Hello all,
June has always felt like a month of beginnings and reflection. For many of us across Ontario's universities, it marks the tail end of the academic year, a moment to pause, celebrate what we've accomplished, and prepare for what's coming next. This year, that transition feels particularly significant.
But before I dive into what's happening within OUSA, I want to acknowledge something important. June is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month in Canada. Across our institutions, we have students whose identities, histories, and lived experiences deserve to be seen, celebrated, and centred in our work.
I want to start by acknowledging the many Indigenous groups across the province on whose territories our institutions reside. While I write to you from Waterloo, traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Neutral peoples, OUSA's member institutions span the province, and we represent students from communities across Ontario, each with its own Indigenous histories and peoples. June was chosen as National Indigenous History Month in part because of the summer solstice, a time of celebration and renewal for many Indigenous communities. So as the days grow longer, let us continue to bring light to issues of injustice and renew our commitment to truth and reconciliation.
Next, when it comes to our Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ students, Pride Month is a time of visibility and solidarity. It is a reminder that the work we do as advocates must include showing up for all students, not just in policy spaces, but in the streets, in our communities, and in our institutions.
On June 28th, OUSA will be marching in the Toronto Pride Parade as a delegation. It is a chance to show up visibly for our LGBTQIA+ community and to demonstrate that student advocacy means showing up not just in boardrooms and policy meetings, but alongside the communities we serve. If you are in Toronto that day, I hope you will join us.
Our presence at Pride is not symbolic alone, it is rooted in real, ongoing policy work. OUSA's Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ Inclusion paper lays out a clear vision: institutions and the provincial government must create more welcoming environments through policies that protect Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ students in spaces like athletics, residence, and classrooms; improved health and wellness supports; and stronger financial aid policies. The acceptance and freedom to express one's identity are pivotal to a student's success, and too many shortcomings in current institutional and provincial policy still create barriers.
This fall, OUSA will review and rewrite this paper at our General Assembly, an opportunity to ensure our advocacy reflects the current realities, needs, and lived experiences of Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ students across Ontario. Policy is never static, and neither are the communities we serve. I encourage you to read the current paper on our website here, and to bring your voice and perspective to this work as it develops over the coming months.
June has also been a month of significant transition for OUSA. Our newly elected leaders across member unions are being onboarded and supported as they step into their roles. Steering Committee (SC) has been completing Summer School training for the wide range of duties that come with being a student leader- from governance and media training to policy writing and government 101. Thank you to our alumni, sector partners, and the Home Office for running insightful training sessions. We know that strong student leadership starts with strong training and preparation, and we are committed to ensuring every newly elected representative has what they need to serve their students effectively. These are the people who will carry forward your concerns, your priorities, and your voice throughout the year ahead.
This past month, SC finalized important groundwork for the year ahead, including advocacy and organizational priorities, working groups, and the budget. We look forward to putting this work into motion as our term progresses.
As we ground ourselves in our roles, we have also had the privilege of connecting with sector partners. Timna, Aisha and Stephen had the pleasure of attending the Council of Ontario Universities’ (COU) AI Taskforce report launch with our Executive Director, Octave. The afternoon included a thoughtful panel with Taskforce members and a Q&A session for students across Ontario. It was a great opportunity to participate in a generative discussion and connect with other sector partners in attendance. Home Office has been engaging with sector stakeholders as well. The Managers of Research and Policy have been working with the College Student Alliance (CSA) to analyze the data for the first round of our OSAP survey. Octave also had the rare opportunity to represent OUSA on the federal level at a roundtable on undergraduate research hosted by MP Bardeesy. With upcoming meetings with sector partners and government ahead, I look forward to connecting further with the folks who contribute to the betterment of the post-secondary sector.
Octave, Aisha, Stephen, and Timna at COU's AI Taskforce Launch
As we head into the summer months, I want you to know that OUSA remains committed to the work. Affordability does not take a break in June. The barriers facing students do not pause because the academic year has ended. We will be here, working, listening, and preparing for the work ahead.
Thanks for reading. As always, feel free to reach me at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Rory Norris
President, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA)