2022-23 Annual Report

Brock University Undergraduate Students, In 2022-2023 Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) returned to in-person Club and BUSU programming.

BUSU hosted BadgerFest, Clubs Carnival, Night Market, Frost Week and our first concert (Swae Lee) at the Meridian Centre.

The number of BUSU Clubs rose to 138, the most in history.

On the advocacy front BUSU Partnered with Brock University to support 20 Online Educational Resources (OER) projects in Fiscal 2023-2024. This investment will save Brock University Students approximately $250,000 in the first year.

BUSU’s Food First program provided students experiencing food insecurity with over $47,000 in support.

The Legal Aid Clinic and Federal Income Tax Clinics launched by BUSU this year were highly popular and successful.

BUSU also navigated the transition to an amalgamated public transit system for Niagara, which will allow the organization to continue offering the Universal Bus Pass (U-Pass) to undergraduate students.

BUSU continued to provide low cost, high value health and dental insurance for Brock University Students.

The Isaac’s patio and brand received a make-over and the number of Students Jobs provided by our food and beverage (Social Enterprises) operations grew to over 130.

BUSU launched a new website, grew our Instagram followers to 14.7K and our E-Newsletter subscribers to almost 8K.

BUSU also made progress towards building a new student space on campus, gaining interest from the Big 5 Canadian Banks to finance the project.

I would like to thank the BUSU Board and the BUSU staff for their efforts to foster an ever-improving student experience that is transformational, enriching and empowering.

Sincerely Yours;

Robert S. Hilson, General Manager Brock University Students’ Union

Dear Brock University students,

We are honored to share with you some of the accomplishments and progress we have made as a student union.

This year, we continued our efforts to advocate for students on and off campus by focusing on enhancing the quality of student life at Brock University. We implemented new services and programs to support academic success, personal growth, and extracurricular engagement. We partnered with various organizations and groups to raise awareness and initiate change on issues such as food insecurity, gender-based violence, and education equity. We also collaborated with the university administration to address student concerns and improve the campus infrastructure and amenities.

Furthermore, this year brought a resurgence of on and off campus events! We worked to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. We organized cultural events, discussions, and initiatives to celebrate the diversity of our community and promote dialogue and understanding among students from different backgrounds.

Of course, our work would not have been possible without the dedication and input of the student body. We greatly appreciate the feedback and participation of all students in our initiatives, events, and elections.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to serving your needs and interests as students. We will continue to work hard to represent you, advocate for you, and support you in all aspects of your academic and personal journey at Brock University.

Thank you for your trust and support, and we hope to make the 2023-24 academic year even more successful and fulfilling for all of us.

Sincerely,

Andrea Lepage (Vice-President, University Affairs) and Yasmine Hejazi (Vice-President, Student Services)

BADGERS hello

WHAT IS BUSU?

Brock University Students' Union (BUSU), is an organization representing, advocating and enriching the university experience for all Brock undergraduate students. BUSU, which was established in 1970, has long served the needs of students through impactful initiatives such as comprehensive access to healthcare benefits and public transit. Additionally, BUSU offers employment, hosts year-round events, and facilitates over 130+ student clubs.

WHO IS BUSU?

BUSU is your student elected board members, classmates, and student representatives working to provide the undergraduate students of Brock with the best experience possible. BUSU is the Brock University community – YOU are BUSU.

WHAT DOES BUSU DO?

Our focus at BUSU is to create the best student experience ever. BUSU offers employment opportunities to hundreds of students on campus, hosts year-round events, provides comprehensive health and dental coverage and funds over 130+ student run clubs. BUSU advocates on behalf of and with students, internally and externally; providing resources, services, and support to enrich the student journey.

BY NUMBERS BUSU SUPPORT

17K+ Students Student Jobs 130 events for students hosted

students received free rides home during late night study

1667 towards Green Initiatives on Campus

1,178

exam kits distributed

1,250 free grab and go breakfasts distributed

1,468

student clubs ratified

138 funding for student clubs

$48,380 $93,480 $350,960 to sponsor refugee students (WUSC)

75 Social Media Follows

11,903 $47,650 Students requested support from the Food First Program

26K+

in grocery gift cards supplied to students experiencing food insecurity student rides using UPass

1,458,800

students provided with comprehensive health coverage

11,889 students provided with dental coverage

EVENTS BUSU

The 2022/2023 school year reintroduced a full line up of in person events back to campus.

“Being able to host multiple events this school year, with no worry of capacity limits was a welcomed normalcy to Brock students,” said Yasmine Hejazi, Vice President, Student Services. “BUSU also reintroduced off campus events including a Blue Jays trip and Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt road trip,” said Hejazi. “Being able to host these fun engaging events brought back much needed down time for students to enjoy, while also prioritizing their academic career.”

BADGERFEST

BadgerFest is BUSU’s kick off to the school year! BadgerFest took place Sept. 4 to 9 which included live music, movie night, Inflatables and more.

• Sunday, Sept. 4

Paint Party

• Monday, Sept. 5

Badger’s Believe It or Not! With Wes Barker, Monsters of Schlock and Savio Joseph

• Tuesday, Sept. 6

BUSU Community Fair; Comedy Night

• Wednesday, Sept. 7

BUSU Community Fair; Outdoor Movie Night

• Thursday, Sept. 8

Inflatables Course; Sexy Bingo with Vanity a la Mode; Isaac’s First Shot

• Friday, Sept. 9

Paint Your Own Way

BIG TICKET CONCERT

BUSU’s Big Ticket Concert took place on Friday, Nov. 18. For the first time, this event was hosted at the Meridan Centre in downtown St. Catharines, allowing BUSU to host 3,248 students at the event.

• Friday, Nov. 4

Grammy award nominated singer, songwriter and rapper, Swae Lee, headlined the event with opening performances by Toronto rapper Pressa Armani and local DJ act Quadexcarvs.

FALL WELLNESS WEEK

BUSU’s Wellness Week gives students the opportunity to kickback, destress and have some fun at their most high stress times of the semester. The Fall Wellness Week took place from Nov. 14 to 18. It consisted of five BUSU run events, as well as multiple events partnered with Brock University, student clubs and other Niagara organizations throughout the week.

• Nov. 14

Wellness Fair

• Nov. 15

Trivia with Samantha Bitty

• Nov. 16

Hot Breakfast

• Nov. 17

Colouring with Clubs

• Nov. 17

Headphone Disco

FROST WEEK

To kick off the winter semester BUSU hosts Frost Week. This year Frost Week took place from Jan. 16 to 20 and was filled with events to engage new and returning students.

• Jan. 16

Ice Skating

• Jan. 17

Pottery Painting

• Jan. 18

Clubs Fair

Drag Bingo and Show

• Jan. 19

Free Breakfast

Après Ski Night

• Jan. 20

Puppy Yoga

THURSDAYS AT ISAAC’S

• First Shot

• Country Night

• Halloween Party

• Drake Night

• Headphone Disco

• Après Ski

• Afro Hours

• Glo Party

• The Last Shot featuring DJ Murda Beatz

• March 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Sound Bath with Abbey Yogini

• March 7 at 5 p.m.

Sexy Sexual Health Trivia with Samantha Bitty

• March 8 at 6 p.m.

Unwind Wednesday

• March 9 at 7:30 a.m.

Hot Breakfast in partnership with Brock Alumni

• March 9 at 10 p.m.

Light Up the Night Glo Party

• March 10 at 10 a.m.

Puppy Yoga

CLUBS WEEK

Clubs Week took place Oct. 3 to 6 with a new event that was a huge hit with students - BUSU Clubs Carnival. The carnival was held outdoors at Weather Station Field with rides, games and food trucks. Clubs Week aims to highlight BUSU’s 130+ student clubs and encourage more students to get involved. Also, another new event hosted by BUSU Clubs, was the Night Market, which took place during International Education Week. This event aimed to highlight some of our cultural clubs on campus and bring students together through cultural food and dance.

• October 3

Comedy Night

• October 4

Trivia (Anime)

• October 5

Clubs Carnival

• October 6 Karaoke

BUSU EVENTS

• Trivia Tuesdays

• Blue Jays Road Trip

• Poster Fair

• Brock’s Got Talent

• Off-Campus First Year Meet Up at General Brock

• Karaoke

• Craft Your HeART Out

• Ice Skating with the Brock Winter Club

• Drag Bingo and Show

• Crafting with the Candidates

• Late Night Study Snack

• Free Hot Breakfast

• Brocktober Fest

• Halloween Pumpkin Carving

• Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt

• Music Trivia

• Club’s Movie Night

• Tarot Card Readings

• Pinball Free Play Fridays

• Brock’s Got Talent heats and finale

• Visits with Santa; holiday ornament making; movie night

This has been an exciting year for BUSU clubs as this was the first fully in-person year clubs have had since the pandemic started in 2020. The clubs have gone above and beyond to create welcoming spaces and events for all Brock students. BUSU clubs hit a record high of 138 ratified clubs, which means 18 more clubs this year that BUSU has to offer students. The clubs department also hosted new events such as the Clubs Carnival and the Night Market that brought fun and awareness to the amazing clubs we have on campus. Some new clubs introduced this year include the Brock Creative Writing Club, the Brock Winter Club, the Brock Archaeological Society, and the Brock Chemistry Club. BUSU approved over $300,000 worth of funding requests from the Clubs Committee, all of which were used to fund club initiatives throughout the year.

An exciting highlight from this year was the Clubs Banquet. On April 6, BUSU brought together club executives and members in Union Station for an evening of recognition and celebration of their work over the 2022-2023 year.

Award recipients can be found on pg. 16, and a description of new clubs below.

NEW CLUBS

Brock Creative Writing Club 01

The Brock Creative Writing Club (or CWC) is a club focused on creating a safe space for creative writers, whatever their experience levels, to come together in a common space and write together. We They encourage creativity, expression, and exploration in the craft. This club engages in activities such as brainstorming, group writing, and peer revision. Meetings are held every two weeks.

Brock Winter Club  02

Brock Winter Club aims on enjoy the Canadian winters by doing classic winter activities like Ice Skating, Bonfires, Enjoying Hot Chocolate and much more!

social and

that provide students with the opportunity to network with both one another and professors in the Classics and Archaeology department.

Brock Chemistry Club 04

The aim of the chemistry club is to connect students among all years in the chemistry, biochemistry, and biotechnology programs, as well as to develop interest in the discipline of chemistry. The club also aims to provide a mentorship program to first- and second-year chemistry students, expand students’ knowledge and experience about careers in the chemical sciences.

EVENTS CLUB

The clubs have hosted many unique events this year, ranging from group dance classes, food tours, galas, karaoke nights and fundraisers. The clubs are encouraged to host a wide variety of events that highlight their purpose and encourage Brock students to get involved with the school and their community.

Each semester, BUSU clubs host a Club’s Fair during Fall (BadgerFest) and Winter (Frost Week) welcome weeks to encourage students to join clubs. This year, we had many clubs sign up to be present at the fair to bring awareness to their club and promote upcoming activities.

New this year was the BUSU Clubs Carnival that was hosted during Clubs Week in October. Clubs Week aims to highlight and bring awareness to all of our clubs and encourage students to get involved. Also new, was the BUSU Clubs Night Market that was hosted during International Education Week. This event aimed to highlight some of our cultural clubs on campus and bring students together through cultural food and dance.

CLUBS BANQUET AND AWARDS

Clubs team were excited to host an in-person Clubs Banquet this year at Union Station with dinner, awards, and dancing. It was a night to celebrate all the amazing work each club has achieved throughout the academic year!

• Best New Club: Brock Winter Club

• Community Engagement Award: Brock Concurrent Education Students’ Association

• BUSU Spirit Award: Brock American Sign Language

• Event of the Year: Brock Black Students’ Association & BIPOC Caucus & Brock University Ghana Association

• Most Active Club: Brock Muslim Students’ Association

• Most Improved Club: Brock Sudanese Students’ Association

• Club Member of the Year: Esther Choi

• Executive of the Year: Brianna Nelson

• Club of the Year: Brock Muslim Students’ Association

Clubs nominate themselves or other clubs for awards and the winners were picked by the Clubs Policy Committee (CPC). The awards and winners for the 2022-2023 school year were: Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!!

BROCKTV

BrockTV is the largest student run, student funded media outlet in Canada producing hundreds of videos and livestreams throughout the year. In addition to producing original video content for Brock students, BrockTV is BUSU’s video content team and have a range of clients including Brock University, Brock Athletics, BUSU Clubs, Isaac's, and businesses and organizations across the Niagara Region.

BROCKTV BY NUMBERS

BrockTV not only provides student staff with professional media experience in addition to their Undergraduate degree,” said Joel Anthony, BrockTV Video Manager, “students also develop their leadership, teamwork and communication skills throughout the year.”

200+ 100+

Videos Created Livestreams Student Staff

40 Student Volunteers

PARTNERSHIPS & SERVICES

BUSU recognizes that finances are a top concern for students. For the 2022-2023 year, BUSU partnered with local and national organizations to provide students with savings opportunities, information sharing and resources.

Community Fair

Each September BUSU hosts a vendor fair, renamed “Community Fair” in 2021, and was excited to bring it back to campus as part of BadgerFest. The two-day fair saw over 4,500 Brock community members visit. With more than 100 clubs and over 40 vendors, including BUSU and Brock services, the fair was a chance for new and returning students to learn about the community resources available to them while attending Brock University.

Drive Home Program

Each fall and winter semester, the Brock Library provides late night study hours for additional exam preparation and finalization of assignments. As the buses are not available into the morning hours, BUSU provides courtesy drives home to students staying late. The Drive Home program is in partnership with Zoom Zoom as the operating company.

CONTINUED... SERVICES

Graduation Photos

For over 30 years BUSU has been partnered with Luxarte Photography for graduation photos. This year graduation photos returned to campus, with a convenient location in the Student-Alumni Centre. Luxarte had more than 2,000 students sit for their graduation photos in 2022-2023. BUSU will continue providing on-campus graduation photos with Luxarte into the new school year.

Legal Clinic

BUSU introduced a new legal clinic to its offerings in winter 2023. The service is in partnership with the Niagara Community Legal Clinic (NCLC) and supported by the Brock International Services department.

“This year, BUSU returned a much-needed service to Brock students, and provide free legal aid from the NCLC,” said BUSU’s Vice-President, University Affairs, Andrea Lepage. “The Legal Clinic provides students with assistance and advice on issues such as tenant and housing rights, employment law, and human rights.

In its first semester, the paralegal representative met with 35 students. The program has been well received and will continue to be offered as a free service for Brock students in the 2023-2024 year.

Tax Clinic

The BUSU Tax Clinic is a free service for students to help them with their income tax preparation and submission. This year the clinic was supported by the Brock University Chinese Students & Scholars Association, with volunteers from the club registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for tax submissions. The service had over 130 students register but was only able to assist 75 this year. BUSU is looking forward to providing a larger tax clinic in winter 2024 with support from additional on-campus resources.

ADVOCACY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Andrea Lepage, BUSU’s Vice-President, University Affairs (VPUA), was responsible for internal advocacy through BUSU and Brock University in 2023/24. Lepage oversaw the management, creation, and delivery of BUSU services, supports, and initiatives in the interests of all Brock students. Additionally, Lepage represented the undergraduate students on the Brock University Senate by advocating for educational policies that ensured the undergraduate student voice was represented.

Senate

The Brock University Senate is a governing body that oversees academic affairs of the institution. The Senate plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and integrity of education at Brock. Its members include faculty, staff, students, and administration representatives, all of whom work together to make important decisions about the university's academic policies and procedures.

The Brock University Senate has eight standing committees and two special committees. These committees meet separately and bring forward important items to Senate as recommendations or discussion topics. The Senate's decisions significantly impact the university community and help shape the direction and vision of Brock University as an institution of higher learning.

Some matters brought to Senate this year were:

• Approval of Brock's Academic Plan 2023-2028

• Approval of several faculty members

• Spring/Summer Core and Context Credits

• Strategic Enrolment Management & International Recruitment

• Impact of Generative AI on Education and Research

Student senators are essential members of the Brock University Senate because they represent the student voice in academic decision-making. Students are the primary beneficiaries of the university's educational programs. As such, their input is essential in ensuring that academic policies and procedures are aligned with their needs and expectations. Student senators provide a valuable perspective on curriculum development, student academic standards, and faculty appointments, as they can draw from their personal experiences as students. Additionally, having student senators on the Senate helps to foster a sense of community and collaboration between students and faculty, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse decision-making process. Overall, student senators play an essential role in ensuring that

Every year, BUSU works on behalf of undergraduate students in Ontario to advocate for policy changes and improvements in accessibility, affordability, and quality of education. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) has been a huge proponent of this advocacy.

OUSA has given Brock students opportunities to participate in conducting research and engage with government and other stakeholders to ensure that the student perspective is heard and considered in decision-making processes.

M t imp tantly, a huge congratulations and thank you to our 2022-23 student senat s!

HIGHLIGHTS KEY OUSA

OF

THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR:

The OUSA Fall and Spring General Assemblies allowed students to participate in the passage of policy papers, breakout sessions to discuss relevant student issues, and directing the overall focus of the Alliance. In total, 16 Brock students attended the Fall and Spring General Assemblies, and two students had the opportunity to be authors on the policy papers.

Additionally, two Brock student leaders attended the Student Advocacy Conference in November at Queen’s Park. The student represent the needs of undergraduate students in Ontario and advocated for OUSA’s priorities on affordability, gender-based and sexual violence prevention, rural and northern students, and sector sustainability.

Finally, to end the 2022-23 academic year, the Partners in Higher Education Dinner brought together OUSA’s stakeholders and partners, from students, administration, faculty, politicians, civil servants, authors, media, and the thought leaders of the sector.

OUSA POLICY PAPER VPUA AUTHORS

In addition to BUSU’s Vice-President, University Affairs, Andrea Lepage attending the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Fall and Spring General Assemblies (GAs), Lepage also authored the “Research and Information” section of the OUSA Policy paper “Two-Spirit LGBTQIA+ Students”.

The goal of this policy is to provide recommendations that will contribute to improving access to and safety in post-secondary education for Two-Spirit LGBTQIA+ Students.

“The individuals who identify as members of Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ are distinct, valid, and valued members of their communities. Conspicuously there continues to be a lack of recognition of the intersection of people who hold these identities,” said Lepage. “The awareness surrounding the personal and academic challenges and barriers that 2SLGBTQIA+ students face continues to be problematic on Ontario post-secondary campuses, as information and supports are not readily available or accessible to students, faculty, or institution staff.”

OUSA’s approach to advocacy is based on creating substantive, student-driven, and evidence-based policy recommendations.

“As a student, it is important to have your voice heard so we can improve the student experience,” said Lepage. “OUSA is our student voice on matters related to improving accessibility, affordability, accountability and quality of your university education.”

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES BUSU FUNDS OPEN

A new open educational resources (OER) adoption grant program funded by BUSU will support Brock University faculty who wish to replace expensive commercial textbooks with free open learning materials that are more accessible and affordable to students.

The OER adoption grant program will be available to faculty as early as April 2023, with the intention that OERs could be implemented for the upcoming Fall Term. It is estimated that funding could support at least 20 grants, which translates to an estimated overall savings for students of about $250,000 in textbook fees every year.

“BUSU is incredibly excited to be a part of this new OER initiative at Brock University,” said Andrea Lepage, BUSU Vice-President, University Affairs. “The high cost of textbooks and course materials act as a barrier to academic participation. We believe that this initiative will level the playing field for all students and create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment within Brock’s classrooms.”

Research conducted through the Brock University Library a few years ago suggests students will alter their academic plans based on the price of the learning materials required for a course.

Beyond accessibility and affordability to students, OERs also benefit faculty by offering more flexibility in course design. With OERs, students can also keep the digital copy and can use it as a resource in their career.

OERs may also come with interactive components such as simulations, quizzing, digital annotation and the ability to copy and print materials without the constraints of having to abide by the digital rights management associated with commercial publishers.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE OUSA TEACHING

BUSU is proud to share that Dr. Colleen Hood, Brock University Professor of Recreation and Leisure has been awarded an Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Teaching Award of Excellence. Every year OUSA, a provincial advocacy group that represents over 150,000 post-secondary students, asks each of its member schools to nominate a professor who they feel has made an impact on their academic career. The Teaching Award of Excellence nominations opened in February and 80 nominations were submitted by Brock students.

“I have chosen to nominate Dr. Colleen Hood for the 2023 OUSA Teacher Excellence Awards as she not only goes above and beyond for her students, but she genuinely cares and is someone I consider a positive and inspiring role model in my life and as a student approaching graduation.” – Nomination, Brock University Student.

Dr. Hood was presented with the award at the Partners in Higher Education (PiHED) dinner, which took place on April 6 in Toronto.

This is not the first time Dr. Hood has been recognized for her efforts, last year along with two colleges, Dr. Hood was awarded the 2022 Leisure Scholar Award for the Canadian Association for Leisure Studies (CALS) for her research on recreation therapy.

“BUSU would like to congratulate Dr. Hood for what is already an amazing impactful career,” said Vice-President, University Affairs, Andrea Lepage. “Your commitment to your students and ability to inspire and engage with them has not gone unnoticed. This award is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and passion for teaching. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.”

ENTERPRISES SOCIAL

The BUSU social enterprises team had a successful year in 2022 /2023. BUSU's social enterprise spaces, including Isaac’s, Union Station, and General Brock, were utilized for student club and catering events for the first time since Covid restrictions began, which reintroduced the energy of a regular school year.

With a newly renovated patio, Isaac’s welcomed students and the Brock community to enjoy the great weather through the summer season. The summer was topped off with the Canada Summer Games, where Isaac’s hosted coaches and athletes.

The Summer Games was an exciting event to be part of, and a great opportunity to represent BUSU,” said Food and Beverage Director Dave O’Connor.

Social enterprises started off the school year by hiring over 100 students for several different food service positions, providing work experience and training.

Isaac’s also launched a fresh brand look that brought a cohesiveness to the space and throughout Isaac’s marketing and promotions, with a new logo, uniforms, in-restaurant signage and the new brand extended across social media and web.

Throughout the year, social enterprises welcomed back several events that had not happened since prior to the pandemic, including Drag Bingo, Free Breakfast, Thursday Pub Nights, Karaoke and Trivia.

“We continue to improve our space and enhance the experience for Brock students and look forward to building on the great success of this school year for the next,” said O’Connor.

HEALTH AND DENTAL SERVICES

BUSU’s health and dental plan, StudentVIP, provides Brock undergraduate students with comprehensive coverage for healthcare and pharmacy services. Students who already have comparable coverage have the opportunity to opt-out of this fee.

During the 2022/23 year, BUSU was hard at work improving the user experience for students. One of the most exciting developments was the introduction of the digital benefits card, which can be used to save time and money at pharmacies, dental offices, and doctor’s offices.

Available through the Medavie Blue Cross app, the digital card stores all of the information contained on the user profile and can be downloaded onto any smartphone. Each year after Sept. 1, students can log in and register to gain access to claims history, eligible benefits information, practitioner search, among other tools. The app can also be used in place of the physical card for direct billing to Medavie Blue Cross.

As undergraduate students, we have unique health and dental needs, which is why BUSU works hard every year to adjust coverage to meet those needs and create solutions to make using coverage easier, such as the digital benefits card,” said BUSU Vice-President, University Affairs Andrea Lepage. “By doing this, we make sure that students have the supports they need to maintain their health throughout their studies.”

As always, the student health and dental plan coverage extends through the spring until Aug. 31, 2023. A full list of eligible expenses and claims details can be found on your student profile, along with other resources for finding the right professional to meet your healthcare needs.

Undergraduate students looking to access their benefits can find information at brockbusu.ca/healthplan.

WEBSITE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

This year BUSU launched a brand-new website for the students of Brock. This was another step towards our goal of providing the students with the best experience possible. Through enriched news and video content, and easier to find events, clubs, services and support, the new website allows students to connect, have their voice heard, and feel a sense of community with the student union.

The website redevelopment project took place between May and December 2022, and has already improved BUSU ability to deliver events, services and support, by offering a more user-friendly environment and increasing accessibility. Students can also now access all their profile information in one place on the site, including event tickets and club memberships. This coming year the introduction of a BUSU app will add to this streamlined experience through quick access to news, events and important information via a mobile device.

BUSU’s website is no longer a static one-way information hub, it is a step towards digital transformation for BUSU,” said Director of Marketing & Events Jessie Reid. “It is a powerful tool that will allow us as an organization to deliver a better experience for students, from its capability for feedback and two-way information to its event planning tools and more.”

SPACE NEW STUDENT

The Brock University Students’ Union worked with Quartek Engineering to develop a feasibility study for New Student Space on campus including costing.

Based on the results of the feasibility Study, BUSU engaged Public Accounting firm, Grant Thorton to develop a Financing package and engage Canadian Financial Institutions.

The Brock University Students’ Union received Financing Term Sheets from all five Big Banks.

BUSU is working with Brock University on the next steps in the process.

BUSU is optimistic that design of the structure can begin in 2023-2024 and that the building can open in the Fall of 2026.

UPDATE TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN

01 Student Engagement

BUSU returned to in-person Club and BUSU Programming for the first time since the start of Covid-19.

The Brock University Students’ Union operated Badger Fest, Vendor Fair, Clubs Carnival, Night Market and hosted our first concert at the Meridian Centre in Downtown St. Catharines.

BUSU grew the number of clubs to a historic high of 138.

The Brock University Students’ Union is in the process of reviewing Club Policies and Procedures and these will be finalized for September of 2023.

BUSU is also investigating alternative methods of providing reimbursement to Clubs (E-Transfers) and BUSU is hopeful that these methods will be implemented for the Fall of 2023.

The Brock University Students’ Union exhausted all Student Engagement and Club Funding for the first time in recent history.

02 Advocacy

BUSU is working with Brock University on an Online Electronic Resources (OER) project. The goals of the project are to fund 20 projects that will save students approximately $250,000.00 in the first year.

The Brock University Students’ Union also implemented honorariums for Brock University Senators.

BUSU also rejoined the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations as an observer to enhance BUSU Federal Advocacy.

Institutional Continuity

Introduction of an Executive Transition Plan

The Brock University Students’ Union has hired a consultant to assist with Executive Goal Setting in 2023-2024.

The BUSU Executives and Staff will provide regular reports to the BUSU Board.

04 Governance Model

The Brock University Students’ Union significantly changed the Governance Model for 2023-2024.

The Brock University Students Union elected 13 Board members, six Student Senators and one Brock Press representative.

BUSU appointed the President and three Vice-Presidents for the 2023-2024 year.

05 Organizational Excellence

Incoming Executives are shadowing their outgoing counterparts in the office during the month of April.

BUSU hired Civic Connect to provide training to the incoming Executives. This training will include soft skills and personality dimensions.

06 Higher Quality Services

The Brock University Students’ Union provided over $30,000 in funding to the Food First, food bank program.

The BUSU Drive Home program provided transportation to 1667 students during the exam period at record rates.

BUSU launched a Student Legal Aid Clinic and Tax Preparation Clinic.

BUSU would like to investigate a Student Outdoor Recreation Program and Cycle Co-Op moving forward.

Inclusive and Diverse Student Culture

The Brock University Students’ Union has an Inclusive and Diverse Student Culture. In 2022-2023 BUSU:

Hosted a Night Market with BUSU Cultural Clubs.

Partnered with the Brock Pride Club on two Drag Bingo and Show.

Supported Cultural Clubs on Black History Month.

New Student Space

The Brock University Students’ Union made significant progress towards The development of New Students Space on Campus.

See “New Student Space” in the Annual Report.

Social

BUSU owns and operates Isaac’s, General Brock Convenience Store, Subway, Booster Juice and Harvey’s on campus.

The Brock University Students’ Union leases space to Ah So Sushi, Burrito Boyz, Coco Fresh Tea and the Daily Grind on campus.

BUSU Social Enterprise rebounded from Covid-19 in 2023-2024.

BUSU provides over 130 Jobs for Students in our Social Enterprise operations.

Social Enterprises also provide competition on campus and drive down prices.

The Brock University Students’ Union will focus on Culture Building in 2023-2024. This will include hiring, onboarding, training and accountability measures to uphold culture.

b. Organizational Excellence

BUSU will develop an Organizational Excellence Plan that will include training and development of Existing and New Staff.

c. Student Engagement Plan

BUSU will be more proactive in scheduling Student Engagement and planning Marketing and Promotions to support programming.

BUSU will develop the 2023-2024 Student Engagement Plan in the spring / summer of 2023.

BUSU will then begin working on the Marketing and Communications Plan to support the Student Engagement Plan no later than July 1, 2023.

d. Advocacy Plan

BUSU will develop an Advocacy Plan for 2023-2024 in the spring / summer of 2023.

BUSU will also develop a plan for Federal Advocacy beyond 2023-2024 that could include membership in the Canadian Alliance for Student Associations.

e. Finance

The Brock University Students’ Union plans to implement a New Finance System for Fall of 2023.

The New BUSU Finance system will be a cloud-based, digital platform that will make use of Digital technologies (Electronic Fund Transfer, E-Transfer etc) and significantly reduce BUSU’s use and storage of paper.

f. Clubs

The Brock University Students’ Union will revamp Club Policies this summer for Implementation in Calendar 2024.

BUSU is also investigating providing re-payment to Clubs and Club members via E-Transfer as opposed to cheque.

g. General Brock

The General Brock convenience store will be closed this spring / summer and Renovated to provide a superior hot beverage, Booster Juice and grab-and-go experience for students.

h. Union Station

Union Station will add new Vendors for 2023-2024. Stay tuned to BUSU’s website and social media for more information.

i. Sustainability

BUSU will look to implement the Sustainability Plan that BUSU commissioned from the Brock University Environmental Sustainability Research Centre.

j. Marketing and Communications

Marketing and Communications will fully implement the new integrated digital platform that includes website, e-newsletters, voting, and more.

Marketing and Communications will also look to grow BUSU social media followers and engagement.

k. Diversity Inclusion and Equity Plan

BUSU will develop a Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Plan in 2023-2024.

l. New Student Space

The Brock University Students’ Union will continue to move forward with the Development of New Student Space on campus.

BUSU is optimistic that design can begin on the structure in 2023-2024 and that the building can open in the Fall of 2026.