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Student Leaders Take On Queen’s Park, Inspiring Change

TORONTO, December 5, 2016 – Student leaders representing over 140,000 undergraduates from across Ontario travelled to Queen’s Park last week to meet with Deputy Premier Deb Matthews, MPPs, ministers, party critics, and political staff. Representatives from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) sat in almost fifty meetings asking for mandatory training in sexual violence prevention for all university community members, fair and affordable tuition regulations for domestic and international students, and improved data collection and reporting across the entire sector.

Students Campaign for More Work Integrated Learning (WIL) on Campus

TORONTO, November 21, 2016 – Students across Ontario are participating in #myWILis, a campaign raising awareness about how students from all programs can benefit from valuable work integrated learning (WIL) opportunities. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is rallying students to lend their voice on and offline regarding what work integrated learning is to them. Student responses will broaden the definition of WIL to include learning, capstone projects, working in student government or in research labs, volunteering on committees, and other opportunities that can benefit students in any discipline.

Students Pleased with Premier’s Instructions to Minister

TORONTO, September 23, 2016 - The Premier’s mandate letter to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) offers encouragement to students and signals that the government is ready to move forward on a number of issues that students have been raising.

Students Support Ontario in Building the Youth Workforce Up

Students are pleased with many of the recommendations within the Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel Report Building the Workforce of Tomorrow: A Shared Responsibility, published today. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) was included in the consultations leading up to this report, which offers recommendations that are in line with our recently updated Student Employment Policy.

OUSA Elects 2016-17 Executive

TORONTO, May 20, 2016 - OUSA's new Steering Committee met for the first time and is proud to announce the election of our 2016-17 Executive Officers:

Students Applaud Landmark Improvements to Financial Aid

Today’s release of the 2016 Ontario budget announced enormous changes to financial assistance that will make university education more accessible and affordable, according to the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). The newly announced Ontario Student Grant (OSG) builds on existing programs to increase the amount of grant money available to students, and according to OUSA, focuses on helping students with the most financial need.

Students Request Efficiency, Not Austerity in Provincial Budget Submission

Students in the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) have published their pre-budget submission Educated Investments: Providing Effective Systems and Enriching Experiences to the provincial government. The submission focuses on two key areas for investment: improved student financial assistance and expanded opportunities for work-integrated learning.

Students Campaign for Tuition Freeze in Ontario Universities

Students across Ontario are participating in “Time Out” (#timeoutON), a campaign asking for a tuition freeze to be implemented in Ontario’s next tuition framework, which will be established in 2016-2017. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is rallying students to ask the provincial government for a “funded freeze”. This means that yearly average tuition increases of 3% and 5% would no longer be allowed; the loss in tuition revenue would be fully subsidized by increased provincial investment in universities, ensuring that quality is not impacted. The funded freeze would reduce student debt and restore public investment in education.

Students Approve of Quality Metrics, Data-Driven Funding Within University Funding Formula Consultation Report

Students are pleased with many of the recommendations within the university funding formula report Focus on Outcomes, Centre on Students: Perspectives on Evolving Ontario’s University Funding Model, published today. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) was included in consultations and published Formulating Change in Augusta submission to the government recommending key developments students want to see in a new funding formula.

University Students Ask Queen's Park For "Modernized" Education Reform

Student leaders, representing over 140,000 undergraduate and professional students, are traveling to Queen’s Park for “LobbyCon” to meet with MPPs and key decision makers to ask for improvements in Ontario’s universities. Representatives from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) will sit in over fifty meetings and lobby for key changes and updates to the university funding formula, targeted investments in work-integrated learning opportunities, and an overhaul of educational tax credits.