SU Elections 2026 Q&A: Education Students’ Association Plebiscite

The University of Alberta Students’ Union (SU) 2026 election is giving students the opportunity to vote on a faculty association membership fee (FAMF) renewal for the faculty of education by the Education Students’ Association (ESA).

According to a presentation given to Students’ Council on December 16, 2025, the ESA FAMF renewal would maintain its current $8 per year fee.

The fee will be collected from all undergraduate education students. Full-time and part-time students will pay the same fee. The fee collection process would begin in September 2026 and last until September 2029.

At this December 16 meeting, ESA Vice-president (finance) Laiba Shaikh said that despite having alternative sources of funding, the ESA would not be able to cover all of their costs without a FAMF.

ESA was not available for an interview, but shared the following written statement:

ESA is committed to providing our students with the opportunities and resources to help them thrive. We stand by our commitment to build community in our faculty, represent our students, and perform valued services. Since 2018, our yearly $8 fee has allowed us to serve the interests of our students and we hope to renew this fee for a five year term. Some of our services include locker and table rentals, organizing professional development sessions, and our biweekly newsletter that provides students with important information and job/volunteer opportunities. We also have an open office space where students can seek guidance from council members or just hang out! Further, we support three scholarships annually, and host networking and social events throughout the year. For more information about ESA, check out our website or visit our office at Education Centre North 4110-A!