Check out our committee schedule and a description of what committees are. These are all open committees, so you can just pop on in!
We have board meetings two Mondays a month at 6pm, which are live streamed via our Facebook page. You can see past minutes and upcoming agendas, too.
We’re looking for many awesome volunteers throughout the year, and especially at the beginning of the term!
June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day on Turtle Island. National Indigenous Peoples Day acknowledges the resilience of Indigenous communities and culture despite ongoing cis-hetero-patriarchal colonialism that strives to uphold systems of oppression through genocide, racism, land dispossession efforts and more. Their celebration is a form of resistance for the self determination that Indigenous communities demonstrate in preserving their diverse culture that North America continuously infringes on.
Reconciliation is not just reflection but it requires meaningful action in the ways of being, knowing, and doing as we continue to exist on Indigenous lands. It is encouraged that students who are settlers recognize and reflect on their privilege to live and learn on the unceded, unsurrendered territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. Notably, those of us who are settlers living on these lands have a responsibility to understand that our continued presence on stolen lands showcases that the structure of colonialism continues to this day; colonialism is ongoing, not simply an event of the past (Tuck & Yang 2012).
The month of June commemorates Pride and is a time of celebration and reflection. Pride was born out of a series of riots, The Stonewall riots, which were championed by the most marginalized within the LGBTQ community — specifically Black and Brown trans women. The Stonewall riots began at the end of June 1989 after the police in New York City raided the Stonewall Inn, a prominent gay bar. Queer people came together to fight against state-ordered persecution for people who expressed homosexuality. However, these riots were not an isolated case. Anti-LGBTQ hate was all too common throughout the 1960’s and onward, often taking the form of violence, harassment and discrimination (especially medical discrimination). The riots began what today is known as Pride by forming community, allyship and love within the Queer community.
In recent months, there has been a notable rise in student protests across North America, including on campus encampments, advocating for university administrations to engage in humanitarian and ethical divestment– particularly around their university’s investments in Israel, which they see as contributing to an ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.
The UVSS remains committed to fostering a safe and inclusive campus environment and stands firmly against all forms of discrimination, including Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Anti-Palestinian racism. We acknowledge both the protesters and those affected by the protest and recognize the importance of addressing the concerns of our diverse membership. To assist students affected by ongoing events, we have compiled a list of resources, which can be accessed here.
Undergrad students who are members of the UVSS and are registered in at least 3 units of on-campus classes in September or January including co-op or distance students are automatically covered by the UVSS Enhanced Health & Dental Plan.
UVSS Members now have access to a flexible benefit model that offers students two different coverage options, the Enhanced Plan (higher coverage at higher cost) and the Basic Plan (lower coverage at lower cost).
Choose your coverage plan , mix and match portions of both, or opt out during the Change-of-Coverage Period each year.
See studentcare.ca for more info.