UNews - Adam Vossepoel

Student leaders prove lobby effort can be effective

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:35:17 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students may soon see lower textbook pricing, among many other quality initiatives, thanks to the lobbying efforts of its Students' Union.

Student leaders from across Canada, including former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) President Adam Vossepoel, ULSU President Jeremy Girard and former ULSU VP Administration Brodie Pattenden, recently met with political party leaders, members of Parliament, senators and government officials to discuss post-secondary education as part of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations' annual lobby conference in Ottawa.

"We have been incredibly successful in lobbying at three important levels," says Vossepoel, who has played a central role in ULSU lobby efforts for two years. "Federally, we recently secured $2 billion in infrastructure funding; provincially, we've managed to lower interest rates on student loans; and here at the U of L we have gained significant ground in legitimizing the ULSU as an important group on campus and gaining the respect of other members of this organization."

Currently, a focal point in post-secondary advocacy efforts is the high cost of textbooks; the federal government is being pressured to remove the 10 and 15 per cent price premiums from the Book Importation Regulations, a move that could see an immediate $32.5 million in savings annually for Canadian students.

"It's important to us that students know the ULSU is an organization they can rely on to support and advocate for their best interests," says Girard, adding that the likely elimination of price premiums could take effect as soon as 2010-2011.

"It's imperative the ULSU advocates for lowering the cost of academic materials, and saving students money on textbooks is a very real and achievable goal," says Girard. "The number of hours invested in advocacy truly pays off when you see initiatives such as this materializing."

Vossepoel agrees, having seen the system work during his time in office.

"The last two years have been incredibly rewarding in terms of advocacy. I have had the opportunity to see first-hand the tangible results that come from the efforts of many dedicated and motivated individuals," says Vossepoel, adding that he is confident these efforts will continue to improve the quality of post-secondary education for years to come.

"I'm very excited to be stepping into an environment where our advocacy groups are extremely well received by both the provincial and federal governments," says Girard.

Support for campus garden an easy sell

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:30:13 +0000

With overwhelming support from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students, as well as several departments and organizations on campus, it's no surprise the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) recently allotted $17,000 from the QIP (Quality Initiative Program) budget to provide start-up funding for the Campus Roots Garden Cooperative.

"The garden is a great project; not only is it a way to build the U of L community, it's a way to improve the environment and change the way we think about food," says Adam Vossepoel, ULSU president.

Construction of the garden is slated to begin April 18-19, and will be the first sustainable cooperative garden project at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Students, staff and faculty will utilize the space one of two ways: through a private plot, for those who wish to devote more time to growing their herbs and vegetables, or through the cooperative portion, for those who have less time or experience but are nonetheless interested in participating.

"This will provide a great opportunity for members of the U of L community to relax during some of the countless hours they spend on campus," says Kyle Robinson, the U of L student who spearheaded the community garden project after watching a video on the topic.
"We are striving to find new ways to reduce our reliance on what we take, and I thought putting a garden on campus was a great way to put our words into action."

Robinson undertook extensive research on existing cooperative gardens to choose a model that would best meet the needs of U of L community members.

"What's cool about this garden is it will be kind of a showcase of the mix of what works best on other campuses across Canada," he says.

The garden will be located near the Park Way Service Building, close to the south end of campus.

"When we first got word of where the garden would be, we weren't sure if the location was ideal because it is so far away," says Robinson, adding that he now realizes the location is actually quite strategic after learning there are several developments planned for the area.

Judging by the feedback Robinson has received on the project so far, the Campus Roots Cooperative Garden will inevitably be a success with students, staff and faculty alike.

"The QIP funding approval doesn't only show what a few representatives want, but is reflective of what the students, staff and faculty on campus want," says Robinson.

Vossepoel agrees, adding that a legacy will be established once the garden is complete.

"Part of the ULSU's role is to build student life and culture at the U of L," says Vossepoel. "This cooperative garden is being developed by students, for students; naturally, we give our full support to the initiative, which will benefit the U of L community for years to come."

ULSU elections enlightening

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:36:09 +0000

Flames vs. Oilers. Harper vs. Dion. Competition between rivals provides free advertising and captures public attention, both of which are valuable assets when in want of a larger fan base or having polls tipped in your favour.

So what do you do when no competition exists?

With three of four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) executive positions having just a single candidate in the spring elections, the 2009-2010 nominees faced the challenge of single-handedly garnering student interest, producing stimulating political debate, and showing they are competent and can be held accountable.

"The uncontested candidates had to work even harder in their campaigning," says Adam Vossepoel, ULSU president. "They had to prove that they deserved the position more than anyone else and were, in fact, the best candidate for the job."

Jeremy Girard, the single presidential candidate, agrees.

"To run against somebody else would have been easier; instead I was basically up against every single other person in this school and I needed to show people I was the best candidate for the position," says Girard, a fourth-year neuroscience major.

Proving worthy of the position isn't the only issue that arises when a candidate runs uncontested; to be viewed as credible and capable is difficult to attain without a rival posing a test.

"It's more challenging to campaign against someone, but it's much more difficult to be seen as legitimate when you're campaigning alone," says Alex Masse, the single vice-president academic candidate.

Masse, a fourth-year political science major, planned to prove his legitimacy through the election's town hall speeches, executive council debates and the CKXU radio debate.

For Allan Hall, fifth-year accounting student and vice-president administration candidate, running uncontested didn't change his objective of ensuring student support.

"The best thing I feel that I could do was just talk to students," says Hall. "I think that it was really important that all the candidates, even if they didn't have any competition, made an effort to engage students."

The position of vice-president internal was the only one sought after by more than one student; fourth-year psychology major Matt Kalynchuk and third-year philosophy student Cole Lehto both vie for the title.

"Cole and I had to use campaigning to differentiate ourselves from one another and help people choose a candidate based on who they believed was right for the job," says Kalynchuk.

"Running against someone means you must campaign in order to win and the competition is motivating," says Lehto, who was pleased to have a competitor. "Running against no one means you must draw your motivation to campaign from a feeling of duty to do so, which is difficult."

Whether the 'battle of Alberta' or the aspiration to hold an important political role, the challenge of garnering interest and being regarded as worthy, at times with no reference point, is difficult to achieve. If willingness to work hard is any indication of success in this area, it appears the ULSU can rest assured it will be in worthy hands for 2009-2010.

ULSU elections in the books

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:40:26 +0000

The battle for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union president may have been a one-horse race but it didn't stop voters from casting ballots in the 2009-2010 ULSU executive council and general assembly election last week.

Over 21 per cent of students cast their votes in the election as a variety of roles were filled. Jeremy Girard ran unopposed as ULSU president and will take over office in May. He's excited about the upcoming challenge.

"I'm proud to serve as president in the upcoming year," says Girard. "The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a lot to offer to the community, and the Students' Union has a lot to offer to students."

Girard takes over from outgoing ULSU President, Adam Vossepoel.

"I'm confident the incoming executive team will lead the ULSU down the right path," says Vossepoel. "The organization and the interests of students are in very capable hands, and I leave my presidency with no apprehension about the future of the ULSU."

Following are the results from the 2009-2010 ULSU election.

2009‐2010 ULSU Executive Council: Jeremy Girard, President; Allan Hall, VP Administration; Alex Masse, VP Academic and Cole Lehto, VP Internal.

2009‐2010 ULSU General Assembly: Justine Foy, arts and science representative; Zack Moline, arts and science representative; Eric Hawthorne, arts and science representative; Willis Norrie, arts and science representative; Alecia Fraser, arts and science representative; Cayley Rauw, arts and science representative; Tyler Stewart, fine arts representative; Tyrell DaSilva, management representative; Michael Persinger, organization of residence students representative; Fwanyanga Mate, international representative; Melanie Sam, First Nations, Inuit Métis representative; Jenn Prosser, board of governors representative.

The newly‐elected council members assume their roles May 1, 2009 and remain in office through to Apr. 30, 2010.

QIP fund helps ease challenge for students

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:02:33 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) plays a prominent role in every student's educational and social experience during their time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. To what degree and depth that interaction between students and their organization occurs can differ significantly with each individual.

The majority of U of L students interact with the ULSU through one of the many programs or services that are regularly offered, such as the Health and Dental Plan, a club, the Zoo, a major music event, the food court or through a scholarship opportunity. However, in a few special cases, the ULSU has been able to make a very personal impact on the lives of some of our students through the Quality Initiative Program (QIP) Disability Fund.

"The QIP Disability Fund is set up to improve the quality of life for students who have disabilities," says Adam Vossepoel, ULSU president. "Often, a student's required procedures or devices aren't covered by health care or any other government agency because they aren't considered 'necessary'. However, without these, a student's ability to participate in their university career would be affected in a very negative way."

The most recent case of the QIP fund being put to good use was the opportunity to provide a SpeechEasy fluency tool to a student, which continues to assist that student in reducing stuttering. Other devices and treatments purchased through this initiative include implanted hearing aids and treatment for extreme migraine headaches.

"We exist to ensure that U of L students' needs are being met. That's our mandate, to look out for students, and we do the best we can to keep that in mind every day," says Vossepoel.

Microcredit program has its rewards

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:39:40 +0000

With increasing financial burdens being placed on students, it is quickly becoming less economically feasible for many to participate in projects and experiences beyond a standard post-secondary education.
The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU), through its travel and conference grant program, strives to enable student participation in activities that may not otherwise be financially viable. Recently, the ULSU helped finance a trip to Costa Rica for four Rotaract Club members who assisted a microcredit (small loan) project.
Jason Pan became involved in the microcredit project because he saw it as much more than a volunteer opportunity.
"I see a lot of myself in the people we help," says Pan, a fifth year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge biology student. "My parents do not come from well-to-do backgrounds and in a sense, helping others is akin to helping people like my parents live and achieve their goals."
Rotaract holds an international fundraiser each year; last year the organization began the microcredit project in Costa Rica. Without microcredit programs, countless impoverished individuals worldwide, unable to gain access to traditional financial credit, would likely never exit poverty.
"It was incredibly meaningful to be able to visit the community and interact with the people who will benefit from the money that we raised," says Alix Blackshaw, a third-year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge neuroscience student, who also participated in the project. "To see the help we can bring to their community really shows that a few dedicated students and some hard work can make a huge difference."
Projects like this are testament to the significance of student involvement in extra-curricular endeavours complimentary to a post-secondary education.
"��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is about experiencing new things and capitalizing on new opportunities," says Adam Vossepoel, ULSU president. "Through travel and conference grants, we facilitate this growth and allow students to move beyond their academic agendas to participate in international projects or events relevant to their education."
Brianne Rohovie is the ULSU Communications Coordinator

Logo reflects ulsu vision

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:53:56 +0000

After 20 years and just as many council changes, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union decided this was the year to develop a new logo — one that truly embodies the ultimate goal of the organization and why it exists.

"Updating the ULSU logo is something that has come up throughout the years, always as a minor issue, but it's very important the ULSU have a strong and recognizable logo so that we can be seen as having a presence on campus," says ULSU
president Adam Vossepoel.

"Our old logo was so hard to work with, it was
really unbalanced and asymmetrical," says Susan Curtis, ULSU executive assistant and the woman behind the new logo design.

"There was a lot of detail put into the creation of our new logo to ensure it was concise, bold, uncluttered and well-defined both up close and at a distance."

Although the ULSU had many prospective designs to choose from (six graphic design companies responded to the ULSU's request for proposals), the decision to use Curtis's simple, yet bold, logo came as an easy one.

"We (the ULSU) are an organization that directly represents the needs of students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. We feel that the logo epitomizes our purpose," says Vossepoel, adding that there is significance behind all of the logo's elements.

The sun motif reflects the ULSU's relation to the U of L community, while still highlighting that it is a distinct entity from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

The circle represents the ULSU's dedication to developing programs and services that complete the student experience while pursuing studies at the U of L.

Finally, the organization's acronym, ULSU, is displayed prominently to remind all those who look upon it that ultimately the reason it exists is to serve the students at the U of L.

"We're very excited to officially unveil our logo. Look for it around campus, it embodies every aspect of the work that we do," says Vossepoel.
Brianne Rohovie is the ULSU Communications Coordinator

UNews - Adam Vossepoel

Student leaders prove lobby effort can be effective

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