Midway through their terms, the Charlatan spoke with student leaders—from the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), the Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA), and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA)—about their campaign promises.
Here’s a breakdown of what CUSA promises were kept, what promises were not, and what remains in progress.
Promise: Get rid of outdated student fees
Yes: CUSA’s promise to get rid of outdated student fees came before the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) was implemented, ultimately changing their strategy, said president Lily Akagbosu.
On Carleton Central, CUSA’s fees are now broken up into four categories: student life and success, student opportunities and spaces, clubs and societies, and student bursaries. Separating the fees created more transparency for students, said Akagbosu, adding that students were also able to opt out of certain fees.
The fees will remain broken down despite changes to the SCI, Akagbosu added.
“We could have asked the university to lump everything into one fee, but we don’t want to do that,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that our students are well aware of all the fees that they pay.”
Promise: Revamp Ollie’s
Yes: Formerly named Oliver’s Pub, Ollie’s renovations took place over the summer and were well received by students, Akagbosu said. The brand revamp saw the addition of a foosball table, punching bag, and new changes to the menu—including the addition of non-alcoholic mocktails.
“Our numbers have increased in terms of attendance, for not just Thirsty Thursdays, but any evenings in general,” she said.
Though the main goals have been achieved, Akagbosu said that future changes are still a work in progress.
“You’re constantly trying to get feedback and adapt to the needs of students, which are ever-changing. The work isn’t over.”
Promise: Opt-in summer U-Pass without taking credits
Ongoing: Currently, Carleton students are able to opt in to a summer U-Pass if they’re taking fulltime classes, but CUSA promised to allow students to opt in regardless.
Changes to the U-Pass are taking longer since it’s not an internal project, with the main stakeholders being the university and OC Transpo, Akagbosu said.
“We’ve had some good meetings going on, but we’re still working at that,” she said.
Although CUSA is aiming to have this goal achieved by summer, Akagbosu said she isn’t sure if it will be done by then.
“We’ll be optimistic,” she said.
Promise: Creating more jobs under CUSA executives
Yes: Project lead positions were launched earlier this year, providing a number of students with jobs under CUSA executives. Students worked on different projects, including collecting research information or collaborating for events.
Akagbosu said changes in light of the recently axed SCI will make providing these projects more feasible, though CUSA’s not planning on hiring any new project leaders in the winter term.
“I definitely see it as a project that will continue, I hope that when a new CUSA year starts, it’s considered.”
Promise: Transform Tory Junction into a student hub
No: Though the original goal was to implement a student hub in Tory Junction, it wasn’t possible due to lack of space, Akagbosu said.
“We weren’t able to get that space from the university, so what we did instead is we used space we already have, which is The Wing,” she added.
The area behind The Wing was converted into a sitting area with microwaves, but is still a work in progress.
“When you put in things, there’s always more you can put in. You might still see some exciting updates there,” Akagbosu said.
Some other goals CUSA was able to achieve include providing more opportunities for student feedback, implementing programs focused on mental health, creating a school supply library and a #GetOutTheVote campaign for the federal election.
This article focuses on major campaign promises which impact the most students, as chosen by the editors at the Charlatan.
Featured image from file.
