UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT UPDATE MAY & JUNE 2019

THIS ISSUE

OSAP Estimates OUSA Starts a New Year Waterloo LRT & Transit Changes Brantford Municipal Advocacy and more...

PURPOSE OSAP ESTIMATES AND This newsletter aims to provide readers with a brief glimpse into the FINANCIAL AID ongoing advocacy priorities of the Students' Union's University students at Laurier and at schools across the province have voiced University Affairs their concerns about their OSAP estimates for the 2019/2020 academic year. department. These estimates follow the provincial government's changes to OSAP in January 2019. This includes changes to the grant-loan ratio, the definition of The UA department is the an independent student, and interest during the six-month grace period of the voice of Laurier students, loan. representing them to the municipal, provincial, and In June, the Students' Union released a statement in response to student federal levels of outcry on social media. The Students' Union's Vice President: University government. Affairs spoke to CBC Kitchener and BRANT.one about how the changes are impacting students. Some students are forced to seek additional employment, which takes time away from academics. Many students who work and use CONTACT US OSAP to supplement their income are still having difficulty affording school for the upcoming year. There are also some students who can no longer attend Shawn Cruz university at all. VP: University Affairs Multi-Campus The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union is committed to advocating for [email protected] an affordable post-secondary education for all students. We continue to follow the changes to OSAP alongside our partners at the Ontario Brook Snider Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). This partnership helps us to elevate AVP: University Affairs student concerns to the provincial government, and to advocate for more accessible post-secondary education. Brantford Campus [email protected] If you would like to share how this year’s OSAP estimates have affected your

budget for the upcoming year, please fill out our survey which can be found at Skye Nip http://bit.ly/OSAPfeedbackWLU. Alternatively, you can email Shawn Cruz, AVP: University Affairs our Vice President: University Affairs at [email protected]. Information from Waterloo Campus Laurier students helps to inform our provincial advocacy efforts. [email protected] OUSA'S NEW TEAM STEERING COMMITTEE

The Vice President: University Affairs sits on OUSA’s Steering Committee – similar to how one might sit on a Board of Directors. The Steering Committee guides the strategic direction of the organization and dictates Above: Laurier Students' Union Vice President Cruz and his counterparts have their first Steering which policy areas the Committee meeting of the year. member schools would like to focus on. OUSA’s Home WHAT IS OUSA? Office staff facilitate these advocacy efforts and The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is a non-partisan empower member schools political advocacy organization. OUSA lobbies the government for "an to work with their accessible, affordable, accountable and high quality post-secondary students. education." OUSA began in 1992 as an informal alliance between student unions, including the WLU Students' Union as a founding member. Since that time, OUSA has grown to eight member schools across the province. OUSA: WHO'S IN As post-secondary education falls under provincial jurisdiction, the organization focuses its advocacy efforts with the provincial Ministry of IT? Training, Colleges and Universities. OUSA also works in conjunction with other Ministries for files such as mental health, public transit, and OUSA's member schools can graduate employment. be found at leading post- OUSA conducts its advocacy through research-intensive, student-written secondary institutions across policy papers. The policy papers are presented to member schools two the province. These members times per year at the Fall and Winter General Assemblies. There, papers include: are open to feedback and change in advance of presentation to the government. WLU Students' Union

(Wilfrid Laurier University) O

Federation of Students ()

Western University Students Council (Western University)

Queen's Alma Mater Society (Queen's University) Above: Laurier Students' Union President Hakim and Vice President Cruz meet with provincial stakeholders in post-secondary education Brock University Students' Union WELCOMING ANOTHER YEAR OF (Brock University)

McMaster Students' Union PROVINCIAL ADVOCACY (McMaster University)

The President & CEO and Vice President: University Affairs of the Students’ Union participated in OUSA's Welcome Conference in Toronto. Students’ General Association There they had the opportunity to speak with their counterparts from (Laurentian University) other universities to share best practices and advocacy priorities for the new academic year. Additionally, OUSA’s Home Office staff prepared Trent Durham Student government relations training for attendees, and organized meetings with Association key industry stakeholders including the Higher Education Quality Council (Trent University, Durham of Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities. Each stakeholder Campus) representative spoke about how the groups can collaborate with OUSA for continued advocacy on accessible, high quality, post-secondary education.

WATERLOO'S NEW MODE OF HUMBLE TRANSPORATION BEGINNINGS Below: Laurier-Waterloo Park LRT station, located on Seagram Drive The concept of a light-rail transit system connecting Kitchener and Waterloo was initially pitched to Regional Council in 2003. Since that time, it has undergone many changes, received funding form different sources, and been the subject of heated debate over the need for rapid transit. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT) BEGINS IN KW

June 21, 2019 saw the launch of the much anticipated ION Light Rail UNCERTAIN Transit (LRT) system. The LRT is a electric railway with dedicated lanes, connecting the City of Waterloo to the City of Kitchener in one seamless LAUNCH DATES 32 kilometer long corridor. The 22 LRT stations are integrated with Grant River Transit (GRT) bus routes in order to maximize comfort, while The LRT system did not minimizing travel time when taking public transit. launch in its expected time frame. The 2017 launch had Qualifying WLU students (i.e. taking four or more courses in a term) are to be pushed back for a able to tap their OneCard on the terminal to access the LRT. Alternatively, variety of reasons, people can purchase an electronic easyGO card to pay for their trip in including train advance -- similar to how one might load a Presto card for use on GO manufacturuer delays, Transit. construction delays, permits & paperwork, and Since the introduction of the LRT, GRT bus routes have changed even the discovery of significantly. Students are encouraged to review their transit route to be historical wooden roads familiar with the changes. under King Street, After being delayed several times, the ION LRT system launched in June 2019. THE FUTURE OF THE ION

The current LRT connection between Waterloo and Kitchener is only the first Above: An ION light-rail transit vehicle passess through an intersection phase in the LRT plan. The intent is to one day have ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS the LRETC coOnnLeOct Gto Y WATCH Cambridge as well, fully There has been more scrutiny on the accessibility of the LRT stations uniting the Tri-Cities. The following the launch of the system. Advocates warn that some platforms project was split into two are difficult to access for those with accessibility needs, and that the new different stages in order to bus routes make it more difficult for some people to reach their manage costs for the destination. Region. An expected launch date has yet to be Notably, the Laurier-Waterloo Park LRT stop lacks connecting bus routes, announced for the new LRT limiting the ability for riders to access that immediate area. This is an connection. ongoing area of concern for the Students' Union, and we will continue to advocate for improved bus access to that ION stop. In the meantime, those who are capable of using alternative modes of transportation, such as scooters or bicycles, can take electronic Lime scooters from the station, as well as rent DropBikes to go to and from the station. FROM "MARKET SQUARE" TO "ONE MARKET" Laurier's plans to occupy the Market Square mall in Branftord are progressing. Above: Laurier Students' Union Associate Vice President Snider speaks with Brantford City Councillor Joshua Wall In late May, construction crews began rennovating the space into its future BRANTFORD COUNCILLORS' CHAT form. The revitalized space, now called "One Market," Associate Vice President Snider spoke with City Councillors about new and will include classrooms, ongoing student needs in Brantford. The current state of parking, and student services such as safety on campus were large points of discussion during the meetings. academic advising, and

international student The downtown re-park by-law is difficult to deal with for students. The by- support. Phase 1 of the law states that once the parking time for a car has elapsed (after one to project includes a new three hours, depending on the spot), then the car can no longer be parked interior and exterior. In the in the downtown area until five additional hours have passed. For students long term, Phase 2 will who have classes back-to-back, or may be studying on campus, this forces include Laurier Brantford's them to leave their place on campus in order to avoid getting a ticket. own library.

Municipal advocacy in Brantford will progress through work with Brantford's Town & Gown committee, attendance at City Council meetings, work with the Brantford BIA, and future meetings with municipal leaders., LAURIER BRANTFORD SELECTS NEW SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dr. Heidi Northwood was selected as Brantford's Senior Above: Brantford Civic Centre in Downtown Brantford Executive Officer (SEO). The SEO of the Brantford campus NEW BYLAWS IN EFFECT IN BRANTFORD is responsible for a variety of topics, including government The City of Brantford unveiled new nuisance by-laws, which will attempt to relations and strategic “reduce social misbehaviour, especially in the downtown.” The by-laws planning. cover a wide variety of offences including odours caused by cannabis The SEO reports to President consumption, profanity, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and public Deborah McLatchy and plays disturbances. The by-law intends to ease the strain of resources on the a key role in Brantford criminal court system and police services as by-law officers will now have operations. the ability to issue provincial offence notices. Dr. Northwood previously served as the Dean of the The university has also announced its smoke-free policy, taking effect on Faculty of Liberal Arts and as July 1st, 2019. Students and visitors to any of Laurier’s campuses will be the interim Senior Executive prohibited from smoking and vaping cannabis and tobacco in any form Officer. (including vape pens and e-cigarettes). Students should mindful of the She holds a PhD from the intersection between the university’s smoke-free policy as well as section University of Alberta, as well 556.3.11 of the Brantford nuisance by-laws which state “[n]o person shall as an Honours BA and MA cause the emission of a Noxious Odour from cannabis in any Public Place.” from the University of Students who wish to smoke cannabis are not permitted to do so on campus Western Ontario. and may be subject to fines if the smell interferes with a person’s reasonable enjoyment while in Branford public spaces. The use of tobacco and other medicines for Indigenous spiritual and cultural practices is still permitted, but must be approved for religious/cultural exemptions.