Your Voice at the Table: Get Involved with the OUSA Fall General Assembly
If you’ve ever wanted to help shape the decisions that affect students across Ontario, the OUSA Fall General Assembly (GA) is one of the best places to start.
What is OUSA?
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is a provincial organization that represents undergraduate students from universities across Ontario. The OTSU is a member, which means Ontario Tech students have a direct line into the conversations that shape provincial policy on tuition, student aid, mental health, housing, and more.
What is the General Assembly?
The GA is where OUSA’s member schools come together to set the direction of their advocacy. Delegates from campuses across the province gather to review, debate, and refine OUSA’s policy papers. These papers are the foundation of everything OUSA brings to government. When OUSA meets with MPPs and ministry staff, the positions it presents come from the policy students helped build at the GA.
What will you actually do?
Policy papers are research documents that lay out an issue, the evidence behind it, and recommendations for how government and institutions should respond. At the GA, you’ll get to:
- Read the draft policy papers ahead of time
- Give feedback on the recommendations and the reasoning behind them
- Take part in discussion with students from other campuses
You don’t need a background in policy or politics. If you have a perspective, lived experience, or a concern about how the system treats students, that is exactly what these papers need.
Why get involved?
Your feedback directly affects our lobbying efforts. Every recommendation that ends up in front of decision makers has been shaped by student input, and this is your chance to be part of that process. You’ll also build real skills in research, public speaking, critical thinking, and collaboration, and you’ll meet motivated students from across the province who care about the same things you do.
How do I get started?
Reach out to me and let me know you’re interested. I’ll walk you through what to expect, how to prepare, and how to read and respond to the policy papers. The details for this year’s GA are below.
Date: Thursday November 5th - Sunday November 8th
Location: Queens University, Kingston, ON
Apply: otsu.bamboohr.com/careers/117
Advocacy works best when it reflects the people it’s for. Come add your voice.
Anwoy Barua,
VP Student Affairs
