News « The UWSA

Report to the membership on structural reforms at the UWSA

March 8th, 2021

This report to the UWSA general membership provides background information on the incidents that occurred in 2020 at the UWSA that highlighted the need to restructure the organization. It includes recommendations made by an external consultancy firm, Catalyst Research and Communications, to facilitate the process and the resulting reforms implemented by the UWSA.

Please click here to download the report: UWSA Reforms Report to the Membership

Please click here to download the UWSA Reforms Graphic

This report is meant to be the beginning of a long process of restructuring the organization to make it truly decolonial and create a safe space for discussion. The implemented reforms will be periodically reviewed by the Board and updated as needed. Please review the report and provide your feedback here: UWSA Reforms Feedback

Nominations are open for the 2021 UWSA General Election!

March 2nd, 2021

Nominate yourself in the 2021 UWSA General Election to run for a Board of Director, Executive Director, Emerging Leaders, Board of Regents Representative, or Senator position!

To run, interested students will have to fill out a Nomination Form and email it to Chief Elections Commissioner (CEC) at cec@theuwsa.ca before 6 PM of March 11, 2021.

Executive Nomination Form

Board of Directors Nomination Form

Emerging Leader Nomination Form

For more information, check out theuwsa.ca/elections or e-mail the CEC at cec@theuwsa.ca.

Black History Month Resources

February 23rd, 2021

To celebrate Black History Month, we have compiled a list of black resources recommended by UWSA directors and staff. You can find different local organizations and businesses to support, books to read, influences to follow, and much more!

Read:

The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole
Black Life by Walcott & Abdillahi
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
The Journey of Little Charlie, Bud, Not Buddy, and more by Christopher Paul Curtis

Buy:

Vintage clothing: Velvet Tundra Vintage
Silk masks: Clems Studios
Hair and beauty:
Ethnic foods and hair products: Dino’s Grocery Mart
Art: Tanisha Salakoh

Watch:

The Skin We’re In
When They See Us
Moonlight
13th
Time: The Kalief Browder Story

Listen:

Follow:

At UWinnipeg:

Student organizing: Black Students’ Union
Courses: ENGL-3708: topics in Canadian Literature: Black Canadian Writers

Attend, Donate, and Support:

blackownedmb.com: Black business director
west.afrobiz.ca: Black business directory
bhmwinnipeg: Fundraisers, events, and training
Pilgrim Baptist Church: Black History Month Events
@theblacklabelwpg: Winnipeg’s Black Creatives’ Collective
Black Space Winnipeg: Events, artist demonstrations and workshops
QPOCWinnipeg: Events for Queer and Trans Identified Black, Indigenous & People of Colour
Justice4BlackLivesWPG: Community Organizers in Winnipeg

For a PDF copy, click here: Black History Month Resources

Next UWSA Board of Directors Meeting: Wednesday, February 24, 2021

February 22nd, 2021

The next UWSA Board of Director Meeting will be conducted over Zoom on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at 5.30 PM.

Please review the documents below

February 24 Board Meeting Open Session Package

February 24 Board Meeting Agenda

Election Reform 2021 Package

All UWinnipeg students are welcome to attend Open Session. Please email t.hanan@theuwsa.ca by 4.30 PM on the day of the meeting for the Zoom link using your UWinnipeg webmail address and your Student ID Number.

All participants are expected to abide by the University’s Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy.

UWSA Elections Reform Proposal Feedback

February 12th, 2021

We want to hear your thoughts on the new UWSA Elections Reform Proposal! You can view the proposal on page 18 at the February 10 Board Meeting Open Session Package.

We encourage all UW students to provide feedback by attending the February 24 Board of Directors Meeting or filling out the online form.

UWSA Elections Reform Proposal Feedback Page

Justice for Eishia: A message and call to action on ending police brutality towards Indigenous youth

February 5th, 2021

On Thursday, January 28, 2021, the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) of Manitoba recommended that no charges be filed in the murder of 16-year-old Eishia Hudson.

UWSA President, Shawna Péloquin says, “This is a clear message to Indigenous people in Winnipeg and beyond from the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), which is that there is no transparency or empathy when an Indigenous life is taken as a result of police intervention. The show of force demonstrates that as Indigenous people in this city, our life is not a guarantee but is subject to police approval. It a reminder for all the Indigenous student in this institution and myself that we are surviving a genocide in action, and that our Indigenous youths and elders are disproportionally targeted. The opportunity to attend University was stolen from Eishia Hudson, yet the WPS continues to defend that the officer who was armed and trained to serve and make him a victim in this tragedy somehow. Why should this police officer be given another chance to open fire at an Indigenous youth? This is not a tragedy of police intervention. It a recurring pattern of power and violence imposed upon Indigenous families and communities empowered by the colonial nature of police services.”

The University of Winnipeg Student Association stands in solidarity with the Hudson Family, our Indigenous students and Indigenous youth. We support Hudson’s parents’ call for an inquiry, which would be broader in scope than the inquest required under the Fatal Inquiries Act and examine issues of systemic racism.

Support Eishia’s family by following the results of the upcoming inquest and raising awareness on social media using the following hashtags: #JusticeforEishia #JusticeforEishiaHudson and #NotAnotherIndigenousLife, or by donating to the family in their fight for justice through this Go Fund Me page.

Notice of Resignation for UWSA VPSA, Melanie William

February 4th, 2021

On January 27, 2021, The UWSA Board of Directors accepted and ratified the resignation of the 2020-2021 UWSA Vice President of Student Affairs, Melanie William. In August 2020, former UWSA President, Jibril Hussein and VPEA, Breanna Belisle had also tendered their resignations to the board.

Over the summer, former executives shared several experiences of harassment and discrimination while at the UWSA, following which the 2020-21 Executive team were placed on administrative leave. During this period, they experienced significant mental harassment and threats on social media from the UWinnipeg community as well.

The UWSA acknowledges the experiences shared by the former executives in their letters and strongly supports the decision to center their mental health. As an organization, we commit to doing more to prioritize students’ well-being and safety over institutional expectations.

We recognize the role UWSA plays in protecting and nurturing the well-being and potential of UWSA members. Oppression or harassment in our communities – online or offline – is never okay and we plan to work towards creating safer and non-violent spaces for discussion.

We recognized that we are working and learning in racist and colonial system, and that we have to be uncomfortable, transparent, and resilient to outroot these realities from our communities. For information on the steps we’re taking to address institutional racism at the UWSA, please refer to our previous post here.

To review Melanie’s letter of resignation, please click here: January 27 BOD Open Session Minutes (Draft)

Meet your Directors! UWSA Game Night

February 4th, 2021

Join us for the first UWSA Game Night on Thursday, February 11, from 4-6 PM. The virtual game night is a bi-weekly event on alternate Thursdays.

Meet your fellow classmates, play games, hangout, and get to know the UWSA directors while playing JackBoxTV!

Zoom Meeting ID: 951 2759 2336

Passcode: JACKBOX

Dates:

February 11
February 25
March 11
March 25
April 8
April 22

For more information, email s.sarty@theuwsa.ca or p.stubson@theuwsa.ca

UWSA Executive Virtual Office Hours

February 3rd, 2021

Students can book 20-minute appointments with the UWSA President, Shawna Péloquin, and the UWSA Vice-President External Affairs, Jonathan Henderson! You can discuss issues and concerns you are dealing with or get to know your UWSA Executive!

Shawna Péloquin virtual office hours:

Monday, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Click here to book an appointment with Shawna!

Jonathan Henderson virtual office hours:

Wednesday, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Click here to book an appointment with Jonathan!

Responsibility, Decolonization, and Integrity in the UWSA Election Process

January 29th, 2021

Over the past few months, the UWSA has been working to restructure our bylaws and policies to minimize the harm caused by our election process. To guide us through the process and figure out the best path forward, the UWSA Board of Directors have been working with an external consultant at Catalyst Research & Communications.

On October 15, 2020, we released a statement outlining some emerging conclusions, where we acknowledged the need to increase transparency, encourage safe and open discussions, and address racism and oppression. One of the ways that the UWSA committed to doing this is to restructure the elections process to make it safer for candidates and voters.

To ensure that the harm done during the 2020 General Election is not repeated, and work on creating an anti-oppressive election framework, the UWSA Board of Directors voted to postpone the 2021 General Elections from February-March, 2021 to March-April ,2021. This change shifts the nomination period, where candidates can apply to run for a director, senator, or regent position to March 1 – 11 and moves the voting period to March 29-31.

The UWSA has also restructured the role of the Chief Elections Commissioner and created two Elections Campaign Facilitator positions to increase accountability and support the elections better. Interested candidates can apply for both roles through the UWSA website by clicking here.

The UWSA will release some election reform proposals with new campaign rules, director roles, and a safer complaint process in the upcoming weeks.

While these are just the initial changes, creating structural change at the UWSA is a continually evolving and collaborative process. To facilitate this, a student feedback process will be available by February 12.

All UWinnipeg students are welcome to attend the UWSA Board of Directors Meeting on February 10, where the election reform proposal will be presented before final approval on February 24. To register and receive the Zoom meeting link, please email Administrative Assistant, Thomas Hanan, at t.hanan@theuwsa.ca by 4:30 PM using your UWinnipeg webmail address and your Student ID Number.

In solidarity,
The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association