The 2011 elections for the Feds Executive, Student Council and Senate are in full swing. Everywhere you look on campus students are feeling the buzz of student government and are pausing to ask, how does the Federation of Students serve our community and can it be improved in anyway. Such questions, I have now realized, cannot be answered with a quick response.
The Federation of Students is a corporation run by an elected governing body of students who act as the Board of Directors overseeing all its operations. As the official voice of uWaterloo students, Feds states their mission is to "serve, empower and represent the Undergraduate Students of the University of Waterloo".
Their vision is to develop a united student body who pursues learning and personal satisfaction on a campus that provides them with an array of opportunities for life experiences.
So where can we see these values translate into tangible services and resources that we the students can benefit from?
The Federation of Students' role on campus can be broken down into: Businesses, Services, Clubs and Societies, as well as Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities.
Businesses- The Bombshelter (more commonly referred to as The Bomber) is a pub where students can grab a meal any time of the day while meeting with friends. They hold nightly events such as concerts, open mic and trivia nights, as well as events for special occasions. It's a known fact among students that they have the best chicken wings, and it's always one of the busiest places on campus in the evenings.
- Federation Hall is an accessible venue on campus for conferences, catering or special events. This past month a Justin Nozuk Concert was held there.
- Federation Express is a popular convenience store in the Student Life Centre, selling absolutely any item you would need on the go! It beats the Tim Horton's line up for a quick coffee.
- Feds Bus is an inexpensive alternate to any other bus system that provides direct transportation to and from main areas within Toronto, Hamilton, and London. It makes visiting home on the weekends easy and fast, without having to spend too much money.
Feds Used Book Store is my favourite service of all! Located at the bottom of the Student Life Centre, it acts a consignment store (you receive your money when your book sells) where you are able to sell your old textbooks while being able to buy the textbooks you need for the following term at discounted prices. It really is an amazing service and a must check before heading to the main bookstore on campus.
- Wasabi Sushi Bar and Curry Up! are two great, affordable and unique places to grab a quick snack or lunch in the Student Life Centre. There is so much variety you will never get tired of eating lunch on campus.
- Services
- Campus Response Team - a volunteer-run program that provides first aid and CPR services at campus events.
- The Food Bank - open to any student from Monday to Friday
- GLOW – is the Queer and Questioning Community Centre
- International Student Connection – is the main hub for students from all over the world to share their stories and become more acquainted with uWaterloo.
- Off Campus Dons – Enabling First Year Students who live off campus to get the full experience of their first year.
- Student Refugee Program
- UW Sustainability Project - increases Environmental awareness and community involvement
- The Women’s Centre - creating a safe place for all women
Clubs and Societies
As mentioned in a previous post about the Clubs and Societies Day, uWaterloo has so many opportunities for students to get involved on campus. All Clubs and Societies are affiliated with, and governed by, the Federation of Students. They are provided with so many resources such as funding, and marketing/promotional tools to better connect/ reach the student body.Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities
Aside from offering students convenient part-time or full-time employment on campus, the Federation of Students has many, many, opportunities for students to get involved in campus life. There are volunteering opportunities to assist with events and campaigns (such as the One Waterloo and Colour Me Educated Campaigns mentioned in previous posts). You can help out, gain experience, and get involved with what you are passionate about.
Clearly, the Federation of Students plays a large role in the uWaterloo we all know and love. Maybe you didn't know that they had a role in some of the services you use everyday or maybe you didn't know all that they offered to you.
Learn more about the Federation of Students at their newly improved website (http://feds.ca/) and start to take advantage of everything that is available to you here at uWaterloo!
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