Equalities Resource Centre proposal moving forward

News release from the UFV Student Union Society:

Equalities Resource Centre proposal moving forward

April 13, 2015 – In recent months the SUS and UFV have been approached by several student groups, individual student members, and a few concerned faculty members expressing their desire to see a safe space at UFV which would serve to support, educate, and provide informational resources on specific communities which possess their own unique histories, challenges, and ideas.   It has been through their hard work in developing this idea and generating support that the SUS Executive Committee felt a discussion was warranted on what the Student Union could do to address these concerns and honour our mandate to bring needed student services to the UFV community.

The Executive Committee is proud to announce, with support from UFV’s division of the VP, Students, the development of an Equalities Resource Centre (ERC) at UFV. We feel it is in keeping with our student centred mandate that such a service is not only student initiated but student led and managed. SUS being the representative body for students at UFV, the Executive Committee will be bringing forth a proposal for approval to the SUS Board of Directors this April to re-allocate a third floor room in the Student Union Building from what is currently general study space to a dedicated ERC.

“The Executive is very excited to bring such an important initiative to fruition and are grateful this idea was generated by engaged students. We feel it’s integral that this continue to be led and managed by a diversity of student representatives which will help ensure a lasting and accountable operating structure,” said Thomas Davies, SUS President.

This space is internally divided into three rooms, allowing for the Equalities Officer to meet confidentially with individuals and groups in a dedicated office, a separate meeting room for dedicated clubs such as the Pride Collective and Women’s Initiative, and a large public resource space for all members of the UFV community. In so doing, the Equalities Officer can ensure the day to day management of the ERC while the Equalities Committee (composed of a multitude of students representing various communities at UFV) will have oversight of the ERC thereby guaranteeing a variety of perspectives and identities are represented.

Should this proposal be approved by the SUS Board of Directors, the Equalities Committee would compose a thorough operational plan for how the ERC would be programmed and what resources are needed to open this September. Additionally, VP Students Jody Gordon is excited to develop new opportunities between the ERC and UFV programming. “This is an important initiative and our division is very pleased to continue to develop safe space programming in partnership SUS and our students.”

Thomas Davies adds, “We’re looking forward to a wide variety of interested students sitting on our Equalities Committee, and would particularly extend an invitation to those students who have already done great work in moving this project forward.”

For any questions, comments, or to learn more about the ERC please e-mail Thomas Davies, President at President@ufvsus.ca.

If interested in becoming a member of the Equalities Committee please contact Sunny Kim, Equalities Officer at Equalities@ufvsus.ca.