It’s Summer time,--
July has been a busy month for OUSA, filled with lots of exciting projects and announcements. OUSA was invited to participate in a consultation with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to discuss the re-opening of campuses and the affordability of post-secondary education. OUSA took this opportunity to highlight the concerns of students as we approach the fall semester.
This month, OUSA welcomed Chisanga as our newest Communications & Operations Coordinator and the newest member of the Home Office team. You can read more about Chisanga here.
In this month’s Presidential Update, Julia shares the Steering Committee's 2020-2021 advocacy priorities, as set out at our annual Strategic Conference last month. OUSA’s advocacy priorities are: student financial aid, quality of education, racial equity, and student mental health.
Read Julia's Presidential Update here.
The Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) is now in its fourth and final eligibility period.
This is an income supplement provided by the Federal government for post-secondary students and recent grads during the pandemic.
For updates regarding post-secondary education and COVID-19, visit ousa.ca/covid19. This page includes links to FAQ pages on CERB & CESB written by Nathan Barnett, VP of University Affairs at Trent Durham Student Association.
Evidence-Based Teaching in University Classrooms
“We cannot undervalue the importance of understanding how students learn and the best method for teaching them, and there needs to be more focus on measuring the effectiveness of various teaching techniques."
Waterloo Student, Mohad, dives into their experience in a problem based learning class. Read it here: https://www.ousa.ca/blog_evidence_based_teaching
Another emergency phone isn’t going to fix this
“One narrative in conversations on how to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) affecting our campuses focuses on changes to campus environmental design but ignores the myriad cultural, attitudinal, and systemic issues that perpetuate SGBV... however, the installation of emergency phones and other changes to our campuses’ environmental designs are insufficient to meaningfully address SGBV.”
Read Summer Research Intern Zamir’s perspective on addressing SGBV on campuses through the voices of students here: https://www.ousa.ca/blog_sgbv
Crystal’s Exit Blog: Reflecting on my time at OUSA
“With an uncertain future due to COVID-19 and the possibility of a fully virtual university experience in the next year, I encourage you to take the time to get to know OUSA. Read up about what they do for students, get involved with writing for their blog, and familiarize yourself with how they can help you. The biggest takeaway from my time here is that OUSA has the power to make real, positive change - let them be a resource for you.”
Read Crystal’s parting words here: https://www.ousa.ca/blog_bye_ousa
Chisanga’s Intro Blog
“I was drawn to OUSA because of its approach to advocacy. OUSA is such a well-respected organization because they use research and data to make policy recommendations and advocate for students. I'm excited to join OUSA and strategically look for new tools and opportunities to amplify student voices and share our work.”
Learn more about Chisanga here: https://www.ousa.ca/blog_intro_chisanga