Two former Red Deer College students say it’s time to have a conversation about mandatory membership in student unions at post-secondary institutions in Alberta.
The creators of the website — studentbeyourself.com — ultimately want to change provincial legislation that requires all students to be members of student unions or associations, and the fees that go with it.
“We’re not trying to tear down the associations. We’re actually asking the associations to work with us. Students associations have a really difficult time understanding what their students want and if the services they’re providing are valuable,” said Luke Neilson, former vice-president of operations with the Students’ Association of Red Deer College.
“We believe voluntary membership gives associations the best metric possible which is knowing if they’re initiatives are valuable in real time. If the membership goes up one year, they must have done something well. If it goes down they must have done something wrong. It helps student associations do what they claim to do, and that’s listening to students,” said Neilson, who is now a University of Calgary student.
Daniel Huss, also a former RDC student currently at U of C, said their movement began only a few weeks ago, but some really good dialogue is already starting to happen with a lot of students interested in alternatives.
“I think there are conversations that should happen about why student membership is mandatory. Students deserve better,” Huss said.
Unions provide services like health and dental insurance, faxing services, food banks and clubs.
“Students are so supportive of a lot of these initiatives that unions are already doing so why not make it extra clear and give students a choice in what they want to participate in,” Huss said.
Neilson said most students have no idea that they are members of a union, or that they pay fees.
“We obviously want clubs and health and dental and faxing services on campus. Those services are wonderful and they help students. But we should have the right to pay into that or not,” Neilson said.
He said money students save from not paying fees could be used to access services they do need.
“Forced membership we believe, and a lot of other students, is a violation of freedom of belief, freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.”
Kass Scholze, president of Students’ Association of Red Deer College, said eliminating mandatory membership has not been discussed among RDC’s student executive.
“Within the college we haven’t had any students approaching us,” Scholze said .
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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