events like Pet Therapy and Clubs Week. We can’t bring the puppies back just yet, but we are adapting many of our programs and events to fit a new online format. Here are just a few notes for things that are coming soon:

• You can join us for 50 Days of Clubs. This virtual event begins Monday, Sept. 14 – all you have to do is follow @suuofc and @suuofcclubs on Instagram to see 50 days of featured clubs! (That’s ten times more days than Clubs Week, if you are keeping count.) SU Clubs are one of the best ways to find some new friends and develop a new interest or hobby, so make sure you join at least one.
• You can apply to showcase your research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. This year’s URS will be held online, and applications are due Oct. 5.
• You can work with us! Are you interested to learn more about what the SU does, work with SU Elected Officials on projects, and get some serious experience in student government? Consider joining one of our committees. We have open seats on five different committees, and the deadline to apply is Sept. 10. Looking for a bigger commitment? You can run also in the SU By-Election for one of two vacant positions. Nomination packages are available here and must be submitted between Sept. 28 – 30.

Finally, the SU also administers critical services like health and dental coverage and lockers. New students are automatically enrolled in the SU health and dental plan. Already have health and dental coverage? You may be eligible to opt out. The opt-out deadline is Sept. 25 and you can do so by clicking here. If you’ve already opted out, you’re good – you only have to opt out once during your university career. If you need a locker, you can reserve one through your Student Centre.

A great way to keep up to date is to follow the SU on Facebook and Instagram @suuofc.

Have a great September, UCalgary!

– Frank
President, The Students’ Union

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