Appointment of Interim Vice-President Advocacy

On October 4th, 2020 the UNB Student Union Council voted to appoint Melissa Ghanem as Interim Vice-President Advocacy. The Vice-President Advocacy role was vacated as of September 28th 2020, and in accordance with UNBSU by-laws,  the executive team recommended an Interim to fill the position. Council accepted this recommendation, and Melissa Ghanem was appointed to fill the VP Advocacy position until the scheduled fall by-election. Students will be able to run in this by-election for the Vice President Advocacy position as well as LGBTQ+ councillor, Engineering Councillor, Kinesiology Councillor, Residence Councillor, First Year Councillor, Education Councillor, and Forestry Councillor.

Melissa has held a position with the UNB Student Union for nearly 2 months now as our Wellness Coordinator. Because of her extreme involvement in nearly every Advocacy project, her selection allowed for a swift transition into the role of Interim Vice-President Advocacy. As Melissa transitions into this role, it enables the UNBSU to continue our advocacy campaigns, and work within the New Brunswick Student Alliance and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

In the role of Interim Vice-President Advocacy, Melissa is responsible for bringing forward new initiatives for policies, campaigns, and positions that promote meaningful change on student issues. She is also responsible for ensuring students are well represented both internally and externally to the UNB community. A full position description can be found at (unbsu.ca/policies) under “Executive Position Description Policy”.

Melissa is thrilled to be joining our team for the time being, and asked to pass on this message to our UNB community in regards to her appointment:

“I am truly honoured to be the Interim VP Advocacy, and I will do everything in my power to ensure the voices of the students are heard and well represented. Advocacy has always been a passion of mine, so this opportunity with UNBSU is an absolute dream and privilege. I hope to learn something new every day in this role and help support students in any way I possibly can.”

The office of the Interim Vice-President Advocacy can be reached at advocacy@unbsu.ca, and any questions about the fall by-election or the appointment of this position can be directed to president@unbsu.ca or cro@unbsu.ca.

UNB Student Union Open Letter June 25th 2020

Official document can be found here

“On June 15th, 2020, UNB announced which courses would be held in person, and which courses would be held via alternative delivery. The UNB Student Union strongly believes that this announcement, along with other announcements made throughout June, has clearly demonstrated the lack of consideration for students in the upcoming fall semester.

On June 1st UNB provided students with vague details pertaining to the fall semester, including the announcement of a “blended” model for class delivery. Our students were anxious waiting to hear from this June 1st announcement, and were let down immensely by the insufficient and unhelpful information we were given. Following this, on June 3rd a town hall was held to give the UNB community a chance to ask questions in an attempt to resolve some of the uncertainties our community was left with. Any questions that did not get answered were posted online at a later date with answers. We feel that while the overall purpose of the town hall was positive, some of the responses students received from UNB administration were worrisome.

As of June 15th, the university officially released the updated course timetable course delivery methods. As per the town hall, The University of New Brunswick stated that in-person class priority would be given to faculties in the STEM fields. In response to this, the Student Union looked through all courses being offered in the fall and what percentage of classes will be offered in person. We had grouped classes that are in different sections to guarantee we did not record a class twice. If a class had a lab portion, we separated the class and the lab into their respective categories. With this being said, we see that a low volume of students will be participating in in-person classes and labs. We found that for lectures, only 7%-8% of classes are happening in person, and that for labs, 23%-24% are taking place in person.

As students, we know that a hands on, in person lab, can not be replaced by an online delivery method and still provide the same quality of education. In addition, online classes do not provide students with the same level of engagement and may not allow all students to actively participate in classes due to technological barriers. We feel that there were many courses that could have happened in person, but aren’t because the university is setting much stricter standards than required by public health.

The Student Union would also recommend that UNB remove parking passes for the fall semester. Students only saw a refund in the winter 2020 semester for their parking passes if they had a twelve or ten month parking pass, not those with an eight, four, or one month pass. Unless the university is prepared to issue partial to full refunds in the event that classes need to fully move online, parking passes should not be sold this fall.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of New Brunswicks’ Board of Governors approved a 2% increase to tuition for all undergraduates and research based graduate students. We believe that not only should the 2% increase be reversed, but that the university lower tuition as well as remove fees where they are not being used by students. UNB Financial Services describes that tuition fees cover the cost of instruction, regular examination, university libraries, creative arts, and varsity/ campus athletics. We believe that with the lowered quality of education that this blended model brings, the cancellation of most or all athletic competitions, as well as the reduced access to the libraries, students should not be paying full tuition. We also believe that fees such as the facility access fee and the technology fee (among others) should be reassessed as we approach the fall.

We understand that the University of New Brunswick will be impacted financially by the current global pandemic, however, it is not the students’ responsibility to make up those financial losses”

Annual General Meeting 2019-2020

View our Annual General Meeting 2019-2020.

UNBSU Position Statement On the Removal of George Duncan Ludlow’s Name from the University of New Brunswick Law Building

Full position statement here.

Adopted: October 20, 2019

Expires: October 20, 2021 

Whereas: 

George Duncan Ludlow was one of the last judges in the British Commonwealth to uphold the legality of slavery;(1) and 

He did so at a time when slavery was not commonly-accepted as a fact of life, but rather an increasingly disfavourable practice that most other judges across North America had already struck down or refused to uphold;(2) and

Even were that not the case, the practice of treating human beings as property has never been acceptable and runs contrary to the values the University of New Brunswick publicly expresses; and

Ludlow further sat on the board of the Sussex Vale Indian Day School, where he advocated for the complete separation of Indigenous children from their families, communities, and culture;(3) and

The University of New Brunswick has repeatedly expressed a commitment to honouring the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission;(4) and

George Duncan Ludlow did not attend the University of New Brunswick and has no meaningful connection to the university; and

The naming of university buildings is not solely a function of furthering historical knowledge, but also an honour bestowed on an individual, as well as a persisting implicit approval of the person after whom the building was named; and

Even if building naming was primarily a function of furthering historical knowledge, there are ways that contextualize and denote the contributions of New Brunswick’s early citizens that do not involve their name being emblazoned on a building; and 

The continued presence of Ludlow’s name on the building is a direct insult to the black and indigenous students who currently attend the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law, forcing them to repeatedly cross the threshold of a building bearing the name of someone who at the very least tacitly approves of their being sold into bondage or separated from their culture. 

Be it Resolved That: 

The University of New Brunswick Student Union calls for the immediate removal of the building name “Ludlow Hall” from the Law Building, and from all associated maps and university literature; and

The University of New Brunswick Student Union calls for the creation of a plaque that appropriately contextualizes Ludlow’s place in New Brunswick’s history, highlighting both his contribution to the drafting of New Brunswick’s first statutes as well as his upholding of slavery, and his commitment to separating Indigenous children from their parents and culture.

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(1) https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/unb-law-faculty-mulls-name-change-after-students-raise-concerns-about-namesake

(2) David G Bell, “Slavery and the Loyalist Judges of New Brunswick,” (1982) 31 UNBLJ 9 at 26-27.

(3) Judith Fingard, “The New England Company and the New Brunswick Indians, 1786-1826: A Comment on the Colonial Perversion of British Benevolence,” (1972) 1 Acadiensis 29 at 31-32.   

(4) https://www.unb.ca/annualreport/2018/reconciliation/actionplan.html

UNB Student Union Response to Approval of UNB's 2019/20 Budget

FREDERICTON, NB

In May of 2018, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Board of Governors approved the Tuition Review Task Force’s (TRTF) recommendation to introduce a differential tuition framework and a tuition reset for new UNB students as a means of addressing the university’s budgetary deficit. The TRTF’s recommendations and their approval from the Board of Governors were met with strong opposition from UNB students, resulting in the university updating their initial recommendation by lowering proposed increases to tuition. On April 25th, 2019, the UNB Board of Governors approved the 2019-20 UNB budget which reflects the implementation of the proposed differential tuition framework and tuition increases. The approved 2019-20 Consolidated Budget can be found at the following link: https://www.unb.ca/vpfinance/_resources/pdf/2019-20%20Budget/budget201920.pdf

Following approval from UNB’s Board of Governors, these changes are extremely difficult to reverse. However, our focus as a Student Union is to be transparent and ensure new and returning students are aware of these changes and how they will be impacted by them. Current or “legacy” Canadian students attending UNB Fredericton on a full-time basis will not be subject to the differential tuition framework or tuition reset, but instead receive a 2% increase on their tuition beginning in the fall 2019 semester, with tuition for one year (two semesters) being set at $6893.00 and total costs including mandatory fees being $7852.50. Incoming or new students will be subject to tuition and fee increases differentiated based on faculty.

More information on these increases, in addition to hikes on part-time and international student fees, can be found at the following link: https://www.unb.ca/financialservices/students/undergraduate_tuition_and_fees/fredericton_unde rgrad_new.html

The UNB Student Union strongly opposes these significant increases to tuition and acknowledges the detrimental financial, academic, and personal implications for all students. These increases, along with the Government of New Brunswick’s (GNB) recent changes to provincial student financial aid, including the elimination of the Free Tuition Program & Tuition Relief for the Middle Class, will result in students being unable to return to UNB in the fall or access a UNB education in the future. Additionally, there will be no increase in funding from the university for student financial aid despite these dramatic hikes in tuition and reduction of financial support from the government. With the majority of existing UNB scholarships and awards being largely based on merit rather than need, the pressure and barriers on students, particularly those who face financial insecurity, continue to increase and prevent current and future students from being able to afford an education from UNB. The UNB Student Union will continue to advocate on behalf of UNB students to university administration and the provincial government in light of these changes and work to increase needs-based financial support for low-income students and those who are experiencing increased financial strain.

If you or someone you know will be facing difficulty beginning or returning to studies at UNB Fredericton due to tuition increases or cuts to provincial financial aid, please reach out to us and we will pass along your story to university administration and the provincial government. Any questions, concerns, or student testimonials can be directed to our Vice President Internal, Grace Mangusso, at internal@unbsu.ca or Vice President Advocacy, Mick Jefferies, at advocacy@unbsu.ca.

Changes to student financial aid in New Brunswick

Changes to student financial aid in New Brunswick
April 4, 2019

Yesterday, the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) announced changes to provincial student financial aid, including the replacement of the Free Tuition Program & Tuition Relief for the Middle Class (FTP & TRMC) with a program called the “Renewed Tuition Bursary”.

Despite the government describing this program as an expansion of FTP & TRMC for students attending private institutions, there are several implications of this new program that will negatively affect UNB students. The UNB Student Union strongly advocates for improved access to UNB education for low-income students and these recent changes hurt this accessibility.

The introduced Renewed Tuition Bursary will supplement the federally funded Canada Student Grant (CSG) to a maximum of $3,000, instead of the $10,000 maximum that was previously provided by FTP & TRMC. For example, students will now receive a maximum of $6,000 when combining the CSG and the Renewed Tuition Bursary, whereas they previously could have received up to $13,000 under the old FTP & TRMC programs.

The Renewed Tuition Bursary program will come into effect later this year, meaning that students returning to UNB in the fall who were relying on FTP & TRMC, will face financial barriers in a few short months.

Additional changes announced yesterday by the provincial government include the abolishment of the Timely Completion Benefit and the reintroduction of the Tuition Tax Credit. The specific details of these additional changes are not clear yet and are still pending approval next January at the NB legislature.  

Your UNB Student Union, along with the New Brunswick Student Alliance, is currently actively communicating these concerns to the GNB Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour (PETL). We will keep students updated through our website and social media on any major changes regarding this issue.

To send a petition letter to the Minister of PETL directly, click here.

- Your UNB Student Union

Response to Proposed Alcohol Changes at UNB

Response to Proposed Alcohol Changes at UNB

January 31, 2019

The Student Union opposes many of the proposed changes to the UNB alcohol policy, including a two drink maximum on each order and the banning of caffeinated drinks in campus bars. While we strongly support a safe drinking environment on campus, we do not believe these proposed changes are a step forward towards this goal.

We trust the bar staff on our campus who are already highly trained in environments where alcohol-related incidents are a risk. These regulations make their jobs harder, not easier, to keep track of potential overconsumption.

Strict regulations can encourage students to drink off campus. It is important to keep students drinking on campus, where there are resources to keep us safe, such as bar staff, SUB Staff, Residence Life staff, SafeWalk, SafeRide, Campus Patrol, and UNB Security. Additional restrictions can also lead students to unsafely binge drink prior to coming to campus bars.

The UNBSU believes in educational campaigns to raise awareness about responsible alcohol consumption such as our UNBSU Drinksmart program. We have and will continue to voice these concerns on behalf of UNB students to the UNB Alcohol Policy Review Committee.

UNB Student Union Signs National Letter Speaking Out Against Ancillary Fee Opt-Out and OSAP Changes

For immediate release: January 30, 2019

FREDERICTON, N.B. - Today, alongside 75+ post-secondary institutions across Canada representing over one million students, the UNB Student Union signed a letter voicing collective disappointment with the Ontario government’s January 17th announcement. The announcement pertained to the recent changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program, also known as OSAP, tuition and ancillary fees (non-tuition fees). These changes raise serious concerns and red flags for students and their families. We firmly believe it lacked proper consultation with students and was a step backwards for the province of Ontario.
 

Each year, hundreds of students are elected across Ontario on promises to keep our institutions accountable, to ensure the health and safety of our students, and fill crucial gaps that our institutions do not provide — such as health and dental plans, peer-to-peer support, transit passes, on-campus press, support services like food banks and more. The Student Choice Initiative puts all of this at risk and threatens the post-secondary student experience.

New Brunswick’s targeted tuition relief programs were modelled after OSAP. The New Brunswick Free Tuition Program and Tuition Relief for the Middle Class provided support to over 7000 New Brunswick students in the most recent academic year, helping to reduce the financial barriers to accessing post-secondary education.
 

Each year, hundreds of students are elected across Ontario, and Canada, on promises to keep postsecondary institutions and governments accountable, to ensure the health and safety of students and fill crucial gaps in services that postsecondary institutions do not provide. This includes the provision of transit passes, health and dental plans, peer-to-peer support, bursaries, support services, non-partisan government advocacy, and more.
 

Ontario’s newly announced “Student Choice Initiative” allows students to opt-out of the fees which ensure the success of these initiatives and services, putting all of them at risk. As a result, the Student Choice Initiative threatens the postsecondary student experience in Ontario.


The UNBSU strongly believes in voicing students concerns and fostering consistent innovation and growth through engaging and empowering the student body. For this reason, the aforementioned changes are not simply a provincial concern. This could set a national precedent that has a measurable impact on the student experience and campus culture across the country. Students will be less safe, more vulnerable to failure and less able to gain the skills and work-related experience they’ll need to find jobs after graduation.
 

 For more details, please find the letter linked here.

The UNB Student Union aims to achieve consistency, transparency, and innovation through their advocacy efforts and initiatives. With this year’s strategic plan’s goals, the UNBSU envisions a diverse, vibrant, and transformative university experience through fostering pride and unity for all.

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Media Contact
Simal Qureshi, UNB Student Union
VP Advocacy
advocacy@unbsu.ca, (709) 214 0673

Fighting for Students on Parliament Hill

Fighting for Students on Parliament Hill

Last week, UNB Student Union President, Richard Du and Vice President Advocacy, Simal Qureshi attended the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations’ (CASA) Advocacy Week Conference in Ottawa, Ontario, where they represented UNB students.

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a union comprised of 23 student governments across Canada, representing over 250,000 students. With this joint voice on the national level, CASA is able to speak and advocate on behalf of Canadian students to the federal government. Recent CASA successes in 2018 include $10 million invested to expand financial support to Métis students and $5.5 million invested to address gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses.

At the conference, Richard and Simal, along with 70+ other student leaders met with over 150 Canadian Members of Parliament (MP’s), Senators, Ministers, and key government stakeholders. They discussed six key advocacy points at these meetings, focusing on areas such as international student barriers, sexual assault legislation, experiential/work-integrated learning programs, and additional funding for student-led research.

Overall, the conference was a huge success. CASA’s advocacy strategy is effective and robust, allowing many key politicians on Parliament Hill to be exposed to the same student issues. Additionally, this was a great opportunity for Richard and Simal to meet other student leaders, learn about what is working on their campuses, and share ideas on how to better advance the student movement.

If you would like more information on CASA and/or their Advocacy Week conference, please do not hesitate to reach out to President, Richard Du at president@unbsu.ca or Vice President Advocacy, Simal Qureshi at advocacy@unbsu.ca.

UNBSU CAMPUS EVENTS & THE CAPITAL COMPLEX PARTNER TO DELIVER INNOVATIVE CONCERT SERIES IN WINTER 2019

FREDERICTON, NB: A ground-breaking partnership between UNBSU Campus Events and Fredericton’s premiere music and entertainment venue, The Capital Complex, will see a number of high-caliber concerts come to New Brunswick’s capital city.

UNBSU Campus Events and The Capital Complex will co-present two concerts at the iconic Fredericton Boyce Farmers’ Market in the winter of 2019. These concerts will feature Canadian and East Coast talent.

This is the first time in recent history that the UNB Student Union is partnering with an external organization to co-present large-scale events.

“The UNB Student Union’s 2018-19 executive team has made it a priority to transform the student experience at UNB,” said Kristian D’Amore, UNBSU’s Director of Campus Events. “My job is to create unique and memorable experiences for UNB students all year long, with this partnership being a major part of the puzzle.”

In September 2018, UNBSU Campus Events organized a sold-out Welcome Back: MUSIC FEST in the Student Union Building to kick-off the academic year. 750+ UNB and STU students jammed out to JUNO Award winner Kardinal Offishall and “Dancing Kizomba’s” smash hit artist Alx Veliz.

“We are committed to enhancing the entire experience for UNB students, creating memories aimed at impacting the greatest percentage our student body,” concluded D’Amore.

The Capital Complex has built a reputation for fantastic music and entertainment in the city.

“We are excited about the talent that will be coming in! They are established Canadian musicians that will appeal to a wide range of demographics,” said Zach Atkinson, General Manager of The Capital Complex. “These events are about bringing the entire Fredericton community together; we are excited to deliver them in partnership with the UNBSU Campus Events.”

The concerts will be 19+ and open to the public, with student tickets being half-priced. Both Atkinson and D’Amore promised that the events will be more than just music, re-emphasizing the ambiance and community feel offered by one of Fredericton’s most unique venues (The Fredericton Boyce Farmers’ Market).

Our first of two announcements will be coming Wednesday, December 5th. Stay tuned on social media for details.

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About UNBSU Campus Events
UNBSU Campus Events is a new events brand - created by the UNB Student Union - with mission to maximize the student experience far beyond the classroom. Uniting our strong, vibrant UNB community is at the core of everything we do.

About The Capital Complex
The Capital Bar has been Fredericton’s small but mighty premier venue for 20 years. Named in the Top 10 during CBC’s Searchlight for “Venue of the Year 2009”, The Capital’s main goal is live music: local, national and international. We eat, sleep, breathe music. Period.

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Media Contacts:

Kristian D’Amore
Director of Campus Events
UNB Student Union
events@unbsu.ca

Zach Atkinson
General Manager
The Capital Complex
atkinson.zach@gmail.com