SU Elections 2022 Q&A: World University Service of Canada Referendum

In addition to electing new student representatives, the Students’ Union 2022 election will give students the opportunity to decide on renewing the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Fund.

WUSC’s designated fee unit (DFU) goes towards bringing students from refugee camps to study at the University of Alberta as permanent residents. This referendum is proposing an increase in WUSC’s DFU, from $0.52 to $1.50.

Representing WUSC in this Q&A is Urbah Syed, a fifth year molecular genetics student and current co-chair of WUSC U of A North Campus.

The following interview has been condensed and simplified for clarity.

What is this referendum trying to accomplish?

Urbah Syed: This referendum is trying to accomplish increasing our DFU from $0.52 every student per semester to $1.50 — which is about the same price as a cup of coffee every semester per student. This DFU is going to go towards supporting the the Student Refugee Program (SRP) that we run at the University of Alberta.

For students who don’t know, what is the World University Service of Canada (WUSC)?

Syed: WUSC is a Canadian-wide organization that works really closely with partners such as the Canadian government and the United Nations. We are primarily a humanitarian aid organization. We work in about 15 countries all over the world. The main thing that we do, especially at the U of A, where we have been present for over 30 years, is run the SRP program. This is a one of a kind program that combines refugee sponsorship with the obtaining of a permanent residency card, as well as getting an undergraduate degree.

Have there been any changes to the WUSC Fee since students’ last voted to pass it?

Syed: There have been no changes. We have been using the $0.52 since basically the 1980s. Now we are asking to increase the fee due to inflation and a couple other reasons.

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

Syed: If the referendum passes, students will be paying $1.50 — about the same price as a cup of coffee, instead of $0.52 per semester, as they are paying right now. This cost was determined by looking at the most recent alumni from the SRP program, seeing how much they actually spent per month, as well as how much money they need to have a decent quality of life.

Will all students be paying this fee?

Syed: Only the ones that pay Students’ Union fees will be the ones that this fee will be assessed to.

Editor’s Note: The Students’ Union does not access fees to Off-Campus and Spring/Summer students at Augustana.

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

Syed: The reason people should care is because we are a really cool program. I don’t think I’ve heard of any other sponsorship program that actually combines getting an undergraduate degree and getting a permanent residency status with sponsorship of a refugee. We also have been active at the U of A for 30 years. We have really good partners that are very dedicated to the work that we do here.

The people that we help come from impoverished countries all over the world that don’t have the economic stability and the opportunities that we are fortunate enough to enjoy in Canada. For example, the last three students that we have sponsored come from the countries of South Sudan, Somalia, and Syria. They usually come from pretty big refugee camps, which are a part of the refugee crisis, which is global and has been going on for a long time. Most people that are in these camps actually stay in them for their entire lives. People are born and they they pass away in these camps, and they never actually get a chance to get out.

Our program, which is the SRP, actually allows them to have a chance at getting out of the [refugee] camp, helping their family, actually resettling in Canada, and being self-reliant once they go through this program.

-With files from Jin He