Notes from Council: Executive reports, 2025 UASU elections results ratified
The motion to ratify the 2025 UASU election results passed unanimously.
Rosty Soroka“Notes from Council” is The Gateway’s ongoing series of recaps of noteworthy items from Students’ Council meetings.
At the March 18 meeting of the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council, the executives presented reports and the results of the 2025 UASU election were ratified.
Executive reports
During her executive report, UASU President Lisa Glock discussed her work with the Reconciliation, Inclusion, and Sustainability team to create an Indigenous Initiatives section of the UASU website. Glock also mentioned her efforts to ensure student parity in the General Faculties Council (GFC) during the reconfiguration of its composition.
Vice-president (external) Abdul Abbasi said that he is “catching up after election season.” He mentioned meeting with the City of Edmonton to discuss housing and transit.
Vice-president (academic) Layla Alhussainy mentioned hosting an academic advising summit and tabling events for students to express concerns and feedback on advising.
Board of Governors (BoG) representative Adrien Lam thanked students who participated in the BoG survey she created. Lam reported that she received “over 1,000 different qualitative student responses and concerns.”
Open forum
The Gateway asked what the UASU is doing to ensure students receive adequate financial support considering Budget 2025 allocated $300 million less to student loans compared to the last budget.
Abbasi said that ensuring student financial support is “something that is really important for [the UASU].” He said he is continuing to have conversations with Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney about student loans and financial aid.
Councillors ask about the First-Day Access program, advocacy against tuition increases
Business councillor Owen Pasay asked how the UASU plans to address the First-Day Access (FDA) program moving forward. Alhussainy said that the UASU is continuing to have meetings with university administration and is working on a letter “with asks for students.”
“We’re continuing to push the student concerns that we have gathered,” Alhussainy said.
Alhussainy also mentioned that the UASU has communicated to the university that they are currently working on an opt-out campaign if the FDA is passed. Pasay asked if Student Representative Associations (SRAs) have been involved in the planning of this campaign. Alhussainy said that the UASU is discussing the plan with their marketing and communications teams.
Augustana councillor Nate Goetz asked how the UASU plans to continue advocating against tuition increases. Glock said that the UASU will advocate for the continuation of the two per cent tuition cap. She added that the UASU will pursue additional provincial advocacy.
“It’s hard to deal with the burdens of rising tuition, but we also know that we’re dealing with unprecedented budget cuts to the university,” Glock said. “Tuition is one of the only levers they have to pull.”
Board and committee business
The motion to approve the second principles of the Mandatory Non-Instructional Fee Policy passed with 13 votes in favour. The motion to ratify the 2025 UASU executive committee and BoG elections results passed with 10 votes in favour and none opposed. Councillors who ran in the election abstained from voting on the motion.
Additionally, the motion to amend Student Council Standing Orders 13.2C to ensure votes made by council members are disclosed passed with 13 votes in favour and none opposed.
