By: Aditi Dwivedi, News Writer
Content warning: This article contains mentions of sexual and gender-based violence.
On January 25, The Peak attended the Simon Fraser Student Society’s (SFSS) bi-weekly Council meeting. The highlights from the meeting include SFSS unanimously agreeing to sign the Alliance of BC Students’ (ABCS) open letter and discussing budgetary requirements for the 2023 Science Undergraduate Society Winter Formal.
Alliance of BC Students’ Open Letter: Urgent Call for Action against sexualized and gender-based violence
The vice-president of external and community affairs, Eshana Baran, proposed a motion for the Council to sign on to an open letter shared by the Alliance of BC Students (ABCS). ABCS is a student-led coalition of five post-secondary student associations from across BC, which advocates for a “barrier free post-secondary system.” Representing over 80,000 students, their work and efforts are aimed towards advocating for the BC students’ rights, interests, and the promotion of accessible post-secondary education.
According to Baran, “For years, students have been advocating for funding for sexualized violence prevention offices and support for survivors.” She encouraged the Council to join the ABCS in calling on the government to take action against the growing sexualized and gender based violence in post-secondary education institutions.
According to ABCS, one in five women will “experience sexual assault during their time at post-secondary.” Their campaign is working to update provincial legislation as there are little requirements for what a university must include in their sexual assault and misconduct policies. “The Alliance of BC Students believes that there are minimum standards that every institution should be required to adhere to.”
When acting president, Abhishek Parmar, introduced the motion, it was passed unanimously by Council. Executive director of ABCS, Joshua Millard, who was invited to the meeting, said, “We appreciate your full support on this.”
Science Undergraduate Society’s Winter Formal 2023
The president of the Science Undergraduate Society, Jessie Shen, and the vice-president internal, Ananga Bajgai, gave a presentation on their annual Winter Formal. The presentation included an event overview and outlined safety and accessibility measures such as designated drivers, wheelchair ramps, on-site security, dietary accommodations, emergency transportation, and lowered ticket prices for students. They were seeking approval for a budget of $10,000.
The Science Undergraduate Society aims to support students in the faculty of science by providing networking opportunities through social events. According to Shen, the Winter Formal is a “time for science students to not wear lab coats, and enjoy their time and meet new people.” The event also allows science students from different disciplines to connect with one another and establish a sense of community, she added.
The Science Undergraduate Society received unanimous approval for the proposed budget of $10,000 from Council. The budget included aforementioned costs of safety and accessibility measures, in addition to venue, food, and staff.
