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Tenth Anniversary of Students’ Union Q Centre Celebrated
Tenth Anniversary of Students’ Union Q Centre Celebrated 150 150 admin

Intentional community identity building, the importance of LGBTQ+ spaces, and the legacy of students’ investment highlighted 

November 2, 2020

CALGARY, AB – On November 3rd, the Students’ Union (SU) will be proudly celebrating the tenth anniversary of the only space at the University of Calgary devoted to serving our lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) community and their allies.

The SU Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, known as the Q Centre, first opened its doors on November 3, 2010. The space, administered by the SU and operated by a team of dedicated volunteers, offers a safe and supportive environment for students to hang out in, as well as educational programs and resources.

In 2014, the SU expanded the capacity of the Q Centre to provide diverse programming and services by opening a newly renovated space using an SU Quality Money grant. With over 1,000 ft2 of space, the Q Centre expanded their library, offered a new reconfigurable multipurpose space for events, studying, and networking, and added private office spaces and a reception area.

“We are so proud of the work that the Q Centre has done to build a strong and thriving LGBTQ+ community on our campus,” said Frank Finley, Students’ Union President. “Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the investments students have made through SU Quality Money, the Q Centre serves to promote awareness and acceptance while offering community to students and other members of our university.”

In honor of the anniversary the SU Q Centre is hosting speaker and activist James Demers for a discussion on building community identity and queer space and how the evolution of these spaces is vital for connecting the future of the Pride movement to current social movements.

“Students have always been a key part of creating social change,” Finley added. “We are grateful for the opportunity to discuss the importance of this work with James, as we know that there is still more work to do and barriers to break down both on our campus and within our society.”

The SU is looking forward to continuing the work that the Q Centre has started throughout its ten-year history, including working to promote awareness and acceptance of different sexual identities through educational programs, partnerships with the university, and advocacy. Q Centre coordinators and volunteers pushed for the university’s first multi-stall gender-inclusive washroom, hosted awareness events during Sex Week, and led the SU’s involvement with Calgary Pride, and new events and initiatives, including remote peer support, are always being developed.

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Media Contact:

Marcus Plottel, External Communications Specialist
403-829-9208 / marcus.plottel@ucalgary.ca

Images (credit for all to Gene Baines/SU Staff):

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Excellent teachers, city councillors, and Halloween pets
Excellent teachers, city councillors, and Halloween pets 150 150 admin

PrintHello 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

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Fall Food Drive, SU By-Election, and an Alberta 2030 survey is underway
Fall Food Drive, SU By-Election, and an Alberta 2030 survey is underway 150 150 admin

PrintIt’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 30th. 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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STUDENTS’ UNION 2020 BY-ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCED
STUDENTS’ UNION 2020 BY-ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCED 150 150 admin

New Board of Governors student-at-large and Faculty of Social Work Representative elected

October 16, 2020, CALGARY, AB – Results of the Students’ Union (SU) By-Election were announced at the end of the day on Friday. Two positions were open going into this week’s vote, and campaigning was primarily online due to COVID-19.

 

Students elected ­­­­Mickail Hendi as their new student-at-large representative to the UCalgary Board of Governors. Hendi captured 45% percent of the vote.

 

Additionally, Chief Returning Officers declared Jovanna Rodney acclaimed to the position of Representative for the Faculty of Social Work having run unopposed. Rodney had served as the appointed representative to the same position since May 1, 2020.

 

“I would like to congratulate Jovanna and Mickail for their commitment to stepping up to represent their fellow students, and I look forward to working with both of them” said Frank Finley, SU President. “Additionally, I would like to acknowledge and thank Alisha Gordon for holding the interim position of Board of Governors student-at-large representative and bringing students’ views and opinions to the Board with passion, tact, and chutzpah. Governor Gordon has been an exceptional board representative, and students have been lucky to have her.”

 

Having been appointed when the position was left vacant in the 2020 SU General Election, Gordon served as the Board of Governors student-at-large representative since May 1, 2020. She had previously served two terms as the Senate student-at-large representative and one term as the SU Vice President Student Life in 2019-20.

 

This year’s By-Election saw 372 students vote. This represents 1.1% of eligible student voters. By-Election results become official on October 26, 2020.

 

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Media Contact: Marcus Plottel, External Communications Specialist

(403) 829-9208 // marcus.plottel@ucalgary.ca

 

For Further Election Information: Amanda Cha, Chief Returning Officer

elections@su.ucalgary.ca

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Proposed Amendments to the U of C Sexual Violence and Gender Based Violence Policy
Proposed Amendments to the U of C Sexual Violence and Gender Based Violence Policy 150 150 admin

Earlier this year, the University of Calgary proposed revisions to the existing Sexual Violence Policy.
We want to ensure that these revisions are considered after consultation with the undergraduate student body. Please take a moment to participate in our anonymous survey. We will collect your feedback and present it to the university on behalf of undergraduate students.

Take the survey here:
[button link=”https://survey.ucalgary.ca/jfe/form/SV_3gzmf5hCfGuXpBj”]Sexual Violence Policy Survey[/button]

Responses must be completed by Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020.

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Welcome back, UCalgary!
Welcome back, UCalgary! 150 150 admin

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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Campus Food Bank Launches Month-Long Food Drive
Campus Food Bank Launches Month-Long Food Drive admin

Community support sought to help secure the SU Campus Food Bank for fall and winter months

 

October 5, 2020

 

CALGARY, AB – As students return to post-secondary studies, the Students’ Union (SU) Campus Food Bank at the University of Calgary is launching a month-long food drive. After re-opening in September, students are looking to the community to come together (remotely) to help re-stock the shelves.

 

“We are proud to re-open the SU Campus Food Bank to support our campus community,” says Assad Ali Bik, SU Vice President Student Life. “The Fall Harvest Food Drive is a call to action to ensure we are able to continue this support through the fall and winter months.”

 

Every day from October 1st to 31st, the SU will be sharing ideas via social media on little things everyone can do to support the food bank. There are three ways to participate: as an individual, as a team, or anonymously. Details and a list of high-demand items are available online: https://www.su.ucalgary.ca/events/campus-food-bank-fall-harvest-food-drive/.

 

Ali Bik added that any support is appreciated. “One dollar, one can of food, or 100, it doesn’t matter,” he stated. Non-perishable food donations can be dropped off at the Information Centre in MacEwan Student Centre. Larger donations are accepted by appointment, and a GoFundMe page has been created for monetary donations during the Fall Harvest Food Drive.

 

During the summer, the food bank had to remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, and students who needed support were directed to other community resources; however, food insecurity remains a concern for students who struggle to afford their education, and scheduled curbside pickup appointments are now in place to maintain physical distancing.

 

“With tuition increasing, cost of living going up, and many students unable to find work over the summer due to COVID-19, we know that students will be facing tough choices, and we don’t want the choice to be between food and education,” says Ali Bik. “We want to make sure that students know that we’re open, and we’re here to help during this challenging time.”

 

The SU Campus Food Bank has been independently operated by the Students’ Union for over 27 years and provides emergency, seven-day food hampers to students and other members of the campus community.

 

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Media Contact: Marcus Plottel, External Communications Specialist

(403) 829-9208 // marcus.plottel@ucalgary.ca

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Notice of Election – 2020
Notice of Election – 2020 150 150 admin

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

  • Board of Governors Representative (1)

Online voting will take place on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of October, 2020 through the myUofC Student Centre. Voting opens at 9 a.m. on October 14th and closes at 4 p.m. on October 16, 2020. All University of Calgary undergraduate students registered in the Fall 2020 session are eligible to vote.

NOTICE OF ACCLAMATION

In accordance with section 48 of the The Union Bylaw, the Chief Returning Officers declare the following persons elected to the position to which they were nominated:

  • Faculty Representative, Social Work – Jovanna Rodney

By-election 2020-footer

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Students’ Union to recognize efforts to improve remote learning during COVID-19
Students’ Union to recognize efforts to improve remote learning during COVID-19 admin

SU Teaching Excellence Awards nominations open for Fall 2020

 

September 14, 2020

 

CALGARY, AB – The Students’ Union (SU) is continuing their annual tradition of honouring great professors at the University of Calgary, something that is even more important this year as most instruction has been moved online. The Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA) is the SU’s campus-wide program which gives undergraduate students the chance to recognize outstanding instructors and teaching assistants.

 

“TEA is a unique opportunity for students to reward their instructors and teaching assistants,” said Semhar Abraha, SU Vice President Academic. “Despite the challenges we are all facing, the SU is proud to continue to recognize these incredible instructors for their ongoing commitment to quality education at the University of Calgary.”

 

The creation of the SU Teaching Excellence Awards was intended to encourage high-caliber teaching and innovative pedagogy at the University of Calgary. From the start, the awards were meant to provide students with the opportunity to give feedback on the quality of university instruction. Typically, the in-classroom experience plays a major role in the nomination and selection process; however, this year most students will be receiving instruction remotely, and the SU hopes to recognize the additional effort made by instructors to create engaging, interesting, and informative online course delivery.

 

“Many students are facing the challenge of remote learning for the first time, and we understand that many instructors are teaching this way for the first time as well,” said Abraha. “For those dedicated teaching professionals who are continuously putting in the effort to ensure the quality of their courses remains consistent, and especially for those who go the extra mile to make their courses something special, we want to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.”

 

TEA nominations will be collected for the fall semester from September 14 to October 23. Winter semester nominations will open on January 18, 2021, and winners will be selected and announced in the spring, at which time the SU will make a $5,000 donation in recognition of the winners to the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

 

The SU has been honouring outstanding teaching at the university since 1975, with the Teaching Excellence Awards being handed out in their current form for the first time in 1984. Last year, the SU received 1,143 nominations from students and honoured 37 faculty members, instructors, and teaching assistants. For more information about the SU Teaching Excellence program and the award criteria, please visit www.su.ucalgary.ca/TEA.

 

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Media Contact: Marcus Plottel, External Communications Specialist

403-829-9208 / marcus.plottel@ucalgary.ca

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Anti-Racism Resources
Anti-Racism Resources 150 150 admin

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