All undergraduate students at the U of C are members of the SU, providing access to a wide range of academic supports, social events and opportunities to make the university experience one of the most exciting times of your life.
The Students Union is comprised of elected student leaders, a 23-member Students' Legislative Council (SLC) and is supported by a professional staff and hundreds of volunteers. With the MacEwan Student Centre as its home, the SU serves students by advocating on academic matters and providing a broad range of services, products, programs and events that can enhance the quality of your educational experience and the quality of student life on campus. The SU is also the voice of students and advocates for the student community on an affordable and accessible post-secondary education experience.
Quality of Education
A key focus of the SU is to advance and evolve programs, services and events that enhance the quality of education for undergraduate students through awareness, involvement and advocacy. Through participation in the development of university academic plans, participation in national dialogues on the cost of academic materials for students, promoting student feedback through national and university student surveys and nominating instructors for teaching excellence, the SU ensures that the UofC student voice is heard on matters of academic importance. The SU offers a range of academic programs and services such as the Bookloan Program for students in financial need, the Online Exam Bank, locker services, book consignment and printing services and annually supports the addition of new library resources for students. To promote undergraduate research, the SU holds the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and offers a range of academic awards to support students that face unique financial challenges while attending school or those that excel in leadership or their academic programming. The SU also provides travel and conference funding to enable students to attend conferences or competitions related to their field of study.
Quality of Student Life
The Student’s Union believes that the student experience at the UofC involves more than just the classroom. The SU is dedicated to providing a wide range of health and lifestyle programs, products, services, facilities and events to ensure that all the supports and choices are in place to create an excellent student lifestyle. The SU supports 245 student clubs - opportunities for students to get involved in athletics, music, theatre, social issues, volunteering, religion, cultural issues, politics and academics, quite literally something for everyone. And a range of annual, weekly and special events throughout the year - the line-up including major activities and celebrations like Orientation Week, Nogfest, Holiday Hangover and Bermuda Shorts Day (BSD), weekly activities like Cinemania and Yoga in That Empty Space, entertainment and concerts and special events like Cultural Month and Wellness Month. The SU provides undergraduate student health and dental care plans and lifestyle services including an off-campus housing website, the newly opened Q Centre for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer community and annual support to campus Safewalk and the Wellness Centre. The SU has been a campus leader in promoting awareness and actions on sustainability. The SU Sustainability Board is established to influence and effect environmentally sound and socially ethical decisions on campus and to offer opportunities through the Sustainability Grant Fund for students to act on their own ideas. The major Quality Money program, a partnership with the University Board of Governors, annually invites students to create their own legacy at the UofC by proposing projects that would enhance the student experience on campus. The SU provides a range of volunteer service opportunities both on campus serving fellow students and out in the “real world” serving the community. Students can get practical hospitality experience through the SU Information Centre and Lost and Found, professional office experience, tax preparation experience or organizational experience at the Campus Food Bank by volunteering for the SU. And the SU is in business to fund its efforts and keep student fees and levies low. In addition to the book, print and inexpensive photocopying services of Bound & Copied, the SU owns and runs Stor, the MacEwan Conference and Event Centre, The Den and Black Lounge and Mac Hall and Ballroom. As operational manager of the Student Centre, the SU has facilitated a number of retail and other services through tenant agreements to support undergraduate student lifestyle, including the busy food court.
Affordability and Accessibility
As the student advocate on affordability and accessibility of postsecondary education, the SU lobbies the university on the cost of tuition; local government on safe and affordable housing and transit costs; and the federal and provincial governments on such matters as the regulation of non-instructional fees, student loans and financial support to the UofC. The SU Executive represent student interests on a range of University boards, steering committees and task forces on academic and student life issues, including the highest governing body, the University Board of Governors, and the University Senate.
Partnerships
One of the SU’s primary objectives is to build and sustain positive and proactive working relationships with University administration and the Board of Governors on matters of mutual interest and importance. While one of the SU’s role directions is advocacy with the university to ensure student interests are represented in university decisions, there is an equally important role in working in partnership and ensuring mutual support of events and activities that benefit undergraduate students. The SU is engaged in event coordination and provides a range of financial, facility space and communications support to events of mutual interest and benefit. Take pride in your University and get the most out of your experience!
To become involved or benefit from what your SU offers, visit the SU website at:
Location: Students' Union Office 251 MacEwan Student Centre
Telephone: 403.220.6551
Email: studun@ucalgary.ca
Student Services