Student's First Policy Book

My fellow students,

I write this not only as a candidate for President of UMSU but as a student who, as so many do, feels unrecognized and unsupported by their union and university.

As this school year draws to a close, we can recall only one year ago when remote learning was apparent to all. The isolation, lack of community, and lack of events all around. With the return back to campus this school year, this feeling still more than lingers.

My candidacy is not merely born out of a long and beleaguered frustration at our student union's stifled journey these past years. But, from the spirit and affinity this student body has for engagement, opportunity, and progress. More can be done, and we should expect our leaders to provide the best for us, as any union was built for; its foundation: the many, not the few.

I am in my third year, going into my fourth and final year, wanting to affect change for a student populous that has, thus far, been unspoken for. These years have allowed me to compile the knowledge, expertise, and experiences that can make my presidency not only an effective one but a different one. Throughout this book and my campaign, I will showcase how the union has hindered in its responsibility to you and this university in its commitment.

I understand if you mistrust the system and past candidates who have claimed to produce change and, when elected, are too scared to over some false notion of compromise. Once the ballot boxes are withdrawn, and the UMSU Office doors close, your involvement ends. Not anymore.

JUSTIN LANGAN Presidential Candidate (He/Him)

Student’s First is not just a title for my proposed policies but a dents tired of stagnancy, politics, and personal gains. The policies and, more importantly, promises I have laid out to you, cover many student needs that must be met. Much of which covers critical issues like healthcare, funding, transparency, reconciliation, employment, accessibility, parking, and more.

Some will say these proposals are not achievable within my term limits and that I dream too big. Some will see things as they are and ask why. Well, I dream things that never were and say, why not.

Achievability is an important asset, and within each policy, there is a certain level of achievability within each that we can set in place for students of now and future students. Presidents of UMSU’s past have produced easily attainable policies to satisfy pride and quell criticisms while having no sustainable effect on the student body.

It’s the purpose of a President to lead the way forward and right the wrongs that have been in place for too long. We, the students, have been forced into a slump, into satisfaction with what is, and not what could be, by a union too focused on their self-interest and future endeavours they are absent-minded to the foundation they are standing on; the students.

Frankly, the average UM student does not care about yearly referendums on petty squab bles dictated by leaders of UMSU's past, evidenced by the consistently low turnout rates. Students care about their experience and education, both of which are ignored, and it’s time for that narrative to change. Finally.

STUDENT’S FIRST

As candidates, each of us has a unique lived experience and an available record of what we have done for the student body, but most importantly, what we haven’t done with the power we have had at our disposal.

I have not yet been part of the executive of UMSU. My experience comes from the community, the populus, from the student body. Let my record show exactly what I have done, alongside whom I have done it with, and let that support my character and consistency in building a better tomorrow.

Restore Our Relationships

I’ve positioned this policy first, as it has not only been at the forefront of my mind these past few months but because it will help to aim the trajectory of where we want UMSU to grow or wilt.

Last semester, a costly referendum was brought forward by UMSU Executives asking if students favoured their continued membership in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). 5,747, less than a quarter of undergraduate students participated in the referendum, resulting in 55% voting to leave CFS. One would think this would have any effect or weight, but unsurprisingly to those knowledgeable of this lengthy and bizarre conflict, UMSU did not leave CFS.

I can speak on many areas, whether it be the questionable bias of our UMSU Exec’s aggressively pushing their beliefs in a democratic arena or the relationship UMSU has been having with an alternate body, the Canadian Association of Students Association (CASA).

Instead, I want to focus on the future, free from the constant feuding and fighting, restoring our relationship with CFS and working together to provide solid support and results to the student body.

A quote I always remember is that “if you don’t know where you came from, you won’t know where you’re going.” So allow me some time to fill you in on the history of UMSU and CFS, and if you are already educated on this convoluted story, please bear with me.

CFS is an external national union of university and college unions across Canada. Theres over 530 thousand members, making up 63 student unions. UMSU has been a member since 2005 after having a previous affair with the CASA.

In 2013-2014 UMSU refused to transfer fees to CFS following a fight over ownership of the UMSU domain name. It was settled in 2016 after UMSU paid nearly a million dollars for national and provincial fees. Since 2016 UMSU Execs have voted to attempt to leave the federation, in a vote every two years.

Restore Our Relationships

In early 2018, UMSU held a plebiscite, a non-binding student poll, on whether UMSU should remain a member of CFS. The main issue was the cost which at the time was 14.98 cents per student per year. Around 4 thousand votes, or 64 percent of students, voted to stay within the federation, a minor turnout but still a majority for staying in.

However, in 2018 UMSU voted in an emergency meeting against affirming their membership in CFS. This is after an election pledge by the 2018 UMSU President that UMSU would not attempt to leave CFS. Now it’s not so simple to leave CFS, as we’ve seen.

What needs to happen is the collection of signatures, a Board of Directors vote, an official referendum, and a 2.5-year process to finish. If anything goes wrong, there's a mandatory 5-year waiting period before trying again. This means that the next chance for UMSU to leave CFS won’t be until 2027.

This might seem futile, but our UMSU Exec’s will bear this burden. It’s crucial to note that even though UMSU has been charging students the CFS fee every year since 2020. They haven’t been giving the money to CFS. Begging to question, where has your money gone?

UMSU voted again in 2020 against maintaining membership in CFS. Due to the pandemic, referendum voting online was not allowed, according to CFS.

You might ask about the 2018 plebiscite, well the previous 2022 UMSU President called the vote “irrelevant” because “they are so old,” and he said, “according to our board, we are no longer members of CFS.” (The Manitoban, Feb 28, 2022)

There is an apparent trend here, evidenced by our current UMSU Exec’s actions. It doesn’t stop there; CFS is now suing UMSU for over a million dollars in unpaid student fees because UMSU has not taken steps to de-federate until now.

So, while UMSU has stopped paying fees to the federation, it still collects them from you, the students. The students are suspiciously absent in this futile feud, not being advocated for and instead used as pawns in an internal chess game.

Restore Our Relationships

This trend has to end. It’s time for a change. It’s time to Restore Our Relationships

We must first end the lawsuit with CFS, by any means necessary, in order to establish some iota of order that has been lost in this feud. This includes locating your missing student fees and providing this information to the student body; it’s time accountability, and transparency are shown for inaction. It is inherently wrong for our union to be charging students CFS fees, and harboring your funds from a federation dedicated to your advocacy.

It’s futile to continue a trend that political ambitions from years past have guided; instead, let us work alongside CFS to lobby on national initiatives and provide support to our student body. Students do not care about office politics; they care about results, and what we have seen from UMSU has not been results.

As someone who has worked nationally with non-profits and government organizations, if you want to provide any change, you must work together towards a common goal. I see no common goal when I look at UMSU and CASA. I only see fruitless campaigns, letters, and petitions with no reasonable outcome or change.

Students need to be informed about what is occuring at all levels. In order for any relationship to be healthy and sustainable, there needs to be a constant stream of communication. UMSU is shrouded in a financial darkness that must be lit up, for the students to see.

CFS remains at the forefront of national advocacy, leaning in a socially democratic direction and advocating for progressive changes, unlike CASA, which was founded as a centrist alternative that takes a less confrontational approach to advocacy. When students are facing a recession, housing crisis, and being gouged from their pockets by increasing tuition, it is not the time to be less confrontational in our advocacy.

It’s time to reconcile our differences and past grievances and provide an approach that is built on the foundation of united advocacy.

So that we may provide the student body with results, not referendums

Healthcare For All

International Student Universal Healthcare. It is the foremost human rights issue on our campuses that flies in the face of the very values on which this country was built. Yet the Government of Manitoba strips our peers of universal coverage.

This is a human rights issue, not a financial one.

I need not reiterate the importance of our international students; they create the cultural mosaics of our campuses and country whilst providing millions of dollars to the provincial economy. The travesty of this removal is an embarrassment as a Manitoban and a student.

With 2023 being an election year, it is more possible than ever before to persuade this provincial government to change its heading and provide universal healthcare coverage to our international students. But this can only be done with the right resources, relationships, and a united front on advocacy.

In 2018, the province cut universal health care for international students to save a reported 3.1 million dollars. Nearly a year later, the Manitoba government estimated that international students contributed over 400 million dollars to Manitoba’s GDP.

UMSU has since been focused on its relationship with the Manitoba Alliance of Post-Secondary Students (MAPSS) when tackling this immense issue and has thus far yet to show results.

MAPPS has yet to be successful in its various attempts to sit down with the provincial government to work out a costed proposal. There have been constant hopes to build a foundation for a collaborative relationship, but if UMSU cannot even sustain a relationship with CFS, how can the provincial government take the union seriously?

While proposals and letters have been written and rallies held, meaningful progress has yet to occur. It’s time to step back and reevaluate our approach

Healthcare For All

In monetary terms, the provincial government traded the wellbeing and security of about 40% of our peers for �3 million dollars.

The income tax revenue is expected to increase by �503 million from the budget for 2021, according to the provincial budget for 2022. That represents less than .6 percent of the money we have collected in income tax alone. Despite having less means, International students nevertheless have to spend roughly four times as much for tuition as domestic students.

This is the devaluation of humanity, at what cost? What this is, is lifesaving coverage to international students.

Now, It’s clear by this action that this provincial government does not care about the healthcare of international students; what needs to be shown, is that we will not tolerate that. There are power in numbers and with proper coordination with CFS, which has a rich history of advocating forcefully, we will be able to actually be seen.

I commend the international students who have been at the frontline of this advocacy and have attempted time and time again to persuade this provincial government using the limited resources provided to you by your union; the reality is, it’s not enough. It will never be enough until we engage with proper resources.

UMSU has been attempting to effect change using the same tools and making little to no progress for our international peers. What needs to change is not the intense passion many students and advocates have for this issue but how we show it.

The time for hoping that this government will finally listen is over; it’s time to create the change and force this government to see us. Forcefulness in numbers, a strong rigid foundation in our relationships, and on-the-ground advocacy will help to foster this change.

UMSU Transparency

This past semester, student groups on our campus came forward voicing their concerns regarding the limited financial transparency of UMSU, concerns I share. (The Manitoban, October 18, 2022)

Specifically, ASBC and U1SC, both prominent and respected associations within our student body that tirelessly work to represent and better the experience of our peers. Yet, much of this stems from UMSU Exec's vendetta against CFS and its communication with our associations. If we want to accomplish anything, we must first ensure that our elected leaders can transparently offer the funding needed from our clubs and associations.

This financial transparency will strengthen the relationships between student leaders that have thus far been eroded due to the inaccessibility of UMSU. As a union, our leadership must organize to maintain a steady stream of communication and transparency with elected student leaders; it should not be a one-way streak.

For fundamental change to occur, there must be a fundamental shift in how UMSU operates; this includes building relationships.

There have been concerns about groups and associations asking for assistance from organizations like CFS because of UMSU's lack of transparency. In that case, the liability should not be on these groups but on UMSU for not establishing trust and communication with the student body. It's the duty of the entirety of UMSU, not just the VP of Finance and Operations, to establish this transparency and provide this information to students in an easily accessible manner.

This means reshaping how UMSU engagingly provides Board Meeting information. This include minutes, as well as regular audits, and monthly financials available online. If no openness is apparent within our union, there sows only distrust and concern in the union itself.

UMSU Transparency

Much of what occurs at UMSU isn't as easily accessible for students, and it is, or at least it should be, the union's priority to put funds in the hands of the students, not just the executives.

To combat these legitimate concerns, there must first be a re-education of anybody who controls the finances within the first month of their term. This is to ensure that leaders are accountable, have the knowledge to handle such funds, and can, furthermore, ensure no withholding of funds or irregularities when the next school year comes along.

Treasurers must be consulted regularly, and UMSU must implement revisions regarding the funding transparency process must be implemented.

We must ensure accountability and build trust with our student body. Being transparent about our decision-making processes, finances, and operations allows students to understand how their resources are utilized and what actions are being taken on their behalf.

The way information is presented to the student body must be changed, which includes a better communication plan from UMSU. A majority of students have no clue what UMSU is or even does, and that’s the responsibility of our elected leaders to communicate to students what is happening in a reasonable manner. Once transparency is established, so is trust, and with that, exponential engagement.

A transparent and accountable UMSU will be better equipped to serve the needs and interests of the students.

It's time we build the UMSU we want to see, not settle for what is.

Prioritize Clubs and Associations

UMSU is nothing without the students, so it is no surprise that its relationships with clubs and associations should be the main priority, but to me, it remains to be seen. Coming out of remote learning, there is an urgency by students to become involved and engaged, an urgency not reciprocated by our current executives.

According to the UMSU Website, there are 53 Active and 78 Inactive Clubs. To reiterate, according to UMSU itself, the majority of Clubs at this university are inactive. This is as of June 2022, when the Official Record of UMSU Student Clubs was last updated. What does this say about the state of UMSU and their commitment to student life?

Either UMSU has failed in its effort to inspire involvement and engagement from the student body, or it has failed in its duty to communicate the current state of the university properly. It may be both. Because in no facet is it acceptable to purport and celebrate the successes of a thriving student life when there is more inactivity than activity.

It should be the priority of UMSU to ensure records are up-to-date and that all clubs and associations understand the renewal processes and follow them.

Also, there is a lack of information about active clubs, with little to no social media presence for students to access. This unawareness is not the fault of club executives but a union that has allowed a pillar of student life to remain dormant, even when its executives promised the student body to bring about on-campus engagement.

29 Associations on the UMSU website are currently active, yet 10 have no social media handles available or information for students to inquire about and engage.

Renewing these records is the responsibility of the VP of Student Life and all of UMSU to ensure that incoming students understand that they can access up-to-date information on how to be involved in the various diverse communities we have on our campuses.

Prioritize Clubs and Associations

While all of this could seem trivial to the average person, compared to UMSU's more extensive issues, if we expect our union to operate at a level that will effectively accomplish the tasks, it must update all information available to students.

The longer we wait to update the systems in place, the burden will become even more significant for future student leaders, and I am prepared to accomplish these tasks now.

Another issue that must be addressed and solved is the ever-decreasing access to campus spaces and rooms. Last summer, students and student leaders were excited to come out of remote learning to commune in an area to share their interests, yet found themselves unable to access any room, to meet. This is unacceptable and embarrassing.

For a campus with over 60 significant buildings on over 280 hectares of land, it is intolerable for UMSU not to work with the university to ensure space is available for students, clubs, and associations to meet.

I find this even more insulting as an Indigenous student with only one closed room designated for all Indigenous students on the Fort Garry Campus to congregate.

If elected, I will ensure that more spaces and rooms are available for clubs and associations to use temporarily and permanently during the school year. Additionally, over the summer, a report will be drawn up from UMSU regarding current student spaces and how many clubs and associations are currently displaced from their own campus.

I am prepared to work harder and longer to ensure that UMSU remediates this issue before the fall semester, so students can congregate without worrying about being displaced by their university and union.

Engagement For Everyone

As a student who has been on the ground for the past three years, student apathy towards UMSU is apparent. Engagement could be and should be better for a union representing nearly 25 thousand students, so why has it been so shamefully low? Mind you, we are coming fresh off a transition from remote learning, but even so, engagement did not approve.

In 2020, 27.7 percent of eligible electors participated in the UMSU general elections. In the 2021 UMSU general elections, 20.4 percent, and in the most recent UMSU general elections that got your current UMSU Executives elected, a mere 14.8% of students chose to participate.

This is not the fault of students, who, frankly, have better things to do because it has been increasingly apparent that UMSU leadership does not embrace the voices, only the votes.

There have been attempts to increase student engagement through campaigns like Wellness Week, Socials, Frost Fest, Black History Month, Indigenous Students’ Month, Bison Bash, and more.

More can be done and done better. If we point to the Bison Bash, formerly known as Frosh, a top-rated event that students enjoyed years ago, we can see the outcome was less than ideal. Quad games and Food Truck Friday were cancelled; not quite the celebration back to campus students expected.

UMSU Frosh concerts have occurred in past years at the Canada Life Centre, University Stadium and the Max Bell Centre. Past headliners have included Dillon Francis, K’naan, Ludacris, Childish Gambino and Tiësto. This year, the concert was cancelled and moved instead to a social.

Not only did artists pull out of the event, but ticket sales needed to be higher to warrant a concert that UMSU cancelled four days before the event was supposed to begin. I do not believe students did not want a concert like our UMSU President suggested; the poor planning, lack of communication, and lack of engagement from UMSU led to this outcome.

Engagement For Everyone

For UMSU to claim this as a success is an insult to the student body.

Students deserve better and will receive better with competent leadership at the helm. That’s why I am proposing better-planned and diplomatically created events similar to Frosh, which culminates in a concert and an artist the majority of students care for.

Events like Frosh should not just stop in September; they should continue all year. We must embrace our community here on campus and allow them to engage one another with their culture, including better preparing for Indigenous Students’ Month and Black History Month and working with the International student community to hold our own Folklarama.

It is also time to embrace our identity as a winter university and provide winter events on campus, including snow sculptures, a better skating area, our own Festival Du Voyageur, and more.

When students come to campus, many do not have a social circle established, and it’s at events that students can find friends and network. So, if events are not enticing to most students, how can we properly engage one another and create a unified student body?

UMSU needs to stop and not only listen to the students but listen to what students aren’t saying because they don’t care enough to engage. Only after doing this will the union understand what students actually want.

I promise to work to establish a university and union that understands the needs of the many, revive our student life at every level, and provide campaigns and events that are supported by our student body.

Truth and Reconciliation

I have been an Indigenous activist since 2015, when I was first elected to the Northwest Metis Council’s Youth Advisory Committee.

From there, I’ve founded an Indigenous apparel company, a non-profit film archive, and a networking site; and I have been recognized with the highest honour an Indigenous youth can receive, an Indspire Award.

I say this not to boast but to lend further credibility to my policies regarding truth and reconciliation and our Indigenous students.

There has yet to be an Indigenous President of UMSU. This is shocking, considering the abundant Indigenous student leadership we have seen over the years.

UMSU has a responsibility to its Indigenous students to lay the essential foundations of reconciliation by not only implementing policies that respect the rights of our First Nation, Metis, and Inuit students but also allowing our students to engage in policy creation.

Real and meaningful progress can only occur when we establish a fortified network with the Indigenous Student’s Representative, the Indigenous Students’ Association, and the Metis University Students’ Association.

Our current UMSU leadership established the Indigenous Student Art Program, the only Indigenous policy highlighted. Only five artworks for Indigenous Students will be temporarily displayed at a payment of 250 dollars until being auctioned off a year later. This is not reconciliation.

UMSU itself, and all UMSU leadership, must maintain a presence in Indigenous initiatives and projects too, not just financially support them.

Truth and Reconciliation

Welcoming and Safe Campus for All

As more students return to in-person classes, it is ever more crucial to evaluate all policies on the safety of students on campus. This includes assessing and working with the university regarding the mask policy.

Our health and safety as students should be foremost in any university policy.

While I advocate for using masks on campus, I also understand that some students prefer to remain maskless. As we move forward into this upcoming school year, the mask mandate on campus will be changed from mandatory to optional, creating a celebration for some students and concern for others.

As a community, we must understand and respect the personal choices of our peers and faculty. We must also understand that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and some students are more easily targeted by infection than others. We must also acknowledge that our International peers are still fighting for the right to universal healthcare.

I bring this issue up because mask use is a point of contention in our society, and I know as a student body; we expect and deserve to have a safe and respectful campus. UMSU must acknowledge and share this when we welcome one another next semester, ensuring a more united student body.

Safety remains a legitimate concern on campus, whether mental or physical.

The Fort Garry Campus is 700 acres, and it can be easy to feel uneasy and unsafe when on campus at night.

As UMSU must communicate to students, there are ways to combat this through information and education.

Welcoming and Safe Campus for All

UMSU must actively share and communicate resources available to students on campus throughout the school year.

This includes secure studying spaces on campus, the Code Blue emergency phones, which project a blue light 24 hours a day, and the Emergency Red phones available nearly everywhere on both campuses. Both types of phones immediately contact campus security.

The university must also test campus security response times to ensure they are up to standard for emergencies.

Students must also be aware of the nearly one thousand closed-circuit security cameras spread out throughout both campuses. UMSU must work with the university to ensure no significant blind spots on campus and that any crime committed will be caught.

Finally, UMSU must campaign for students to download the UM Safe App, which allows students to share their location with a family member or friend, and lets students request a Safe Walk, which allows a security escort around campus, as well as other services.

As of November 2022, the app only has around 5000 subscribers, this number should be much higher.

We must reduce the barriers to safety and better our relationship with campus security.

So that this trust can go both ways resulting in a welcoming and safe campus for all.

Student Parking For All

Parking at the Fort Garry Campus is one of the most contentious issues for students. More parking spots for students are needed, and prices must be lowered. Students at the Bannatyne Campus also need help with locating parking as well. There are also the issues of constant ticketing which hurts students financially and mentally.

Immediately, UMSU must work with the university to embrace and develop further flexible student parking. An additional flexible parking program is necessary for students facing an exponential rise in tuition, inflation, and a housing crisis.

This new program must be designed in conjunction with the U-PASS. Many students are forced to pay for U-PASS even when they have paid for a parking spot on campus; this is an increasing financial barrier that the university must remove. UMSU must also advocate for the students caught in the middle of U-PASS and Parking and locate a solution with the university on how to sustainably and effectively solve this issue.

The Fort Garry Campus is nearly 700 acres, yet it consistently deals with the issue of locating parking spots; this has to end, and the solution is apparent. UMSU must push for additional parking stalls, primarily Carpool stalls. If the university wishes to move towards sustainability, it must first show that sustainably expanding student transportation options is possible.

UMSU must also work with the university to ensure the parking portal system can handle the influx of registrants in August. Last year many students were left out of a parking spot due to the parking portal crashing from overuse. This is incredibly concerning, and UMSU must be shown that the current technology in place has been updated and corrected.

Parking remains a significant issue that will not be solved in a year, but I am prepared to take the first steps and commit this university to update the current constraints put on students.

Further information can be found within the Transportation For All policy.

Meaningful Support For All

Students require ample support, and one of the main difficulties with our current UMSU and university structure is that it is increasingly challenging to locate meaningful support.

Mental Health support is an area I have sufficient experience in, working with the Canadian Mental Health Association and being recognized as the National Champion of Mental Health for Youth in 2020. UMSU has an obligation to the student body to ensure that every student can access support for anything concerning them.

UMSU must enhance and change wellness week to offer students better mental health support and activities. This includes advocating on-campus services and having a speaker series of mental health advocates. We must end the stigma surrounding mental health issues, which means discussing complex topics many students face.

Counselling services must be more readily accessible and communicated to the student body; if students are not aware of these services, it is the fault of UMSU and the university for not correctly sharing what is available. UMSU Health and Dental Plan students have access to campus counselling and over one thousand dollars to spend on a private mental health therapist at 100% of the cost

UMSU must also ensure that Indigenous students have cultural and spiritual support and a stronger relationship with Indigenous associations to make this successful. We must also strengthen our relationships with Shared Health, Talk Suicide Canada, Kids Help Phone, and more.

Reducing the stigma is sometimes the first step, and UMSU must do more to show students they care. For example, I am on anti-depressants to deal with my depression, and I know firsthand much of the troubles students face when struggling to find a community. I am working hard to unite our student body so the community can be located everywhere

Campus Reconstruction

Now that students are back on campus, it has become increasingly apparent that several elements are either missing or must be updated for our student body to thrive and communicate.

We must examine and identify the weak points within our campus and provide the necessary corrections. In other words, make our campus a place where friendships can be made, and connections created.

I will focus on the Fort Garry Campus at this moment but rest assured, UMSU will also investigate the sociological weaknesses of the Bannatyne Campus.

Many students have concerns regarding the need for more tables, hangout spots, and locations to relax on the campus's interior and exterior. As the union, UMSU must ensure that students have the utilities of foster friendships available to them in renewed and modern locations.

Students can not only congregate within the university centre for lunch and to socialize; it’s not sustainable for all undergraduate students any longer; we must expand and offer new spaces for students to thrive. Several areas within the university can be updated and renovated to provide hangout spaces, and it is the responsibility of UMSU to communicate these areas and solutions to the university.

The tunnels are a portion of our campus that needs to be addressed by both the university and UMSU.

Much of the time, these tunnels are a way to get from point A to point B, but they can also be used in an efficient manner by displaying artwork and providing seating. They are also an eyesore; and for students and faculty who use them daily, it doesn’t reflect well on the institution or the union.

Campus Reconstruction

Over the summer, UMSU will work with the university to identify the flaws and anything that pertains to students that require repair and updating.

We no longer need to settle for what is; as this university raises our tuition and finds new ways for students to pay, funding must be put back into our campus to allow it to thrive.

We must also look at how we can turn the campus into one that embraces the winter weather, rather than one that merely gets covered by it.

This university should utilize our students' abundant talent on campus and, in coordination with UMSU, bring about winter-warming huts and sculptures. This will not only transform the campus but will positively affect the mental health of students during the typically gloomy and frankly dull months of January and February.

As students return to campus every September, we are greeted by a wide array of Geese walking on our campus. We should accept these iconic birds and educate all students about them so students need not walk in fear and anxiousness to class. There are a host of unique opportunities to create an event or campaign surrounding these birds that UMSU can look into.

Campus should be a place to create connections, foster friendships, and establish a shared feeling of unity. It is not just a space to learn and exist.

UMSU must help restore this campus, so we as students can thrive in an environment that is built for education, and us.

Transportation For All

When we think of transportation at our university, what usually comes to mind is either the U-PASS or the headache of either applying for or locating parking. These can and should be refined and built to be easier for students to either access or opt-out.

I do not believe it should be a controversial idea to make it easier for students to opt out of U-PASS, especially considering the number of fees associated with parking, not to mention the lack of parking for students when a parkade sits right next to the university centre, mockingly. It is the responsibility of UMSU to understand the complexities of U-PASS better and create an alternative system where we can help to undo the financial strain put on students because of this while maintaining the U-PASS itself. If elected, I will work tirelessly to establish a solution that satisfies all parties.

UMSU must address the lack of attention by the current UMSU Executive towards UM Cycle, which wasn’t open or available for students this past semester. This is an effective and sustainable service that students can use to get around, and it’s unacceptable that students were denied this. Our campus should be a more bike-friendly place for parking rather than solely focusing on cars.

UMSU must also implement additional EV charging stations in the student parking to advance sustainability on campus. Only six slots are available within the entire 700 acres of the Fort Garry Campus, and this must change if this university wants to maintain the credibility of sustainable advancement.

We must also inform students of the transport options already implemented, including Winnipeg Transit’s Park and Ride lots; there are 11 available throughout the city for students and anyone to park for free.

There are many routes and alternatives that UMSU and this university can take when it comes to providing sustainable transportation for students. We must balance the issue of financial strain and sustainability while focusing on the realities of our situation; only then can we progress from our current limited state of transportation.

Clean Campus Initiative

I grew up in Swan River, Manitoba, a rural community in the middle of a valley. During my time there, I came to appreciate the environment for what it is, and I've often thought about ways to show appreciation for the environment and our home. I've been an activist for years for climate adaptation and have been recognized with the Undergrad Sustainability Award and the Top 25 Environmentalists under 25 in Canada. My dedication to this issue is serious.

In many ways, this university is our second home, for some, our first. This is why I have designed this policy, the Clean Campus Initiative, to establish better guidelines and procedures for maintaining a clean and healthy environment, and I expect UMSU to be at the helm of it.

As students, we create much of the garbage on campus, but it is also because of budget cuts that the university has fired cleaning staff, allowing uncleanliness to reach new levels. It's not the workers' fault, who are often underpaid and overworked. We must do our part and help care for the environment we use to learn and the land many find sacred.

The heart of this initiative includes coordinating students, staff, and Winnipegers to come together on campus once a month and pick up litter in and around the Fort Garry Campus. It is a way to help the environment and show our appreciation for the campus and its staff.

UMSU must push for more recycling bins and receptacles in high-traffic areas, and students must be reminded to clean up. Specifically, we must also look at recycling items like pizza boxes, often stuffed in the trash, blocking garbage from entering. Students must take the time not to leave a mess and be respectful of their peers, the staff, and the space.

Now, much of this is inherently the problem of the university, not UMSU, but rather than sitting idly by and allowing our campus and its staff to bear the burden of the waste; we should be part of the solution.

Update UMSU

UMSU needs to be updated, not only with its politics of old but also regarding communication, social media, and the website itself. I have a diploma from Assiniboine Community College, specializing in communications and journalism. This is an area where I can help to modernize our union.

According to the plans laid out by our UMSU Exec’s in their first in-person board meeting of the year last August. (The Manitoban, August 23, 2022) There had been a plan to update the union’s website and governing documents. If you go to the UMSU website, you can see if this plan has been executed. It hasn’t.

What is listed in the following bullet points is accountability.

• Most UMSU businesses on the website do not have an active social media presence, including the UMSU Service Centre, GPAs, and IQ’s. Much, if not all, of the links, are also broken. Student Clubs haven’t been officially updated since June 2022, and most Student Associations have missing information.

• The Volunteer page has yet to be updated since the Fall Semester. Winter Semester Applications, open in December, are not available. The Event Calendar lists only two events, with no information other than “Mental Health” and “Sustainability.”

• No job postings are available for students, but the advertising fee page is current. The Student Group Services’ COVID-19 Portal was last updated on May 20, 2022. There are 0 events listed on this calendar as well.

• Much of what is under the Advocacy tab consists of basic definitions, outdated terms, and phone numbers. The last time there was an update on the Health Has no Borders campaign was Sept 28, 2022.

• Services and Supports states that the Food Bank is closed for in-person service; this is incorrect. There is limited information about UMFM, our university radio station. There are no updates on the UMSU Hardship Fund available.

Update UMSU

Perhaps UMSU leadership didn't have enough time in the school year to update the website; perhaps it wasn't as much of a priority for them as initially stated. Students deserve a modern union that prioritizes communication with the student body. If students cannot access up to date information on events on the official union website, what does that say about the union and the university itself? It reflects poorly on all of us as students, which needs to change.

What must also be updated surrounding UMSU is the social media, which has been in disorder this past school year. Not only has the UMSU Twitter account, which Premier Stefanson herself follows, has yet to be used since November 2022, but it also receives very little engagement from followers. The Facebook page, which has over 8 thousand followers, also needs more engagement on posts.

Only the UMSU Instagram page is engaging for followers, yet even that has its own complications. In October 2022, the official MyUMSU Instagram page was shut down due to "technical difficulties," as they said. This issue has yet to be resolved or even communicated why the page was shut down to the student body. Because of this, UMSU was forced to begin a new page, StudentsofUMSU, which has less than 3500 followers, far less than the previously established MyUMSU page. The student body deserves transparency as to why UMSU's social media has been in such disrepair

I also find it in poor taste that, for Black History Month, UMSU created a profile picture with only one black student represented, standing next to eight seemingly non-black students. This might seem trivial compared to other issues. But, social media means everything to student engagement and if that's the image UMSU wants to showcase to the public, we need more accountability from our union.

I've been focusing a lot on the digital aspects of UMSU that must be updated, but there are also the physical aspects within the university centre that must be corrected. This includes the branding, the signs, and the current decor in and around UMSU, which must reflect our student body and their interests. More can be and should be done to ensure that our union is engaging and up to date with the rest of society so that it can be a legitimate force when advocating on behalf of you, the students.

Housing For All

Students are facing an accommodation crisis. Rent is skyrocketing, finding suitable apartments and rooms is increasingly complex, and governmental support only goes so far.

It is the responsibility of UMSU to ensure that the student body can locate accommodations reasonably, and, when situated, can live without issue while studying at the university.

The only support UMSU currently has for students to locate accommodations is a link to PlacesforStudents, an online housing resource. More can be done. Our union must provide resources and educate students on the laws and rights they have as tenants. This can be done by developing infographics that break down must-know information from the Residential Tenancies Branch of Manitoba.

The last time the information was updated regarding Places4Students on the UMSU website was Feb 07, 2019; this is unacceptable. This service is sponsored by UMSU, so our union must do its part to actively communicate to students that this is a viable option for locating student housing near our campuses. If a student is unable to find accommodations near campus, then our union must communicate the opportunities that the student has to get to campus, including Winnipeg’s Park and Ride Lots.

Affordability remains a legitimate concern for students, and UMSU must be there to advocate and support the student body. The UMSU Hardship Fund must be examined and redeveloped to help students pay rent and help as many students as possible in this area, so it is not exploited.

UMSU must examine current listings by student housing complexes like “The Arc” to ensure students receive the best possible advantages. Building relationships and partnerships with new buildings such as these will allow students to enjoy their time on campus and off.

Employment For All

Students need jobs, not just one-time handouts.

UMSU is responsible for providing students with the utmost opportunity to become employed within UMSU businesses and successfully employed elsewhere. Our union must push the university and the government to provide more resources for students to get jobs and get to work.

What UMSU has right now is a band-aid for all students' situations. This is unacceptable.

We must look at all current UMSU Businesses, ensure that students receive competitive wages and employee benefits, and explore discounts for UM Students. There are ways to increase funding for our businesses, and that is developing a better communication strategy for our businesses so that students know they exist.

Many students need help competing with others to find a part-time job. We have to be there for the student body and offer better resources and support, such as resume workshops and ways to correctly identify a suitable reference. Students must also be educated on how to write a competitive cover letter, establish a proper headshot, and a LinkedIn. UMSU should work with the university and the Asper School of Business to bring these resources to the student body.

Off-Campus jobs can be increasingly difficult to find, especially those pertaining to restaurants, grocery stores, and fast food chains. Many of these issues can be alleviated if only UMSU can establish proper communication with students through the right channels.

Students need a competitive advantage to gain proper employment, and we can assist by actively communicating advertisements and opportunities for students to access.

Housing For All

Let’s talk about Dorms.

Many students enjoy the dorms available on campus and choose to live here as an adjustment period. The fees and rent can stack up and become expensive when staying for more than two semesters.

UMSU is responsible to our international peers by helping them adjust better to the campus, dorms, and environment. This can be done now through properly communicating resources and support already available.

Dorms are a great opportunity for new students who don’t have established friends and are new to Winnipeg. We must ensure that dorm life is increasingly enjoyable and offers a better sense of community; this includes working alongside individuals in Residence Life.

Residence Life staff have the best expertise on anything that could be developed or needed by students. UMSU must establish and strengthen our relationships with this department, so that we can better help students in dorms.

We must also ensure that students are adequately educated regarding renting and tenancy laws, so landlords can not take advantage of them.

When students leave dorms to search for cheaper alternatives off campus, UMSU must support them by making sure resources are available for them to access, not just a link.

The housing crisis in Canada is not currently improving. Our union must respond by ensuring that students are supported as best as possible so that they can focus on enjoying their student life, and not if they can make rent or not.

Food For All

Students who eat on campus deserve a revitalization and systemic change to provide them with better meal access.

An area that must be addressed is the food availability and prices for students. Students who stay up late into the evening, either because of studying or labs, should be able to purchase decent meals and not rely solely on food from vending machines. The union must explore extending hours for UMSU businesses to allow students to eat well-made and healthy food.

Students have often criticized the pricing of various food items available on campus. It's the responsibility of UMSU to listen to these criticisms and investigate whether prices can be lowered or additional options explored for students to purchase.

Students face a microwave shortage on the Fort Garry Campus, with long wait times for one microwave. We must look into our microwaves' current situation and inventory and provide more to students. UMSU must look into establishing a specific space for microwaves. It will allow for easier cleaning and less hardship when locating a microwave that works.

There are certainly more that can be done for students, including addressing the long lines at campus coffee shops. Not only that, but we must explore the option of expanding and adding different choices available for not just international students but all students to enjoy. This includes Thai, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Indian, and more.

As a union with businesses on campuses, we must reflect the needs of students within our menus. One such need that has been vocalized would be the inclusion of bubble tea at IQ's; this would be very popular with students and be a new income stream for UMSU.

Student’s First Initiative

We, as a union and a university, must finally put students first. For too long, the trajectory of our university has been motivated by money, and our union, by personal interests and politics. Every single one of these proposed policies and changes must be implemented as soon as possible. Implemented by leadership that has the experience, passion, and the fortitude to work tirelessly for the student body.

The Students First Initiative is more than a policy. It is executive accountability that UMSU will honour its commitment to students.

This commitment includes fighting tirelessly to provide students with the best possible university experience that is possible. It includes mobilizing the student body to fight against tuition hikes and telling this government we will not be pushed around. It includes restoring our relationship with the Canadian Federation of Students to advocate for all areas of student life, with support from coast to coast.

It includes improving accessibility for all students on campus, holding the university accountable for its action and inaction, organizing students and activists to fight for