Students' Union, UCalgary

SU @UCalgary
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University Appeals Committee (UAC) and the University Appeals Tribunal (UAT) Volunteer Position
University Appeals Committee (UAC) and the University Appeals Tribunal (UAT) Volunteer Position 150 150 admin

The University Student Appeals Office is recruiting female undergraduate students (including JD, MD, and DVM students) to volunteer as members of the University Appeals Committee (UAC) and the University Appeals Tribunal (UAT). Student representatives are appointed by the SU and should represent as many different disciplines as possible at the University. Applications from female undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Arts are not being accepted at this time.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

As an UAC or UAT panel member, you will hear undergraduate student appeals relating to academic assessments, academic progression, and academic and non-academic misconduct. In this important role, you facilitate the system through which student appellants and faculty respondents are given an opportunity to state their cases. Together with your fellow panel members and with the support of legal counsel, you will decide on student appeals. From the in-depth knowledge you will gain about the appeals process, you will also be able to provide the Student Appeals Office with feedback to improve the student experience.

The ideal appointee would have a commitment to fairness and impartiality, an interest in learning more about institutional policies and regulations, and excellent interpersonal skills. You must be in good academic and conduct standing.

COMMITMENT

Your appointment to the UAC/UAT would be for the period of Jan 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026. Appointees must have the ability to respond to Student Appeals Office requests/correspondence within 48 hours and be able to attend in-person hearings on Main Campus during business hours. All appointees are required to attend one orientation/training session (typically 1-2 hours in length) at the start of their term. On average, appointees support 1 or 2 appeal hearings per year based on their availability. Appeal hearings involve time to review the appeal file (approx. 2-3 hours), a 1-hour panel prep meeting (held virtually), and a 3–4-hour student appeal hearing (held in-person).

If you have any questions about the role, please don’t hesitate to contact the Student Appeals Office at appeals@ucalgary.ca.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the application form and submit it via email alongside a copy of your Academic Requirements Summary document from your Student Centre page to SU Policy Analyst, ifeanyichukwu.ezeume@ucalgary.ca by 4:00 PM Friday, November 29, 2024.

APPLICATION FORM

 

  • Caragh Clifford
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Results Announced: 2024 SU By-Election
Results Announced: 2024 SU By-Election 2560 1920 Caragh Clifford

CALGARY, AB – Results of the University of Calgary Students’ Union (SU) By-Election were announced at the end of the day on Thursday. There was a total of two seats being voted on, one in the Werklund School of Education and another in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Both races were uncontested, and have secured a majority yes vote from students within those faculties. Siena Yee was confirmed as the new Werklund School of Education representative with 96% of the vote, while Danielle Barry – who had previously been appointed to the position of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine representative as the position was vacant from the last general election – will continue on in the role officially, earning 94% of the vote.

There is still one open position on the Students’ Legislative Council as there is no current Faculty of Nursing representative. A viable student will be appointed to the position soon.

“I would like to welcome Siena and welcome back Danielle to the Students’ Legislative Council, and congratulate them both for their victory. Faculty representatives are the backbone of the Students’ Legislative Council, as they are our closest link to all students. I look forward to working with all of them for the remainder of this legislative year,” said Ermia Rezaei-Afsah, SU President.

Siena Yee (second from the right) is welcomed as the new Werklund School of Education Representative by SU President Ermia Rezaei-Afsah, VP Internal Naomie Bakana, and VP Academic Jessie Dinh (remaining, left to right)

The other item on the ballot during the 2024 By-Election was General Fee Referendum, which proposed an update to the SU’s fee structure for assessment of its general fee for specific categories of students: full-time medical students as well as part-time, co-op, and internship students. The referendum has passed with 57% of the electors voting in favour of the changes.

This year’s By-Election saw 425 students cast a vote. As this was a by-election, the faculty race votes were limited to students who are currently enrolled in the applicable faculties, and the general referendum was open to all eligible students. By-Election results become official on Friday, October 18th.

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NOTICE OF ELECTION: BY-ELECTION 2024
NOTICE OF ELECTION: BY-ELECTION 2024 150 150 admin

Notice is hereby given that an election will be held for the filling of the following offices:

  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (1 position)
  • Werklund School of Education (1 position)

Online voting will take place on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of October 2024 through my.ucalgary.ca Student Centre. Voting opens at 9 a.m. on October 8th and closes at 4 p.m. on October 10th, 2024. All University of Calgary undergraduate students registered in these faculties: Veterinary Medicine and Werklund School of Education in the Fall 2024 session are eligible to vote.

VACANCIES

In accordance with section 48 of the The Union Bylaw, the Chief Returning Officer declares the following positions vacant:

  • Faculty of Nursing

See the ELECTIONS page for updates and information. 

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NOTICE OF NOMINATION DAYS – BY-ELECTION 2024
NOTICE OF NOMINATION DAYS – BY-ELECTION 2024 150 150 admin

Notice is hereby given that Nomination Days are Monday, September 23 and Tuesday, September 24, 2024. Nominations for the election of candidates for the following offices will be accepted virtually from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and in person at the SU Main Office (MSC 251) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

OFFICES AVAILABLE (# of Vacancies)

  • Faculty of Nursing (1)
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (1)
  • Werklund School of Education (1)

As of September 9, 2024, Nomination Packageswill be available online.

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NOTICE OF REFERENDUM – BY-ELECTION 2024
NOTICE OF REFERENDUM – BY-ELECTION 2024 150 150 admin

Summary

The SU’s current fee structure is disproportional in its assessment of the SU general fee for full time, part-time, co-op and internship students. The SU proposes updating its fee structure as outlined in the table below by assessing MD full-time students at the full-time student rate while part-time, co-op and internship students will be assessed to pay two-thirds of the full-time student rate. The aim of this proposed update is to keep up with inflation and to ensure its services can cater to the 10,000 new undergraduate students the university seeks to add to the student population by 2030.

Background

The SU exists to advance and support the needs of undergraduate students at the University of Calgary. As an organization, one of our key priorities is to advocate for students’ interests to the university and all three orders of government. We also provide essential services, programs, and events curated to enhance the student experience, both in and out of the classroom. All undergraduate students are active members of the SU; they benefit from all advocacy initiatives of the SU and can access all SU benefits and privileges (i.e., scholarships and financial awards, the Clubs systems, advocacy efforts, Campus Food Bank etc.). While SU events are primarily accessed by students most frequently on campus, they too are open to all undergraduate students who are interested.

The SU has operated on a differential general fee assessment structure over the past few decades. This structure was created because the SU’s past offerings were largely events-focused, and the SU could not provide remote access to SU services because the internet was not a widely available utility until 2004. Furthermore, students on satellite locations found it difficult to access SU benefits and privileges on main campus due to limited transit connections as the City of Calgary was still expanding its fleet of buses and trains and its transit routing network to meet the teeming population growth in the city.

At the time, the SU’s differential fee assessment was an equitable tool adopted to ensure students were charged general fees that reflected their accessibility to SU benefit and privileges. These concerns are less applicable today as the SU is primarily advocacy-driven and provides unfettered remote access to almost all SU benefits and privileges, thus making the SU’s general fee differential assessment structure out-dated.

Question

Given the background provided above, do you support the proposed update to the SU General Fee structure, starting Fall 2025?

  • YES
  • NO

A REFERENDUM FAQ is available for more information.

 

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Review Board Student Member
Review Board Student Member 150 150 admin

We are looking to fill up to six (6) vacancies for SU Review Board and Tribunal positions.

The Review Board and Tribunal are independent, arms-length committees of the Students’ Legislative Council, charged with the judicial functions of the Students’ Union. Students can apply to the Review Board to appeal SU decisions that they believe were unfair or in violation of the SU’s Union Bylaw or Union Policy. The Tribunal has jurisdiction over decisions of the Review Board. A student who is dissatisfied with a decision of the Review Board may be able to appeal to the Tribunal.

Read the full POSITION DESCRIPTION (DOCX) here.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are required to use the Review Board and Tribunal Application Form (DOCX) included here:

APPLICATION (DOCX)

Statement on Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The Students’ Union is committed to ensuring that members of equity-deserving groups, from a broad range of communities, feel empowered to apply for positions within the organization. We strongly encourage qualified candidates from Black, Indigenous, and/or other racialized communities to apply. Qualified candidates who identify as 2Spirit and/or LGBTQIA+ or are otherwise marginalized on the grounds of gender expression, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation are also strongly encouraged to apply.

The Students’ Union welcomes applications from people with disabilities and believes strongly in accessibility in the work we do. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process – please advise us at any point and we will work with you to meet your needs while respecting your privacy as much as possible.

The Students’ Union is grateful to work on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika), Piikuni, and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. The University of Calgary is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, and the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is Moh’kins’tsis, which we now call the City of Calgary. The Students’ Union also recognizes that land acknowledgments are not enough. We need to pursue truth, reconciliation, decolonization, and allyship in an ongoing effort to make right with all our relations.

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VICE PRESIDENT INTERNAL BIOGRAPHY
VICE PRESIDENT INTERNAL BIOGRAPHY 150 150 admin
NAOMIE BAKANA

Naomie Bakana is a fifth-year sociology student and your SU Vice President Internal, which is a newly-created position that merges the portfolios of the previous Vice President Student Life and Vice President Operations and Finance.

After serving as a Faculty of Arts Representative in 2023-24, Naomie ran for a Vice President position to help pave the way for future leaders and leaving a lasting impact on her campus. Naomie aims to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, champion affordability and accessibility initiatives, and address critical issues such as food security and representation. Through her role at the SU, she hopes to inspire and empower future leaders from underrepresented communities to step forward and take on leadership roles.

Naomie is a member of several SU Clubs, including the Nigerian Students’ Association (NSA), the Ethiopian Eritrean Students’ Association (EESA), and the African Caribbean Students’ Association (ACSA), where she is part of a supportive community that celebrates and promotes African and Caribbean cultures. She is also a member of P2C (Power to Change), another SU Club that serves as a spiritual resource for students.

Naomie also dedicates her time to volunteering: both on-campus with the African Studies Expansion Taskforce and off-campus as a worship leader at her church. She previously volunteered for two years at the Women’s Resource Centre.

Outside of her role at the SU and her volunteer commitments, Naomie enjoys playing, singing, or simply listening to music which serves as both a creative outlet and a source of inspiration for her.

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VICE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC BIOGRAPHY
VICE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC BIOGRAPHY 150 150 admin

JESSIE DINH

Jessie Dinh was born and raised in Northeast Calgary, to two immigrants who both fled the Vietnam War as boat people. While this led to many crazy tales and some pretty high expectations, Jessie attributes much of her drive and confidence to her parents’ unwavering support. Over the years, they contributed to her excellence in swimming and gymnastics.

Jessie’s first few jobs included summer camps, receptionist roles, and a stint as a barista. She quickly learned that she loves to work with people, no matter how difficult they may be. After spontaneously applying for and eventually serving two years as the SU Kinesiology Representative, she found a passion for policy and advocacy and developed her leadership skills to support others. Jessie was once a passive and reserved person, particularly in times of conflict; however, this role enabled her to grow into the “assertive, passionate, and sometimes annoying” person she is today. This growth led to her decision to run for Vice President Academic where she aims to advocate for student interests on especially juicy matters. Her biggest goal is to help those who feel small learn how to advocate for themselves as well.

Jessie is currently studying for a BSc in Kinesiology. She loves learning about human health, exercise, and nutrition. She hopes to apply this knowledge in helping those around her live healthy lifestyles, as well as learning how to enhance her own.

Whenever she is not in the office, you can find her on the tennis court, hitting the slopes, or wandering the mountains with her friends. While she is not the most athletic person, she tries her best to stay active where she can, and also because it is just embarrassing for a Kinesiology student to be sedentary. Jessie also loves a quick little 1000-piece puzzle.

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Advocacy Blog: Call for an Independent Review, Housing, and More
Advocacy Blog: Call for an Independent Review, Housing, and More 150 150 admin

The past couple of months have been very busy for the SU advocacy team, working to support students on a variety of important issues. Read about our recent accomplishments and what we have been up to these past couple of months:

The SU has called for an independent review into the University administration’s handling of May 9th

The SU is calling for an independent review of the actions and decisions that led to multiple student injuries on May 9th at the University of Calgary, where a police response requested by President Ed McCauley and the University administration turned violent.

There is precedent within recent university history for these kinds of independent reviews, most recently in 2015 when then-president Elizabeth Cannon was alleged to have a conflict of interest that was investigated by former Justice Terrence McMahon.

The Students Legislative Council, which is the official governing body for the SU, called on the university’s board of governors to publicly initiate a review on May 28. Beyond the review, the Student Legislative Council also demands an explanation for why no students were involved with the crisis management team assembled to deal with the protest and a review of the policies and procedures the university was acting under.

Another win for Housing

After delivering more than 250 postcards to Ward 7 City Councillor Terry Wong and speaking at the public hearing about why the issue impacts students, the Rezoning for Housing motion was passed on May 14th by Calgary City Council. The passing of this motion will loosen zoning bylaws to allow more housing to be built and built faster. The zoning change was one of the recommendations in the housing strategy, which the SU advocacy team also advocated strongly for and was successfully passed in the fall.

SU Elected Officials have successfully delayed the university from eliminating a layer of protection in the academic appeal process

The University Appeals Office was looking to collapse its second layer of appeals, which provides an accountability measure and the ability to appeal the original decision due to procedural unfairness. SU elected officials expressed that this will not benefit students because if students choose to or require an appeal for their original appeal, they will need to go to the civil courts instead.

After long consultation, it has been agreed to maintain the two-level structure of appeals and do further consultation with the SU about the matter. The University Appeals Office has also committed to having consistent consultation with the SU in the future regarding the entire appeals system in general.

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University of Calgary Students’ Union Response To Violence Against Student Protestors
University of Calgary Students’ Union Response To Violence Against Student Protestors 150 150 Nathan Ross

The University of Calgary Students’ Union (SU) unequivocally condemns the actions taken against students on May 9th, which saw students assaulted with flash-bang grenades, tear gas, and non-lethal munitions in alarmingly rapid escalation. This extreme response was requested by the University of Calgary President Ed McCauley and the University Administration.  These students, many of whom were arrested or injured, were exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 

The university’s utilization of Calgary Police Service (CPS) was an invitation for violence against students. It is our belief that without this, the protest would have remained peaceful. Unlike at other Canadian universities, the University of Calgary’s administration made no serious efforts to speak with the protestors before directing CPS to remove them from campus. This is a failure of leadership from President McCauley and the University of Calgary Administration. 

Student protesters sought dialogue with admin, only to be continuously rebuffed. The fact that the university’s president feels more comfortable calling the police than meaningfully engaging with students demonstrates where his priorities lie. 

Furthermore, we vehemently dispute the accuracy of the statement released by the Office of the President that the protest only ‘devolved’ with the arrival of counter-protestors. According to protestors as well as video footage posted from the event, no counter-protesters were present when the CPS escalated its tactics. Calgary Police had secured the area well before 10:00 pm with only a singular point of entry that was being used to escort individuals out, which either means that no one was able to enter or those that entered were permitted to do so.

We have reached out to President McCauley early this morning, but as of publication of this statement, our request to better understand why the protesters were not engaged has gone unanswered. The fact that we have yet to hear back from the administration after students were teargassed on our campus yesterday is deeply unsettling. Yesterday’s actions set back years of progress that was built towards strong relations between the administration and students, leaving students to ask how they are supposed to feel safe exercising their rights on campus if the first response is to call the police. 

An apology will not be sufficient from President McCauley, and we will wait for either the administration to resume dialogue with us or for them to take accountability for what happened. If that does not happen, we will be pushing for more serious action, as determined by student demand. 

The SU is above all else concerned with ensuring student safety and that student rights are upheld. We appreciate the continued response and the unified calls for accountability from the community. The SU continues to invite all students interested in speaking with us or requesting support to contact the SU or visit our offices during the week. 

 

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