Students' Union, UCalgary

Calgary – Calgary City Council defeated expert housing recommendations yesterday that would have created additional housing units and taken a first step to addressing Calgary’s housing crisis, a crisis students are acutely feeling again this year. A handful of students resorted to temporarily living in their vehicles as they could not find housing last year.

City Council’s refusal to take action on housing will compound an already difficult housing supply and housing market. As students begin to look for housing ahead of a return to Calgary for their studies in September, Council has thrown up additional and unnecessary barriers that affect students and vulnerable Calgarians.

“There’s no other way to say it: Eight members of City Council have made a bad situation worse. Students are at a breaking point and have been left behind by these members of Council,” says Mateusz Salmassi, Students’ Union VP External. “Let’s be clear about what those eight members of Council voted against, they voted against 1,000 additional homes and 3,000 affordable housing units added per year above the normal number of homes. They voted against enabling secondary and backyard suites to add to housing supply. These are basic measures that Calgarians support.”

In the City of Calgary 2022 Fall Survey of Calgarians, affordable housing was identified as one of the areas of lowest satisfaction with the City. A great majority of Calgarians (78%) identified affordable housing as an important City program, with 74% calling for the City to invest in such housing. Investment in affordable housing was top of the list when Calgarians were asked about investment in programs.

“City Council is well aware that Calgary’s reputation as an affordable city is at risk,” says Salmassi. “City Council has money to pay 97% of the up-front cost of the new arena, but apparently neither the money nor the will to support lower income Calgarians, including students, when it comes to housing. This decision risks Calgary’s competitive advantage and risks losing the young, educated people in our city. If they can’t find housing, how can they stay and why would they want to? This decision puts Calgary’s economic future at risk.”

For the second year in a row, residence buildings on the UCalgary campus will be full and the university has no plans to add residence units in the near future. In addition, the University District, a development overseen by the university, has frozen out students by making units largely unaffordable.

On top of that, housing in close proximity to the university remains unavailable or unaffordable for students. Students are being pushed into unsafe rental housing or housing in the far corners of the city, poorly served by transit. This should not happen in a city like Calgary.

While the recommendations may not have had an immediate impact on these concerns, approval would have allowed for the creation of more secondary suites and other housing that would be safe and affordable for students in the medium and long term.

Media Inquiries may be directed to:
Mike Brown
Manager, Communications & Government Relations
Michael.brown1@ucalgary.ca // 403-560-0577

The SU has been advocating for the university to better support members of the queer community in pursuing preferred name changes. The SU has been pushing the university to make legal/primary name changes across university systems accessible and available for students.

Creating a space where individuals feel safe, welcomed, and validated in their identity is of the utmost importance. Through the projection of student voices and the devoted support of the SU advocacy team, the university has committed to making this process more accessible.

The Q-Centre and SU elected officials have long advocated for the process to become easier for students to request name changes to their preferred and/or legal/primary name. In addition to advocacy efforts, the Q-Centre has also continued to help students navigate name changes with their student guides and dedicated support staff. In the past, the process has been challenging and inaccessible for many students given the variety of systems that the university uses.

Students seeking name changes are now able to do so with one request to change their name on a variety of systems, including:

• AIMS – Parking
• ALMA Library
• Class Roster
• ClockWork – Student Accessibility
• Computer labs
• D2L
• Elevate
• Email/calendar
• Office 365
• ServiceNow – IT/HR/Facilities Service Requests
• Student Centre
• MS Teams
• Unicard (ID card, Upass)
• YuJa – Video content management
• Zoom

All information regarding this process can be found here on the university’s website.

The SU is committed to protecting, advocating, and creating an inclusive space where all students feel safe and welcome.

The SU advocacy team has been busy the past month, continuing our efforts to make student needs a priority both by the university and the government. Last month student electives met with city counsellors to discuss reimagining the UPASS to better address students’ transport needs. Discussions will continue with the city to collaboratively work to provide a transport option for students that is more equitable for all student needs in the future.

Student’s Union Program for Education Related Work (SUPERWork) applications are open until July 31^st. SUPERWork is a SU-sponsored program through quality money that provides a $1000 wage subsidy award to University of Calgary undergraduate students earning less than a competitive wage at a summer employment position related to their degree program.

The SU understands the difficulties of finding summer employment opportunities, especially since the cancellation of the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) in 2019. SUPERWork is the SU’s way to support students where the UCP government has not. The SU will not only continue to do our part by providing support to students through SUPERWork but will continue to advocate for the implementation of a student jobs program that supports student summer work and connects students to employers. Please visit our website here for more information.

With the provincial election in May fast approaching the SU has also continued to host our weekly radio show on CJSW from 11 am – 12 pm on Thursdays, interviewing candidates from the surrounding ridings. Be sure to tune in and hear from candidates before you cast your vote this election.

The Get Out the Vote Campaign has also continued, asking students to pledge to vote in the provincial election. Students can sign up here to pledge to vote and get reminders regarding voting information, the election, and voting locations. Students who pledge to vote will also be entered into a draw to win one of 2 bookstore gift cards for $250 and 5 Den gift cards for $100 each.

Hello UCalgary students,

Since 1975, the SU has been giving you the opportunity to nominate and recognize excellent instructors and TAs. We received 980 nominations from students this year. From these nominees, the Teaching Excellence committee has chosen the following honourable mentions and winners:

Teaching Excellence Awards – Teaching Assistants

[half]Mannat Bansal
Adam Bass
Austin Che
Raylene Jessica Dunn
Andrew Henderson[/half][half]Tanisha Henry
Omid Khajehdehi
Danika Lipman
Hannah Porter
Rounak Uppal[/half]

Teaching Excellence Awards

[half]Alan Martino (Cumming School of Medicine)
Dr. Patrick F. Lee (Cumming School of Medicine)
Dr. K. Sélom Gbanou (Faculty of Arts)
Loïc Million (Faculty of Arts)
Dr. Safaneh Mohaghegh Neyshabouri (Faculty of Arts)
Prof. Tricia Stadnyk (Faculty of Arts)
Dr. Rod T. Squance (Faculty of Arts)
Saied Jalal Aboodarda (Faculty of Kinesiology)
Dr. Maureen T. Duffy (Faculty of Law)
Dr. Cydnee Seneviratne (Faculty of Nursing)[/half][half]Dr. Kori Czuy (Faculty of Science)
Dr. Thi Dinh (Faculty of Science)
Jerrod M. Smith (Faculty of Science)
Chantel Aurora Large (Faculty of Social Work)
Dr. Anne E Kleffner (Haskayne School of Business)
Dr. Justin Weinhardt (Haskayne School of Business)
Maryam Badv (Schulich School of Engineering)
Dr. Emmanuel Stefanakis (Schulich School of Engineering)
Mr. Harrison Campbell (Werklund School of Education)
Dr. Ning Cheng (Veterinary Medicine)[/half]

Teaching Excellence Awards – Honourable Mention

[half]Dr. Dinu S. Attalage
Dr. Leigh Gabel
Randolph (Randy) Head
Janna Klostermann
Justin Knibbe[/half][half]Erin McFarlane
Mr. Eric S Myers
Dr. Eve Robinson
Dr. Stephen MacGregor
Jason Stein[/half]

Winners of the SU Teaching Excellence Award receive an apple award and a framed certificate. In addition, the SU will make a $5,000 donation in recognition of the winners to the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

Congratulations to all of these winners and honorable mentions, and huge thanks to those students who took the time to tell us about your amazing teachers.

Nicole Schmidt
President, The Students’ Union

Photographs by Gene Baines

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The SU advocacy team has been busy this past month working hard to make student voices heard by both the university and the government. On February 28^th Alberta’s Provincial Budget was announced, with lack-lustre support for students. The cap to tuition increases announced in early February will not begin until 2024, providing little comfort for UCalgary students who will face additional tuition increases this Spring. Despite this letdown by the provincial government, the SU has remained dedicated to projecting student voices and advocating for their needs.

The SU welcomed Minister Jason Copping, Alberta’s Health Minister and MLA for Calgary-Varsity, to campus on March 3^rd for a town hall. The town hall came at an opportune time to engage on the topics of increased and the 2023 Provincial Budget. The conversation highlighted many student challenges including affordability, the tuition hike, and access to Open Educational Resources. Expressing these concerns to Minister Copping and engaging on these issues is essential to continue our advocacy efforts.

On March 27^th the SU organized a student rally for Alberta Student Day of Action, calling on the Alberta Government to freeze the fees and restore funding to postsecondary institutions. The rally brought students together to use their voices and ask for the government to support them at a time when they need it most. The response from students was incredible and allowed for a spotlight to be put on the government.

Ward 8 City Counsellor, Courtney Walcott, also joined students and provided an energizing speech sharing his wisdom and words of encouragement with students. Events like Student Day of Action are crucial to push for change and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to everyone who showed their support.

As we approach the provincial election in May, the SU has begun our Get Out the Vote Campaign, asking students to pledge to vote. Students can sign up here to pledge to vote and get reminders regarding voting information, the election, and voting locations. Students who pledge to vote will also be entered into a draw to win one of 2 bookstore gift cards for $250 and 5 Den gift cards for $100 each.

The SU hosted Opposition Leader Rachel Notley to take questions from students about post-secondary and Calgary issues. During her address to students, Notley committed to rolling back tuition to 22-23 levels, if elected. This means students will not have to pay the latest UCalgary tuition hike of 5.5%. Notley also announced plans for additional mental health supports, no tuition increases above inflation, and to bring in a summer employment program for students, among other commitments. A big thank you to students for asking their questions of MLA Notley.

The SU will also be hosting our weekly radio show on CJSW from 11 am – 12 pm on Thursdays as we approach the election, interviewing candidates from the surrounding ridings. Be sure to tune in and hear from candidates before you cast your vote this election.

The countdown is on! Get ready to break out your best Bermuda shorts and join us at The Den for a tropical send-off to the semester!

Celebrate the last day of classes in the Den! Bermuda Shorts Day party: April 12, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Featuring drink specials and special drinks (with alcohol or alcohol-free), free food and snacks, games and prizes, DJs, karaoke, and more.

Never heard of Bermuda Shorts Day? BSD is a UCalgary tradition dating back to the 1960s. What began as an organic, student-led gathering eventually peaked as an annual celebration in the early 2000’s with thousands of students attending an outdoor concert and beer gardens in a former parking lot on the south side of campus. While BSD attendance has never again reached those same legendary numbers, the spirit is still alive at the Den.

The SU knows that students want to celebrate the last day of classes. While the SU does not own BSD as an idea or a day, the SU has put together an annual BSD event since the eighties. Since 2009, attendance and interest in the SU BSD event has declined. At the same time, the university has dramatically increased costs on the SU for this event. In the years just prior to the pandemic, the event cost nearly $100,000 to run. The SU cannot justify an annual and ongoing loss for such an event.

That’s why the SU is hosting its BSD event in the Den & Black Lounge this year. This re-imagined event still comes with great entertainment, food and drink specials, games, prizes, and the opportunity to wear your tackiest tropical wear!

We know students will have questions about this change. To help with that we’ve tried to answer the more common questions we’ve received. Please look through the below Q&A. If you still have questions, please reach out to the SU.

Q&A

When is BSD?

• This year’s SU run BSD event will be on April 12^th from 11am to 5pm in the Den & Black Lounge.

Why is BSD changing?

• The SU works to be good stewards of student fee money and the revenue generated by SU businesses in Mac Hall. Prior to the pandemic, BSD costs began to soar with the university downloading tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of costs onto the SU. The event has cost the SU around $100,000 per year in recent years. In past years during and after the construction of the Taylor Family Digital Library the SU been prohibited from using the south quad for its BSD event. Instead, the BSD event was run in a parking lot where the SU was charged $16,000 for that space alone. Other downloaded costs include:
  • Campus security for the event and entire campus on BSD
  • Calgary Police on campus in addition to campus security
  • Paramedic and ambulance costs
• This year’s re-imagined BSD will help lower the financial costs of this event on the SU, while still offering students a fun and engaging BSD event in the Den & Black Lounge. Declining student interest and attendance and increased costs imposed by the university has led to ever-increasing losses for the SU in the years just prior to the pandemic.

Why can’t BSD look like it did in the past?

• In past years BSD has been hosted as a large outdoor event with a concert but this is not a possibility anymore due to growing costs. The SU’s BSD event has gone from a bottom-line cost of $17,000 in 2009 to one of over $98,475.46 in 2018. The university also charges the SU for security both inside and outside the BSD event footprint, resulting in a large majority of expenses spent on these university-imposed costs of security and the use of the parking lot. Student engagement has also continued to diminish in past years, making it extremely difficult to overcome the cost of BSD because of reduced revenues from beverage sales.

What will the SU’s BSD event look like this year?

• This year’s SU BSD event will be hosted in the Den & Black Lounge with food and drinks, games, lots of prizes and giveaways and as always, the chance to dress up in your brightest, flashiest, and most outrageous tropical clothing.

How will the SU make an indoor party at the Den fun?

• The SU is working to make sure all the best parts of BSD are still present at this year’s event. This includes energizing entertainment, food and drinks, prizes, and a chance to connect with your peers, dressed in your best tropical, neon, and flashy outfits.

If I want an outdoor BSD party similar to what used to happen, how can I make that happen with the SU?

• The main thing students can do is come to BSD and show your support this year! Student attendance and interest in the SU’s BSD event has declined which has made organizing the “classic” BSD event very challenging, especially with university imposed costs increasing substantially. Reduced student engagement not only makes it hard to cover the financial costs of the BSD event but it makes it challenging to justify hosting the event if only a small portion of students show interest. If students show their excitement for the BSD event this year in the Den & Black Lounge, and interest grows, the SU could look at a more traditional BSD event.

What events will be offered at this year’s BSD?

• This year’s BSD will be offered at the Den & Black Lounge and include food and drink options, lots of free stuff, and entertainment. Whether you want to have some food and a drink or come and take pictures in the photobooth with your friends, there will be something for everyone. Come and connect with your campus community in celebrating the end of the winter semester together.

Why has the SU cancelled BSD in previous years?

• The large outdoor event many remember BSD being was forced to change when faced with the health and safety challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Though even before the pandemic occurred BSD was facing many challenges related to student engagement and the financial burden on the SU. The SU runs its BSD event without the help of the university and has been faced with large university-imposed costs for rental space and security. The goal of this year’s BSD is to provide a safe and welcoming environment that takes these concerns into account while allowing individuals to feel a sense of unity and university pride.

What are the barriers faced by the SU when it comes to running the classic BSD event?

• The SU faces many barriers when running the classic BSD events, including financial barriers, lack of student engagement, increasing costs of security and rental space, and reduced support from the university. These barriers have been particularly hard to overcome in recent years which has resulted in the decision to reimagine what an SU BSD event should look like. Holding the SU run BSD event in the Den & Black Lounge addresses these barriers effectively and is the most viable option at the current time.

Why has the university changed its mind on support for BSD?

• In 1989 the university approached the SU to create a single, large, controlled BSD event where there would be no drinking outside of the beer gardens. Although, in more recent years, the university appears to support BSD less and has imposed significant costs of security and rental space related to the SU run BSD event resulting in significant barriers due to the financial burden. The SU has had to conceive BSD in a way that is financially sustainable given these barriers and others.

How to attend BSD?

• All UCalgary undergraduate students age 18 or older are welcome to attend. Please bring your UCID and a piece of government issued ID.

Who can attend BSD?

• All UCalgary undergraduate students age 18 or older are welcome to attend the event. It will be a time to connect with your peers and celebrate together.

How will the SU make safety a priority?

• The Den & Black Lounge takes pride in keeping their environment safe and welcoming for all. They are Best Bar None accredited, a voluntary program for nightlife venues, designed to keep staff and patrons safe. The Den & Black Lounge have provided a space for students to connect for over 45 years and has trained professionals that make safety a top priority.

When did BSD start?

• BSD began in 1960 when an individual named Alan Arthur wrote “April 1^st Bermuda Shorts Day” on an announcement board. It sparked a celebration for students on the last day of the winter semester and continued to grow attraction as an annual day to celebrate together as a campus community.

What should BSD look like 5 years from now?

• The SU would love to hear your feedback on what you think BSD should look like in the following years and what you feel is a priority to make the event fun.