CSA: the voice of a student body

The CSA office is located on the second floor of the University Centre. PHOTO BY TAYLOR PIPE

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

When you enter your first year at the University of Guelph, you are backed by a local student government who will represent you. But what even is a student government, you ask. Don't worry, we've got you covered.

At U of G, the student government is a semi-autonomous, not-for-profit organization called the Central Student Association (CSA). As you can read up on their web page, their job is to advocate for and represent the collective interests of undergraduate students. They're committed to representing all students accurately and effectively as well as promoting acceptance, inclusion, safety and a sense of belonging at the University of Guelph.

The student government here also extends to the Graduate Student Association, a similar organization whose advocacy extends specifically for graduate U of G students.

The CSA is also responsible for a number of programs and initiatives such as SafeWalk, a student-run volunteer organization that provides a safe and reliable escort after dark, and the Guelph Transit UPass that provides affordable transportation across the city.

They manage most of the student clubs on campus, and they organize lots of engagement-focused events throughout the semester which you can find on GryphLife.ca.

Initiatives like the ones mentioned are passed through student referendums. So if the CSA ever wants to, say, add some new services to students’ health and dental plan, or if they want to remove an optional program from student tuition, they can’t just go ahead with the decision on their own. As a democratic student government, the CSA offers students the opportunity to vote on these matters.

Referendums are sent to students via their U of G emails, so keep an eye on those notifications if there’s a specific issue you want to voice your opinion on. The email will redirect you to a qualtrics survey with the simple yes-or-no option boxes for you to check off. There’s also the choice to abstain if you're not worried about whatever the result will be. If you’re on campus often, odds are you’ll also see some advertising whenever a referendum is sent out. The same applies when the CSA runs elections for their executive team.

The executive team comprises the president, the VP student experience, the VP academic, and the VP external.

As of now, the VP student experience position remains vacant, but their portfolio usually includes enhancing the student experience on and off campus through campus events, making sure those events run safely, managing the CSA’s social media and online promotion, and supervising SafeWalk and student clubs.

The rest of the executive team for the 2022-2023 year, however, is accounted for.

Nicole Walker is the returning president of the CSA. Her role mainly has to do with making sure all CSA operations run smoothly and are managed effectively. The president is the primary spokesperson and the signing authority of the CSA when it comes to legal matters, and she is the co-chair of several U of G initiatives such as the transit committee and the Student Health & Dental Plan Committee.

Your VP academic is the newly-appointed Mason Friebe. His job is to amplify student voices on academic topics and defend students’ academic rights. The position also requires knowledge about various areas of financial support as it is the VP academic’s job to represent academic matters regarding bursaries, grants, loans, and scholarships if needed. Additionally, it’s Friebe’s job to coordinate the annual Student Memorial Tree Dedication and the Art in the Bullring event.

Finally, Jena-Lee Ashley is this year’s VP external. As such, she represents and defends students’ rights and interests on all levels of government, monitors government programs and programs, and collaborates with civic management groups such as the Wellington Water Watchers, Coalition for Social Justice. Ashley also coordinates social and environmental campaigns that affect students at U of G, and she advocates for free post-secondary education. You’ll see her efforts more directly through her coordination of bus pass distribution as well as her supervision over the staff at the CSA Bike Centre and the Guelph Student FoodBank.

And that’s the gist of your student government! If you want to get involved, vote during referendums and elections, help out with CSA-run events, or even just support one of the student clubs.

Remember, the CSA is here to help you and be your voice, so make sure you do what you can to have it heard and make a difference on campus!