As a changing of the guard begins to take place within the University of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU), it is a good opportunity to look back at what was accomplished in the previous year. From Fresh Fest to Humans vs. Zombies, hosting Peter Mansbridge and lobbying on behalf of students' interests, the ULSU had a very progressive and successful year.
It all kicked off with the most successful Fresh Fest to date, continuing a tradition of excellence with the event that students can look forward to experiencing well into the future.
Lectures by Peter Mansbridge, Dennis Edney (lawyer for Omar Khadr), various SACPA on Campus sessions and the Global Justice Student Speaker Challenge all contributed to the ULSU Executive Council's tradition of providing quality academic opportunities for all students.
"It is important to offer these types of academic opportunities to our students so they can gain a greater understanding of world issues, and perhaps apply what they learn in a classroom setting to real world situations," says Taz Kassam, outgoing ULSU president. "It also offers students a chance to think critically and engage in healthy discussion with their peers on issues impacting the world."
The Students' Union strives to offer services to students in an attempt to aid in the success of each and every student that enters the University of Lethbridge campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton. The ULSU also looks to enhance student engagement, and in the past year this was achieved by increasing the number of on-campus clubs, hosting a Municipal Mayoral Candidates Forum and creating new and exciting events like Humans vs. Zombies, Open Mic Night in the Zoo, Meltdown and ULSU Karaoke Shenanigans for
St. Patrick's Day.
"We want to provide students with opportunities that create lasting memories of their time at the University," says Kassam. "Creating these memories is all part of the greater university experience and aids in retention."
A number of traditional events from past years continued, including the ULSU/EUS Fashion Drive, the Volunteer Tax Program, the Last Lecture, Ender Bender, Last Class Bash and the IVCF/ULSU Used Book Sale.
"These events have proven to be successful and of great value to our students and we want to continue the support we provide with events such as these," says Kassam.
The ULSU achieved a landmark this year with students voting in favour of two referendum questions, one to tie ULSU Fees to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the second for a one-time ULSU fee increase of $5 per semester.
"This will allow the Students' Union to continue to build upon the quality of events and services it provides to students, such as our Food Bank and funding for scholarships," adds Kassam. "It is of the utmost importance that the Students' Union maintain and build upon the level of service to our students attending all campuses."
The ULSU had a very progressive year in terms of lobbying. Through the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS), the ULSU lobbied the provincial government on key issues such as the regulation of non-instructional fees and allowing easier access for students to vote during provincial elections.
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) also helped the ULSU advance throughout the year by focusing their lobbying efforts on the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, a program designed to promote greater accessibility for Aboriginal students, offering more assistance to international students, as well as amendments to the Canadian Student Loan Program policy.
"All in all, it has been a very successful year for the ULSU," says Kassam. "The support from all bodies on campus, and in the community, is greatly appreciated and the success could not have been achieved without this continued support. It is with this in mind that our organization is able to exist for our students at the University of Lethbridge."
For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.