SU Elections Q&A 2024: HUB Community Association Referendum

In the 2024 Students’ Union (SU) election, residents of HUB mall at the University of Alberta will have the opportunity to vote on renewing the HUB Community Association (HCA) faculty association membership fee (FAMF).

The HCA would use the annual fee of $45 to maintain and provide the furniture and workout equipment in The Vault, a common area for HUB mall residents. The fee would also go towards programming events and advocacy for HUB mall residents. Residents would have the option to opt-out of the fee.

Representing the HCA in this Q&A is Kelvin Au, a fourth-year dietetics student and the HCA’s vice-president (finance and administration).

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What is this referendum trying to accomplish?

Kelvin Au: It’s trying to accomplish the goal of having a new fee for the residents of HUB mall to pay. This fee will go towards supporting the resident association that is based in HUB mall called the HCA. We provide many services such as lending out games, maintaining The Vault, lending out vacuums, lending out cleaning supplies, and we help maintain the furniture inside The Vault. 

For students who don’t know, what is the HCA?

Au: HCA is a residence association based in HUB mall. We run The Vault and we organize the furniture inside The Vault. We also organize the gym equipment and the other associated equipment within that facility. That’s something that not many other residence associations do. We have elected executives that are voted in by HUB mall residents to organize and run this association. 

If this referendum passes, how much will students be paying and how was that cost determined?

Au: The cost has always been $45 for around five years. We’re asking students to renew that system so we can continue to recruit new execs so they can serve as an advocate for HUB mall, work with residence services, work with the SU to gather funds, and really co-operate on many other initiatives that affect all students on campus. 

Will all students be paying this fee?

Au: This fee is an opt-outable fee that all HUB residents pay. So only students that live in HUB residence pay the $45.00 fee and they can choose to opt-out within the standard opt-out period for other fees.

Why do you think students should care about the work being done by the HCA?

Au: The responsibility of updating and maintaining The Vault and the equipment in the gym rooms is the responsibility of the HCA at the moment. If there was no HCA, that space would not be maintained and the equipment would fall into disrepair. Additionally, there are also funding opportunities for residents that require the approval of other of residence associations.