SU By-Elections: What do you need to know?
By Vama Saini, September 29 2024—
The University of Calgary’s Students’ Union (SU) is holding a by-election from Oct. 8– to 10 to fill vacant positions on the Student Legislative Council (SLC). These positions include a representative for the faculty of Veterinary Medicine and one for the Werklund School of Education. Candidate profiles can be found on the SU website.
The SU typically holds its general election each March to elect representatives to the SLC. However, if positions remain unfilled after the general election, a by-election is organized in the fall semester to address the vacancies.
With the election campaigns underway, students will see candidates engaging with passersby in MacEwan Hall and displaying campaign posters throughout campus. This period allows students to learn more about the candidates and make informed decisions before voting.
U of C undergraduate students in the faculty of Veterinary medicine and the Werklund School of Education will be able to vote for their faculty representatives. The nursing faculty representative position will remain vacant as no candidates have come forward.
In addition to electing representatives, students will be asked to vote on a referendum question regarding the SU’s fee structure. The SU proposes updating its current fee structure, which it says is disproportional for full-time, part-time, co-op and internship students.
The proposed changes include assessing full-time medicine students at the full-time student rate for the SU general fee, while part-time co-op and internship students would pay two-thirds of the full-time student rate.
This adjustment aims to address inflation and ensure that the SU can continue providing services as the university plans to add 10,000 new undergraduate students by 2030. Full-time students in other faculties would not see any change to their SU general fee.
Students will have the opportunity to vote “yes” or “no” on the proposed fee structure update.
Voting will take place online from Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. to Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. via the Student Centre on my.ucalgary.ca. All undergraduate students registered in the Veterinary Medicine and Werklund School of Education faculties for the fall 2024 session are eligible to vote.