Blog

Hello and Happy April!!! I hope you are all enjoying longer and brighter days!

This past month was a busy one as we started off March with our Spring General Assembly from March 10th-13th! Delegates from our member schools came together to discuss and debate recommendations for our policies on Student Financial Aid, Mature Students, and Tech-Enabled Learning. After three days of great conversations, all three papers passed and will now take their place in OUSA’s policy library. A big shoutout to all delegates who participated in General Assembly, and thank you for your time and commitment to ensuring our policies represent students well! The papers will be coming out over the next few weeks, with the Mature Students policy dropping this Friday on OUSA’s website.

Entering post-secondary can be overwhelming for many students, because now, school comes with a price tag. Regardless of their unique financial situations, many students choose to work while enrolled in post-secondary education. For me, I entered university with the mindset that I would work in the summer and not work during the school year. This was a common decision among my peers as well. However, after my first year, I decided my plan was not realistic. I decided instead that I would need to work throughout the school year as working only four months a year was not bringing in enough income.

Hello and Happy March (and almost Spring)! 

Firstly, I want to acknowledge the protests that have taken place over the past month in opposition to a variety of government restrictions. The signs of hatred that have been on display have been infuriating to see and if you are feeling frustrated or scared, you are not alone. Please make sure to take care of yourself and check in on those around you. 

In September 2017, I stepped out onto the sidewalk of my first year residence hall unsure of what was to come. My parents and I had just driven about 7 hours from Ottawa to move me into Perth Hall Residence at Western University and to say I was nervous is quite the understatement.

Hello and Happy February, everyone! 

I hope you are all keeping safe and taking care of yourselves with the gradual return to more in-person activities. I know it’s been a stressful time but we’re getting through it.

After two years of navigating a dynamic and unpredictable pandemic, we're learning that flexibility and safety are central to promoting consistency in our everyday routines. Selecting only one delivery pathway for post-secondary courses is no longer a feasible option as the nature of COVID-19 is constantly changing, and adapting becomes increasingly challenging. Making HyFlex classrooms the standard for course delivery will mean pedagogy that works better for all students' needs regardless of whether they are face-to-face or remote in another country. 

Hello!

My name is Shemar and I’m very excited to be back at OUSA, this time as a Research and Policy Analyst!

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you’ve all had a safe and restful holiday season! 

I’d first like to acknowledge that the ongoing pandemic and changing restrictions can be very challenging and cause a lot of stress. It's very hard to be a student at such an uncertain time and I know that a lot of you may be frustrated about online learning, while others may feel safer learning from home. Please remember to do what you can to take care of yourself and your mental health. OUSA has been voicing our students' needs and concerns and will be continuing this advocacy as things continue to develop.

OUSA is proud to introduce the Ontario Tech Student Union (OTSU) as an official observer school! Since joining OUSA this fall, UOSU has attended OUSA’s Fall General Assembly and Student Advocacy Conference. OUSA is excited to work with OTSU as we continue to advocate for accessible, affordable, accountable and high-quality post-secondary education in Ontario.

We had a chance to chat with Joshua Sankarlal, President of OTSU and Steering Committee representative. Here's what Josh had to say about OTSU, student advocacy, and what matters most to students right now: 

The state of student housing is at a crisis point. Increased rent, decreased availability, and quality of housing are all issues facing students attending post-secondary institutions that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Within my own university community, Queen’s University, over-enrollment combined with poor quality of housing and high rental rates have posed significant financial and accessibility barriers for students.