Government & Stakeholder Relations
Overview of the Department
The Government and Stakeholder Relations department advocates for the rights of undergraduate students, with the goal of providing an equitable and accessible university experience for all students, where they feel empowered to live authentically and grow holistically. Our student representatives work with the cities of Waterloo and Brantford as a voice for the undergraduate student body. In addition, the department lobbies our advocacy priorities to the provincial and federal governments. The department collaborates with key stakeholders at the university and across government, including city councils, Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), and Members of Parliament (MPs). Some of our advocacy work includes attending General Assemblies operated by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and running an annual Local Advocacy Week. We seek to ensure all initiatives and campaigns from the Government and Stakeholder Relations department are shaped through intentional, ongoing consultation with students and stakeholders to ensure our work reflects the diverse lived experiences and priorities of our student body.
Student Rights Advisory Committee (SRAC)
The Government and Stakeholder Relations Department oversees the Student Rights Advisory Committee (SRAC), a student-to-student service that exists to provide you with information about your rights when it comes to landlord-tenant issues and academic appeals. While in no way legal representation, SRAC can help inform you about your options in order to make difficult situations easier to navigate. In addition, SRAC runs educational campaigns to inform students about social justice issues across all levels of government, and support and plan events aimed at our advocacy priorities.
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Local Advocacy Week
Local Advocacy Week (LAW) is an annual event held every January, where student leaders (including SRAC volunteers and members of GSR) meet with local politicians to discuss and advocate for pressing student issues. In the weeks leading up to LAW, GSR members research key issues affecting students and consult with the undergraduate population to gather their concerns and perspectives. This research informs the key messages and actionable recommendations that are presented to municipal, provincial, and federal politicians during the week.
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA)
What is OUSA?
The Government & Stakeholder Relations department conducts its provincial advocacy alongside the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). OUSA is comprised of nine different member universities, each of which is a leader in post-secondary education in Ontario. Through OUSA, your Students’ Union develops evidence-based policy aimed at addressing post-secondary issues, and works with key provincial politicians to implement it. Twice a year, OUSA holds a General Assembly (GA) where members of SRAC, the GSR department, and other student leaders participate in creating and amending policy that OUSA uses to lobby the provincial government.
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For more information, go to www.ousa.ca and follow OUSA on Instagram @ousahome
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How does OUSA impact students?
OUSA impacts each student through the policy it advocates for. OUSA seeks to support students through lobbying for policy that can systemically support undergraduate students. A few policies that OUSA has advocated for are OSAP, mental health funding, and tuition freezes. ​
