Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Introduction
This platform is divided up into three (3) sections: Core Advocacy Principles, Building and Strengthening Relationships and nally, Action Points.

My sentiments have always been that the University Students Council should be an organization that places student advocacy above everything else. I

also believe that as a student-driven organization, weve lost our ability to be directed by students. Both of these sentiments are reected within my platform through my many ideals and goals. Not all of my platform points are meant to be accomplished

within one term and I refuse to view this platform as a closed document, but rather an open discussion. I stand behind everything written in the following pages
because it was built by students, not necessarily student leaders. My own ideals are evident, and the tone of this platform is arguably reective of that, but I will

always defend the goals outlined in this paper as a collection of beliefs that span far outside the walls of the USC and into the voices and visions of our undergraduate students.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Part 1: Core Advocacy Principles

The University Affairs Portfolio shall strive to consistently work towards maintaining a democratic approach to governance through advocacy, lobbying and collaboration. The Vice President University Affairs shall work to ensure that every advocacy principle of the University Affairs Portfolio is aligned with with the values derived from the USCs most recent Strategic Plan. These core advocacy principles shall be presented to the UA standing committee and discussed throughout the year. As such, the Vice President University Affairs shall provide both the UA standing committee, council and UA portfolio with regular updates regarding the status of these advocacy principles. Teaching Quality The University Students Council shall continuously agree to stress the importance of teaching quality as a tenant of good professorship. The Academy often times rewards professors for being star researchers and forgets the importance of professors who are also excellent teachers and researchers. For undergraduate students in particular, the ability for Western faculty to have strong teaching skills is of the utmost importance and highly impacts the experience a student will have at the university. The USC should support OUSA in its endeavor to encourage the government to establish teaching chairs across post-secondary campuses. The USC should also encourage professors to attend optional teacher training and must continue to rewards great professors through its annual Teaching Awards. Part-Time Students Although the USC does represent part-time students, often times these students are the ones most in need of support. While some part-time students are undergraduate students who choose a lighter courseload, many are forced to take less than 3.5 credits/ year due to varsity athletics, mental health issues, part-time jobs, dependents or other variable factors. Often times, part-time students are the students who require the most support and yet, they are unable to access the least amount of services. The USC is a strong voice for full time students but needs to remember it represents the needs and interests of part-time students as well. The Vice President University Affairs should consistently remember this value and aim to bring this approach to different policymaking bodies.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Jobs After Graduation One of the most pervasive issues facing students is the question of whether they will be able to nd a job upon completion of their undergraduate degree. There is little the USC can do directly to address this issue directly, however indirectly, the organization should continue to support student-driven approaches to employment such as Biz Inc. The Vice-President University Affairs should aim to task a commissioner or coordinator with the responsibility of conducting a campus-wide career preparation services review. This review shall take place across multiple programs, departments, faculties, schools and afliate colleges. The results of this review will be presented to the University Affairs standing committee and recommendations can outline how the Vice President University Affairs can better support constituent programs who have the aim of career planning. Making Travel Cheaper for Students The USC should always be working towards providing students with fair and equitable transportation costs. This can range from advocating for a at-rate fee offered by specic London area cabs to advertising when airline companies and VIA Rail have their annual huge sales. Although the cost of travel will continue to rise as the cost of gas rises, the USC and Vice-President University Affairs should always keep this principle in mind when dealing with different transportation issues across campus. International Students Dr. Chakmas vision of internationalization has drawn both praise and criticism from the university community and Western students. The University Students Council should support the notion of internationalization across campus, however remain cognizant of the risks this ideology contains. Currently, there is little knowledge known about the experience of international students at the university and there are several key ways the USC can address this issue: 1. Conduct a review of international student support services offered by the university (including through the Student Success Centre) and present this report to the UA standing committee. 2. Utilize pre-existing mechanisms already in place within the USC (ie: Ethnocultural Support Service) to assist international students who want a supportive network of students at the university from the same culture. 3. Support the other Executive Ofcers if they attempt to provide increased support or programming specically in regards to international students 4. Utilize the data that OUSA has gathered across its campuses to give direction to this ideology and use it as a reference point to gauge ourselves against other universities.

Financial Aid

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

The USC should continue to remain an advocate for students facing nancial aid barriers through their work with the Ontario Undergraduate Students Alliance (OUSA) and the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations (CASA) as well as through internal advocacy with Western administration. The implementation of a nancial aid awareness campaign will easily assist in spreading information about nancial aid options to students. Most importantly however, the USC should remain the chief advocate and representative of students who are truly unable to pay their tuition and should advocate to the administration on their behalf. Mental Health Although the issue of Mental Health is typically viewed as one that is addressed under the Campus Issues portfolio, it is important to view mental health as an advocacy issue. Right now at Western, there is a three month waiting list for most mental health services. This is unacceptable and I rmly believe that both the university and the government have a responsibility to include more funding for mental health services on campus. Action: Although there is no simple solution to this problem, I will collaborate with both the VP Campus Issues and President to make mental health an internal lobbying priority for the Executive Council. Furthermore, I will work with OUSA to ensure that the provincial government views supporting mental health services on campus a priority. Western Fees The university charges students with many exorbitant fees including but not limited to: -ordering transcripts -faxing transcripts -faxing any ofcial university documentation within Ontario -application fees I plan to examine the necessity of this fee structure and potentially include this as an internal lobbying initiative for the upcoming year. Aboriginal Students In order to attempt to x a system which we believe is inadequate, we must rst examine the system. I would like to launch a full review into the support services being offered at Western for Aboriginal students. This includes services offered through Westerns Indigenous Services, but also different clubs and program councils (ie: First Nations Students Association). Once this report has been completed, the results shall be presented to the UA Standing Committee and directed into an internal advocacy priority for the VP UA. This specic area of advocacy will be orchestrated in conjunction with the VP Campus Issues.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Accessibility The issue of creating a campus that is accessible to all students is one that is extremely important, yet challenging. Western lacks in many accessibility services and it is often the task of the USC to make up for the shortcomings for the university while bettering its own accessibility initiatives. There are several key steps I plan on taking in order to better accessibility as a strong advocacy component of the USC: Along with the accessibility commissioner, visit three (3) other Ontario university campuses to learn about how their infrastructure supports increased accessibility Examine the potential for an Accessibility Coordinator Examine the potential for an Accessibility Advocate: this position, separate from the Accessibility Commissioner, would not work directly within the UA portfolio (as a bureaucrat), but instead function outside of the USC as an entity tasked with the responsibility of keeping the USC accountable when it comes to accessibility. This position would liaise with the accessibility commissioner, but much more work needs to be done to determine this positions currently feasibility.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Part 2: Building & Strengthening Relationships

Senate and Board of Governors Background: Our student senators and Board of Governors representatives are some of the most key student advocates on campus. Despite this however, most student senators remain present but not fully engaged in the universitys Senate and sub-committee meetings. As Vice President University Affairs, I plan to address this issue by coordinating a training session for our senators and Board of Governors representatives before the summer. In this training session, they will learn in-depth about the functions of the different administrators of the Academy, as well as how to advocate on behalf of students. During the year, I will also attend all Senate and BOG meetings along with my Internal Affairs Coordinator to ensure that the student representatives feel supported and assisted in their roles. These steps will aim to ensure that the internal advocacy work of the senators and BOG representatives is better reected in the annual priorities of the University Affairs portfolio. OUSA Background: The University Students Council has had a long and benecial relationship with the Ontario Undergraduate Students Alliance. As the largest member institution, Western brings the most delegates to OUSAs two General Assemblies. Often times however, delegates focus on representing their own opinions on the issues rather than representing the voice of their constituents back at the university. Furthermore, not all constituencies with unique needs and interests are represented through the delegatesspecically Huron, Brescia and Kings. I will address these issues in two ways: 1. I will build upon the precedent set this year by conducting intensive OUSA training for all delegates prior to the General Assembly. I will request that OUSA release their policy papers one week earlier to the delegates in order to better coordinate training times. 2. I will remove the Commissioner-at-Large University Affairs as an OUSA delegate and instead, reassign that seat to a representative from Huron, Brescia or Kings. I will

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

not mandate how that seat is chosen within the Afliated Colleges and instead will leave this decision up to the HBK Presidents.

CASA I rmly believe that the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations represents the best interests of Western students to the federal government and will continue to support the USCs membership in the organization. The Western Administration Along with the President, I will continuously work the Western administration whenever necessary. I will also aim to include any relevant commissioners, coordinators or students-at-large in any meetings so that students other than the Executive begin to build relationships with key administrators within the university. Constituent Administrators and Constituent Council Presidents Background: There are many academic advocacy issues that occur across faculties, programs and schools within Western. Although the Vice President University affairs acts as the chief advocate for students, the role currently deals very little with program deans and coordinators. The responsibility of advocating for students within a faculty often falls on the faculty council president or vice president academics. Although these student leaders are elected and usually knowledgable, they are not trained advocates and lack the skills necessary to lobby their administration effectively when necessary. Currently, there is little connection between the advocacy work of the University Affairs Portfolio and issues that exist within different constituencies across campus. This can be seen with the recent example of the Social Science Students Councils Student Donation Fund and the pressure applied by the administration for these funds to be used for priorities outside of students best interests. I will address this issue in several ways: 1. Utilize the already existent Presidents Roundtable as a forum for constituent presidents to voice any advocacy concerns they may have within their faculty/school/ college. 2. Hold individual meetings with each constituency president and vice president academics once a semester to go over concerns and create an action plan in-depth. 3. Consistently provide support to residence, faculty and afliate councils so that they feel comfortable approaching the Vice President University Affairs as a potential

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

resource and support for issues that may require internal lobbying. This can be achieved simply through an email at the beginning of the year and individual council visits. 4. I recognize the unique needs of Huron, Brescia and Kings students and acknowledge their ability to better act as their own advocates. I will however, extend a special offer to assist any Afliate executive member who seeks assistance when dealing with a member of their administration. City of London Relations One of the most valuable relationships the USC has is with the City of London. Students at Western provide London with immense business and opportunities for growth. Likewise, the city offers students many services such as the LTC and often times, a second home. Although the relationship between the USC and the city has remained strong in the past, there is certainly much room for an increase in dialogue between the decision makers of both the city and our student government. It is important to note that although the Western administration has a positive relationship with the city of London, the USC should have its own mechanisms in place to recognize and solve municipal issues. As a student-driven organization, we also have the responsibility to encourage students at Western to step outside of our university bubble and become engaged citizens of the municipality. I plan to build city relations through the following steps: 1. Building upon the work of current Vice President University Affairs Patrick Searle and utilizing the University Students Councils ex-ofcio seats on the newly created London Youth Advisory Council 2. Tasking a portfolio member with the responsibility of creating a list of USC Community Partners. This list will involve different not-for-prots and charitable organizations within London whose mandate falls in line with the USCs commitment to early outreach and promotion of post-secondary education. 3. Creating a relationship with the three most relevant City Council Citizen Advisory Committees (standing committees): Community Safety and Crime Prevention, Housing and Transportation. This relationship can be in the form of email communication with the chair of each committee. If an issue arises on campus surrounding any of these three area\s, a communication channel exists for the Vice

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

President University Affairs to gain context and understanding on the current state of affairs in any given area. 4. Continuing the presence of the USC on Londons Town and Gown Committee. 5. Developing a rapport with Westerns Housing Mediation Ofcer who represents housing issues to the City. This relationship will better connect the USC to housing, zoning and bylaw issues faced off campus.

Cross-Portfolio Collaboration Background: University Affairs serves as the mechanism for issues to be channeled to the administration or relevant stakeholder. Through the building of relationships, advocacy and lobbying, the UA portfolio serves as the main voice representing all kinds of issues spanning multiple portfolios. For this reason, the UA portfolio must seek to consistently collaborate with and support the other executive portfolios in addressing issues such as: institutionalized gender inequity mental health on campus Aboriginal students other marginalized student groups

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Part 3: Action Points

University Affairs Portfolio and Functions Coordinator Training: I plan to continue in line with the Strategic Plan and hold commissioner/coordinator training as soon as they are selected to help solidify their roles for the upcoming year. Relationship Between UA Standing Committee & UA Portfolio: Right now, the relationship between the UA Standing committee and Portfolio is broken and often times each group has a different set of ideas in regards to the direction of the UA portfolio for the next year. Once the commissioner and coordinators have been selected, I propose to have them present to the UA standing committee their projects for the year so that the committee is aware of the work going on within the portfolio and can set a direction based on that. Senate Training: All student senators must be trained as advocates for students to the administration. We cannot expect our senators to stand up to administrators unless they are properly trained and educated on senate policy and procedure. This training session will take place at the beginning of the year (September) and will be conducted by the Internal Affairs Coordinator. Creating a USC Advocacy Rights Document When students walk into the USC ofce, they should know that they are supported and represented as a member of the organization. Many students are unaware that one of the primary functions of the USC is to advocate on behalf of students - to the administration, the city of London and the provincial and federal governments. I propose to begin to create a document with a set of statement values specic to advocacy so that any undergraduate student across this campus is aware of what the USC promises to do to uphold their rights.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

USC Tutoring Service Currently, the USC does not offer any direct support for students requiring academic help. Although the univerisity does have programs in place to assist with this, many other student governments in Canada provide their own in-house tutoring programs. I will task a member of the UA portfolio to look at these other models and see whether we can bring something similar to the USC. HBK City Relations Working Group: Supporting Huron, Brescia and Kings in the City of London This groups aim will be to support Huron, Brescia and Kings with their municipal lobbying initiatives. Although the majority of provincial and federal lobbying has to be conducted through the centralized USC, municipal issues facing HBK can often be dealt with individually through their afliate college executives. I plan to support the HBK executives in any way I can to empower them to establish their own relationships with city councilors and members of the community. An example of this could be bringing an afliate representative (either a President or VP) to every City Council meeting.

Establishing a USC Community Partners Database I plan to task someone within the UA portfolio with the responsibility of going out into the community and developing a relationship with different not-for-prots, social enterprises and venues who have a similar mandate to the USC: that our potential work with them could mutually benet students at the university and the organization. This database can help us connect students who want to be involved in the organization with volunteer opportunities, and can be a resource for any commissioner/coordinator on council for event-planning and other initiatives. Advocating for More Mustang Express Pick-up Locations Currently, the Mustang Express can only pick up students downtown and drop them at their homes even though it drives by students waiting near campus who have stayed late to study. Although it is great that we provide a free and safe service for students to be able to get home after a night downtown, the fact that the same service is not licensed to provide the same courtesy to students who have chosen to study late on campus is disappointing. I will advocate to ensure that the bylaw is amended so that the MEX can also service students looking for a free and safe ride after a late night at the library. This process includes speaking to the contractor of the MEX and discussing the bylaw amendment with the relevant City Councillor.

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

Student Housing One of the most pressing and perhaps underrepresented issues facing undergraduate students at Western is the issue of housing. Often times, students are asked to pay high rent and receive very little service or cooperation from their landlords. Landlords and tenant companies realize that they can take advantage of students who are often illequipped to defend themselves or ill-prepared to know their rights. I plan to address this issue in the following ways: Establishing a relationship with the landlord tenant board in London so that students who come to the USC with tenancy issues can use the USC as an intermediary and support. This will be done through formalized communication with the UWO Housing Mediation Ofcer. Research the feasibility of a holiday house check program similar to many other Ontario university (such as Queens) Task a portfolio member to learn more about the alarm system bylaw in London which mandates very specic rules about alarm system safety in homes Using data gathered from the Strategic Plan, I would like to attempt to quantify students thoughts and feelings towards Project L.E.A.R.N. and if deemed necessary, begin to formulate a policy on the USCs position on this initiative. Tasking Commissioner-at-Large to Gather Student Feedback The role of the Commissioner-at-Large University Affairs this year will be adjusted to exclusively deal with gathering student feedback. The USC just conducted the largest student feedback initiative in recent history through the Strategic Plan, and the job of the Commissioner-at-Large will be to use the Strat Plan as a resource for the UA portfolio rather than trying to create new feedback mechanisms that will ultimately be less effective. External Research Partnership with European University One of the great things about the USC is its ability to learn from other institutions with similar student governments and mandates. Through OUSA, we maintain good relations with other similar universities in Ontario who have many shared priorities with Western. Although these relationships are valued, they also limit the USC from learning about vastly different education and advocacy models. I would like to establish an informal research partnership between the USC and a similar-sized student government with a European university. Unlike the US and Australia, the education models for PSE

Strengthening Relationships and Encouraging Conversations: Neha Chandrachuds Vision for University Affairs

in Europe tend to be vastly different - especially when dealing with student governments and their strong levels of not just advocacy, but activism. There is a lot the USC could learn from their approach to different situations given their infrastructure and if this relationship is valued year after year, different research projects or ideas could be examined from year to year. Research will be conducted into potential institutions for this partnership and the results would be decided democratically - either through a council vote or more informally though an online poll succeeding a presentation from the relevant party within the UA portfolio.