The University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU) is organizing a series of town halls regarding its upcoming referenda. The goal of the town halls is to inform their members so they can be involved in a vote that could change students’ lives.
Students will vote on whether they support a per-credit per-semester fee to fund a Student Legal Advocacy Centre. And whether they support the creation of and membership in a Saskatchewan Provincial Students Union, which will also be funded by a per-semester fee. The full referenda questions can be found here.
Current members have the opportunity to vote on two referendum questions that will impact the future of URSU but more importantly the students who attend the University of Regina and Federated Colleges. “Students will need the tools and knowledge to examine and evaluate effectively the questions before them,” said URSU President Hannah Tait. “And these meetings give them the chance to ask questions and be involved in the process.” URSU is working to improve the lives of students but also ensuring they take part in that improvement.
This work began Wednesday March 9th with the Freeze the Fees Town Hall. Students and URSU staff gathered on campus and joined allies across the province as we continue the discussion surrounding the need to freeze international student fees in the province through a Town Hall format. URSU and its International Students Caucus (ISC) invited guests from a cross section of the province to the rally on campus and the pleas of students made it to the halls of the provincial legislature.
At the March 16th town hall, URSU and its Student Legal Advocacy Centre (SLAC) Working Group will be inviting guests to give a detailed breakdown of how a free legal centre on campus will benefit students. The conversation doesn’t stop there, though, as we also want to hear from students during this transformative project at the weekly SLAC meetings. For more information on those please visit ursu.ca/advocacy.
On March 23rd, URSU and the SPSU Working Group will host a town hall discussion at which we will be sharing information about the new proposed Saskatchewan Provincial Students Union (SPSU). If formed, the SPSU would serve as an umbrella organization uniting all post-secondary students across the province into one united voice. URSU and its SPSU Working Group will be inviting guests to give a detailed breakdown of how a provincial student organization will benefit students.
At the upcoming referendum town halls, URSU wants to educate all URSU members – those in class in Regina, the ones doing distance learning around the province, and the ones abroad on work placements.
With education, information, and involvement, URSU members can confidently contribute to decisions that affect students in issues that matter on campus and beyond the classroom.
