On behalf of the union, the elected Executives, Board of Directors, and Staff Members, we would like to welcome and congratulate you for beginning a new academic year 2010-11.The summer session was very busy for UTMSU as your students’ union underwent many changes. We have not only improved service at the Student Centre, but also achieved phenomenal successes in some of your campaigns. Some accomplishments of UTMSU over the summer period were as follows: increased club funding and needs-based bursaries; introduced an Academic Advocacy program; introduced a Ministry of Student Services to better the programming of the Students’ Union; increased part-time positions on campus; and increased pay on campus;expanded the services offered to clubs, including a bulk purchasing program for website services and t-shirt promotional gear; currently distributing the UPASS to full-time UTM undergraduates and lobbying Mississauga Transit to expand service to summer and part-time students; worked with student unions across Ontario through the Canadian Federation of Students in efforts to reform OSAP; and much more.
I would like to introduce your elected UTMSU executives: Gilbert Cassar (VP Internal & Services), Grayce Yuen (VP University Affairs & Academics), Munib Sajjad (VP External), Kumari Giles (VP Equity), Danny Dong (VP Campus Life), and Marium Chowdhury (VP Part-Time Affairs).There are a few projects that your elected representatives are currently committed to: organizing a Fall Election for Division I Board of Directors positions; preparing a referendum for a summer and part-time UPASS; working to expand the Student Centre to enhance student campaigns and services; ensuring that UTMSU moves towards an environment-friendly model of operation.; introducing new events and pub nights to improve campus life for UTM students; And increasing food diversity at the Blind Duck.
We can all be found at the UTMSU office in the Student Centre, so please feel free to visit us if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, or you want to get involved! There are several avenues to being involved: you can join campus life by becoming an active member of a club, you can join ministries at UTMSU, you can apply for an position as associate to the executives, or you can volunteer to help organize campaigns and events.
You can keep yourself updated with what YOUR Students’ Union is doing at www.utmsu.ca or at the Facebook group, “UTM Student Union (UTMSU)”. On behalf of the UTMSU executive, staff, and Board members, I wish all of you the best of luck in the 20010-2011 academic year and hope to see you all soon.
In Student Solidarity,
Vickita Bhatt
