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The Rideau Students' Union's research efforts span back to the organization's founding, deeply rooting itself in how the organization operates and informs its policy and action decisions.
One of the earliest such initiatives was in March of 2021, when the RSU published a Mental Health Report with the efforts of many of our members. We ultimately spun off the organization to operate as an independent research and policy think tank called Peace of Mind as we realized the project's potential. Since then, POM has made strides in research into mental health, education, affordable housing, the justice system, and more. During the time since its separation, we've maintained a tight-knit partnership with POM, working alongside them in many endeavors. The RSU is proud to announce that we will be taking the next step in this relationship, by re-acquiring Peace of Mind. Over the next few months, the RSU plans to transition POM into a part of the RSU's portfolio of projects and properties, spanning the limits of what positive change we can make in our communities, both local and elsewhere. Interested in running as officer, co-president, or board director of the RSU? Join the RSU and let us know on Discord of your interest by April 2nd!
The RSU has updated the constitution to remove the minimum 13 years age limit for membership, such that all high and middle-school students may join, as well as removing the requirement for membership signup to be done online.
The RSU has also moved all procedures relating to constitutional amendments and motions to a new special by-law SB-2023-02, which also includes new procedures on passing and amending by-laws Reasons for the RSU endorsement:
Hey everyone! We're proud to announce that we've elected a brand new leadership cast to keep the union going for the upcoming year, and leading the union in its endeavors. We've elected new co-presidents, and new officers!
Want to run for Co-President or Officer this upcoming RSU leadership election? You can sign up at the link below, and we highly recommend as many people as possible to do so!
Co-President - Responsible for leading meetings and the overall direction of the union, coordinating with officers and staff on union affairs, and relaying relevant information to the board of directors. Social Media Officer - Responsible for managing and creating content for social media (alongside a tech working group), and develop the union's brand Tech Officer - Update the website and Linktree (alongside a tech working group), manage tech services and platforms used, provide tech support Outreach Officer - Draft statements and reports on the union, lead recruitment efforts, engage membership, address queries and questions Administrative Officer - Take meeting minutes, manage bureaucracy, account and audit when needed, and manage union archives. Voting will be held May 14th to 16th. Thanks to everyone who came to our RSU interest meeting to learn about, discuss, and ask questions on the union, operations, and projects. If you are interested in joining the union, visit the link below. A recap of what was discussed during the interest meeting, as well as general information about the union is available below.
We're proud to announce we've elected a new Board of Directors to supervise the union and keep it moving forward, Faraaz Jan, Evelyn Yu, and Will Cooper.
As we have formed a formal affiliation with Horizon Ottawa, we have opted to release a statement. Read our statement of affiliation with Horizon Ottawa, available at the link below. Together, let's build a better Ottawa!
The RSU has released a statement regarding the Province of Ontario's plan for a return to in-person schooling on January 5th, 2022.
The Ontario government's decision to resume in-person learning for students in the province poses a significant risk. As is the case, more time is required to gauge the effect of the outgoing Winter Break on case counts before initiating a full return. Otherwise, our safety as students is jeopardized. Additionally, decisions made in a memo sent last Thursday are of significant concern. Specifically, they promised individuals the option of temporary online learning, without providing school boards the necessary support or clarification to render this feat feasible. The Ministry also announced that they will no longer report COVID-19 cases in schools. The suspension of robust reporting of stats regarding cases in schools bars students and parents from critical information, as the government fails to fulfill its duties in response to the outbreak. Thus, the RSU advocates the delay of regular school operation until AT LEAST January 10th, 2022, with a temporary transition to online learning. The full statement can be viewed online at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mr8BXIhhZHC0YhxE6cj4km2LxgwG0q-87x5pHrUbWus/ The RSU will be holding an Open Discussion Meeting at 7pm on November 5th, 2021, to discuss issues that students in Ottawa want to address.
If you have issues you would like voiced or addressed by the Union, whether you are a member or not, feel free to join! Any and all feedback is appreciated! Join using the link below! The RSU has passed a referendum which will suspend all issue-specific committees until further notice. This decision has been made in response to the future growth prospects of the union.
Going forward, we plan to operate all projects under the management of the greater union. On April 10th, the Union will hold its first annual general convention to encourage youth participation in policymaking, recognize the work of active high school students, inform students of varying issues (ranging from climate change to treatment of indigenous people) and to get the gears turning for communication between students and activists/government members and other stakeholders.
To accomplish these goals, the Unions has devised numerous activities including a speakers series with Members of Parliament, Trustees, activists and others, a networking session to find like-minded peers and talk about issues with experts, a Q&A session brought to you by the Social Issues Committee about the Water Crisis in Indigenous Communities, an awards ceremony to recognize student excellence and more. Join us to learn, grow and become more active in your community. The convention will be 4 to 6 hours long but you can just join us for the parts that you find interesting. A full agenda will be posted soon. To sign up or for more information, check out the link below. We hope to see you soon. |
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