Your REC December and January Report
Hello MRU students,
We hope your semester is going well, and that you are keeping up with your classwork. Throughout the final weeks of 2023 and into the new year, your Representation Executive Council (REC) continues to work hard at advocating for changes and improvements in and around campus that matter most to you, our members!
REC is comprised of four MRU students just like you who were elected by MRU’s student body and hired by the Student Governing Board (SBG) to represent student issues to MRU and all levels of government.
This year’s REC team is:
- REC President Joseph Nguyen (he/him)
- REC Vice-President Academic Tala Abu Hayyaneh (she/her)
- REC Vice-President External Prabhjit Grewal (they/them)
- REC Vice-President Student Affairs Anisa Tilston (she/they)
Keep reading to hear what your team has been up to during the months of December and January!
Student Connect
One of the highlights of the past two months was the recent Student Connect event hosted by REC VP External Prabhjit, where 14 politicians from the municipal, provincial, and federal governments across the country gathered in SAMRU Council Chambers. This provided students with a unique opportunity to network with politicians from every level of government and across the political spectrum. Notable attendees included Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, offering students an invaluable chance to engage directly with decision-makers.
For more photos, check out the Student Connect 2024 album on SAMRU’s Facebook.
CAUS Counterparts
REC hosted the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) this month for the CAUS Counterparts conference. At this conference, student representatives from other student associations across Alberta came together to strategize portfolio-specific advocacy pathways, share advocacy wins for inspiration and underwent professional development training.
Tabling MRU Connections Expo and Clubs Expo
You may have seen the REC team on Mainstreet in January while tabling at the MRU Connections Expo and the SAMRU Clubs Expo. The team was busy promoting the upcoming Student Connect event and chatting with students about what matters to them. Keep an eye out for members of the REC around campus this month, like REC VP Academic Tala, who will be seeking feedback from students about the Student Perception of Teaching surveys.
UPass Advocacy
SAMRU REC President Joseph has been actively advocating for improvements to the UPass. He pushed for SAMRU to be involved as equal partners in the development of a low-income transit pass survey. This survey aims to understand how many students would qualify for the low-income transit pass to inform U-Pass advocacy moving forward.
This survey is expected to occur in September 2024. Joseph has advocated that the survey should focus exclusively on two key areas: qualifications for low-income passes and ridership data. By advocating for these changes, SAMRU is working to make transportation more accessible for all students.
MRU Ignite (Formerly student leadership conference)
Tala helped to build connections between two student events this month. After speaking about her time as a student representative at the MRU Ignite event, she invited the students in attendance to join the SAMRU Student Connect event. This collaboration not only enhanced student engagement but also fostered a sense of community among students.
MLA Meetings
REC has also been actively engaging with local politicians to advocate for student needs. The REC team met with NDP MLAs Samir Kayande and Janet Eremenko this month to discuss important issues such as increased mental health funding, making Open Educational Resources (OER) more accessible, and affordable housing funding. By engaging with policymakers, your student representatives are fighting for resources that directly benefit students.
REC at the Crowchild Classic
The REC team was cheering on the MRU Cougars at the annual Crowchild Classic as both our men’s and women’s hockey teams went head-to-head with the UofC Dinos. They even ran into a few familiar faces in the stands, where they networked with MRU board members, MLAs, alumni, and even Mayor Jyoti Gondek!
Thanks for reading!
Your REC members have been employed in their respective roles full-time for over a year, which means every day is full of advocacy and representation happening behind the scenes, dedicated to improving your student experience at MRU. You can visit this link to learn more about your student representatives this year, view updated position descriptions of each member of REC, view their position statements and advocacy priorities, and even learn how YOU could potentially become an elected student representative!
Keep your eyes open for updates, statements, and more on these and other upcoming initiatives on social media by following @samrurec on X (formerly Twitter). If you have questions, don’t hesitate to email your representatives at representation@samru.ca.
