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NEWS RELEASE

May 15, 2023

OUSA releases policy paper titled “Teaching and Assessment”

TORONTO, ON - The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is proud to release the first policy paper approved by OUSA’s Spring 2023 General Assembly, Teaching and Assessment. The paper was written, approved, and published by students to express their concerns and offer recommendations regarding teaching and assessment modalities within Ontario’s post-secondary landscape. 

“As the world rapidly evolves, our post-secondary institutions must remain at the forefront of innovation and adaptability,” said Jessica Look, OUSA's president. “We owe it to our students to ensure that essential learning opportunities are equitable, accessible and tailored to the needs of all students. Sector stakeholders must work collaboratively to address barriers preventing students from accessing a high-quality post-secondary learning experience.”

The pedagogical methods employed in teaching and assessment significantly impact students' growth and development. However, there are several issues that impede their learning experiences. Specifically, students are concerned about the quality of teaching and learning, limited high-impact learning opportunities and inadequate inclusive learning experiences. To address these concerns, students have put forth recommendations that would improve the quality of teaching, expand high-impact learning opportunities and create inclusive learning environments and experiences. 

"Given the transition from online learning post-pandemic, teaching and learning in the post-secondary sector will never be the same," said Sahiba Gulati, Commissioner of External Affairs of Queen's University Alma Mater Society (AMS). " Pedagogy, undergraduate teaching assistants, co-curricular learning, teaching evaluations, and professional development were all greatly impacted by the pandemic, and institutions must be held responsible in keeping up with this new shift in learning."

This policy paper and its recommendations were developed by students at OUSA’s member schools. It was passed on March 5th, 2023, at OUSA's Spring General Assembly, held at Queen’s University.

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OUSA represents the interests of 160,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students at nine student associations across Ontario. Our vision is for an accessible, affordable, accountable, and high quality post-secondary education in Ontario.

Tiffany Li Wu

Operations & Communications Coordinator

Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
April 27, 2023

Ontario Tech Student Union Joins Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

Establishes partnership to improve post-secondary student advocacy  

NEWS RELEASE

March 24, 2023

OUSA responds to the 2023 Ontario Budget

TORONTO - Yesterday, the Ontario government released Building a Strong Ontario, the 2023 Ontario Budget. This budget shifts away from limited COVID-19 funding and focuses on investments that work towards viable economic stability for the province in the coming years. Students and recent graduates are critical to the future of Ontario’s economic growth, yet there is a noticeable lack of targeted investments to adequately support these students amid increased costs of living and on-campus activities. In order to address the challenges students are currently facing, OUSA will continue to ask for comprehensive student financial assistance, proactive sexual and gender-based violence services, targeted student mental health funding, and increased operating funding to the post-secondary sector.

NEWS RELEASE

March 14, 2023

OUSA Returns with “Stop OSAP Clawbacks: Housing Edition” Campaign Ahead of 2023 Budget

TORONTO - On March 13th, 2023, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) launched its spring 2023 campaign, the housing edition of OUSA’s fall 2021 Stop OSAP Clawbacks campaign. For three years, OUSA has been demanding the prevention of the Ontario government’s annual $400 million clawback from the provincial portion of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), and the reinvestment of what is now $1.2 billion in savings back into OSAP.

NEWS RELEASE

March 2nd, 2023

On Thursday, March 2nd, 2023, the provincial government announced another one-year extension to the tuition freeze for the 2023-24 academic year for Ontario residents, and a 5% cap on tuition increases among certain programs for domestic, out-of-province students. While this is a welcomed announcement, OUSA continues to ask the provincial government to complement the tuition freeze by investing in OSAP funding for students who need it most and increasing operating grants to institutions.

NEWS RELEASE

February 28, 2023

OUSA releases policy paper titled “Ancillary and Incidental Fees”

TORONTO - The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is proud to release the second policy paper approved by OUSA’s Fall 2022 General Assembly, Ancillary and Incidental Fees. The paper was written, approved, and published by students with the purpose of bringing attention to student concerns and recommendations regarding the various fees they pay towards their education outside of tuition. 

December 4th, 2022: A recap of SAC 2022 is available at this link.

NEWS RELEASE

November 15, 2022

OUSA returns to Queen's Park for annual Student Advocacy Conference

TORONTO – This week from November 14th to 17th, twenty student leaders from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) are meeting with MPPs and their staff to discuss student concerns. OUSA represents 150,000 students from eight universities across Ontario, and our student representatives will be advocating for OUSA’s priorities on Affordability, Gender-Based and Sexual Violence Prevention, Rural and Northern Students, and Sector Sustainability.

NEWS RELEASE
October 28, 2022

TORONTO – Yesterday, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities announced legislative changes that address student concerns about consent, abuse of power, and silencing in cases of faculty or staff sexual misconduct against students. You can find more information on this announcement at this link.

“We are pleased with Minister Dunlop’s legislative changes that support survivors and protect students from harm in potential incidents of faculty-perpetrated sexual violence,” says Jessica Look, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. “Students across Ontario need continued governmental and institutional support to create a safer learning environment free of sexual harassment.”

NEWS RELEASE

September 23, 2022

 OUSA shares “a visual glossary” for Consent Awareness Week

TORONTO, ON – During the first-ever national Consent Awareness Week from September 19th to 23rd, 2022, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) shared a visual glossary highlighting six popular terms in sex and gender-based violence (SGBV) advocacy. 

NEWS RELEASE
September 7, 2022

OUSA Publishes Issue 16 of Educated Solutions:
Where Do We Go From Here? The Future of Post-Secondary in Ontario 

TORONTO - The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) has released Issue 16 of its annual magazine, Educated Solutions. This year's edition focuses on the future of post-secondary education in the province, and the various areas that governments, stakeholders, and institutions must consider as they develop their strategic visions for the sector.