Bring on the Little Kids!

Last week the U of L officially broke ground on the lastest addition to the campus – construction has begun on the new Daycare Facility here. This is a pretty big deal considering that this push for on campus daycare has taken nearly five full years to come to fruition.

Ground was broken by student leaders, senior level administrators, members of the Daycare Action Committee (DAC), and the outside service provider for the daycare facility. For many of the students present this opening was a large victory as the movement to bring daycare onto campus began as a grass roots movement. DAC was formed with the support of faculty and staff here at the U of L, but largely was made up of students. Their study on the need for daycare on campus was the prime spring board that got this issue moving along in the upper levels of administration. You can find many of their studies here.

All of those who worked so hard to bring this service to campus, congratulations – here’s to 2010, when the facility will officially open its doors for service.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

ULSU Club of the Year Winner – GALIA

Congratulations are due to the Gay and Lesbian Integrity Association (GALIA) here at the University of Lethbridge for winning the ULSU Club of the Year Award!

Out of the 5 clubs nominated for this award, GALIA was selected by the ULSU Clubs’ Council as the best club on campus for this year. GALIA has shown a high level of professionalism and spirit in all of their events – they have renewed the face of their club by increasing the number events they host. They have sponsored advocacy events and social nights alike, and very shortly will be painting a brand new mural in the tunnel.

On behalf of the ULSU General Assembly, I would like to extend a well deserved congratulations to GALIA.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

So I Slept on the Ground Last Night

This goes out to Tim, Derek, Kyla, Dan, and Kathleen – the 5 brave students who are taking a proactive step to bring homelessness to the foreground as an issue right here in Lethbridge.

I really support the work that is being done right now by the 5 Days for the Homeless crew. In order to show our support, the ULSU executives took it upon ourselves to spend a night in the cold with our friends. The wind was a bit bad (it blew some of the food away that was donated and seemed to threaten to suck the roof right off the house) but all and all it was a pretty relaxed night – if you consider relaxed sleeping in tight quarters with 9 other people, including some who haven’t showered in 4 days, all while the cold ground is sucking the heat out of your body through your sleeping bag.

The 4 execs looked pretty haggard this morning (especially considering we only spent 1 night out there.) Being out there made me think about something that was brought up in a class I had earlier this week. The ability to go in and do this kind of awareness work feels good – you raise money, raise awareness, and in the end have some impact on the problem. But imagine what living like this all time must be like – all those good feelings I have about this cause are supported by the fact that I knew I would get to go home and have a shower. I knew I would get to leave the cardboard box house and get into a change of clothes. The prospect of living like this day in and day out for even a small amount of time seems truly draining.

The proof is in the once smiling faces of the 5 brave students who even as I type sit outside right now.  Don’t believe me, just go out and say hi to the homeless kids in front of the SUB and see for yourself – they have been pretty good at putting on a happy face, but they are starting to show some serious wear.

Please, ff you have any change in your pocket, or a couple quarters you know are hiding under a sofa cushion, then put that money to good use. Donate. Every little bit counts – help 5 Days reach their goal of raising $10,000 right here in Lethbridge.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

I blogged on my experience from last night at jpro86.wordpress.com, so feel free to check it out. I echo Eric’s sentiments in giving serious credit to the five students who are spending their last night outside the SUB  tonight. The wind is howling and I am sure they are huddled in the shelter right now trading stories of the week and discussing what they have experinced. Their blog is really interesing and a great reflection of thier experince, check it out at 5days.ca

Jenn Prosser

VP Academic

Awards, Awards, and More Awards

***NOTE*** The deadline for the Student of the Year award has been extended until March 24, 2009.

I am pleased to announce that the ULSU is accepting nominations for two awards that are given out each year – The “Student of the Year Award” and The “Students’ Union Club of the Year Award.“

Student of the Year Award
This is an annual award presented to the student who embodies leadership, commitment, and contributes to the betterment of U of L students;  this may be exemplified by involvement in clubs, non-profit organizations, student organizations, community and volunteerism.

The DEADLINE for nomination submissions is March 24, 2009.  The winner will be presented with this award at the annual ULSU Changeover Reception on April 16th.

Students’ Union Club of the Year Award
This annual award will be presented to the Students’ Union ratified club that has demonstrated the most outstanding effort and dedication in its endeavors over the past year. This club should have preformed successful initiatives and should be in excellent standing with Clubs’ Council.

The DEADLINE for nomination submissions is March 18, 2009.  The winner will be presented with this award at the annual ULSU Changeover Reception on April 16th.

If you would like to nominate a club or individual for either of these awards please email VP Internal Eric Hawthorne at su.internal@uleth.ca

Please include in the email:

• The Nominee(s) name
• An email address to contact the Nominee(s)
• A well written description of why the nominee should be chosen for this award

Cheers,
Eric
VP Internal

Saturday afternoon at the office…

Its a rather blustery day here in good ‘ole LA (that joke never gets old, amirite?).

Since its been a while, I thought it would be nice to provide some ULSU updates. So hereeeeee goes, your (couple) weeks in brief:

-  After the sewer system shut down, November 4th will forever be remembered as Poop Day for us Uleth students.

- The ULSU office is wicked busy getting ready for Funk the System (which you can read all about here. Science). Seriously, it’s going to be funking awesome. Two speakers, one funkified night in The Zoo and a week of getting know what activism means to YOU. Our table will be set up outside the bookstore in the SU building cafeteria, come on by, grab a cause ribbon and get to know how you can funk the system.

- It is getting close to exam time, and the ULSU Test Bank is holding a Test Bank Drive the 24th to the 28th. Drop off some old tests and be entered to win a draw for a wicked exam stress reliever pack – filled with everything you could need to get through this terrible time of year. Drop off your tests here in the ULSU office at the front desk. One test  = one draw entry.

Check out the Test Bank online or in person in our office. All test’s are free and for your use.

- Think the current way of doing course evaluations suck? Think they’re just fine? There will be a roundtable discussion held Nov. 18th (next week..) from 3pm-5pm in Anderson Hall 100. If you want to attend, please do! It is open to all University community members – students and staff alike. Come have your say on how things go down here at the University.

- The Food Bank food drive wrapped up nicely last week and our VP Internal, Eric Hawthorne, informed the office that it was a resounding success!

- Just a reminder that General Assembly Meetings are always open to the public.  If you’re keen on what’s going on come down to check it out. The dates for these meetings are listed on the ulsu website.

- Adam Vossepoel got a haircut. It looks pretty nice.

Awesome Sauce.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

Sloan Live @ The Zoo

Fresh off the madness and muscial mayhem that occurred less than a week ago in the Far West parking lot, the ULSU is proud to present another major concert for the month of September:

Sloan Live @ The Zoo

Tickets are available online! Click the picture above to head to the ULSU website to order them. (Technical Difficulties, thank you for you patience.)

Tickets will be on sale at the Service Centre Monday, September 15th, 2008.

$15.00 IN ADVANCE

$20.00 AT THE DOOR

Check Sloan out at : www.sloanmusic.com

Check out Will Currie & The Country French at: www.thecountryfrench.com

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

Hedley is Playing Fresh U Jamboree

Hedley is Playing Fresh U Jamboree

Hedley is coming to Lethbridge for Fresh U Jamboree!

We have been hinting at it for a while now and the ULSU is proud to announce that Hedley will be the headlining act of Fresh U Jamboree.

Tickets are available on-line now for $25! (Click Here or on the image above to purchase)

Please note: If you have already purchased your Fresh Fest package, this includes a ticket for Fresh U Jamboree. If you have not purchased a ticket for Fresh Fest or Fresh U Jamboree, what are you waiting for?! Do it now!

You can purchase Fresh Fest tickets here.

You can purchase Fresh U Jamboree tickets here.

The final Fresh U Jamboree line-up looks like this:

Sleeping with Tuesday
Mahoney
Vacation on Mars
Hedley featuring a special guest
Michael Bernard Fitzgerald
Hot Little Rocket
Dan Mangan

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

Lethbridge Takes Silver in Rugby!

From July 16th – 19th, 2008 in the city of Córdoba, Spain 5 female University of Lethbridge students along with fellow rugby players from across Canada competed in the 3rd University World Rugby Championship. Playing against the likes France, Spain, Great Britain, and Italy, our girl played hard and placed second, earning a silver medal.

Team Canada - Silver Medallist, Spain 2008

Back L-R: Matt Parrish (coach), Tiffany Dautremont, Michelle Joslin, Annika Errikson, Ashley MacDonald, Ghislaine Landry, Dana Stoughton, Andrea Letal, Brittany Orr, Sue Chalk (coach), Carrie Smith (therapist).

Front L-R: Shannon Court, Cass Wendzich, Amanda Matchet, Jessie Wall.

The ULSU would like to extend congratulations to all our Canadian players, but in particular; Ashley MacDonald, Shannon Court, Tiffany Dautremont, Brittany Orr, and Andrea Letal who are all from the University of Lethbridge.

Well done girls and here’s to the University of Lethbridge continuing to be excellent in Women’s Rugby! A national championship and now a silver medal in a world competition.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

fresh fest! sign up now!

Online registration is now open!

Click on the giant lemon to head to www.ulsu.ca to gain access to biggest 3 day party the University of Lethbridge has ever seen.

Fresh Fest - Sign Up Now!

Fresh Fest Details

September 4-6, 2008

FRESH FLIX
The festivies begin with a Movie on the Hill. Come out an enjoy a free movie on the Big   Screen, right at the U of L!

FRESH FACTOR
In teams, you will compete in challenge stations set up across the campus. The team with the most points wins!

FRESH FRIDAY NIGHT
Join us for a secret Friday night activity. You will have to sign up to find out what it is!

FRESH U JAMBOREE
An outdoor music festival, with 8 live bands, promising to be one of the can’t miss events of the year!

Meal Exchange – A Great Cause

Here is my report regarding the trip I made into the centre of the Universe. Enjoy;

—

I was in Toronto with 34 other delegates from across Canada to talk about the growing problem of food and how it affects the average university student. Esurio was hosted by a charitable organization known as Meal Exchange, which started out as a student led initiative that sought to ease the burden of hunger across Canada. Now in the full swing of their operations, Meal Exchange has chapters from coast to coast that run programs to help local charities and food banks combat the problem of hunger.

My role in this conference was slightly different that the average delegate; I was attending under the flag of a “food bank coordinator” representing the service that we offer here at the University of Lethbridge.

The conference helped me learn a lot about the situation that is facing a lot of people in Canada with regards to hunger, however, the problem of hunger on a campus is a different issue as I have learned. Our situation as students with regards to hunger is rarely a factor of the social fabric we come from. Instead student hunger seems to be a product of circumstance; the fact that large sums of money are due at certain points in time (tuition, books, rent, etc.) and then compound by restricted time due to classes and thus limited earning potential.

Esurio taught me about the need to report on the facts of our campus and the situations that we face as students. Because of this, I will be planning a student hunger survey that will be given to the general public to gauge hunger on our campus and what we as the ULSU can do to combat it. I have also made some minor adjustments to help provide a stronger service from our Food Bank that I hope our community members will notice in the near future.

My only regret with this conference is that by the end of the three days I felt as though I had attended the same seminars over and over again; a greater range of diversity of subject for the food bank coordinators would have helped a lot. Also, at times the sessions I attended did not apply to my position since they were targeting Meal Exchange chapter coordinators.

—

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal