Do you want experience working on a non-profit board? We’re hiring a Chair of the Board at the UWSA!
The Chair of the Board of Directors acts as an essential component of the UWSA, setting the meeting agenda and ensuring that all directors are able to participate fully in the operations of the Board. A successful applicant should have a strong belief in the mission and mandate of the UWSA, and a willingness to invest in the success of the membership in a variety of different capacities.
On July 8, 2020, the UWSA Board of Directors voted to suspend the U-Pass program for the Fall 2020 Term as the majority of classes will be offered virtually and campus access will be limited this term. The U-Pass fee will not be assessed for new and returning full-time UWinnipeg students when they pay their fees.
The UWSA recognizes that some students need to access transit even when classes are online. In the absence of the U-Pass, students will be able to buy Post-Secondary Semester Passes at operational Winnipeg Transit retail locations at the rate of $278/semester. To minimize the financial impact on students during the pandemic, the UWSA and UWinnipeg are working to provide a subsidy program to reimburse the cost difference equivalent ($78) to a U-Pass for full-time UWinnipeg students-in-need.
Application and eligibility details for the subsidy program will be available on the UWSA website in August. Please check the website regularly for updates.
Depending on the public health situation and campus closure, the U-Pass may or may not be provided in January 2020. The UWSA Board will meet in the fall to determine if it is possible to provide the U-Pass program for the Winter 2020/21 Term.
If you have questions about the U-Pass program, the proposed post-secondary semester pass subsidy, or Winnipeg Transit products, please reach out us at infobooth@theuwsa.ca
All UWinnipeg students are welcome to attend open session. Please email j.black@theuwsa.ca for the Zoom link using your UWinnipeg webmail address and your Student ID Number.
On June 12, 2020 the UWSA Board of Directors (“the board”) approved a motion to send a formal request to the UWinnipeg Human Rights and Diversity Office (HRDO) to investigate the experiences of harassment and discrimination disclosed by students Mahlet Cuff and Noelle Sagher in social media on June 4 and 10. These disclosures include the potential involvement of the current UWSA Executive Director team: Jibril Hussein, Melanie William, and Breanna Belisle.
On June 16, 2020, the board approved a motion to put the Executive team on paid administrative leave until the investigation is completed.
The UWSA Board of Directors believes our former Executives’ experiences and the opinions shared on the Executive Directors’ Instagram account, were not approved by the UWSA Board, nor supported by UWSA labour unions.
We acknowledge our part in creating an environment where our former Executives felt unsafe and unsupported. We want you to know that we’re listening, and we’re committed to changing the way we work to address the gaps in our organization for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.
In addition to the external HRDO investigation, the UWSA Board of Directors is committed to providing anti-racism training and to conducting an internal investigation, with the support of a third-party, to help us identify and change the limitations of our policies and processes, and take steps to improve them.
We recognize that these are just the first steps towards dismantling institutional racism inherent in colonial educational institutions, and we plan to continually evaluate where we are, and do better. Over the year, we will continue to share information on our next steps with students on our website.
During this time the UWSA would like to support any students that were affected by these disclosures and actions, as well as to reassure all students that Executive emails and phone lines are forwarding to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), and being redirected to supporting UWSA departments. The UWSA Board will be meeting on July 8 to discuss other interim changes to board meetings and subcommittees.
In the absence of a Chair of the Board, our former Chair, Taylor Daigneault has stepped-in to offer interim support.
All questions regarding Board Meetings can go to UWSA General Manager, Jennifer Black, at j.black@theuwsa.ca
All questions regarding business operations can go to UWSA Chief Operating Officer, Karolya Vargscarr, at k.vargscarr@theuwsa.ca
Thank you for raising your voice and always keeping us accountable.
Sincerely, UWSA Board of Directors University of Winnipeg Students’ Association
On June 25, 2020, the Federal Government launched the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) portal, that connects qualified post-secondary students and recent graduates with volunteer opportunities to support Canada’s response to COVID-19. In recognition for their service, eligible students can receive a grant of between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on the number of hours worked.
While the grant does provide support to some students, many students will once again be left out. International students, students over the age of 30, and those who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), are not eligible for CSSG.
UWSA’s International Students’ Co-Directors, Elsa Owusu and Francisca Idigbe (UWSA) stress on the fact that the Coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for international students across Canada.
“They are struggling to make ends meet and need support too,” they say. “We are calling on the federal government to provide income support to international students.”
Canada needs a program that doesn’t leave anyone behind. The Canadian Federation of Students has a template, which students can use to call Minister Qualtrough, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Inclusion, to ask for an expansion of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) to include international students and make the CESB $2000 per month.
To be considered eligible to apply for CSSG, you must:
be enrolled and attending post-secondary education during spring, summer or fall 2020; or
have graduated from PSE no earlier than December 2019; and
be 30 years old or younger as of December 31st, 2020; and
be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, First Nation, Métis or Inuit, or those with Refugee status.
All Canadian students and recent graduates who meet the eligibility criteria can receive the Grant for volunteering between June 25th and October 31st, 2020. Students who study abroad are also eligible, but they must be currently living in Canada. If you receive or have received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), you are not eligible for the Grant.
Applying for Volunteer Opportunities:
Once you’ve confirmed you meet the eligibility criteria, you can start searching for service opportunities on the I Want to Help platform. You have until August 21, 2020 to apply. If you are already volunteering with a charity or not-for-profit organization and would like your hours to count towards the Canada Student Service Grant, the organization you’re volunteering with can submit the opportunity for approval before August 21st, 2020 — as long as it meets all of our requirements.
A piece of identification such as a valid driver’s license, provincial or territorial identification, or, a valid passport; and
A proof of registration from a recognized post-secondary institution for Spring/Summer 2020 or Fall 2020; or
A proof of graduation from no earlier than December 2019.
Track your hours:
Remember to track your hours once you start volunteering at the place of your choice. The organization will assign you a supervisor who will be able to approve your volunteer hours as you complete them.
The Canada Student Service Grant ranges from $1,000 to $5,000. The more volunteer hours you work between June 25 and October 31, 2020, the higher the grant amount you will be eligible to receive. Note that the Grant is only offered in increments of $1,000 for every hundred volunteer hours completed. This means you won’t be receiving $1,500 for 150 completed hours.
Does your bike need a tune-up or maintenance? Although the UWSA Bike Lab’s physical location is closed due to University of Winnipeg’s closure and the pandemic, some community bike shops are still open and ready to help!
The situation is changing everyday so please visit the specified websites or follow them on social to check when they reopen.
Please note that all community bike shops are DIY shops, which are volunteer-led. Staff and volunteers are there for you to learn how to repair your bikes by yourselves in a well equipped workshop, at no charge.
The next UWSA Board of Director Meeting will be conducted over Zoom on June 3, 2020 at 5.30 PM. All UWinnipeg students are welcome to attend the open session. To attend, email j.black@theuwsa.ca for the link using your UWinnipeg webmail address. Please include the following information in the email:
Full name
Student number
That they are a UWinnipeg student currently enrolled in classes, or registered to start or resume classes in the summer or fall.
Please note that students have to sign into the meeting using their UWinnipeg webmail address, and are expected to mute their mic unless we are in an active question period. The acting chair of the meeting reserves the right to mute participant mics where necessary.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, University of Winnipeg students may choose how their grades will affect their grade point average (GPA) calculation for the Winter 2020 and Fall/Winter 2019-20 terms.
Students can either request to have a course final mark appear on their transcript but not count toward their GPA, or, choose a pass/fail option (Standing or F) rather than a grade displayed on a transcript.
You have until May 28 to make your decision and submit your request for either options.
To request an alternative final grade, please complete one of the following forms and send it, via your UWinnipeg webmail, to Student Central at studentcentral@uwinnipeg.ca.
For questions about progression in your program or prerequisites in your major, please contact your Department Chair. You are strongly encouraged to speak with an academic advisor prior to making your decision, to ensure you consider possible consequences. Please contact advising@uwinnipeg.ca or call 204-786-9257.
UWSA representatives are also there to support you through the process. Please contact your VPSA, Melanie William, at vpsa@theuwsa.ca if you require academic guidance.
Tomorrow, May 20. is the last day to Opt-Out, Opt-Change, or Opt-In for the UWSA Green Shield Health Plan for students enrolled in Spring-Summer Courses.
Please note that only students starting classes in the Spring/Summer term can Opt-Out/Opt-Change right now. Students who started in Fall or Winter can Opt-Out/Opt-Change in September/January. Coverage is mandatory for International Students.
All Opt-Outs are processed online. Please have your student number handy. Click here to Opt-Out.
Download the form here and submit it to optchange@theuwsa.ca to join the plan or add a partner or dependent to your plan.
Starting tomorrow, May 15, eligible UWinnipeg students will be able to apply for the Canada Emergency Student benefit through their Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Account.
While the CESB will offer much needed support to many students who had been left out of the CERB, there are still ways to improve this vital program. International students, who make up 12.5 per cent of UWinnipeg’s student population will still be left out.
The amount of $1250 per month is also considerably less than the $2000 per month that applicants receive through CERB. The reduced amount is not enough to cover education and living costs for students unable to work or find work due to the pandemic.
The UWSA appreciates the financial support from Ottawa and hopes that both the federal and provincial governments will take steps to ensure that the CESB is available to all students and is on par with the CERB.
About the Canada Emergency Student Benefit
The CESB will provide financial support to recent graduates and post-secondary students who are unable to work or find employment due to COVID-19, or are not earning over $1000, and who are not eligible for either the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI).
The benefit will provide $1,250 every four weeks for eligible students or $2,000 every four weeks for eligible students with disabilities or those with children or other dependents. The CESB is available from May 10 until August 29, 2020. Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2020.
Applications for the CESB will open Friday, May 15, 2020. To get ready to apply, the CRA encourages eligible students to take three important steps:
Step 1:Register a profile with the CRA. If you have never filed an income tax return with the CRA, you may not have a profile with them. Call 1-800-959-8281 to activate your SIN with the CRA.
Step 2: Register for My Account as this is the fastest and easiest way to apply for the benefit.
Step 3: Enroll for Direct Deposit with the CRA through My Account or your financial institution to get your CESB within 3 days of applying. Alternatively, you must ensure your mailing information is up-to-date in My Account to receive a cheque by mail within 10 business days.
Please visit the CESB website here to make sure that you qualify and have all the documents necessary to submit your application.
