In this week’s election you will have a chance to make history, empower students, and solidify a change in structure that will fundamentally change the way our student society is organized.
The Society of Arts and Social Sciences (SASS) has been operating as the Faculty Student Union for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences since 2011. In that time they have created the legendary frosh event SASSquatch, organized over 100 events — both academic and community related, and given hundreds of students opportunities to practice leadership, organizational, and team building skills that result in more community and engagement here at SFU.
SFSS by-laws needed to be changed in order to allow for Faculty Student Unions to officially be part of the structure of student governance at SFU. This was achieved in April 2013, and this year SASS is finally able to take the next step for the students of this faculty and become the first official Faculty Student Union at our University
SASS needs your to vote, here are three reasons why you should vote yes.
1) It will help SFU grow
SASS will be become the first official Faculty Student Union at SFU. This model of having student organization and representation at a department and faculty level is structure widely used across Canada at older institutions. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has over 20 departments with over 10,000 students. Many students cannot declare into their department until after the second year, meaning they have little support and fewer opportunities. Moreover, it is important to have a place where students in the arts can come together, organize, and discuss. The Arts are interdisciplinary by nature, and by building connections with each other we can begin to build a larger, more coherent community.
2) More events
At UBC, the Arts Undergraduate Society (SASS equivalent) is responsible for organizing the largest student organized concerts in Canada. McGill’s Arts Society has brought out world-renowned speakers and owns its own multi-million dollar building. By voting “yes” to SASS, you are helping this SFU student organization grow into something that is able to do much more. Philanthropic, academic, environmental, community-related, SASS will be able to organize both large and small events that will raise the profile of our University and make our degrees worth just that much more.
3) More Representation
The more representation students have, they better off they are. By electing students to represent you at the faculty level they are better able to lobby for specific department and faculty needs. This means that if your department funding is being cut, if you can’t get into classes, if there are just enough professors, there is another organization that is mandated to support you.
I have been at SFU for almost 4 years now and I have watched SASS develop into a reputable organization that has done incredible things for students. Voting “yes” will help SFU to become a more reputable university, will bring more events and a better sense of community, and give more unity and representation to students in the largest Faculty at SFU.
Sincerely,
Kyle Acierno, SFU student, a co-founder and the first president of SASS
