Committee for Safe Student Drinking

Tonight the DSU Council had its first meeting of the new year. One of Dalhousie's medical students did a presentation to council on a proposed committee for safe student drinking.

The Committee for Safe Student Drinking is a multi-institutional, interfaculty student group created to address the concerns surrounding post-secondary student drinking in Halifax. Specifically the committee will:

1) Collect all relevant research and perform an environmental scan of the post-secondary student population in the HRM, regarding areas of primary concern related to student drinking.

2) Develop a list of discrete solutions to propose to municipal and provincial governments as well as university administrations.

3) Advocate for the implementation of the proposed solutions by the appropriate bodies.

At any time, the committee may add to these specific tasks. Although the committee was initially sanctioned by the Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society, we aim to have at least one student representative from the following organizations: Halifax Student Alliance, Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association, MSVU Students’ Union, NSCC Students Association, Student Union of NSCAS, King’s Students’ Union, Dalhousie Health Science Students’ Association, Dalhousie Law Students’ Society, and Dalhousie Student Union. The committee is open to any student attending a post-secondary institution in the HRM, even is their student organization was not mentioned in the preceding list. The committee also will have advisory representatives from Doctors Nova Scotia, local law enforcement, the Atlantic Institute of Criminology, and the HRM regional council.

Given the large size of this group, the committee will communicate mostly over email. Small sub-committees will be set-up to complete specific tasks that require meeting in person (e.g. research collection, municipal lobbying, etc). The minimum responsibilities of committee members will be reviewing the compiled research and solution document, and acting as a communication channel with the student organization that they represent.

At the next DSU council meeting - January 21st 6:30pm in Council Chambers - we will be voting on the following motion:

BIRT Dalhousie Student Union Council expresses its support of the Committee for Safe Student Drinking's objectives and affirms its activities to promote safe student drinking amongst the Dalhousie community and in the greater Halifax student community.

Students Call for Strategic Investments in the 2009 Federal Budget

Education also was a focus at the national level today. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) has been working on their pre-budget submission to advocate to government and it was released today. The following is their press release:

Ottawa, ON – With the 2009 federal budget only three weeks away students across Canada are demanding that the federal government make funding for education, knowledge and innovation a priority for the year ahead.

The economic downturn is leaving a significant impression on Canada’s post-secondary institutions – CASA believes that endowments that universities rely on for scholarships and bursaries have, on average, lost between 12% and 15% nationally. These short term losses are dramatic but do not compare to the potential reduction in revenues a recession will impose on the provinces’ ability to sustain spending for post-secondary education.

Without government intervention, these and other shortfalls in operating capital must be made up by the institutions themselves, typically through curtailing class offerings, freezes in hiring, and downloading of higher tuition and ancillary fees to students.

Moreover, Canadian families are now finding themselves face-to-face with layoffs, pay freezes, decreased value of homes, loss of businesses, declining savings and so forth. Confronted by these issues, many students will find themselves suddenly without the necessary resources to pursue higher education during this year, and into the next.

“The current economic uncertainty has created new, unexpected demands upon both post-secondary institutions and students,” said Zach Churchill, National Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. “As a result, the Canadian post-secondary education system is expected to take a crippling hit if the federal government does not invest in higher education.”

On behalf of its 300,000 members, the CASA is recommending that the following actions be taken as a part of the 2009 federal budget. CASA believes that if adopted, these actions will produce reinforcing effects of stimulating the economy, while easing the burden that Canadian education institutions and their students face given the current economic circumstances.

1. Invest $1.5 billion in Accumulated Deferred Maintenance (ADM) at post-secondary institutions across the country

2. Provide a one-time, earmarked transfer to the provinces for PSE to offset freezes or claw-backs in provincial PSE funding

3. Provide temporary targeted grants to counterbalance the difficulties students and their families may face in finding the means to afford post-secondary education

4. Extend the Interest Relief period for Canada Student Loans from the current 6 months, to 9 months.

“If adopted, these actions will produce reinforcing effects of stimulating the economy, in addition to reinforcing the federal government’s strong commitment to building a knowledge advantage for Canada,” concluded Churchill.

ANSSA Welcomes Minister Streatch

Today the NS Government announced some changes to ministers. One of the changes was for the Minister of Education. Judy Streatch will be replacing Karen Casey in this position.

The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA) released the following today:

The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA), representing over 75% of students in Nova Scotia, looks forward to working with newly appointed Education Minister Judy Streatch.

Last year, the Government committed to reducing tuition to the national average by 2010. ANSSA looks forward to seeing this goal through to fruition with Minister Streatch. Nova Scotia is host to eleven universities and thirteen community colleges which boast high quality and innovative practices in education. “Investing in our resources requires a long term commitment on behalf of our governments. An integral aspect of this investment involves a commitment to reduce tuition fees in Nova Scotia to the national average by 2010-2011,” says Matt Risser ANSSA President.

In the wake of economic uncertainly, it is imperative that post-secondary education remain a high government priority. “Census data tells us that an aging population will soon leave Nova Scotia without a viable workforce.” says Matt Risser, ANSSA President. In an effort to curb this trend, the government must actively work to lessen the burden on students and create financial incentives for them to remain within the province.

Education is a critical piece of the 'provincial prosperity' puzzle. Investment in education is an investment in Nova Scotia's political, social, and economic capital. “As a former educator, we are confident that Minister Streatch understands the value of an accessible, affordable, and high quality post-secondary education” says Kelly Wilson, ANSSA Executive Director.

ANSSA also wishes to thank and congratulate former Education Minister Karen Casey on a productive and successful term. Throughout the last two years ANSSA has been impressed with the government's record on post-secondary education, including the implementation of a tuition freeze and reduction, the introduction of grants, and several positive changes to the student financial aid system. We wish her the best of luck in her new portfolio.

First Day Back!

Welcome back to Dalhousie everyone!

Today was the first official day of work for the DSU executive and full time staff for the 2009 year.

This semester is jam packed with events happening every week.

On Wednesday January 7th, in Council Chambers (second floor of the Student Union Building) we have our first council meeting of the new year. For all of the agenda items please visit our council documents webpage

Council meetings are open and I strongly encourage you to attend them - this is where 40 student representatives come together to govern the union. There is also the opportunity to ask councilors questions and to have your ideas for how to make a better and stronger union heard.