Q&A with UASU President Christian Fotang

On March 10, the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) executive team was elected to represent the U of A’s undergraduate community. 

The Gateway sat down with President Christian Fotang to reflect on the UASU’s governance so far, and discuss their goals for the new year. 

Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

The Gateway: What are the UASU’s top priorities heading into the new year? 

Fotang: Tuition is going to be front and centre in terms of our advocacy, because that is the biggest expense that students are paying right now. It’s completely unfair that with the provincial government sitting on a $5.5 billion budget surplus, it’s students who are still being asked to balance the university’s budget. We need to continue to fight against unfair tuition increases that we’re seeing, especially towards international students. And, fight for the funding that our university needs to deliver the top quality programming it’s known for. We’re also promoting things like the Zero Textbook Cost Program as a means of ensuring that students don’t have to pay more towards their textbooks.

In regards to enhancing the student experience, we’re continuing to work on students’ building access to spaces at night. Vice-president (external) Chris Beasley is going to continue to fight for mental health funding and funding for sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) prevention. [He’s] working with Vice-president (student life) Michael Griffiths to extend the sexual violence response coordinator’s contract, and making sure there’s longevity there to address and respond to a lot of the SGBV we know is experienced on campus. 

And then lastly, with promoting comprehensive student learning, [we’re] looking at things like our academic integrity policy. Making sure that’s robust and [that] students are aware of their rights in regards to academic policies.

In their Spring 2023 Client Survey, the Campus Food Bank (CFB) reported that international students remain the highest demographic to use the CFB, making up 70.3 per cent of its clientele. In light of proposed tuition hikes and other economic stressors, how will the UASU support international students? 

Fotang: A lot of the data we get from the CFB is really scary and indicative of where we’re at with issues of food security and the march towards food sovereignty. Economic stressors are disproportionately impacting international students. We’re hearing some really troubling news in places in Ontario, where there are signs being put up saying international students can’t use the food bank. That’s absolutely wrong. That should not be happening. 

International students contribute a lot to our provincial and national economy. They’re members of our community, not only on our campus but off-campus. They’re in our workplaces, they’re our friends, our best friends, our colleagues, [and] our classmates. And to have discriminatory signs like that, that are driving away international students — who are feeling the brunt of the fact that post-secondary budgets have been cut by provincial governments, and are being milked as cash cows to balance the budgets — is completely unfair. 

We’ve been pushing for increased financial aid support for international students at the U of A. In the tuition proposal, we increased the tuition offset [to 8.55 per cent], which would go towards financial resources for international students. I think this is an indicator that international students are being listened to and their problems are being taken seriously. 

At the same time, that’s not going to be enough. The increases shouldn’t be happening in the first place. The university really has to be transparent with its budget and make the case for why international students are being charged these exorbitant amounts. 

Externally, we’ve been making sure that things international students have called for, like removing the cap on work hours, are respected. It means that we’re dealing with issues of finding adequate housing for students, both domestic and international, on our campuses. It’s also making sure that multiple levels of government are providing funding for settlement and transition programs that can welcome international students within their community. 

Internally within our university, we’re making sure that financial aid supports — such as renewable scholarships —  exist. We’re making sure that food banks in the region are continuing to be open, accessible, and non-discriminatory towards international students. The UASU is also working with the International Students’ Association in halting any tuition hikes, or putting a cap on them, to provide some predictability for students.

As we approach the 2024 UASU election, a lot of students may feel like their vote doesn’t matter. Can you provide some insight into the impact students’ votes have on the UASU, and university, at large?

Fotang: Students play a very vital role in the growth and trajectory of this university. We’re not just clients who are paying tuition, or customers who are receiving a service. We’re valued and critical stakeholders in the story of this institution. 

The role that student leaders play in that journey is ensuring that students not only have a seat at the table, but that our concerns, issues, and solutions are being actively heard and listened to. We’re a check and accountability piece to the university. 

Voting is one of the ways that you make your concerns known. You make your priorities known not only to the university, but to your fellow students about what it is that you’re facing, and who can be the most effective champion for your voice. So, I encourage people to really take the time to show up to election forums, and read the platforms of candidates. Being aware and active is part of making sure that students maintain the role of being important stakeholders in the U of A.

What are some advocacy wins the UASU has experienced this year?

Fotang: Through our advocacy, we saw an additional $1 million going to students who need financial support. 

A lot of students came to us, concerned about the fact that they couldn’t get building access for studying or just learning on campus past 6 p.m.. Through a lot of the great work that Griffiths and Vice-president (academic) Pedro Almeida were doing, we’ve extended that to 9:30 p.m.. 

Other great work that I’m really proud of is Beasley making sure that SGBV funding and the need for the provincial government to take action has been at the forefront of the media. He’s been on the radio, television, [and] in news articles talking about this important issue, rallying his counterparts across the province to speak to the provincial government that funding to address and support campuses to deal with gender-based violence on campus that should have been secured yesterday.

We’ve also been promot[ing] the student experience outside of campus. For example, Griffiths took the lead on an Edmonton Elks campus clash event, where the U of A sold over 1190 tickets. It’s just a good way of showing that we have a very active student body that really wants to get involved in experiences not just in the classroom, but outside of it as well.

What are some challenges that the UASU is experiencing, and what are you doing to combat them?

Fotang: Time is always a big challenge. There’s only so much you can do in a year. When we come into our respective offices and we have to spend a couple of those months learning our roles and getting on our feet, it feels like there’s never enough time to get to do the things you want. 

This fall semester has also been a particularly difficult period for our Palestinian and Jewish students, and for our campus community as a whole. We’ve seen a lot of students share concerns around safety on campus. I’ve heard really heartbreaking stories around students experiencing Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and anti-semitism. 

When we face these very challenging times, it makes it very hard for students to want to engage on campus, because they’re fearful for their safety. [It’s] important we reiterate our commitment to freedom of speech, freedom to gather, and freedom to express ourselves, but also make sure that we’re creating a campus community that facilitates dialogue that’s respectful and supports students through these very challenging times. 

We’re trying to push for the university to be consistent with their actions, whether it’s waiving tuition for refugee students from Palestine, or students who are from other displaced locations that are experiencing violence right now. Right now, Almeida is working on a bereavement policy that will hopefully be the first of its kind in this institution. It will allow students who have experienced a loss in the family, or violence in the region they’re from, to have compassion from their professors and faculty members. 

We’ve also been calling for flexible academic policies and clear communication pathways to students about the support that they need. [This includes] things like making sure that if a student needs to take a withdrawal on their transcripts, they can receive that. Or even potentially waiving the fees that are associated with a withdrawal, so they don’t have any undue financial burdens.

One of the things I’ve talked about in the past is making sure that when crises do happen, our policies are not constraining our students from being able to mobilize, fundraise, or raise awareness. And they can do so in a manner that allows them to be responsive to the issues they face back home.