As stated in the Letters Patent, the Mission Statement of the Union is: To safeguard the individual rights of the student, regardless of race, colour, age, mental or physical ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, religion, personal or political beliefs, nationality, geographic or ethnic orientation, citizenship, class ancestry or status, including but not limited to marital, socio-economic, First Nations or Metis; To foster the intellectual growth and moral awareness of the student in order to benefit them, the University of Toronto student community, and society; To provide facilities of the services and activities in which the interests of the University of Toronto student community are involved; To endeavour to bring about a fundamental redistribution of power so as to permit substantially greater participation by students in making those decisions which affect their lives; To engage in research and discussion of the broad educational philosophy and principles affecting the University of Toronto student community; To provide a means of communication within the University of Toronto student community, among the campuses of the Univeristy of Toronto, with other members of the university community, with other universities and with the general public; To engage in discussion with municipal, provincial, and national governmnets on issues that affect the University of Toronto student community; To encourage social action programs involving volunteer student resources; To press for such social action as may be necesssary to make higher education accessible to all classes of Canadian society.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVES
2 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 3 Orientation 7
Clubs & Events
15 Internal & Services 23
Meetings & Advocacy
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVES Hello Members, We are happy to report on another successful year filled with a diverse range of events and campaigns, services and advocacy. Thanks to the hard work of students, we were able to achieve huge victories this year.
We brought focus and attention to students facing unpaid internships and being forced to accumulate further debt while being employed in illegal positions at numerous businesses and corporations. We continue to fight ancillary fees that the University of Toronto charges students. In doing so, we successfully halted the collection of some fees. We united with faith-based clubs to create more accessible multi-faith space for students at Robarts Library. We are now poised to bring about change in tuition fee policies. The government has finally responded to our yearslong campaigns and lobby efforts against flat-fees per-semester billing. The University of Toronto is entering a new era, having just appointed a new president to create a new vision for Canada's largest university. This is a vital opportunity for students to help shape this university's direction. The past 12 months have shown direct results of how students working together can set great change. We thank everyone who has and is continuing to fight to create an accessible, high quality and affordable education for each of us here at this great institution. In Solidarity, Munib Sajjad, President Cameron Wathey, Vice President Internal and Services Yolen Bollo-Kamara, Vice President Equity Onik Khan, Vice President External Yasmeen Emadi, Vice President Campus Life Agnes So, Vice President University Affairs 1 | THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION | ANNUAL REPORT 2O13-2014
Sustainability Report The Sustainability Commission is on track to completing all of its goals for the semester. There have been several amazing events as well as a growing base of dedicated volunteers. The strategy set out at the beginning of the semester, to collaborate with other environmental group on campus, has been successful and has developed into some wonderful and efficient relationships.
Sustainable Transportation
EcoFest
The Sustainability Commission has been working with BikeChain to help spread the importance of active transportation and reduce carbon emissions from personal vehicles, especially on campus. We have helped promote the new space where BikeChain is located as well as co-hosted a group bike ride around campus. In the coming weeks, we plan on holding a winter riding workshop with the help of BikeChain as well as a fall group ride.
Environmental week on campus was a huge success and a ton of fun. The 350-run screening of Do the Math and panel discussion with Elizabeth May, Garden Tour with Dig In, Climate Change Workshop with Our Horizon, Reality Check Tour with 350, and Climate Change Rally with UTEA were all exceptional. We look forward to another great semester of events and education!
Sustainable Food With the help of Dig In Campus Agriculture and the Veg Club, we have been successful with educating and promoting a more sustainable diet. A lot of work was done on the UTSU Equity Garden and plenty of vegetables were grown (and eaten!). We also held a very successful vegan barbecue, where alternatives to hamburgers and hotdogs were enjoyed by nearly 300 people! The Sustainability Office also coordinated a Fall Fling Event, where students pledged to be greener on campus and enjoyed some local-grown apples, vegan cupcakes, and hot chocolate. ANNUAL REPORT 2O13-2014 | THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION | 2
Orientation
Joint Orientation Leader Training
Orientation/UTSUFest
The UTSU participated in the Joint Orientation Leader Training (JOLT) workshops run by the Office of Student Life. These presentations help to provide Orientation leaders from over 10 colleges & divisions with the tools to facilitate successful events through orientation week. Hundreds of leaders participated in the workshops, where UTSU gave brief presentations to leaders about what to expect at UTSU’s tri-campus Orientation events and UTSU Fest. Specific emphasis was put on the UofT tri-campus parade and ways to improve the communication, safety and logistics of each of the colleges/divisions attending.
Orientation 2013 and the second annual UTSUFest were incredible events and the Union received praise from students and the University on both events. Thank you to all the directors, associates, staff, and volunteers who worked throughout the summer to ensure that each event was a success. All of the pictures are on the UTSU Facebook page, and we encourage members to take a look and tag themselves. Look for the videos of orientation in the coming weeks.
Parade Committee This year, the UTSU facilitated the creation of the first ever Parade Committee. This committee was responsible for overseeing the logistics of the parade route and cheer off. Through the leadership of each of the college divisions, orientation coordinators and teams, we were able to drastically improve the overall cooperation of students and leaders.
Clubs Day Orientation began on Wednesday, September 4 with Clubs Day. Almost 300 clubs set up around Hart House Circle, and thousands of students attended and signed up for clubs, collected free material, and watched group performances and tutorials on the two stages that were set up. From the UTSU tent, the UTSU gave away thousands of agendas, clubs directories, and brochures. Students also had many opportunities to speak to the UTSU about how to get involved in the Union.
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Parade
Afterparty
The festivities on Friday, September 6 began with the annual UofT tri-campus parade. Thousands of students from all three campuses took over downtown Toronto for an hour, chanting, singing, and dancing to music from various floats. The parade is always a difficult challenge as it involves organizing over 5000 students, but this year was a resounding success. The parade grows every year and the UTSU is proud of the 12 separate contingents that participated this year, our largest number to date.
On Friday night, students from the University of Toronto Mississauga and St. George campuses filled the entire Guvernment Entertainment Complex for the official Orientation Afterparty. Students took shuttle buses from Hart House circle to Guvernment, and then back to the St. George and Mississauga campuses. This event was a great success with record numbers attended. The UTSU would like to thank all volunteers who helped make the After Party a success.
Street Festival Concert For the first time in many years the UTSU orientation concert returned to Front Campus, which ended up being a great venue for an outdoor concert. Although Back Campus has been a familiar home for UTSU concerts, construction for the Pan Am Field prevented the concert from being held there and it will continue to prevent future concerts for several years. After the parade, students returned to Front Campus for the free concert and carnival. Supporting acts Unbuttoned and Maylee Todd, with headliner Lupe Fiasco, brought energy and excitement to the concert. Between performances, members of the Executive committee were on stage, introducing students to the UTSU, promoting upcoming events and giving away free materials.
The UTSU closed down St. George Street for an entire day to host the second annual UTSUFest street festival on Tuesday, September 10. Gourmet food trucks, lots of giveaways, over one hundred clubs, and many performances and interactive activities made for an amazing experience for the many thousands of students who attended. This was a great opportunity for students and administrators to experience the possibilities of a pedestrianized St. George Street. Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive from UofT faculty, staff and administration. The UTSU hopes to be able to continue this event for years to come.
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Alternative After-Party This year the UTSU held its first Alternative After-Party to cater to students who did not feel comfortable going to Guvernment nightclub. In all, the event was a success it drew students to a movie screening, where free food was provided. The Union hopes to continue additional events such as this in the future in an effort to make our events more accessible to all students.
International Students’ Orientation The UTSU was pleased to support the Centre for International Experience (CIE) for this year’s International Students’ Orientation. Throughout the last weeks of August and first week of September, the Union had the opportunity to speak to hundreds of international students and discuss the work of the Union. CIE’s “Get Involved” presentations were very successful, with many students signing up to be part of UTSU commissions, and discussing ways to engage international students in the work of the Union. The Union also received positive feedback on the themed campus tours entitled “Get Active!”, “Campus Eats”, “Study Hotspots” and “Service Sites”. The UTSU was able to give away kits that included freebies and specific information related to each tour.
Mature Students’ Orientation On Saturday, September 28, the Union participated in the facilitation of the fifth annual Mature Students’ Orientation hosted by the Mature Students’ Association. The Union contributed by distributing information on student services, campaigns, and event materials, and gave a brief presentation on the UTSU; the presentation explained how to get involved with the Union, and provided information about the Health and Dental Plans – specifically on how to opt-in and opt-out. The Mature Students’ Association has expressed interest in hosting additional events that focus on engaging mature students in the UTSU’s campaigns, services, and events throughout the year.
Transitional Year Program Orientation As a part of the Transitional Year Program’s Orientation, the UTSU participated by providing materials and giving a presentation on the support and services the UTSU offers to students, and upcoming UTSU events. The feedback and level of engagement from this group was exceptional. Folks were very interested to hear from the UTSU, and showed a lot of interest in joining our Commissions and volunteering for Union initiatives.
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Clubs & Events
Eid Dinner
WINTER WEEK OF WELCOME
On November 2, 2012, the Muslim Students’ Association hosted its annual Eid Dinner to celebrate EidulAdha, a significant holiday on the Muslim Calendar. The dinner took place at Chestnut Banquet Hall and brought together about 200 students, staff and faculty for a sold out event. Speakers at the event included MSA President Aisha Raja, the newly appointed Muslim Chaplain AmjadTarson, Multifaith Centre Director Richard Chambers and former UTSU VP Equity Noor Baig. For more information, please contact Vice-President Equity, Yolen Bollo-Kamara at vpequity@utsu.ca.
From January 15 to January 20, 2013, the UTSU hosted its second annual Winter Week of Welcome with several events taking place. The week consisted of:
CULTURE SHOW The UTSU hosted the first-ever Culture Show on Friday November 23, 2012 at the Isabel Bader Theatre. The event was successful, with performances by a wide variety of campus groups. The event was a huge success in raising funds and food for the Food and Clothing Bank.
Street Fair on Willcocks Commons
• The street fair brought two gourmet food trucks, with free food for the first 200 people, in addition to free hot chocolate. Basketball Court-time and Raptors Game
• Students were able to enjoy a basketball game between the Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls with court-time at the ACC. Winter Clubs Festival
• The Winter Clubs Festival brought together numerous clubs and groups, services, a performance stage, and pick up soccer, skating, and golfing in the Varsity Dome. Winter Concert
• The concert for the week featured rapper Shad and special guest Unbuttoned. Hockey Showdown
• Closing off the week was an epic game between the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team and the Ryerson Rams. For more information, please contact Vice-President Campus Life, Yasmeen Emadi at vpcl@utsu.ca.
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MONTREAL READING WEEK TRIP The UTSU collaborated with the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) and the York Federation of Students (YFS) to host a Montreal Reading Week Trip from Wednesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 23, 2013. The itinerary included access to shuttle bus services to various sites and attractions such as, the Montreal Casino and each of the three club nights. Other events included the Montreal High Lights Festival, shopping in the Underground City, sightseeing and outdoor skating.
UNITY BALL On March 1, 2013, the UTSU hosted Unity Ball at the Chestnut Ballroom. We saw an excellent turnout of club executives and members, and had lots of support from our campus groups in hosting the event. Unity Ball included a number of great performances from several UTSU clubs throughout the dinner, which was followed by a dance party. It is amazing to see this event grow since its establishment in 2010, and the Union looks forward to continuing to expand this event this year. Thank you to the Unity Ball planning team for their support in organizing the logistics of the event, to all performance groups for their contributions and to all of the clubs that do great work throughout the year.
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Pride Picnic On Wednesday, June 26, the UTSU hosted a free Pride Picnic on our lawn, in collaboration with the LGBTOUT Centre, University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, Association of PartTime Undergraduate Students, and the Sexual and Gender Diversity Office (SGDO). There was a great turnout, and attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a variety of food options. The SGDO and LGBTOUT also brought Glitter & Glue, their weekly arts and crafts session outdoors, with many students creating signs to hold in the Pride Parade. Thank you to the members of the Board who attended and helped with set up, takedown, food preparation and other tasks.
Pride Parade On Sunday, June 30, the UTSU participated in the Pride Parade as part of the University of Toronto contingent. Students, faculty and staff from across campus met for the two months leading up to the parade to plan on how Pride would be recognized and celebrated at UofT. It was a pleasure to see it come to fruition, with dozens of queer and allied students able to march in the parade and enjoy the festivities with their peers. This year, the UTSU, in collaboration with the UTMSU, SCSU and APUS created a comic-book themed float to celebrate Pride’s theme: “Superqueer.” The SGDO also provided matching T-shirts and a samba band for the parade, which was a lot of fun for participants and onlookers to dance to.
Queer Orientation Over the summer, the UTSU worked with a coalition of students, staff and faculty led by the Sexual and Gender Diversity Office to organize the annual Queer Orientation. This year’s events were a great success. On Thursday, September 13, the UTSU, in collaboration with LGBTOUT, hosted a queer services and groups fair as the first event of Queer Orientation. The UTSU also organized a contingent of students to raise money and march in the AIDS Walk for Life, with the UofT team raising over $700 for the AIDS Committee of Toronto. On Tuesday, September 24, the UTSU hosted Ally Night, a discussion about being an ally in the LGBTQ context. Lastly, the UTSU was involved in organizing Queer Women on Campus, which created an opportunity for LGBTQ women to meet, share experiences, find resources and network.
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disOrientation
CLUBS TRAINING
The UTSU worked with the Ontario Public Interest Research Group and other students and campus groups to organize disOrientation, an alternative Orientation week that aimed to engage new and returning students in activism and introduced them to on-campus and community groups that do social justice work. On Monday, September 25, the UTSU hosted a panel discussion entitled Free Education -- Is it Possible?, where Speakers discussed the impact of tuition fees on access to education, the economic feasibility of free post-secondary education and strategies to mobilize students around tuition fees in Canada.
This year the UTSU held 8 Clubs training sessions throughout the summer and fall. Clubs Training is a mandatory training session that clubs must attend as part of their UTSU clubs funding. Compared to last year, the UTSU doubled the number of training sessions this year in an effort to reach out to and accomodate more clubs.
Release of UTSUFest 2013 video On August 6, the executives released the UTSU Fest 2013 video that promote the events that will be held during UTSU’s orientation week. Each executive spoke about the particular events that will occur throughout the week, including the Clubs Fair, which was held, at Hart House Circle and on September 4 the UofT Parade, concert, after party and alternative after party which was held on September 6. These events were followed by the StreetFest on September 10 and Homecoming on September 14. The video contains footage from the previous year’s orientation week events.
BILLS VS RAVENS On Sunday, September 29, the UTSU executives, along with members of the student body and public, traveled to Buffalo, New York to watch the Ravens vs Bills game at the Ralph Wilson stadium. The trip included coach-busing transportation from the UTSU office to the stadium, light refreshments and other free material that was given out. The event was an overall success.
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Homecoming Committee The UTSU organized a Homecoming Committee that oversaw the event planning for the September 14 Homecoming at UofT. College Professional Faculty and division presidents were contacted to attend the first committee meeting, which was held on August 5. Representatives from each division were able to give their input in assuring the event was successful. Most in attendance agreed to assist with the organization of a pre-and post-game social during the Varsity Blues home opener on September 14. Representatives agreed on the importance of having the date immediately after Orientation Week to encourage students from all years to engage in the celebration of school spirit.
Homecoming The student representatives from across the three campuses of the university decided we needed to take some action to rebuild tri-campus school spirit. As such, the Union and the various colleges and faculty student councils got together to develop a new event in hopes of uniting the largest university in the country to support UofT athletes. As September 14 was the first home game of the year for the Varsity Blues football team, the Executives felt that it would be a great opportunity to showcase the energy the UTSU instils during Orientation Week for the over 10,000 incoming students. The student representatives from the University 11 | THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION | ANNUAL REPORT 2O13-2014
of Toronto Students’ Union, Woodsworth College Students’ Association, New College Student Council, Physical Health and Education Undergraduate Association, St. Michaels College Student Union, Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, University College Literary and Athletics Society, Innis College Students Society, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union and the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council got together and worked side by side to develop a pre-game lunch and pep rally for the game. The staff of Varsity Athletics and Office of Student Life were very supportive of the programming and provided the student societies with various resources to help bring excitement to the promotion of the home opener and the game day activities.
From 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the UTSU hosted a free BBQ that included face and body painting, poster making and Cheer Training. Additionally, our cross-division spirit squad known as the “Blue Crew” hyped up members and led them to the stadium in a parade down Philosophers Walk. The UTSU believes that its collective membership can be proud of its athletes that represent UofT abroad. With such strong representation from the St. George, Mississauga and Scarborough campuses at this first homecoming, we hope that this will be an annual tradition, where it can be even larger and attract older generations of our alumni to call our university a home away from home.
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UTSU WINTER CLUBS AND JOBS FAIR On Friday, July 12, Vice-President University Affairs, Agnes So and Vice-President External, Onik Khan, met with representatives from the Career Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education and the Varsity Centre to discuss the UTSU Winter Clubs Fair. The UTSU is happy to announce that the UofT Career Centre will be joining us at our Clubs Fair this year. They will be hosting a Jobs Fair at the event. The event is tentatively set for Tuesday, January 14, 2014. Staff Positions
As of this September there are two full-time staff working at the UTSU to support Campus Life initiatives: the UTSU Events Coordinator and the UTSU Clubs and Service Groups Coordinator. The Clubs and Service Groups Coordinator is dedicated to overseeing recognition, funding and clubs services. This new staff position is responsible for liaising with UTSU Service Groups, formerly known as Levy Groups. The UTSU Events Coordinator will coordinate logistics and provide other support associated with the UTSU’s many events, including Orientation. Clubs Recognition
The 2013-2014 club recognition process began on May 1, 2013. As of November 1, over 200 clubs have been recognized, with many more being processed each day. To apply, clubs need to obtain Office of Student Life, Arts & Science Students’ Union or Engineering Society recognition; complete the UTSU recognition form found on our website (www. utsu.ca); and email their constitution to clubs@utsu.ca.
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Clubs Training
Service Groups
To be eligible for clubs funding, a campus group must attend at least one Club Executive Training session each year.
At the annual UTSU Service Groups training, held this year on August 14, groups in attendance voted to change their name from “UTSU Levy Groups” to “UTSU Service Groups”. It was decided that this new name would better reflect the nature of their organizations and help to highlight the services that they offer to UTSU members.
Between May and November, the UTSU trained over 350 club executives from over 200 clubs. Sessions were held on the following dates: June 28, 2013 July 13, 2013 July 21, 2013 August 25, 2013 September 21, 2013 September 28, 2013 October 11, 2013 There will be additional training sessions on December 5, 2013 and January 10, 2014. Clubs Funding
One of the major priorities of the UTSU budget is supporting our clubs financially through various types of funding. The Clubs Committee allocates Short-Term Funding, LongTerm Funding, Start-Up Funding, and Summer Funding to campus clubs. Last year, the Union allocated approximately $160,000 in funding to over 200 UTSU-recognized clubs, and we have begun the funding allocation process for the 2013-2014 year. The Union is pleased to continue to support our clubs in organizing events on campus. ANNUAL REPORT 2O13-2014 | THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION | 14
Internal & Services
MEMBER SERVICES HANDBOOK The 2013- 2014 member services handbook are completed and are available at the UTSU office. This year the UTSU was able to use our in-house graphic designer to design both the cover and the interior of the handbook. This year’s handbook includes Executive portfolios, Board of Directors photos and information, and information on our services, campaigns and events. The handbook’s design is completely different from last year’s, replicating the theme of the UTSUFest 2013.
Meet Your Executives Video
ISIC
On September 19, the executives decided to take a different approach to their annual “meet your executive” video. Instead of shooting the average video in your formal interview manner, the executives focused on showing their comical side. The idea behind the new video is to poke fun at the Executives while also showing that the UTSU is an engaging place where members can get involved. Each section on the executives portrays their humorous side while also emphasizes their portfolio. The offbeat video is a new approach that hopefully will project the UTSU in a positive manner that people will think is humorous.
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is an internationally recognized student card that can be used for travel and entertainment discounts around the globe. Students are able to come into the office and get a free ISIC because the UTSU are members of the Canadian Federation of Students. The Union issued ISIC cards a number of times across campus to ensure students had access to the ISIC cards before they travelled prior to long-weekends, reading week and the winter break. The UTSU has also made a concerted effort to engage students in professional faculties who might not otherwise access the program. Additional blitzes are planned for the remaining second entry faculties, spaces on the east side of campus, and the Mississauga campus. This year, the UTSU worked with the Canadian Federation of Students and Greenshield Canada to merge the ISIC with the Greenshield Student Plan Identification Card. Students are now able to have their policy plan number directly on their ISIC instead of manually printing the Greenshield identification off the website.
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Three Cent Photocopying The UTSU offers a 3-cent black-and-white photocopying service. The service is offered at-cost and is the least expensive printing service on campus. The service continued to grow throughout the year and became one of the most popular services of the Union this fall. Due to the popularity of the service and the current capacity of the UTSU, the Union is currently researching strategies to expand the program into the Student Commons while maintaining the current service in a sustainable capacity.
Free Faxing The UTSU continues to offer free local faxing from the UTSU office. The UTSU also continues to offer domestic long-distance and overseas faxing at a minimal cost.
Discounted Bixi Bike Memberships Last year, the UTSU began offering discounted year-long memberships for Bixi Bikes to members. The service was popular during the summer, and the Union looks forward to continuing to offer this service throughout the year.
Raptors Discounted Tickets The UTSU sold two sets of discounted tickets for the Toronto Raptors games for the 2012-2013 academic year. The first set of tickets was for the Raptors versus Chicago Bulls game hosted during the Winter Week of Welcome. The second set of tickets was for the Raptors versus the Miami Heat game on Sunday, March 17, 2013. Tickets were $34.07 plus tax and $82.74 plus tax respectively. Tickets were sold at cost.
MOBILE KIOSK The Office of Student Life, who provided us with assistance in securing space and storage, approved the UTSU kiosk proposal. The kiosk is ready for use and will be seen around campus for the next months.
MEMBER SERVICES HANDBOOK The 2013- 2014 member services handbook includes Executive portfolios, Board of Directors photos and information, and information on our services, campaigns and events. The handbook’s design is completely different from last year’s, replicating the theme of the 2013 UTSUFest.
OUTREACH SURVEY The UTSU is here to represent all full-time undergraduate students at the University of Toronto St. George and Mississauga campuses. Therefore, a survey was produced and distributed during the summer months. This survey included questions on how informed people are about UTSU events, services and campaigns as well as how we can improve upon them. We have seen some great responses from them so far and will continue to utilize the surveys to better serve our members.
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GRAPHIC DESIGNER On July 11 the executives hired a graphic designer. Our graphic designer worked on Orientation and is also producing posters for the academic school year for upcoming UTSU events, campaigns and various promotions. The graphic designer assisted with the designs for the clubs directory, services guide and services promotions.
Cell Phone Charging Stations The UTSU has decided to purchase charging stations and includes images of the UTSU logo. These charging stations are lightweight and portable, allowing the Union to easily move a charging station from one location to the next. One station will be permanently positioned within the Union’s office while two other charging stations will be implemented during outreach. These charging stations are portable and have been used during outreach and have even been lent out to other colleges and clubs for their events. They are very useful tools that have charging cables for all types of phones.
Additionally, the UTSU organizes fundraisers and works in partnerships to further support the Food Bank. Last year, the UTSU collaborated with Hart House and the Faculty of Physical Health and Education to host a Yoga NiaZumba Party on March 3, 2013. Many students participated and helped raise hundreds of dollars for the Food Bank.
Income Tax Clinics The UTSU Income Tax Clinic service is a popular service that offers members free one-on-one assistance in filing their taxes. The program runs from the end of March to the beginning of May and assists over 400 students annually. All UTSU members are eligible for a free appointment, with few restrictions. Appointments are booked online at www.taxclinic.utsu.ca during tax season. Each year, student volunteers are trained through the Canada Revenue Agency’s Volunteer Income Tax Program to assist student clients in the clinics. Applications are accepted in January and over 40 volunteers are trained, gaining valuable experience through this program.
Blue Crew Program Introduced this past year, the Blue Crew program hopes to engage students in volunteer work with our organization and externally in the broader community. The UTSU recognizes volunteer experiences and creates meaningful opportunities for students to participate in. Launched in early October, over dozens of students have joined the program in October alone. Students participating in the program will receive a certificate of volunteerism for a minimum of 16 hours as well a movie ticket. Students may wish to volunteer for a month or a term, and can continue to earn volunteer credits for greater rewards.
Food and Clothing Bank The Union’s Food and Clothing Bank is open weekly on Fridays between 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Located in the Multi-Faith Center, 569 Spadina Avenue, the building is wheelchair accessible. This popular service is available to currently enrolled students and provides support for single students and student families, allowing them to stretch their income further to cover basic food costs. A clothing bank exists as well and is located on the second floor of the building outside the prayer space. Each year we collect clothing from the UofT community and make it available to students in need.
Through membership in the Canadian Federation of Students, individual members are also able to file their taxes for free through UFile.ca. UFile.ca is Canada’s leading online tax preparation software. It is simple to use and because it is fully compatible with the Canada Revenue Agency’s NETFILE service, it reduces the wait time for your tax refund. The UTSU promotion code for our members is FAY1493.
Good Food Box The Good Food Box, a program of FoodShare Toronto, is a service offered through the UTSU to provide healthy fruits and vegetables to students on campus. The program offers six different options, including organic, and focuses on providing as much local produce as possible. The program is run bi-weekly with deliveries on alternate Wednesdays and order deadlines on alternate Mondays. Purchases are made either online with credit card or through cash or debit at the UTSU office. This past year, the Union has seen a substantial increase in the popularity of the program. Because we receive in excess of 40 boxes on a regular basis throughout the academic year, the UTSU has established a second hub for deliveries at the Transitional Year Program (TYP), 49 St. George Street.
Food, clothing and toy drives all raise awareness of this important service and bring much needed items into our facility for distribution.
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Banner Service for Clubs
Dollars for Daycare
Clubs can order banners through the UTSU office for events, clubs fairs and activities they are hosting. Introduced last year, over 15 clubs took advantage of this new program. Prices range from $70.00 - $80.00 and three sizes are currently available.
Through a student levy, funds are collected each year to support student families. Student families may apply for Dollar For Daycare Funding starting in October. Funds are allocated based on the varying childcare expenditures made by students and are distributed in March. For more information, visit www.utsu.ca/dollarfordaycare. Each year around $28,000 is distributed to students in need.
TTC Metropass and Tokens As a TTC sales location, the UTSU ensures that there is enough of post-secondary student metropasses available for sale along with tokens. Since January 2013, we have sold in excess of 3,000 discount metropasses and in excess of 10,000 tokens. Metropasses can be purchased at various subway stations and groceries stores, making it convenient for students on-and off-campus to take advantage of the discounted price. The Union brought Trans ID Services to campus twice this past fall on September 4, 2013 and October 30, 2013. Over 1,800 students were able to make the post-secondary student ID cards that accompany the post-secondary student metropass on campus.
Princeton Review The Princeton Review is working with the UTSU to save you money! All UTSU members can receive $100 off of any Princeton Review course in Canada using the promo code TORUTSU$100. Members can register at www.princetonreview.com or at 1-800-2Review. The Princeton Review is an educational company that helps students prepare to write standardized tests such as the MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, GRE and DAT. They offer multiple preparation options including classroom courses, LiveOnline courses and private tutoring! Conveniently located nearby at Bay and Bloor, they also run courses on university campuses across the country.
Health & Dental Plans The UTSU provides comprehensive health and dental coverage for members through the National Student Health Network. Plan details can be found online at www.greenshield.ca/studentcentre > University of Toronto Students’ Union (SAC). The UTSU continues to see increases in the usage of the membership plan since the 2008 recession. Students have taken advantage of claim forms and courier services available at the UTSU Office. The International Student Identity Card (ISIC), customized by the Canadian Federation of Students, is also available at the Office and can be used as a Plan Identification Card. The insurance provider has also been active with its Fraud Prevention Program to provide security for our members. Outside of the eligible coverage, Green Shield Canada continues to make available dental and vision care discounts for our members through their Discount Network. In September, the National Student Health Network also launched a savings program with participating Loblaw stores, including caps on dispensing fees, prescription eyewear discounts, and 10 percent Tuesday discounts for students. As required through referendum, any member can opt out of the Health Plan so long as they have adequate coverage through another plan. Likewise, any member can choose to opt out of the Dental Plan. Additionally, members can enroll their spouse and dependents into either plan. The opt-out and enrolment deadline this year was October 4, 2013. Refund cheques for the 2012-2013 Health and Dental Plan were mailed to home addresses in March 2013. Furthermore, the UTSU worked diligently to reactivate coverage for students who were opted out of 2012-2013 plans as a result of an external error. The issue was reviewed to avoid future occurrences. The Union encourages members to inform the Union of any desired coverage that is currently lacking. For more information on the Health and Dental Plans, please contact the Health & Dental Plan Coordinator, Maria Galvez at health@utsu.ca.
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Handbook The most popular UTSU publication is the members’ handbook. The handbook serves as an agenda with a 12-month calendar that includes important UofT and UTSU dates. The handbook also contains detailed information about UTSU campaigns, events and services, including how and when to access services. It also includes a campus map, directory, and helpful information about campus services and resources. The Union is proud that the handbook is produced in a cost-effective and sustainable manner through the Canadian Federation of Students. All handbooks are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable ink. Layout, content and design for the 2013-2014 handbook began in March 2013.
Mailers
Website This year the UTSU is working on a massive website overhaul. The new responsive website will have a cleaner look and will be much easier to navigate. A large footer will give easy access to contact information on each page, bylaws and policies, audited financial statements, minutes and agendas, media releases and other key information. The services will be sub-categorized in a more logical way to help members find what they are looking for, and will include an extensive “Know Your Rights” page. The clubs section will include more interaction forms for applying for funding, recognition, and nominating a club for an award. Members will also be able to access all Union publications quickly and easily. New components will include automatic e-mailers, RSS feeds, sliders on the home page and more.
Email Listservs The UTSU continues to use a number of email listservs to communicate with members. The monthly e-newsletter implemented last year has been a success, although the task of collecting and entering email addresses is time consuming. The Union continues to lobby the University for access to our membership lists, and the provincial government for right-to-organize legislation to ensure better communication with our members. The UTSU also uses Commission listservs to help students get involved and contribute to shaping the campaigns and services of the Union.
Every year the Union prints a hard copy mailer, which is sent to all members who have registered at the time of the mailing (late August, usually about 35,000 members). The annual “summer mailing” informs members about the Union’s services and campaigns, Orientation and other back-to-school activities, and important information on how to access or opt out of the UTSU Health & Dental Plan. Because it is impossible to reach every member with the mailer, the Union added a “spring mailer” in 2013, which was sent to all first year students in early June. This helped to ensure that first year students were informed about their Union and its activities. Additionally, we were able to deliver the summer mailing newsletters directly to most residence rooms or mailboxes in early September.
Clubs Directory This annual directory lists all clubs on campus as well as student societies, course unions and service groups. It also includes information about UTSU clubs services, how to start a club, how to access funding and details about the annual semi-formal Unity Ball.
Guides Various guides available through our office include the Governance Guide, Library Guide and Scholarship Guide.
Lobby Documents Plans for the 2013-2014 academic year include the production of a Flat Fees lobby document and a Drop Credit lobby document.
Publications
Wall calendars
Each year the UTSU produces a number of publications to ensure members are aware of the services, events and campaigns of their Students’ Union.
The Union has brought back the popular dry-erase wall calendars for a second year. They are available through our office and various tabling/outreach initiatives.
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Meetings & Advocacy
ROBARTS PRAYER SPACE – SUCCESS! After months of collaborative effort between students in a multitude of clubs across campus, the UTSU is pleased to announce that on February 25, a multi-faith Prayer and Meditation Space opened on the 8th floor of Robarts Library. A statement regarding the space was issued the week of the opening and was posted on the UTSU website and circulated on Facebook. An open house launch event was held on Friday, March 1. Margaret Wall from Robarts administration and Richard Chambers, Director of the Multifaith Centre, were present alongside student representatives and leaders to celebrate this launch and gain feedback on how to make the space as functional as possible. The UTSU extends its appreciation to those who were a part of ensuring the success of this project and for their commitment in improving accessibility and equity on this campus in a tangible way. The Student Committee for Appropriate Accommodations includes representatives from the following clubs and unions: Buddhism and Psychology Students’ Union, Ismaili Students’ Association, Keeping It
Halal, Muslim Students’ Association, Power To Change, SGI University of Toronto Buddhist Club, Thaqalayn Muslim Association, University of Toronto Students’ Union and the Varsity Christian Fellowship. The UTSU is committed to ensuring all students have the ability to fully engage with their university experience. We continue to work alongside students and administration to facilitate this participation through varied means, including continuing to pursue access to prayer and meditation space on campus. The space currently has yoga mats contributed by the Multifaith Centre and prayer carpets contributed by the Muslim Students’ Association.
ACCESS COPYRIGHT – VICTORY! On June 7, the UTSU received a letter from Vice President and Provost Cheryl Misak regarding the University of Toronto’s decision to not extend their current agreement with Access Copyright. In January 2012, UofT and Western University signed on to a one-year agreement with a publications licensing organization called Access Copyright, effectively forcing all students at UofT to pay an extra $26 in ancillary fees to protect UofT from potential lawsuits on copyright infringement. The license agreement was unnecessary as federal legislation already protects the rights of those in academic institutions to access copyright materials for educational purposes. The UTSU was a vocal opponent to Access Copyright, and had spent the past year lobbying the university to retract the deal. It is because of the hard work of student representatives from the UTSU and allies at UofT and the Canadian Federation of Students that the
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University has decided not to extend their agreement with Access Copyright. However, this is only the first step, as the University and Access Copyright are looking at negotiating a new agreement this year. The UTSU will continue to oppose Access Copyright and any future agreements with the licensing holder that exploits students.
Diwali: Festival of Lights In November, the UTSU collaborated with the Hindu Students’ Council to host events for Diwali: Festival of Lights. Events included a Diwali Puja on Wednesday, November 14, a $3 buffet on November 15, and a Diwali Fair and Fireworks Festival on Friday, November 16. Each event was very successful and were well attended by both students of Hindu faith and the larger UofT community. Thank you to the Hindu Students’ Council for inviting the Union to be part of the event and bringing the campus to life during midterms.
each day in February. The facts were a way to encourage our members to learn more about the history and significance of Black people in Canada. Second, the Social Justice and Equity Commission and the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students hosted Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter as an eXpression Against Oppression keynote speaker. Carter shared his experience about combating structural racism in the American judicial system for a crime that he was charged for, but never committed. Members of the UTSU Executive Committee also attended and spoke at the Black History Month Closing Ceremony hosted by the Black Students’ Association and Equity Studies Students’ Union. This event also included a screening of the documentary “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975.” The UTSU was glad to support the efforts of the BSA and ESSU in celebrating Black History Month.
EXPRESSION AGAINST OPPRESSION
Trans Day of Remembrance The UTSU collaborated with the Centre for Women and Trans People, the Graduate Students’ Union and the Sexual and Gender Diversity Office to host events for the Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2012. Events included an Interactive Art Installation at Sidney Smith, a community gathering at the Centre for Women and Trans People and the 519, Radical Reads/Trans Discussion Night at the Centre for Women and Trans People and a Trans Film Screening at William Doo Auditorium. Thank you to all of our partners for giving the Union an opportunity to participate in the planning process of the events.
Tamil Protest at the University of Jaffna On November 27, 2012, Tamil students at the University of Jaffna participated in MaveerarNaal, the Tamil Remembrance Day. At the demonstration, Sri Lankan military forces harassed students. The following day, students participated in a peaceful demonstration, protesting the military repression. The Sri Lankan military responded to this peaceful assembly by attacking the students. Ten were injured, including a journalist, and four students were detained. The UTSU has issued a statement condemning the acts of the Sri Lankan government and continues to work with the Tamil Students’ Association to show solidarity with the Tamil community. Members of the UTSU and the TSA conducted an outreach day on December 4, 2012 to inform students about the situation in Sri Lanka.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH To celebrate Black History Month, the UTSU organized two major initiatives. First, a series of Black history facts were promoted through the UTSU’s social media accounts
February 12, 2013
On February 12, the UTSU, along with the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS), planned to host two guest speakers for the spring eXpression Against Oppression week. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, Indigenous environmentalist speaker Winona LaDuke had to postpone her speaking event. Ms. LaDuke’s keynote speech was rescheduled for April 2, 2013 at the OISE Auditorium. Tickets from the previous LaDuke event were honoured at the postponed date. Ms. LaDuke’s event was well-attended and brought much needed knowledge about environmental and indigenous issues to attendees. On February 13, guest speaker Rubin Carter gave a keynote speech on anti-racist mobilizing.
eXpression Against Oppression eXpression Against Oppression (XAO) is a series of events organized by the Social Justice and Equity Commission that focuses on various social justice and equity issues that affect our campus and communities. This semester’s XAO included a women’s self-defence workshop, capoeira workshop, film screening, coffeehouse night, 5 Buck Lunch and mental health resource fair. The Social Justice and Equity Commission is pleased to have been able to collaborate with many organizations, including the African Students’ Association, Brazilian Culture in Canada, LGBTOUT, the department of Health and Wellness and a number of other groups who participated in the mental health resource fair. Thank you to all members of the Board and volunteers from the Commission who were involved in the planning and promotion of this event.
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY A rally and community fair were organized for International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 9. Members of the UTSU joined workers’ unions, other students’ unions, and women from across the Greater Toronto Area in calling for an end to violence against women, unfair wages, and instead, for a more equitable society.
TOWNHALL ON SEXISM On Tuesday, March 19, the UTSU hosted a town hall on sexism. The town hall addressed the different overt and covert ways in which sexism and misogyny manifest both on campus and in broader society, and discussed different ways to confront and organize against it. The town-hall also addressed the concerns related to the “Men’s Rights” movement through a community-based approach. The townhall was well-attended and helped the UTSU make recommendations on the administration about dealing with sexism on campus.
There was a conversation about UTSU policies, bylaws and other items from which members wanted feedback by executives. A presentation was given about the structure and priorities of the Union. The presentation also briefly gave an overview of UTSU services, commissions and advocacy. Discussed at length were bylaw and policy amendments. After the presentation there was a lengthy discussion among the executives and the audience. Some items discussed were: the difference between a position statement and a policy, implementing a policy on “TurnItIn,” how work-study positions can be expanded to student groups, the policy on the Union’s gender parity speaking list, and referenda for service groups. The Policy Townhall was held before the motions for the UTSU Annual General Meeting (AGM) were due. Motions for the AGM were due on October 21, 2013 at 23:59. The AGM will be held on November, 27 2013.
Faith and Philosophical Leaders’ Dinner On Monday, September 16, the Multi-Faith Centre hosted its annual Student Faith and Philosophical Leaders Dinner. Representatives from a number of faiths, spiritual and philosophical-based clubs were invited to attend this event to build networks and learn about resources and support available on campus for their organizations. Vice-President Equity Yolen Bollo-Kamara had the opportunity to speak to student leaders at this event, as well as Sandra Carnegie-Douglas, the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Officer and Lucy Fromowitz, Assistant Vice-President Student Life.
Policy Townhall The UTSU Policy Townhall was held on Tuesday, October 15. The townhall was a platform for the UTSU Executives to bring more clarity about bylaws and policies, as well as an avenue for members to ask questions and raise concerns.
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Moving Forward Scavenger Hunt On Friday, August 30, the UTSU participated in a scavenger hunt organized by the Moving Forward Accessibility Services Program. This Orientation event taught new students about the essential services on campus and where to access them. Vice-President Equity Yolen Bollo-Kamara and Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So greeted students outside the UTSU office and spoke about services, events and campaigns done by the Union before conducting a quick tour inside the office and handing out agendas and other materials.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO END DEATH TRAPS On Saturday, June 29 the UTSU Executive Committee participated in the International Day of Action to End Death Traps by hosting our own demonstration to protest the use of sweatshops at the GAP near Bay and Bloor. The event was hosted in solidarity with an international campaign founded by United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS). Executive Members also attended a 1:00 p.m. demonstration on the same day at the 375 Queen St. West GAP in solidarity with the Toronto East York Labor Council. The demonstration was featured on the CBC.
THE HIKE STOPS HERE LIT DROP On Wednesday, July 24 and Thursday, July 25, members of UTSU, along with members from other students’ unions of the Greater Toronto Area, including York Federation of Students, Ryerson Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union and Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, participated in a literature drop in Etobicoke-Lakeshore and Scarborough-Guildwood. This literature drop focused on ‘The Hikes Stop Here’ campaign, which provided information about the trend of tuition fees in Ontario and aimed to raise awareness to the public before the provincial by-elections on August 1, 2013. The literature drop covered more than 2,500 houses and received some media coverage.
STUDENT INITIATIVE FUNDING The UTSU participated in allocating funds for the Student Initiative Fund in its first year. We have requested a number of changes to the Terms of Reference to better allocate student fees through the application process. We have also requested more detailed forms including applications, and a post-report and budget presentation. We have also asked that the applications have a maximum allocation per club, that they adhere to the Canadian Human Rights Code, and for the creation of security frameworks for capital expenses and insurance that events are student-run, rather than university-run projects. The Union has also requested that the student positions on the committee are better advertised to clubs and students in general.
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SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY
From June 14 to 16, fifteen members from UTSU, including executives, board members, and general members, participated in the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario’s Skills Development Symposium in Mississauga. Students’ unions from across Ontario also attended and engaged in a series of presentations about how to effectively conduct events and campaigns, and understand the rights, responsibilities and role of a students’ union.
On May 1, the UTSU attended the International Workers’ Day rally to show support for workers who are fighting the unfair and unsafe working conditions endured by sweatshop workers overseas in factories contracted by clothiers in North America. The UTSU Executive team also attended this event to show support for seasonal workers and raise awareness for full-time student workers and unpaid internships. Participating in this action allowed UTSU Executives to interact with trade and labour unions and other not-forprofit entities in the GTA.
UNPAID INTERNSHIPS The UTSU has been leading charges against the unjust practice of hiring youth workers into unpaid internships in Ontario and across the country. Since sending our letter to Ontario Minister of Labour Yasir Naqvi in early April, we have received a significant amount of media attention and have been asked to comment by many media outlets, including the Huffington Post, the CBC’s Lang and O’Leary Exchange and University Affairs Magazine. On May 14, the UTSU received a letter from Minister Naqvi asking the union to assist with bringing forward students who are in illegal unpaid internships to formally file complaints. The UTSU hopes that in doing so, it will help bring more attention to the lack of government oversight for illegal hiring practices in the province. The UTSU has since been educating students, workers and community members on the issues regarding unpaid internships and its detriment to workers’ rights. The UTSU has teamed up with Students Against Unpaid Internship Scams in Ontario and the Canadian Interns Association to bring greater justices for students and young workers. A campaign called ‘Feed Your Interns’ is being developed. This campaign aims to condemn the practise of unpaid internships and looks to develop standards, where not only the companies must pay back for their illegal practices but also provide a forum for the youth to report illegal practices of internships.
TRANSITIONAL YEAR PROGRAM PROTECTION ALLIANCE (TYPPA) The UTSU continues to play a consultative role as part of the TYPPA. The Union assists in their efforts by providing free printing services and by lobbying administrators and governors at UofT. The TYPPA is currently seeking funding, volunteers and media exposure to prevent it from being assimilated with the Woodsworth Academic Bridging Program. Both Transitional Year Program (TYP) faculty, alumni and current students see this move as a bad fit for a program that was tailored to the needs of marginalized and disadvantaged students. The phasing out or “flat-lining” of the TYP is a concern that the UTSU and APUS have brought up with the Vice-Provost Jill Matus, and which the UTSU plans to discuss with the outgoing and incoming presidents of UofT and the with the Governing Council.
ANDREW CASH URBAN WORKERS’ BILL On May 23, the UTSU Executive team, along with student representatives from the Scarborough Students’ Union and the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, joined Member of Parliament Andrew Cash for the launch of his Urban Workers’ Bill. The Bill seeks to improve living condi-
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tions and social support for temporary, part-time, contract, and freelance workers, as well as interns working in urban areas. The event gave us the opportunity to discuss more of the issues that affect students in the workplace that were related to his Bill.
Transit Coalition Over the summer, students from across the Greater Toronto Area have engaged in a plan to build a new campaign targeting the growing inaccessibility of transit. The Executives recognize that even though the university and colleges reside in a particular municipality, the vast majority of members commute to the UofT campuses. The campaign has been entitled, ‘We Ride: Greater Transit Access’. A survey campaign will be made in order to better understand the needs of our members before undertaking lobbying strategies.
OHIP Letter The UTSU has been working with the University of Toronto to develop a letter advocating for the return of OHIP to international students. In 1994, the Government of Ontario disqualified international students from receiving OHIP benefits under the auspice of an austerity budget. International students not only contribute to the Ontario economy by paying federal and provincial taxes, but a lot of them graduate and remain in Canada, and thus, continue to contribute to our economy. The letter will be sent to the provincial Liberal leadership candidates as well as members of the opposition.
Transitional Year Program The UTSU Transitional Year Program Director has been diligently working with the UTSU to develop strategies to address the University’s vision to reduce and amalgamate the program. Students, staff and faculty of the program continue to express their fear for the future of the program
due to a number of ongoing tactics aimed at minimalizing the program and the decision to move the program out of its current space. A townhall was held with the Transitional Year Program Students’ Association in February 2013. The townhall focused on the continued threats TYP is facing in terms of funding and space. It also focused on solutions and community-organized responses to the threats. More townhalls are being planned to help continue the discussion and raise awareness of the issue.
MEETING WITH LUCY FROMOWITZ The UTSU met with the Assistant Vice-President at the Office of Student Life on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 to look at the Office of Student Life operating budget and program implementation plans. This meeting was a great opportunity to provide feedback on the growth of student services without having to rely on the structure of collecting student fees. The UTSU has remain steadfast in encouraging the Office of Student Life to seek further funding from the central university budget as opposed to student fee increases.
ANCILLARY FEE CONSULTATION The administration was called upon to undertake an ancillary fee review across the University. The UTSU joined all students’ unions in participating in the review. We submitted several queries about questionable fees. The University found that some of the concerns were justified and has eliminated a few of the fees. This is a major victory for students! However, there are still numerous fees that students’ unions find dubious and that the administration has yet to take any action. While the University claimed that some fees are optional, there is no clarity on how students can be reimbursed. Also, while some fees may follow the University’s ancillary fee policy, it remains to be seen if some of these fees are in contravention with government legislation. The UTSU will continue to scrutinize these fees on behalf of students.
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OISE Orientation UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION LOCAL 98, CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS
THE univErsiTy of ToronTo sTudEnTs' union And THE lGbTouT CEnTrE prEsEnT
visibiliTEA: quEEr womEn AT uofT
On Tuesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 4, Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So and UTSU Staff attended an OISE Orientation event. They talked to incoming B.Ed. students about the UTSU’s cost-saving services, events and advocacy work. Students had the opportunity to ask questions about the health and dental plan and how to get involved with the UTSU. Items such as agendas and club directories were distributed.
ONTARIO LOBBY WEEK
Join us for A disCussion on THE visibiliTy of quEEr womEn on CAmpus, ovEr TEA And A CrAfT worksHop. THis EvEnT is TrAns-inClusivE. CumbErlAnd HousE (CiE) bAldwin room dATE: wEdnEsdAy, oCTobEr 23 | TimE: 5-7pm eXpression Against Oppression is a series of events that focus on various social justice and equity issues that affect our campus and communities. XAO takes place this semester between October 21 to 30. www.utsu.ca/XAO. For accessibility requests, and to get involved in the Social Justice and Equity Commission, email vpequity@utsu.ca
FACULTY OF NURSING WELLNESS FAIR The UTSU participated in the Faculty of Nursing Wellness Fair on Tuesday, February 5, 2013. The Union focused on promoting cost-saving services and engaging students in campaigns such as Education is a Right, Challenge Homophobia and Transphobia and the Taskforce on Food Services.
CO-CURRICULAR RECORD The UTSU has been involved in the creation of a co-curricular record over the past few years. The co-curricular transcript will list all verified UofT extra-curricular activities to supplement a resume. The Office of Student Life has recently announced that a fee of one dollar per year will be implemented for St. George students to staff and enhance the program. Students at Mississauga and Scarborough will not be charged the additional fee for the same program. The UTSU has communicated opposition to increased student fees to implement new student life programs when the central university has continued to decrease financial contributions to the departmental office.
From March 18 to March 20, the UTSU participated in the Ontario Lobby Week hosted by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. Attendees met with Members of Provincial Parliament, Ministers and their staff, where they encouraged increased investment in post-secondary education and the implementation of a new tuition fee framework that would gradually reduce tuition fees. The UTSU has also requested a separate meeting with the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Brad Duguid, to address concerns specifically within the University of Toronto such as professional faculty fee frameworks, legislation for new elementary and high school teachers coming out of OISE, flat fees, ancillary fee concerns and the effect high tuition fees have on urban commuter campuses. The full lobby document can be found here: http://cfsontario. ca/downloads/ CFS-ChangingPriorities-En.pdf.
FACULTY OF LAW STUDENT: TUITION FEES Students in the Faculty of Law have been organizing to oppose the annual 8 per cent increases in tuition fees. The organizers have begun to work with other professional faculties at the University of Toronto and other Law programs in the province of Ontario to oppose the tuition fees at UofT and the tuition fee framework in Ontario. Due to the efforts made by students in the Faculty of Law, UTSU representatives participated as one of the attendees of the CFS-O Ontario Lobby Week to speak about professional faculty fees. The UTSU will continue to work with students in all faculties to oppose increasing fees.
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AFROFEST On Saturday, July 6 the UTSU participated in an outreach day at Afrofest 2013 hosted by the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS) at Woodbine Park. UTSU Executives and representatives, along with Scarborough Campus Student Union (SCSU) and the York Federation of Students (YFS) collected over 350 signatures for the “Hikes Stops Here” campaign. This day of outreach was a success, and it provided an opportunity to both educate our community about the trend of high tuition fees and discuss the barriers students face to get accessible post-secondary education.
LUNCH N’ LEARN: FACULTY OF NURSING On Wednesday, October 16, Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So, along with Senior UTSU representative Tonia Roman, and Junior UTSU representative April Huang from the Nursing Undergraduate Society, co-hosted Lunch N’ Learn. So gave a presentation about UTSU structure, services and explained ways that members can get involved with the UTSU. Lunch N’ Learn is an event designed to reach out to members at the Professional Faculties to inform them about the UTSU, since we recognize that students at these faculties often have different and busy schedules. There will be more Lunch N’ Learn sessions happening in other professional faculties this semester.
Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office Advisory Committee The Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office have struck an advisory committee. The objective of the committee is to get a variety of perspectives on some of the programming that the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office does. The advisory committee is currently working to plan this year’s programming for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which occurs annually on March 21.
Social Justice & Equity Commission Update The Social Justice and Equity Commission had a fantastic fall semester. A wide variety of events were hosted, including alternative Orientation programming and the eXpression Against Oppression series. A number of students got involved at various levels, ranging from attending Commission meetings to helping organize events. The Commission will have an outreach table at the Winter Week of Welcome to inform members about the activities of the Commission and recruit new Commission members. The winter semester will also feature Hurricane Carter and Wynonna LaDuke as our Keynote speakers, as well as a variety of programming as part of the eXpression Against Oppression series.
Directors are encouraged to attend Social Justice and Equity Commission Meetings and ensure word of the events and campaigns reach their constituents.
National Day of Action On Violence Against WomeN The University of Toronto Students’ Union co-hosted a memorial service and lunch on December 6 to commemorate the National Day of Action on Violence Against Women. Roses were laid on the benches of remembrance and action behind the UTSU office. At the lunch hosted in Hart House afterwards, a promotional video for the Green Dot campaign was viewed and discussions were had about the impact of violence against women as well as work that can be done to combat it.
Racialized Students’ Collective Update Initial meetings have been held to consult with students on campus, who expressed interest in the Racialized and Indigenous Students’ Collective. Meetings were held to discuss potential directions and focuses for the Collective, as well as the next steps required to develop a framework for the Collective.
Meeting with Students for Barrier-Free Access On Tuesday, June 9, members of the UTSU Executive Committee met with Students for Barrier-Free Access (SBA) to discuss priorities and collaboration opportunities for the upcoming year. In this meeting we discussed terms of reference for the joint Accessibility Fund that will be created this year to help support clubs in making their events and initiatives more accessible to students. We also discussed another major priority this year: the UTSU’s mental health campaign, which the SBA is very interested in supporting. We look forward to continued discussion and collaboration with SBA throughout the year.
ARCDO Advisory Committee The Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) held the first advisory committee meeting on July 23. UTSU always has representation on this Committee through the Vice-President Equity. At this meeting, the primary topic of discussion was planning for the International Day to End Racial Discrimination in March.
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CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS-ONTARIO EXECUTIVE MEETING From Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12, a UTSU Executive attended the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario (CFS-Ontario) Executive Meeting. As the first meeting of the year, this meeting served to introduce the Executive to new members, and members gave information about their local campaigns and services for the CFS-Ontario to support.
Committee on Mental Health On July 22, we held the first Committee on Mental Health meeting, with almost twenty students from various campus groups in attendance. The Committee was created by the Social Justice and Equity Commission to focus specifically on improving mental health support and awareness on campus, and will be reporting back to the Commission periodically. There was candid discussion about the issues with existing services, support for students with mental health concerns on campus and many attendees were able to share their personal experiences. Another topic of discussion was the structure of the University of Toronto, and how specific policies and practices such as the flat fees system impact the mental health of students. Lastly, attendees were divided up into four groups based on their interest: Research, Ideas to Improve, Materials/Outreach, and Community Liaison. All of these groups will be working separately and reporting back to the Committee. The Committee on Mental Health has been meeting frequently and are working on a number of initiatives to promote mental health at the University of Toronto. On Friday, October 11, representatives from the Committee met
with Counseling and Psychological Services to discuss the development of a survey to evaluate mental health services and support for students and the impact of certain academic policies on students. Over the next couple of months, the Committee will be working on creating and distributing the survey, and writing a report of recommendations, which is to be presented to the recently announced Provostial Committee on Mental Health. The Committee also worked on some other projects, including the mental health resource fair at the 5 Buck Lunch as part of XAO, and various outreach initiatives.
Meeting with Janine Robb On August 13, members of the executive met with Janine Robb, Executive Director of Health and Wellness at the University of Toronto. It was a very productive meeting – the UTSU had the opportunity to share feedback heard from students at the Committee on Mental Health and discuss ideas for collaboration throughout the year. Vice-President Equity Yolen Bollo-Kamara was also invited to sit on the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, and attended the meeting on August 28.
Student Refugee Program Committee The UTSU sponsors one student each year through the Student Refugee Program organized by World University Service of Canada. This year’s student arrived in Toronto from Syria on Thursday, September 12. The UTSU has facilitated his enrolment in courses and a space in residence at New College. The WUSC Committee is also planning a welcome dinner, to which Board members will be invited.
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MEETING WITH ALUMNI AFFAIRS
TRI-CAMPUS UNDERGRAD MEETING
On Friday, November 2, the UTSU met with Alumni Affairs to discuss potential collaborations for the year. Alumni Affairs is interested in partnering with the UTSU on larger events as part of their mandate to reach out to currently enrolled students in addition to alumni, and help them build a connection with the University of Toronto that will last beyond graduation. Alumni Affairs is particularly interested in collaborating to host one of the larger Winter Week of Welcome events.
Hosted at the UTM campus on May 22, the UTSU participated in its first tri-campus undergraduate meeting of the year. UTSU Executives came together with Executives from each of the undergraduate central unions to speak about joint initiatives and projects pertaining to students’ unions. It was an opportunity to create a broader vision for bringing the three campuses of UofT together on many initiatives.
Canadian Federation of Students Meeting From Monday, November 25 to Saturday, December 1 members of the UTSU participated in the Semi-Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Federation of Students. At the meeting, members elected the new Chair, Jessica McCormick of Memorial University of Newfoundland; Deputy Chair, Vanessa Hunt of York University; and Treasurer Michael Olson of Vancouver Island University. Additionally, attendees participated in discussions at the Policy, Budget, Organizational Services and Development, and Campaigns and Government Relations committee meetings, and helped to shape the work of the Federation for the year. Of the motions served by the UTSU at this meeting, one of the most discussed was a motion for an anti-racism campaign in the Campaigns and Government Relations Forum. This campaign will take input from student representatives across the nation in building a range of versatile materials that can be used for the unique campuses we represent. Additionally, the UTSU brought to the attention of other campuses the issues that we have been facing regarding the Men’s Issues Awareness group and connected with representatives from campuses where they saw similar branches emerging.
COUNCIL ON ATHLETICS AND RECREATION The UTSU participated in the Council on Athletics and Recreation, where a representative of the Union is able to review the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education’s finances, programs and operations. The most debatable discussion from the 2012-2013 year was the topic of Back Campus. Additionally, in the meetings with the Assistant Dean of Co-Curricular Activities, the Union has been working on getting prayer and service space in the Goldring Centre, support for Orientation programming, and potential collaboration with the faculty on events and initiatives.
CFS NATIONAL GENERAL MEETING From May 29 to June 2, the UTSU Executive team attended the 2013 Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) National General Meeting. The meeting included workshops on issues that affect Canadian students such as Access Copyright and creating sweat-shop-labour free campuses. The UTSU Executive team also participated in the annual decision-making processes for the CFS, with UTSU delegates representing various constituencies at Budget Committee, Organizational Services and Development Committee, Policy Committee and on the Campaigns and Government Relations Forum. In the committee meetings, UTSU Executives had the opportunity to discuss by-law, policy and campaign changes proposed by other students’ unions. Additionally, motions on immigration rights, developing distributable campaigns guides, updates to the CFS’s website services and directing CFS locals to participate in upcoming demonstrations against the use of sweat-shop labour were all passed at the meeting.
MEETING WITH TORONTO CITY COUNCILOR GORD PERKS On June 5, the UTSU Executive team, along with student representatives from other student unions’ from the GTA, met with Toronto City Councilor Gordon Perks to discuss the future of transit in Toronto and ways to make more affordable and accessible for students. The UTSU received extensive recommendations from Gordon Perks about where to direct our lobbying efforts, including numerous contacts and resources to structure our advocacy. We will subsequently be directing our future efforts toward Toronto City Councilors, as well as at provincial Ministries including the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and decision-making bodies such as the TTC Board of Directors. The UTSU looks forward to engaging other Toronto Councilors, such as Adam Vaughn, who is responsible for the ward covers most of UofT.
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HARBORD VILLAGE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION MEETING
Meeting with Incoming President Meric Gertler
The Harbord Residence Association invited the UTSU Executive team to a general meeting to introduce Executives to their representatives and better connect with the community. Items discussed included the 245-255 College Development, the potential construction on Back Campus and general student-community relations. As both organizations share seats on the UofT Liaison Committee, the UTSU looks forward to continued collaboration between the organizations to better ensure connections between students and their community, while fostering an ally in residence associations to collaborate on future projects.
On Thursday, July 4, the UTSU Executive Committee met with Professor Meric Gertler, incoming President of the University of Toronto. President Gertler is an Urban Geographer and is currently the Dean of Arts and Science. This meeting allowed the executives the opportunity to discuss the UTSU’s priorities. Professor Gertler also noted that advocacy for better Post-Secondary Education funding from the Ontario Government will be a top priority of the President’s Office during his term. Since this meeting, the UTSU Executive Committee has committed itself to creating a strategy that will allow us to work collaboratively with Professor Gertler on similar goals between the two offices.
TORONTO & EAST YORK CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON 245 TO 255 COLLEGE ST. As part of UTSU’s ongoing participation in the UofT Liaison Committee, which discusses the effects of university building projects upon the community surrounding UofT, the Union sat in on the dissertations given by members of residence associations regarding the development of privately owned residences at 245-255 College Street (often referred to as the “Knightstone” development). At these dissertations, the concerns of various community stakeholders were brought forward, including arguments about the disruptive nature of the building on the community due to its abnormal height and width, as well as the lack of institutional control that UofT would have over a privately owned residence. The UTSU looks forward to continuing to participate in discussions regarding the development of this private residence and to continue to raise awareness about the lack of affordable living space near UofT and the often exploitative nature of private residences, especially for international students.
Meeting with Judy Goldring Representatives of the central students’ unions met with Judy Goldring, the new Chair of Governing Council, as well as Louis Charpentier, secretary of the governing council. In this meeting, representatives from the Graduate Students’ Union, University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, Scarborough Campus Students’ Union and the UTSU jointly brought forward ideas on how the unions can better communicate with the Governing Council and get more involved in the governance processes within UofT. Ms. Goldring has had some experience in the Governing Council and has committed to giving space and awareness to the central students’ unions to initiate a consistent dialogue between the unions and the governors. The UTSU also brought concerns on the accountability of governors who choose not to regularly participate in the Governing Council and take their responsibilities to their constituencies seriously. The UTSU has since committed to meeting with Governors personally in order to better set a method of communication.
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Meeting with Cheryl Regehr On July 29, Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So and President Munib Sajjad met the incoming Vice-President and Provost of UofT, Cheryl Regehr and Mark McGowan, who is the acting Vice-Provost Students. The Executives sat down over lunch and spoke with Cheryl about her priorities for the year. One of her major priorities is creating more awareness on Mental Health and having the University provide greater support on this issue. The Executives were delighted on the outcome of this meeting and have committed to meeting with her again when she officially takes the role of Vice-President and Provost of UofT.
Council on Student Services The UTSU is part of the Council on Student Services (CoSS), which is responsible for reviewing and approving any substantial increases in student fees at the Office of Student Life, Hart House and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. The council has provided an opportunity to review and discuss programs and structures in each of the student services. At the February Board meeting, the UTSU requested that the Board of Directors provide a mandate on how to vote on a proposed ancillary increase. The UTSU Board of Directors chose to vote against any fee increases and relayed the vote to CoSS with sentiments of support for government grant applications and support in expanding programs to more students through collaboration. CoSS is legislated by the Ontario government to ensure students have substantive voice when it comes to fee increases. At the University of Toronto, the Office of Student Life, Hart House and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education cocurricular department are covered by this legislation. CoSS exists due to a influx of ancillary fees implemented in the nineties to cover increased bureaucratization of student life services. The UTSU will focus on improving student services at this body.
Governing Council Meetings On December 13, representatives from the Governance Reform Coalition addressed the Governing Council regarding the proposed reforms on local governance structures on the UTM and UTSC campuses. Representatives from the Coalition spoke about the creation of the Governance Reform Coalition, its work identifying issues with the proposed governance model, and proposed new, viable options for governance reform that ensure that students and faculty are adequately represented on the highest governing bodies of the university. Unfortunately, despite presentations from the Coalition, Governing Council ratified the reforms proposed by the Task Force on Governance. However, they have agreed to review these reforms in one year.
The UTSU requested speaking rights for the Thursday, February 28, 2013 Governing Council meeting where discussion was held on the Ancillary Fee Review. At the meeting, governors applauded the review. The Union continued to make the case for removal of the outstanding illegal fees and the ongoing issues with Access Copyright. On Tuesday April 9, President Munib Sajjad, and Vice-President External of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, Guled Arale, spoke at Governing Council regarding the University’s proposed 2013-2014 tuition fee increase. The UTSU spoke about the concerns students have with the Ontario Government’s new Tuition Fee Framework, which calls for 3-5 percent increases in tuition fees for domestic undergraduates, and 7.2 percent increases for international students. The UTSU argued that since the provincial budget had not been released, the University still has time to lobby the Ontario Government for more public funding instead of immediately downloading the cost onto students. Governing Council was asked to defer the vote to increase tuition until their next meeting. Members of Governing Councill refused to acknowledge the inherent issues still tied to increasing tuition and chose not the defer the vote. However, one governor, Jane Pepino did speak favourably about the University of Toronto writing a letter to the Ontario Government about the increasing burden on students that raising tuition fees causes. The Governing Council is the highest decision-making body in the University that oversees the academic, business and student affairs of the University. It is important to attend these meetings to engage with the process of decision-making within the university and make sure that the UTSU is aware of decisions that will affect members of the Union.
HART HOUSE BOARD OF STEWARDS The UTSU continues to participate in Hart House Board of Stewards Meetings to ensure that Hart House continues to be accessible to members. Hart House does not receive any funding from the central university and has a long-standing structural deficit. The Union will remain steadfast in opposing the increase of student fees while the University contributes no financial support to Hart House.
LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE The UTSU continues to participate in the Library Advisory Committee to facilitate programs and campaigns against copyright with campus librarians. The committee has been an organizing space to discuss copyright legislation and the decision to sign the Access Copyright agreement by the University of Toronto. Despite requests to include the renewal of the agreement at the last committee meeting, the committee chose to table the discussion until the next meeting. The Union will continue to work to put the discussion on the table and ensure the agreement has
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undergraduate feedback. Members of the committee were impressed with the Union’s Library Guide and expressed support of the project.
UNPAID INTERNSHIP WORKING GROUP The UTSU has been working with students on a campaign to address the growth of unpaid internships and their damaging effects on both the students experience and the economy at large. It was discussed how there are relatively few articling positions available when compared to graduates of law. In an attempt to resolve this issue, industry and government have been discussing the promotion of unpaid internships as a means to address this deficit. With students graduating with $37,000 to $100,000 in debt, promoting unpaid internships exacerbates the financial hardships faced by students.
Task Force on Food Services The UTSU has been working on improving food services on campus and advocating for more affordable options that are both healthier and meet different dietary needs. The UTSU has been working closely with the food services on campus and also including different views from students in order to achieve this goal. A task force on food services has been created to address food options and services on campus. The following is some work that has been started and been done to achieve this goal: TOWNHALL ON FOOD SERVICES
The UTSU hosted two townhalls on food services at the St. George Campus on February 14 and 28, and the UTMSU hosted a townhall on Food Services at the Mississauga campus on February 27 and July 18. The townhalls focused on soliciting feedback on food options for residence and commuter students, including diversity, affordability, and accessibility. The UTSU advertised the townhalls through dining halls and general outreach, and residence councils were also encouraged to attend. Attendees mentioned the need for more townhalls and continued work with residence councils. PAMPHLET DISTRIBUTION
Members of the Union have been distributing Taskforce on Campus Food Services pamphlets across campus for the past few months. Several hundred pamphlets have been filled out and returned. The UTSU is looking for members to help collect feedback from residence students before the end of term. FOOD CONTRACTS
The Union has requested the University’s food contracts with Chartwells through the Freedom of Information Act. We have received feedback from the University’s informa-
tion services that the contracts will be made available to the students’ union for review. We are eager to review the food contracts and work with students to negotiate better deals and better food for students. In March the UTSU was awarded a redacted copy of the contract between the University of Toronto and Chartwells, the food service provider at the UTM. Unfortunately, the redacted contract did not include the information we required for further investigation. We continue to work with the Freedom of Information Office to attain the full contract, and we look forward to sharing this information with our members soon. FOOD ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Members of the UTSU Executive Committee participated in the Food Advisory Committee meeting held at Chestnut Residence on February 20, 2013. At the meeting, students, staff and faculty discussed food initiatives on campus, which included the food truck initiative, food challenges, and food security. Discussion groups formed around the expansion of the Good Food Box program, and a Food Security Summit was hosted this summer. The UTSU has also worked with UeaT to expand the number of food trucks around campus and have more presence at UTSUfest.
STUDENT LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Student Library Advisory Committee met on March 18 to discuss improvements that could be made to the University of Toronto Library system. The Committee meeting was an opportunity for students to raise concerns about service implementation, library operating hours, and issues concerning copyright.
STUDENTS FOR BARRIER-FREE ACCESS’ ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING On Friday, May 10, Students for Barrier-free Access (SBA) hosted its Annual General Meeting in the Hart House South Dining Room. President Munib Sajjad, Vice-President Equity Yolen Bollo-Kamara and Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So attended the meeting. UTSU Executives participated by chairing the meeting, and by facilitating the election of SBA’s 2013-2014 Board of Directors. SBA is a non-profit levy group of the UTSU that advocates for the rights of students with disabilities at UofT.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2013 From Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26, UTSU Executives attended the Student Leadership Conference hosted by Student Life at the UofT St. George Campus. This conference provided an opportunity for the UTSU Executives to meet with student leaders from colleges, faculties and clubs across campus. The UTSU Executive team looks forward to collaborating with different groups on campus to work on
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projects that strengthen our members’ experiences, including providing better services and events, and promoting student rights on campus. There was some concern that UTM and UTSC students were left out of plans and were not invited this year. UTSU representatives are following up with the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union and Student Life to address this concern. For more information, please contact Vice-President University Affairs, Agnes So at vpua@utsu.ca.
ACADEMIC & STUDENT RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING On Tuesday, July 16, Friday, August 9 , Thursday, September 26 and Thursday, October 31, the Academic and Student Rights Commission hosted meetings for the members. Vice-President University Affairs, Agnes So, chaired the meeting. The meetings’ discussion so far included the Commission’s priorities, the allocation of various priorities and campaigns and some ideas of action plans and outreach strategies of the year. The Academic and Student Rights Commission meetings are open to all UTSU members. The meetings provide a platform for members to voice their opinions, and provide ideas and direction for UTSU campaigns and projects for the year.
Meeting with Arts and Science Students’ Union On Wednesday, July 17, the UTSU Executive team met with the Arts and Science Students’ Union (ASSU) executive team at the UTSU office. This meeting served not only as an introduction, but also a chance for both teams to talk about their priorities and discuss collaboration opportunities. It was a productive discussion in which the Executives talked about projects such as, course fees, a drop credit policy, ancillary fees and interest-free tuition. There were discussions on projects and campaigns that both students’ unions can support. The UTSU Executive team thanks the ASSU Executive team for attending the meeting.
Professional Faculties Committee Meeting On Monday, August 26, the Professional Faculties Committee had its first meeting at the UTSU. Vice-President University Affairs Agnes So chaired the meeting. The meeting served as an introduction and discussion about the challenges students are facing in different professional faculties. The Professional Faculties Committee consists of all Division II Directors of the UTSU board, the President and Vice-President University Affairs. This committee focuses on issues affecting professional faculty members and discusses ways to deliver UTSU’s services and campaigns to the professional faculties.
STUDENT SOCIETIES SUMMIT On Monday, October 7, Friday, October 25 and Friday, November 1, Vice-President University Affairs, Agnes So, and Vice-President Equity, Yolen Bollo-Kamara, attended the Undergraduate Student Societies Summit organized by the Office of the Provost. Participants included representatives from the undergraduate college councils, professional faculty councils, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, Arts and Science Students’ Union and the UTSU. Discussion on October 7 included the justification for collecting levied fees as a student society and responsibilities to members. The discussion on October 25 included the ideal structure of undergraduate student society governance at the University of Toronto (UofT). In the meeting on November 1, discussion started off with a general discussion on the idea of a fractioned student structure, which was followed by breaking into groups to discuss how the UofT student governance structure should be constituted to overcome the challenges that have been identified. Following this meeting, the University College Principal Donald Ainslie invited all the participants at the summit to an informal wine and cheese reception at the Bissell House, University College. The UTSU holds the position that all stakeholders at the University of Toronto should be represented within this process, including clubs and levy groups, who will be most affected by any decisions made but are not able to actually participate in the discussion. However, the UTSU is optimistic that further conversation will allow all groups the opportunity to raise and address concerns, and important projects such as the Student Commons will not be delayed much further.
Student Life Directors Meet and Greet On Wednesday August 7, the Executives were introduced to the majority of the Student Life Directors at the University of Toronto St. George campus. Assistant Vice-President, Lucy Fromowitz, of the office of Student Life spearheaded the meet and greet. Ms. Fromowitz was eager to discuss the integration of the Office of Student Life in UTSU programming. The Executives each discussed their main priorities and were consulted by Ms. Fromowitz as to which Student Life Director would be able to assist the executives in fulfilling their goal. In addition, the Directors of Student Life also spoke of their priorities, many of which coincided with the Union’s goals. The Executives were also given an exclusive preview of the annual “Life @ UofT” 2013-2014 guide released by the Office of Student Life. The Executives began discussions on how to assist with enhancing the programs offered by the Office of Student Life and ensure that students are consulted on current and future projects.
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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS’ UNION LOCAL 98, CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS