Written by Sophie Downie Allen

@sophiecdownie

Thumbnail Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash

As 2020, a year full of uncertainty and change, comes to a close, it is important for us to give consideration to the institutions we rely on every day. For the Saint Mary’s University (SMU) student body, the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association (SMUSA) is a vital organization because it provides students with access to a number of important services that would otherwise be more expensive or inaccessible. For example, all full-time students at SMU receive a Halifax Transit U-Pass sticker for the entire academic year through SMUSA. The U-Pass is not free, but students are only charged $146 for an eight-month pass, which presents itself as a far more cost-effective alternative to buying an adult transit pass through Halifax Transit for $82.50 per month. SMUSA also has services that function as safe spaces for societal groups who experience stigma, such 2SLGBTQ+ students and allies, women, and people struggling with mental illness.

There is no doubt that SMUSA offers a diverse selection of helpful services to SMU students that play a quintessential role in student life. However, there are still a number of services missing from SMUSA’s roster that would serve to significantly improve the student experience at Saint Mary’s University. This article will suggest some services that SMUSA could provide that they do not already. These suggestions will be based on services offered by the student unions at five other Nova Scotia universities: Saint Francis Xavier University, Acadia University, Mount Saint Vincent University, Cape Breton University, and Dalhousie University.

One service that SMUSA is notably missing is a centre or office for equity and anti-racism. In light of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement’s resurgence following the tragic death of George Floyd, it is more important than ever that student unions make every effort to support marginalized groups on campus and educate students on anti-racist attitudes. This sentiment is equally applicable to the oppression that Indigenous groups in Canada have faced this year. One does not need to look any further than the case of mobs attacking indigenous fisheries in Central West Pubnico, Nova Scotia to understand why education about racist issues on university campuses is so important. SMU may have an Indigenous Student Advisor and a Black Student Advisor available to students, but establishing a place within the Saint Mary’s community where issues of racial equality are at the forefront is a crucial step that SMUSA needs to take in order to further the narrative of anti-racism at SMU. At Dalhousie University, located in Halifax and Truro, the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) has an Equity and Accessibility Office, which was created with the intention of addressing systemic racism at Dalhousie University and within the DSU. The Equity and Accessibility Office offers multiple services that facilitate the narrative of anti-racism at Dalhousie, including a grant opportunity for projects on the systemic oppression of Indigenous people at Dalhousie, and an “unlearn” project that informs students about unlearning racism and practicing proper allyship. By initiating a service that focuses on ensuring equal opportunities for minority groups within the university community, the DSU shows that it is willing to hold itself accountable on issues of racial equality, something that all student unions, including SMUSA, should aim to do.

Continuing along the lines of inclusivity, the SMU community would also benefit if SMUSA sought to introduce a multicultural centre to Saint Mary’s University. At Cape Breton University, located near Sydney, one of the services provided by the Cape Breton University Students’ Union (CBUSU) is a Multicultural Hub Centre. On the CBUSU webpage, the Multicultural Hub Centre is described as a place on the CBU campus that organizes diverse cultural events, such as an African Heritage Month Gala and a Diwali Night. The Multicultural Hub Centre also provides a lounge area to all students, whether they are domestic, Indigenous or international. A multicultural centre would be an extremely valuable addition to SMUSA’s list of services given how diverse the SMU student body is, especially with regard to international students, who make up more than a quarter of all SMU students. That being said, Saint Mary’s does have its own International Student Centre that provides international students with services such as a mentorship program and government and university referrals. Nonetheless, it would still be useful to have a service that acted to improve the student experience of international students at SMU rather than just their academic experience.

Another service that SMUSA does not cover is child care. There is one on-campus daycare option at Saint Mary’s University called the Point Pleasant Child Care Centre, but it is not run by the student union or SMU itself. Additionally, the Point Pleasant Child Care Centre does not specifically accommodate SMU students, it is simply the most physically convenient option for parents attending the university. This means that SMU students who are in need of child care, many of which likely have their own student debt to deal with, receive no assistance through SMUSA, financially or otherwise. At the Mount Saint Vincent University, located in Halifax, the Mount Saint Vincent Students’ Union (MSVUSU) runs its own child care service called the Fountain Play Centre. Not only is the Fountain Play Centre designed specifically for MSVU students who require child care during classes, but it is also run by student volunteers. This allows the service to operate at a subsidized rate, meaning that the MSVUSU is making it easier for older and younger parents alike to receive an education. If SMUSA were to create its own subsidized child care service, it would benefit the parents who are already enrolled at SMU and attract more parents to apply to the school in the coming years. The volunteer component of the service would also allow SMU students who are interested in pursuing a career in early childhood education to gain hands-on experience in that field.

The next service that SMUSA could provide is one which you may not expect a student union to provide in the first place: legal assistance. As unusual as it may seem, obtaining legal services, especially for young students, can be confusing and pricey, which is why legal assistance on behalf of the student union is useful at universities. SMUSA does offer some representation to students, but it is mostly on issues of academic integrity within the university. At Acadia University, located in Wolfville, the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU) “retains the services of a law firm” in situations where full-time students or ASU staff require legal advice or counsel. Acadia students and ASU staff can easily book legal services by appointment, and the initial consultation is free.

Lastly, something which is missing from Saint Mary’s University that could be provided by SMUSA is an on-campus pharmacy. Full-time students at SMU automatically receive (limited) health and dental insurance through SMUSA, which does extend to prescriptions. However, students must still go off-campus to get their prescriptions filled. For many SMU students, especially those who live in residence, having to seek out a pharmacy off-campus is an undoubted inconvenience. Saint Mary’s does allow students to get their prescriptions mailed to them through a third-party platform called Alliance, but having an on-campus pharmacy would still make the process of getting a prescription filled considerably more simple. At Saint Francis Xavier University, located in Antigonish, the StFX Students’ Union (The U) runs the MacKinnons Pharmasave, an on-campus pharmacy for StFX students. Having an on-campus pharmacy means that students at StFX do not need to leave campus in order to receive prescriptions, and students also do not have to wait for certain medical products to be shipped in. In addition to filling prescriptions, the MacKinnons Pharmasave also provides students with access to a variety of other essential services right on campus, including dry cleaning services and bill payment services. If SMUSA made these services available on the SMU campus, students would be able to deal with practical chores much more easily.

Although they are simply suggestions, I believe that all of these services listed in this article would make valuable contributions to the list of services that SMUSA already provides. With that being said, it must be acknowledged that SMUSA does have limits when it comes to funding. As such, it can be understood why some amenities, such as a lounge for international students, have not been implemented in favor of other services. However, there are still ways that some of these services could be implemented in a cost-effective manner, such as with a child-care centre that brings in revenue. Nevertheless, if I had to choose which service I think is the most important for SMUSA to implement, it would be the centre or office for equity and anti-racism. With all the negativity that the year 2020 has brought to our lives, it is more important than ever that we promote acceptance and equality on university campuses going forward.

For more information on SMUSA’s list of services, visit https://www.smusa.ca/services/.

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