PDF Edition - The Gauntlet

GAUNTLET OPINIONS SEPTEMBER 13.07 19
SU View: Thanks for the help!
Julie Bogle
Students’ Union President
As President of the
University of Calgary’s
Students’ Union, and
on behalf of the student body, I
would like to thank all landlords
and homeowners who recently
responded to our request to make
more accommodations available for
students. Th e response over the last
several weeks has been phenomenal
and a great support in increasing
students’ options when seeking
aff ordable accommodations.
In early August the SU issued a
news release requesting landlords
or homeowners with spaces to
rent to assist in helping students
find affordable accommodations
by listing their available accommodations
on our off -campus housing
web site, www.su.ucalgary.ca/
ooch. Th is request stemmed from
the fact that the availability of
rental accommodations in the
Calgary area is at an all time low.
According to the Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation’s annual
study, released in Spring 2007,
Calgary had a 0.5 per cent vacancy
rate on rental units. This lack
of availability is a greater challenge
for students who must also
consider aff ordability, and many
must ensure accommodations are
either close to campus or close to
public transportation.
Active listings exceeded 550 in
mid-August, thanks to the response
from our community landlords and
homeowners. As of September 7,
2007, we had 398 active listings on
our student off-campus housing
web site. Th is number of listings
provides greater choice and options
for students still seeking an accommodation.
At this time I would also like to
address an issue that has appeared in
the media concerning the $15 registration
fee for landlords to list on our
site. Th e SU is a non-profi t organization.
Fees collected from our services
are directly reinvested in programs
and services for students.
I would like to ensure the public
that this fee is in no means an eff ort
to make a profi t from the Calgary
community. This fee covers the
administration costs of maintaining
this free service for students.
We have two administrators who
maintain this site, register landlords,
and troubleshoot problems. As well,
due to the heavy volume of calls in
August, the SU hired two additional
students to assist with the administration
of this site.
Again, the SU thanks all landlords
and homeowners in the city
who have listed accommodations
for students. Th e community has
been instrumental in allowing
the Students’ Union to provide
Letters, cont’d from pg. 4
Loan system needs reform
Editor, the Gauntlet,
Canada’s student aid system needs
more than a quick fi x.
After months of pressure by
student groups and NDP MPs, the
Conservative government fi nally
relented and has opened its student
loan review for public input. Now
we must ramp up the pressure to
ensure that this review goes beyond
mere administrative tweaks.
I have launched a national campaign
to press Human Resources
Minister Monte Solberg into
broadening the review’s mandate to
include real solutions for students
and graduates.
Today’s student aid system
helps only a few, and leaves the
vast majority of students to cope
with unaff ordable tuition fees and
soaring education costs. Instead
of off ering more grants, the loan
system has unreasonable interest
rates, inadequate relief measures,
and other fl aws that punish students
instead of help them fi nd ways to
make life aff ordable.
While tuition fees and student
debt have tripled in the last decade,
successive Liberal and Conservative
governments have done little but
tinker around the edges of the system.
It is high time to fi x student
aid substantively.
Canada requires a needs-based
student grant system, lowering
the student loan interest rate, the
creation of a federal student loan
ombudsperson, and improved
relief programs, among other
concrete changes. Th e NDP’s Fix
Student Aid petition is available
online at www.ndp.ca/education.
Please help us lower tuition fees
and make life more aff ordable for
Canadian students.
Denise Savoie
NDP MP Victoria
a resource for students who are
seeking accommodations. With
the dramatic increase in listings
students have a greater choice in
fi nding accommodations suitable
to their geographical and fi nancial
needs.
The SU continues to work to
address the issue of affordable
housing for students through
advocacy and on-campus supports.
I look forward to keeping
the Calgary community informed
on the progress of these initiatives
in the coming months.