A SNAPSHOT OF ADVOCACY AT THE DALHOUSIE STUDENT UNION

Introduction

Over the past several years, the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) executive and council have been

looking at the value and importance of the DSUs advocacy efforts. Significant student-led initiatives on a

diverse set of issues including funding cuts, tuition fees, divestment from fossil fuels, LGBTQ issues,

sexual assault and rape on campus, access to student services, and international student tuition fees

have been undertaken by students, but are largely forgotten in discussions on advocacy.

Last year, there was a process and a committee struck to review the student unions membership in the

Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and Students Nova Scotia. Many councillors raised concerns

with this process. The alternative was another committee struck to look into these issues. Unfortunately,

the committee Chair resigned and struggles to organize meetings in the absence of a chair created

challenges to having the committee meet. The Academic and External committee has also faced

challenges in getting quorum and work on reviewing advocacy has also taken a back seat to pressing

issues that have come up within the university. This may be, in part, because those who are most

passionate about defending student rights and advocating for student interests are busy with the day to

day, ongoing work of those tasks, limiting the time they have for this type of committee work.

Under these circumstances, the purpose of this report is not to set out a series of recommendations for

moving forward, but instead to provide information to DSU Councillors and the broader membership

about provincial and federal advocacy groups and the advocacy work undertaken by different elements of

the DSU and the campus community. Hopefully, this will help inform how the DSU should move forward

with advocating in the interest of students.

In general, the DSU has not had a structure at the level of Council or the broader membership to

determine advocacy goals in a given year. This can make it difficult to assess how the student union is

doing in the area of advocacy. But this report is based on the assumption that, ideally, the advocacy goals

of the student union are guided by the interests and ideas of the membership. As such, this report

outlines several examples of the work that has already been undertaken by students at Dal.

Advocacy: External Organizations

Over its history, the DSU has held memberships in a variety of student organizations at the provincial and

national level. In general, involvement in these organizations is limited to Executives, some interested

Councillors and interested members who volunteer on committees.

To keep things brief and relevant, only organizations that are formally constituted and continue to exist

are included here. For example, the DSU was a member of an organization called the Halifax Student

Alliance that is now defunct and has participated in informal conferences bringing together student unions

representing graduate students at the U15, but a full explanation of these is not included here. Instead,

they are listed below.

Snapshot of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations

The DSU was a member of CASA from 1995 until 2014.

Membership dues: In 2013-14, the DSU was an Associate Member of CASA and paid $21,873.

This is approximately half of what full membership costs would be.

Membership:1

CASA represents 22 student associations:

Acadia Students Union

Athabasca University Graduate Students Association

Brock University Students Union

Fdration des tudiantes et des tudiants du Centre universitaire de Moncton

Graduate Student Association, University of Waterloo

Graduate Student Society of UBC Vancouver

McMaster Students Union

Mount Allison Students Union

River College Students Association

Saint Marys University Students Association

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Students Association

St. Francis Xavier University Students Union

St. Thomas University Students Union

Students Association of Mount Royal University

University of Alberta Students Union

University of Calgary Students Union

University of Lethbridge Students Union

University of New Brunswick Students Representative Council (Saint John)

University of New Brunswick Students Union (Fredericton)

University of Prince Edward Island Student Union

University of the Fraser Valley Student Union Society

University of Western Ontario Students Council

Approach:

CASA defines its approach on its website as follows:

Government decisions affect your education. The Canadian Alliance of Student

Associations is a student-driven organization dedicated to advocacy on post-secondary

issues. CASAs objective is a post-secondary system that is accessible, affordable, and

of the highest quality. Our public affairs strategy is simple; we tell the student story to

government.

Representatives of CASA regularly meet with federal politicians, civil servants, and

ministerial and political party staff. All of these individuals have a role to play in the

decision-making process. In November, Parliament Hill will be the host to representatives

from twenty-four student associations at our annual Advocacy Conference.

In the past, participants in this conference have met with the Prime Minister and other

party leaders, as well as influential cabinet ministers and senators. Putting your elected

student leaders in front of federal officials helps CASA develop a grassroots context for

our advocacy, helping students across Canada.2

Current Priorities:

CASA lists the following policy priorities on its website:3

1 List accessed here: http://casa-acae.com/about/our-members/ 2 Source: http://casa-acae.com/policy-and-advocacy/our-approach/ 3 Source: http://casa-acae.com/policy-and-advocacy/current-priorities/

CASA recommends the federal government eliminate the Canada Student Loans

Program in-study income assessment.

CASA recommends the federal government to increase the value of grant dispersals by

25%.

CASA recommends the federal government make graduate and doctoral students eligible

for the Canada Student Grants Program.

CASA recommends the federal government remove the 2% funding cap on Post-

Secondary Student Support Program and fully funding the program backlog.

CASA recommends that the federal government renew the Mental Health Commission of

Canadas mandate for another ten years (2015-2025), ensuring a focus on students and

youth.

CASA recommends that the federal government, through the MHCC, actively pursue

campaigns on university, college and polytechnic campuses across the country, aimed at

decreasing the stigma associated with individuals suffering from mental health issues, by

allotting the MHCC a dedicated funding stream in the amount of no less than $4.5 million

per year for the remainder of their mandate.

CASA recommends the federal government adopt the recommendations of the Advisory

Panel on Labour Market Information and invest in establishing a new set of LMI

measurements.

CASA recommends that the federal government provide funding for the indirect costs of

research at an average rate of 40% of the value of direct research costs by using the

following formula of funding:

1st bracket of $100,000: 80%

2nd bracket of $900,000: 50%

Balance: 37%

Snapshot of Students Nova Scotia

The DSU joined the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (now called Students Nova

Scotia) in 2004 and remains a member. The DSU did vote to leave in February 2014, but then

voted to re-join in March 2014.

Membership dues: Membership fees for Students Nova Scotia for 2014-15 are $5.77 per full-

time student and $3.44 per part-time student for Full Members and $2.74 per full-time student and

$1.63 per part-time student for Associate Members. These fees increase by the rate of increase

to the Canadian Price Index (CPI) each year. The DSU funds this fee partly from its operating

fundings and partly through an annual levy of $3.00 per full-time student and $2.00 per part-time

student collected for this purpose.

In total, the DSU spent $$95,647.01 on Students Nova Scotia Membership fees in 2013-14.

Membership: Students Nova Scotia represents seven student associations in Nova Scotia, including the DSU:4

Acadia Students Union

Atlantic School of Theology Student Union

Cape Breton University Students Union

Dalhousie Student Union

Kingstec Campus Nova Scotia Community College Student Association

Saint Marys University Students Association

Saint Francis Xavier University Students Union=

4 Source: http://studentsns.ca/about/members/

Approach:

In its vision and mission document, SNS outlines that the organization will undertake the following

approaches in pursuit of its mission:5

conduct research to identify issues affecting the accessibility, affordability, accountability

and quality of post-secondary education in Nova Scotia;

develop credible and constructive policy to address these challenges;

communicate research and policy to both educate and affect the opinions of

stakeholders, Nova Scotians and government;

lobby the government to affect their post-secondary education policy;

organize campaigns to effectively articulate the needs and interests of our members; and

build partnerships to accomplish our vision.

SNS also has the following guiding principles:6

Accountability and Transparency Students Nova Scotia strives to be transparent at all

times with respect to its decision-making and finances, reporting publicly on meeting

minutes, budgets, planning and activities to the greatest extent possible and upholding

norms of financial management.

Balanced Representation To ensure balanced representation of our students, each

member student-body has one vote. Each member may bring a primary and secondary

representative to the Students Nova Scotia Board of Directors, in addition to two other

representatives with sponsored speaking rights.

Consistency In its own activities, Students Nova Scotia strives to uphold the values that

it espouses to other entities including political officials, government agencies and post-

secondary institutions, such as honesty, integrity, openness, cooperation, democracy,

responsible financial management, long-term vision, and humility.

Decision-Making by Consensus While the Students Nova Scotia Board of Directors

employs Roberts Rules of Order, we strive to make decisions by consensus to the

greatest degree possible.

Evidence-Driven Students Nova Scotia will strive to ensure its policy positions and

activities work towards achieving the organizations Vision based on the best evidence

available.

Member-Driven Students decide on the organisations direction, priorities and policy

positions.

Non-partisan Students Nova Scotia has no particular affiliation with any political party or

individual politician.

Respect for the Autonomy of Individual Student Associations Members retain autonomy

over their own internal affairs, including priorities, policy and public messaging. Members

are allowed to join and leave the organisation with the greatest ease possible based on

their own processes of democratic decision-making.

Results-Oriented Students Nova Scotia strives to measure its success by its results.

Solution-Oriented Students Nova Scotia strives at all time to not only identify issues

with the achievement of its vision, but also to propose concrete steps to address these

issues.

Current Priorities:

5 Source: http://studentsns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/1-Vision-Values-Mission-Principles-2014-06-18-BoD.pdf 6 Source: http://studentsns.ca/about/governance/

Based on their current annual plan, Students Nova Scotia is focused on the following goals, with

some including priority policy areas:7

Strengthen Student and Youth Leadership

Improve Post-Secondary Education

Students are included as a full partner in the University-Government

Memorandum of Understanding Negotiations.

The Province develops a comprehensive strategy to eliminate socioeconomic

barriers to post-secondary education.

The Province develops an international education strategy that prioritizes

language skills development, funding for international student services and

strengthened quality assurance.

The Province improves university accountability and stability, notably by

improving the University Funding Distribution Formula and requiring standardized

financial reporting.

The Province increases university operating grants at the rate of nominal GDP

growth (estimated at 4.1% in 2015 and 4.7% in 2016 and 2017).

The Province introduces regulations around ancillary fees requiring approval by

the student body, delineating what goods and services may be funded through

ancillary fees and requiring periodic review or pre-defined term limits.

The Province invests to improve the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Program by

making more funding available to students, converting all loans to grants and

improving its appeals mechanisms.

The Province regulates tuition fees for all students, freezing domestic tuition at

0% growth and international student tuition at the rate of inflation.

The Province reinvests the value of the Graduate Retention Rebate, Tuition and

Education Tax Credit and Student Loan Interest Tax Credit to other supports for

students and youth.

Support Student Wellness

All post-secondary institutions in Nova Scotia formally address accommodations

and the rights of students with disabilities within their anti-discrimination policy,

notably providing a formal appeals process for students who are denied

accommodations

Campus health facilities consider experience in multicultural environments when

hiring counselors.

Campus housing services integrate off-campus and on-campus services and are

evaluated by the MPHEC.

Service Nova Scotia requires that landlords file an explanation when they

increase rent beyond the rate of inflation and keeps public records of rental

properties histories.

The Province creates a special grant for post-secondary institutions to improve

Disability Services systems or frameworks

The Province covers the full up-front cost of psycho-educational assessments

The Province provides international students with MSI coverage immediately

when they begin their studies.

Promote Youth Economic Success

Post-secondary disability services should better support students with disabilities

transition into the workforce.

7 Source: http://studentsns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-15-Annual-Plan-Final.pdf

The Province and post-secondary institutions ensure that all students

participating in unpaid experiential learning experiences through Nova Scotia

post-secondary institutions are eligible for student assistance.

The Province and post-secondary institutions support international student

immigration by improving career and immigration counseling on and off-campus,

supporting cooperative education and educating Nova Scotia employers about

the importance of hiring international students, graduates and other immigrants.

The Province continues to tie the Minimum Wage to the Low-Income Cut-Off.

The Province reinvests the value of the Graduate Retention Rebate, Tuition and

Education

Tax Credit and Student Loan Interest Tax Credit to other supports for students

and youth.

The Province should attach specific provisions for the hiring of students, youth

and recent graduates to all investments and/or loans made with private

businesses.

The Province should ensure all new or expanded youth hiring incentive programs

ensure new incremental youth job creation.

The Province should immediately develop and implement a comprehensive youth

attraction and retention strategy, supported by a comprehensive qualitative study

of interprovincial migrants.

The Province should create a single online portal for youth seeking government-

funded services.

The Province should index wages to inflation for those employed through its

wage subsidy programs relative to the years each program was introduced.

The Province should provide additional funding to post-secondary institutions to

expand student career and employment-related services and programs.

Improve Organizational Operations

In working towards these goals, Students Nova Scotia has identified these strategies:8

Conduct Effective Government Relations

Improve Representation

Strengthen Policy and Research

Conduct Impactful Campaigns and Communications

Expand Partnerships

Maintain Strong Governance and Operations

SNS sometimes undertakes other campaign issues including:

Mend the Gap - a campaign about promoting the participation of women in student

unions.

More than Yes - a campaign on consent.

Students Speak Out - a video campaign about youth issues.

The progress on Students Nova Scotias goals are included in the attached quarterly update.9

Snapshot of the Canadian Federation of Students

The DSU was a member of the Canadian Federation of Students from 1981 to 1994 or 1995.

Membership dues: Students pay and individual membership levy of $4.38 per semester to the

Canadian Federation of Students Nova Scotia and $4.38 per semester to the Canadian

8 Source: http://studentsns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-15-Annual-Plan-Final.pdf 9 Quarterly reports are also available here: http://studentsns.ca/impact/quarterly-reports/

Federation of Students (National). These fees increase by the rate of increase to the Canadian

Price Index (CPI) each year.

Membership:10 The CFS represents about 80 students unions across Canada, including five in Nova Scotia:

Local 03: University of British Columbia Students Union-Okanagan

Local 75: Camosun College Student Society

Local 73: Students Union of Vancouver Community College

Local 18: Douglas Students Union

Local 33: Emily Carr Students Union

Local 26: Kwantlen Student Association

Local 61: Vancouver Island University Students Union

Local 13: College of New Caledonia Students Union

Local 72: North Island Students Union

Local 66: Northwest Community College Students Union

Local 53: Okanagan College Students Union

Local 86: College of the Rockies Students Union

Local 04: Selkirk College Students Union

Local 15: Thompson Rivers University Students Union

Local 42: Alberta College of Art and Design Students Association

Local 21: Graduate Students Association of the University of Calgary

Local 90: First Nations University of Canada Students Association

Local 09: University of Regina Students Union

Local 101: University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students Association

Local 17: University of Saskatchewan Students Union

Local 37: Brandon University Students Union

Local 96: University of Manitoba Graduate Students Association

Local 103: University of Manitoba Students Union

Local 38: Association Etudiante de lUniversit de Saint-Boniface

Local 08: University of Winnipeg Students Association

Local 82: Algoma University Students Union

Local 112 : Association gnrale des tudiantes et tudiants du Collge Boral

Local 102: Brock University Graduate Students Association

Local 78: Carleton University Graduate Students Association

Local 01: Carleton University Students Association

Local 107: Association tudiante de La Cit collegiale

Local 92: Student Association of George Brown College

Local 93: Glendon College Students Union / Lassociation des tudiantes et tudiants du collge Glendon

Local 54: University of Guelph Central Student Association

Local 62: University of Guelph Graduate Students Association

Local 32: Lakehead University Student Union

Local 111: Laurentian Students Union

Local 30: Laurentian University Students General Association

Local 110: Laurentian University Graduate Students Association

Local 88: Association des tudiantes et tudiants francophones de lUniversit Laurentienne

Local 104: Laurentian Association of Mature and Part-time Students

Local 39: Graduate Students Association of McMaster University

Local 20: Nipissing University Student Union

Local 25: Ontario College of Art and Design Student Union

Local 41: Student Federation of the University of Ottawa

Local 94: University of Ottawa Graduate Students Association des tudiant(e)s diplm(e)s de lUniversit

dOttawa

Local 27: Queens University Society of Graduate and Professional Students

Local 105: Continuing Education Students Association of Ryerson

Local 24: Ryerson Students Union

Local 85: Saint Paul University Students Association

Local 99: Scarborough Campus Students Union

Local 19: University of Toronto Graduate Students Union

Local 97: Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students of the University of Toronto

10 Source: http://cfs-fcee.ca/about/members-students-unions-2/

Local 98: University of Toronto Students Union

Local 109: University of Toronto at Mississauga Students Union

Local 71: Trent Central Student Association

Local 47: University of Western Ontario Society of Graduate Students

Local 56: Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students Association

Local 48: University of Windsor Graduate Student Society

Local 106: University of Windsor Organization of Part-time University Students

Local 49: University of Windsor Students Alliance

Local 68: York Federation of Students

Local 84: York University Graduate Students Association

Local 91: Concordia Student Union

Local 83: Concordia Graduate Students Association

Local 108: Dawson Student Union

Local 79: Post-Graduate Students Society of McGill University

Local 67: University of New Brunswick Graduate Students Association

Local 63: Holland College Student Union

Local 70: University of Prince Edward Island Graduate Student Association

Local 31: University of Prince Edward Island Student Union

Local 95: Cape Breton University Students Union

Local 11: University of Kings Students Union

Local 34: Mount Saint Vincent University Students Union

Local 07: Student Union of NSCAD University

Local 69: Association gnrale des tudiants de lUniversit Sainte-Anne

Local 36: Grenfell College Student Union

Local 45: Marine Institute Students Union

Local 100: Graduate Students Union of the Memorial University of Newfoundland

Local 35: Memorial University of Newfoundland Students Union

Local 46: College of the North Atlantic Students Union

Approach:

The CFS describes their approach as follows on their website:11

Research

Thorough, accurate and in-depth research is required to justify any proposal presented to

government. The Canadian Federation of Students employs full-time researchers across

Canada who study and prepare analyses of government policies and trends within post-

secondary education, and develop alternatives to government policy. The Federations

work on discrediting the 10-year prohibition on student loan bankruptcies is recognised

as having set the standard for research on the issue.

Lobbying

The primary purpose of the Federation is to represent students issues and concerns to

government. Regular contact with elected and non-elected officials and bureaucrats is

how the Canadian Federation of Students message is conveyed to government.

In Canada, most post-secondary education financing is provided by the federal

government but is administered exclusively at the provincial level. Government policies

and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in

Canada. Thus, the Federation employs a government relations strategy that addresses

both federal and provincial representatives.

Over the years, the Federation has become a strong presence on Parliament Hill and in

provincial legislatures across Canada. Federation representatives meet regularly with

federal MPs, other government officials and representatives from all political parties in

Ottawa and at the provincial level. In addition, the Federation is frequently invited to make

presentations to government committees and task forces.

Action

11 Source: http://cfs-fcee.ca/about/strategic_approach/

Of course, regular meetings with government and the very best research will have little

impact unless the government believes a message has widespread support. The

Federation demonstrates this support through the active participation of its members and

the general public in activities ranging from petition drives to mass mobilisations. These

campaigns raise public awareness of the issues, and correspondingly affect the decisions

and policies of government.

Current Priorities:

Provincially, the CFS lists the following policy priorities in its most recent pre-budget

submission:12

Convert all student loans in Nova Scotia to needs-based grants.

Reduce tuition fees to 2011 levels.

Introduce legislation regulating how universities can define and set amounts for ancillary

and auxiliary fees.

Regulate fees for medicine, dentistry and law programs in Nova Scotia.

Regulate fees for international students.

Increase university funding to match the per student national average over the next three

years.

Provide Medical Services Insurance to international students upon their arrival.

Eliminate the inexperienced minimum wage rate and monitor the use of unpaid

internships in Nova Scotia.

Federally, the CFS lists the following policy priorities in its most recent position paper Public

Education for the Public Good:13

Prioritise alleviating the education-related debt burdening Canadians and encourage an

economically competitive work force by:

increasing the value and number of non-repayable grants available to students

by redirecting funds allocated to education-related tax credits and savings

schemes to the Canada Student Grants Program;

removing the funding cap on increases to the Post-Secondary Student Support

Program and ensure that every eligible First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis learner is

provided funding; and

protecting the investments made in Canadas post-secondary education system

by implementing a federal Post-Secondary Education Act in cooperation with the

provinces, modeled after the Canada Health Act, accompanied by a dedicated

cash transfer.

Remove targeted research funding earmarks within the granting councils and award

research funding based on academic merit determined through a peer review process.

Increase the number of Canada Graduate Scholarships to be consistent with average

program growth and distribute them proportionally among the research councils

according to enrolment figures.

Double the annual investment in the Youth Employment Strategy to ensure program

effectiveness and develop a strategy, modeled after the German Dual System of

Vocational Education to increase the employment and training opportunities for Canadas

youth.

The CFS also undertakes campaigns on social issues impacting youth and students. Some of

their recent work includes:

12 Source: http://cfs-ns.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2015/02/2015-02-17_PreBudgetSubmission.pdf 13 Source: http://cfs-fcee.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/11/CFSFCEE-PublicEducation-2014-En.pdf

Let People Vote - a campaign against the Fair Elections Act, which could limit access to

voting for youth and students.

Fair Copyright - a campaign supporting expanding fair dealing and access to copyrighted

material.

No Means No - a campaign against rape.

Wheres the Justice? - a campaign about indigenous rights, including raising awareness

about missing and murdered indigenous women.

United for Equity - a campaign addressing oppression on campuses.

Fossil Free Canada - a campaign in support of colleges and universities divesting from

Fossil Fuels.

End the Ban - a campaign against the ban on gay men donating blood.

Back the Tap - a campaign to promote campuses becoming bottle water free.

Mental Health Matters - a campaign to improve mental health services on campus.

Other Organizations:

Here are some of the other organizations related to advocacy that the DSU has been involved with in the

past or is involved with in an informal way:

Halifax Student Alliance (defunct)

Students Unions of Nova Scotia (defunct)

U15 Graduate Student Associations (informally constructed)

Nova Scotia Post-Secondary Education Coalition (coalition of student, staff, and faculty

organizations)

Independent Advocacy at Dalhousie

At the same time as the DSU has been a member of external organizations, individual students, groups of

students, societies, and the DSU broadly have undertaken initiatives independently to advocate on behalf

of students or to raise awareness about various issues impacting students. Below is a non-

comprehensive list of advocacy work undertaken by DSU Executives, DSU Councillors, faculty societies,

referendum-mandated societies, and other stakeholders that work within the DSU.

Independent Lobbying/Government Relations

For the past several years, most of the interaction between student unions and the provincial government

has been done through student-government roundtables where each student union and both provincial

advocacy organizations are able to bring representatives. Any group around the table can present and

everyone is permitted time to discuss our concerns or ideas about ongoing issues. Usually, the Minister of

Labour and Advanced Education is present for the beginning portion of this meeting and the remainder of

the meeting is with high level bureaucrats in the department. The DSU prepares for these meetings

independently and all student unions, regardless of their membership in a provincial advocacy

organization are invited to attend.

The size and significance of the DSU provides our union some additional opportunities not necessarily

available to other student unions. Over the past several months, we have also been able to independently

secure meetings with many important government officials including Deputy Minister of Labour and

Advanced Education Duff Montgomerie, Progressive Conservative Critic for Advanced Education Pat

Dunn, New Democratic Party Critic for Advanced Education and Leader of the Opposition Maureen

MacDonald, Minister of the Public Service Commission and Minister of Internal Services Labi Kousoulis,

and HRM Councillor for Halifax South Waye Mason. In these meetings, the DSU has been given the

opportunity to have time to focus on the concerns of students at Dalhousie, which have overall been well

received by decision-makers.

The DSU has also been able to independently secure meetings in the past with the Minister of Labour

and Advanced Education and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Awareness Campaigns and Advocacy

Some of the issues that impact students on a day to day basis will likely not have short-term solutions that

can necessarily fit into the schematic outlined below. For example, the student union has partnered with a

number of groups in the past to provide students with training on their rights in housing, at work, or when

demonstrating. These trainings provide tools for students to advocate for themselves and resources that

can help them if their rights are being violated. Similarly, the student union has produced materials to

raise awareness about oppression and discrimination on campus, to work on making the student union a

safer place for members.

Some examples of this type of work include:

The DSU has hosted Know Your Rights workshops to teach students about their rights in

housing, employment and when protesting.

The DSU Equity and Accessibility Office organized a Take Back the Campus rally to address

sexual violence and gender-based violence in the tradition of take back the night marches that

happen worldwide.

The DSU produced buttons and leaflets to distribute during Halifax Pride and throughout the year

with the slogans Queer issues are student issues and Trans issues are student issues.

Based on the success of these materials, additional materials in the series were produced

covering issues including racism, colonialism, housing, and misogyny. Leaflets to accompany

these materials are also being worked on.

The DSU Equity and Accessibility Office has partnered with many societies in the Unlearn

series to draw attention to a broad range of issues including Islamophobia, stigma around mental

health, and rape culture.

More work like this is also being identified by members including the need for discussions on the

intersections of racism and misogyny within the university and more work on acknowledging the ongoing

role of colonialism in the university.

Dal Students United Against Fee Hikes

Since 2011, tuition fees have been permitted to increase across all programs. Currently, tuition fees can

increase by 3 per cent for most students, but tuition fee increases are completely uncontrolled for

professional programs and international students.

Stakeholders involved

Much of the work undertaken by Dal Students United Against Fee Hikes was done by a

number of members from a cross-section of faculties, including several DSU Councillors.

Tactics

Petition in support of reducing tuition fees, converting student loans to grants, and

increasing funding to universities.

Outreach to DSU members through tabling, class talks, leafleting, social media, DSU

media channels, postering.

Teach-in in the SUB Lobby with student, staff and faculty representatives.

Writing opposite editorials (op-eds) to garner public support.

Organizing social events at Studley and Sexton pairing live music and tuition fee

advocacy.

Organizing the Dalhousie feeder rally for the Nova Scotia Student Day of Action

including:

Meeting with various stakeholders and faculty societies to garner support for the

Student Day of Action;

Presenting a motion to endorse the group and the Day of Action at Council; and

Presenting a motion at Senate to give students academic amnesty who attend

the Day of Action.

Results

The Memorandum of Understanding is still being negotiated, so no updates on how it

may have been impacted.

Approximately 500 students participated in the Dalhousie feeder rally for the Day of

Action, the largest rally at Dalhousie in recent memory.

Incidents of Sexism, Misogyny and Homophobia in the School of Dentistry

In December 2014, a number of sexist, misogynist and homophobic posts in a Facebook group made up

of male Dalhousie Dentistry students were made public. The DSU Executive, as well as a number of

campus and community groups that do ongoing work to address oppression on campus were active in

providing a student perspective on the issue in the national media. As well, many groups undertook

advocacy around creating a safer campus for all students and to put into place preventative measures

that would prevent similar actions from happening in the future.

Stakeholders involved

DSU Executive Members

DSU Council Members

South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre

DSU Equity and Accessibility Office

Faculty and Referendum-Mandates Societies

Avalon Sexual Assault Centre

Dalhousie Faculty of Gender and Womens Studies

Tactics

Media relations including dozens of interviews

Public statements

Meetings with University officials

Advocacy within University governance bodies (Board of Governors and Senate)

Joint statements with like-minded groups

Town Hall Meeting

A public forum attended by hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members

Two rallies on campus organized by campus and community groups that each gathered

hundreds of students, staff, faculty, and community members.

Results

DSU and its campus and community partners were able to bring about a broader

conversation about sexism and misogyny on campus through this incident, that is now

receiving attention from University officials.

Dalhousie student representatives and students became key contacts on the issue of

sexism and misogyny for reporters.

Working on this issue strengthened many campus relationships between the DSU and

campus partners.

Implementation of an Office of the Ombudsperson

The DSU and Dalhousie University used to co-fund part-time student employees to provide confidential

support to students who felt they were being treated unfairly. The office was cut in 2013 and the DSU has

been advocating for the creation of a new office that would provide anonymous reporting for students to

register complaints, an advocate in the event that they were navigating one of the universitys many

processes or policies, and referral services for on- and off-campus resources.

Stakeholders involved:

DSU Executives

DSU Board of Governors Representatives

DSU Equity & Accessibility Office

Tactics

Presentation to Board of Governors Student Experience Committee.

Meetings with university administrators, including a working group with joint

representation from the DSU and the university.

Report on the need for an Ombudsperson.14

Results

No office has been reinstated so far, but the DSU was able to get the University to agree

to strike a working group to determine the structure of an Office of the Ombudsperson.

Divest Dal

Across Canada, campus climate change activists have launched campaigns calling on Boards of

Governors at universities and colleges to stop investing in the fossil fuel industry. Nationally, the

campaign is lead by a coalition called Fossil Free Canada made up of the Canadian Youth Climate

Coalition, the Canadian Federation of Students, and 350.org. Since spring 2013, there has been an active

movement for Dalhousie University to divest from the fossil fuel industry.

Stakeholders involved

Halifax Environmental Justice Collective (a working group of NSPIRG)

DSU Sustainability Office

DSU Board of Governors Representatives

DSU Executives

Tactics15

14 The full report can be read here: http://www.dsu.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Call%20for%20Dal%20Ombudsperson.pdf 15 These tactics were largely collected from the Divest Dal timeline of their activities, available here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline/latest/embed/index.html?source=0Aq6Rm9rJH

Meetings with University officials and bodies including President Richard Florizone during

100 Days of Listening.

Teach-in attended by dozens of students about divestment.

Town Hall organized by the DSU.

Endorsements from campus and community groups including the DSU Council, David

Suzuki, faculty societies, the Kings Students Union, and Dalhousie Faculty Association.

100 Days of Action in the lead up to the Board of Governors decision involving various

actions and events.

Social media including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, including a photo booth

campaign around Valentines Day 2015.

General student outreach using tabling, leafleting, banner drops, class talks, and buttons

supporting the campaign.

A petition signed by more than 2000 people.

Student mobilizations around Board of Governors Meetings

More than 60 students attended Board meeting in February 2014

120 students attended Board meeting in April 2014

More than 200 students attended Board meeting in October 2014

Hundreds of students attended Board meeting that discusses Divesting in

November 2014.

Results

The Dalhousie University Board of Governors voted against divesting from the fossil fuel

industry.

DIvest Dal was able to engage an unprecedented number of students in the governance

structure of the University.

The campaign is continuing despite the Board rejecting divestment.

Cuts to Dalhousie Libraries

In September 2013, library hours at the Killam were reduced on Fridays and Saturday. In October, the

libraries budget for journal acquisitions ran out and the libraries were proposing cutting access to several

journal and periodical subscriptions.

Stakeholders involved:

Faculty societies including the Dalhousie Science Society and the Dalhousie Arts and

Social Science Society

Kings Student Union Executives and Members

DSU Executives

DSU members

Dalhousie Faculty Association

Tactics:

Petition against the cuts to library hours that received over 1,000 signatures.16

Social media support through Facebook group.

Petition on library cuts.

Rally against library cuts.

Results

Yx3dFhKU0xoMnlwU1EwWFJESWZUZGRnRFE&font=Bevan-PotanoSans&maptype=toner&lang=en&height=650 16 See here: http://dalgazette.com/featured/library-budget-cuts-somewhat-explained/

Cuts to library hours were reversed just days after more than 1,000 people signed a

petition opposing the cutbacks.

A moratorium on cuts to the Acquisitions Budget for the Dalhousie Libraries was

implemented, as well as increases to deal with inflation and declines in the value of the

Canadian dollar.

Fall Reading Week

Many universities offer students a study break in the fall similar to the break offered in the Winter term.

Students at Dalhousie began advocating for such a break in 2013.

Stakeholders involved:

DSU Executives

DSU Senate Representatives

DSU members

The Dalhousie Senate

Tactics:

Advocacy within Senate meetings and at Senate committees.

Written proposal to Senate providing a snapshot of fall reading weeks across the country,

as well as reasoning and analysis in support of implementing a fall reading week.17

Student survey to DSU members.18

Media relations to garner public support

Results

Fall reading week is going to be implemented in 2016.

Summer U-Pass

For several years, following a successful vote, DSU members have had access to a Universal Bus Pass

(U-Pass) that dramatically reduces the cost of transit for students over the year. Recently, the DSU

undertook efforts to determine if students, Dalhousie University, and the Halifax Regional Municipality

could work together on extending this benefit to students in the Summer.

Stakeholders involved

DSU Executive Members

DSU members

Dalhousie University

Halifax Regional Municipality

Tactics

Plebiscite of DSU Members

Survey of summer students

Lobby meetings with the University and with city officials

Results

The Summer U-Pass was implemented starting in Summer 2014.

A note on comprehensiveness

17 You can read the full report here: http://www.dsu.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Fall%20Reading%20Week%20Proposal.pdf 18 The survey is still available on the DSU website here: http://www.dsu.ca/fallreadingweek

This list is not intended to be comprehensive. In addition to these examples, there has been work on a

number of issues including advocating for graduate student rights, making campus safer for trans

students, opposing increases to international student tuition fees, maintaining and improving mental

health services on campus, just to name a few. The cases above are just intended to give some

examples of the wide array of activities being undertaken by students.

Conclusion

How we advocate on behalf of students is a complex matter. It actually is not simply about if we have a

membership in one group or another. Instead, there are members of the campus community who are

undertaking advocacy with or without direct support from the DSU Executive or Council on a variety of

issues.

There continue to be a number of challenges and questions for DSU Advocacy:

1. There is not a clear home for all these projects to seek support from the DSU. This

assortment of activities is often led by a diverse group of students who would benefit from formal

DSU support, but unlike other student unions where there are specific Campaigns and Advocacy

departments, these groups may interact with different elements of the DSU (Executive members,

Councillors, E&A Office, DSUSO, referendum-mandate societies, faculty societies, etc.). How do

we maintain diversity, while also providing more support? One way would be to consolidate some

of these elements in a more cohesive department of the DSU. This may also be a role for the

Academic and External Committee, which unfortunately, is sometimes unwieldy due to its size

and lacks clarity in its mandate or responsibilities.

2. How do we evaluate advocacy? In some cases, the DSU can evaluate success by whether or

not an activity resulted in the desired policy goal or remedy. On other cases, the metrics might

need to be more geared to member engagement. Is it a success in and of itself, for example, that

Divest Dal was able to engage a record number of students with the Board of Governors? Is it a

success to build stronger relationships with campus partners that will ensure the DSU is better

prepared to advocate for something or defend services or programs in the future?

3. As mentioned in the introduction, there is no clear process for student input or oversight

on the priorities of the DSU when it comes to advocacy. How do we answer the question

what do students want to prioritize? and how do we ensure that its not just the largest student

population who benefits? One measure is to look at what students are already engaged in and

how the union can better support these initiatives. Another, is to have each incoming council

collectively create an advocacy plan for the coming year that includes areas of focus, tactics, and

metrics that include both policy or cultural changes and membership engagement or involvement.

These questions do not require a substantial amount of deliberation, but rather there is a need for the

DSU to undertake action to better support what students are already working on. This student-centred

approach should guide the DSU as we move forward.