Written by Bethany Leal-Iyoupe

Thumbnail and Header Photo by Saint Mary’s University

The Saint Mary's University Student Association (SMUSA) is composed of staff and students that advocate for the student body's needs. This article will take a deep dive into what services SMUSA offers. From Husky Patrol, vaccine clinics, co-curricular involvement, and workshops, here are some SMUSA-led benefits that you are entitled to as a student.

Academics

Tutoring programs are managed by student unions at most local universities, except for Dalhousie, which runs its Tutoring Program through the Bissett Student Success Centre. At SMU, the Association runs the Tutor Database, which connects students with tutors at different rates to accommodate different budgets. The average one-on-one tutoring session ranges from $15 to $25 an hour, though this pricing can be negotiated between the client and the tutor as an independent contract. Students with disabilities can fund these services by applying for government grant funding (contact the Fred Smithers Centre at fredsmithers.centre@smu.ca or (902) 420-5452 for more info). Alternatively, students can become tutors in subjects where they maintain a minimum grade of A- (80%). Offering tutoring services is excellent for folks who need to make some extra cash here and there.
Textbook costs add up, and it's difficult to avoid them in most departments. Thanks to the SMUSA Book Exchange, students don't need to spend upwards of $1,500 on textbooks that will be used lightly for a couple of months before they're buried into the nethers of our rooms. The Book Exchange, managed by VP Academic Amanda Cadeau, is a Facebook group where students can buy and sell textbooks or course notes. Buying used textbooks at significantly reduced prices from the Exchange is not only fiscally responsible, but it is also eco-friendly by limiting the mass consumption of paper at schools and supporting other starving students.

Discounts

The Community Food Room is a campus food bank run by student volunteers through SMUSA and Student Affairs & Services. Located at SC526 on the 5th floor of the O'Donnell-Hennessy Student Centre, the room combats hunger on campus by making safe and nutritious food accessible for long- or short-term use in a welcoming environment. All students are welcome to take what they need from the food room and no proof of need is required.
There's a new page on the SMUSA website specifically intended to list all the student deals available. No more having to worry about leaving your coupon book at home! Here's what they have so far:
- Show your student ID at Playdium Dartmouth, a comprehensive arcade with virtual reality pods and much more, to receive the student SCENE bundle at a reduced cost.
- Couryah delivers takeout and groceries right to your front door! By using the code 'SMU' at checkout, students receive $5 off their order, which practically means free delivery. Uber Eats and Skip could never.
- Students can find cars to rent for just $8 a month through the mobile app Communauto Atlantic. According to the website, this service "allows you to enjoy the freedoms of a car, without owning one." This minimal fee will include insurance, maintenance, and parking while you drive the car. Get $40 credit using the promo code STUDENT.
- For folks who have already bought cars of their own, there are still discounts for you! The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program gives students lower rates on auto, home, condo, and tenant coverage. Visit https://www.tdinsurance.com/affinity/SMUSTUDENTS or call 1-877-777-7136.
There are plenty of giveaways advertised at SMUSA events or on their social media channels (@smusahfx). These giveaways have even paid for students' textbooks. Just recently, one student won a $75 Couryah gift card to use towards their groceries and food needs!

Photo by @thegorsebrooklounge on Instagram

Entertainment

Located on the first floor of the Student Building, our beloved Gorsebrook Lounge is a SMUSA service, open from 11:30 to 9 Monday to Thursday and 11:30 to 11:00 pm on Fridays! Students have run this campus pub for students to create a fun space to hang out on campus. The pool table, TVs, lounge-style seating, patio, and Wednesday Wing and Trivia Nights give students plenty of socializing opportunities. For those who are 19+, the campus pub has the cheapest drinks, as well. I've ordered an enormous glass of wine for only $4. Additionally, organizers can utilize this space for events with a capacity of up to 325 people. The full-service bar and state-of-the-art audio/visual set-up can be booked by emailing SMUSA’s Operations Manager, Graeme Mackenzie, at graeme.mackenzie@smu.ca.
Do you follow @smusahfx on Instagram or Twitter? If not, you're truly missing out on a plethora of great workshops. SMUSA keeps its workshops relevant to the times and of utmost benefit to students. As mentioned in our last article, the VP Advocacy, Kyle Cook, facilitated a workshop with a lawyer on tenancy rights in Nova Scotia while we experienced, and continue to experience, a housing crisis. Right now, there is even free naloxone training. Not just limited to informational workshops, there are plenty of fun events hosted by the Association. Drag nights, costume parties, haunted houses, trivia… It's hard to believe that SMUSA is run by students this year when considering all the events they have hosted on top of their academic and social lives.

Health & Safety

COVID-testing & vaccine clinics were pivotal to SMUSA's safe campus reopening plan. Offered in the Homburg Centre, SMUSA advertised COVID-testing throughout the pandemic and vaccine clinics through September and October to get everyone successfully double-vaxxed by October 15th. All students and staff were required to upload proof of double vaccination to be permitted on campus, ensuring a safer environment for campus-goers.
Need to visit the doctor or make a visit to the emergency room? SMUSA has got you covered with the SMUSA Health & Dental Plan or the SMUSA International Health Plan for international students. The former plan is available to domestic students who need prescriptions, dental services, travel, accidents, vision, and many other health services. The latter plan is only open to international students and covers all benefits listed in the domestic plan and emergency medical expenses, such as doctor appointments, x-rays, and lab tests. On the 5th floor of the Student Building, the SMUSA Health Plan Office will issue your plan card, hold your prescriptions or cheques for pick-up, and answer any questions you might have about the health plans. These fees are automatically applied to your account, so if you already have your own medical coverage, you can opt out via SMUport. To be clear, this option is only available if you can provide proof of existing medical coverage as every student is required to have insurance!
Policies are crucial to any governing body as they set expectations and clear-cut rules for effectively serving a community -all governments make them. Over the summer, SMUSA worked with the school to amend the Sexual Violence Action Policy and hire a Sexual Violence Advisor to take preventative action on sexual violence that impacts students.
The Pride Centre advertises itself as a safe, low-key space for 2SLGBTQIA+ and trusted allies. The Centre reopened at the beginning of October. Open from 9 to 5 every weekday; the Centre can be accessed through the SMUSA front desk in the Student Building.
The Women's Centre is a positive, safe space, and levied society that is feminist-centred. Located on the 5th floor of the Student Building, it is a welcoming space with couches and freedom to hang out, study, or work on assignments. The Centre is also to thank for those free menstrual and contraceptive products found on the 5th floor of the Student Building and distributed across bathrooms on-campus. According to its webpage, volunteers facilitate many initiatives, such as the Vagina Monologues, the International Women's Day Gala, activities, resources, information, and referrals. If this space is essential to you, you can join the volunteers and add it to your Co-Curricular Record!
Mental health support and resources are available at the SMUSA Wellness Centre, the quiet, calm space on the 1st floor of the Student Building with snacks, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Open from Monday to Thursday, 10 am to 3 pm, students may access support, community, and campus resources. For BIPOC and newcomers, there are Black/Afro-Nova Scotian, Indigenous, and International Student Advisors available. They can be reached at student.services@smu.ca.

Transportation

The Halifax Transit U-Pass is a sticker that goes onto your student ID so that full-time students can have unlimited access to transit, which includes bus and ferry services. It's better for the environment than driving a car and better for your wallet by saving you $60 per month on transportation costs! Furthermore, students with disabilities can enjoy the Access-A-Bus program at no charge through the U-Pass program, which can be inquired about at the Fred Smithers Centre. The pass must be renewed between the September-April term and the May-August term, so long as you are enrolled in full-time studies, and students can pick it up at the SMUSA Information Desk on the first floor of the Student Centre. The U-Pass is automatically charged to your student account and must be opted out of via SMUport if you are taking exclusively online classes.
Never take the risk if you feel uncomfortable. Husky Patrol will keep you safe by transporting you to and from campus with a free and safe ride. Students can book rides to campus at (902) 496-8713. Rides from campus can be requested at the SMUSA Information Desk on the 1st floor of the Student Building. All you need is your student ID and ensure you follow all “rules of the road”!
Communauto Atlantic, mentioned in the "Discounts" section of this article, is an affordable car rental service for only $8 per month with a $40 credit for students at Saint Mary's. This is equivalent to a free membership for one whole semester.

This article only covers the most basic services covered by SMUSA, though, if you regularly frequent their social media platforms or the O’Donnell Hennessy Student Centre, then you'll know that their presence extends beyond the services listed above. For students who didn't attend Welcome Weeks, like me in my first year, and students who were unaware of what SMUSA had to offer, I hope you can refer to this article to help support you during times where you need additional support on campus.

Students, How Does SMUSA Serve YOU?!

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