A new school year has began, and many of you may be coming back with a
feeling of despair that there weren't many social/environmental justice
related activities on main campus last year.
While there are existing groups across the campus that strive to make difference, they are marginalized within Western still largely dominated by the culture of apathy, exclusion and hedonism, rather unfriendly if not hostile to activists. Unfortunately, our student government, unlike majority of student unions in Canada, has utterly failed to provide students with inclusive public sphere respectful of free speech, and environment that provides chance and resources for progressive/radical causes that make our student life meaningful.
Aside from the skyrocketing tuition, 4 years of university life is short, and I'm sure many of you have entered or are entering this university not just for parties and to get a good job, but rather with healthy dose of curiosity, interested in getting involved with different social/environmental causes, and expressing yourself creatively. In Western, however, free-thinking people often find themselves neglected and even suppressed, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who craves for change. Western needs embrace the consciousness of its students and join the larger student movement that evolves every minute nationally and globally, rather than being left behind in darkness!
4 years are also too short to spend mourning or just to flip books and go to classes. Intellectual engagement is very very important for social/environmental changes, but we also need to one way or another actively participate in the world evolving outside of classrooms. Again, it is not that there is no activism in Western. As apathy accelerates social atomization, and the dominant student culture here is epitome of such phenomena, Western needs a social infrastructure where individual activists and groups could network and foster strong student movement. Moreover, as Western students are both physically and culturally alienated from the larger London community and there is a significant distance between on and off campus activist communities that needs to be bridged. In short, what is needed is the culture of solidarity and compassion across the institutionalized boundaries of 'student' and 'non-student.'
So I would like to call this assembly as a opportunity for both on and off campus activists alike to discuss how we can create stronger social movement(s) in London and strategize for this coming up school year 2009/2010 AND BEYOND.
When?: Monday September 14th, 5pm
Where?: Broughdale Park on Epwarth Av, nice little playground nearby King's College. I will update an alternative location in case of rain.
Agendas for the meeting are up for suggestions, but I would like to propose following items.
1) Possibility/logistics of reviving UWO PIRG, after a year of probation period, as a ratified club within the University Students' Council, taking advantage of its resources.
If it's possible, there are four coordinator positions (the USC calls them 'executives': President, VP Fiance, Events, and Communication) that need to be filled ASAP in order for the group to maintain its status as a club, attend 'the executive training day' on 19th, and have a table at the clubs week at UCC coming up in two weeks (September 21-27.)
http://www.usc.uwo.ca/clubs/pirg/
2) Possibility/logistics of forming a informal network of on campus activists in coordination with off campus groups that could operate outside of the institutional constraints of the USC.
There are advantages for PIRG to be revived as a officially recognized club, such as having an initial budged of $500 from previous year and privilege to book an event and use the spaces available for other clubs. However, the group also has to work under the rules of the USC Clubs Policy and rigorous censorship over its activities. It might therefore be better off for activists to operate independently or through other means if available.
They could organize individual and spontaneous actions and/or collectively work on certain campaigns as 'common causes' throughout the year whether formally or informally.
Anyone is encouraged to bring ideas and proposals, and it would be great if you could bring food or drink that you could share!
We will try to keep this short within 2 hours maximum and as well organized as possible. Also, if there are any events that are coming up very soon, you are more than welcome to announce it there. The meeting will be followed by a social, location TBA.
Hope to see you there, and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD as widely as possible!
"In the dark times, will there also be singing?
Yes, there will be singing about the dark times"
--- Bertolt Brecht. "Motto"
While there are existing groups across the campus that strive to make difference, they are marginalized within Western still largely dominated by the culture of apathy, exclusion and hedonism, rather unfriendly if not hostile to activists. Unfortunately, our student government, unlike majority of student unions in Canada, has utterly failed to provide students with inclusive public sphere respectful of free speech, and environment that provides chance and resources for progressive/radical causes that make our student life meaningful.
Aside from the skyrocketing tuition, 4 years of university life is short, and I'm sure many of you have entered or are entering this university not just for parties and to get a good job, but rather with healthy dose of curiosity, interested in getting involved with different social/environmental causes, and expressing yourself creatively. In Western, however, free-thinking people often find themselves neglected and even suppressed, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who craves for change. Western needs embrace the consciousness of its students and join the larger student movement that evolves every minute nationally and globally, rather than being left behind in darkness!
4 years are also too short to spend mourning or just to flip books and go to classes. Intellectual engagement is very very important for social/environmental changes, but we also need to one way or another actively participate in the world evolving outside of classrooms. Again, it is not that there is no activism in Western. As apathy accelerates social atomization, and the dominant student culture here is epitome of such phenomena, Western needs a social infrastructure where individual activists and groups could network and foster strong student movement. Moreover, as Western students are both physically and culturally alienated from the larger London community and there is a significant distance between on and off campus activist communities that needs to be bridged. In short, what is needed is the culture of solidarity and compassion across the institutionalized boundaries of 'student' and 'non-student.'
So I would like to call this assembly as a opportunity for both on and off campus activists alike to discuss how we can create stronger social movement(s) in London and strategize for this coming up school year 2009/2010 AND BEYOND.
When?: Monday September 14th, 5pm
Where?: Broughdale Park on Epwarth Av, nice little playground nearby King's College. I will update an alternative location in case of rain.
Agendas for the meeting are up for suggestions, but I would like to propose following items.
1) Possibility/logistics of reviving UWO PIRG, after a year of probation period, as a ratified club within the University Students' Council, taking advantage of its resources.
If it's possible, there are four coordinator positions (the USC calls them 'executives': President, VP Fiance, Events, and Communication) that need to be filled ASAP in order for the group to maintain its status as a club, attend 'the executive training day' on 19th, and have a table at the clubs week at UCC coming up in two weeks (September 21-27.)
http://www.usc.uwo.ca/clubs/pirg/
2) Possibility/logistics of forming a informal network of on campus activists in coordination with off campus groups that could operate outside of the institutional constraints of the USC.
There are advantages for PIRG to be revived as a officially recognized club, such as having an initial budged of $500 from previous year and privilege to book an event and use the spaces available for other clubs. However, the group also has to work under the rules of the USC Clubs Policy and rigorous censorship over its activities. It might therefore be better off for activists to operate independently or through other means if available.
They could organize individual and spontaneous actions and/or collectively work on certain campaigns as 'common causes' throughout the year whether formally or informally.
Anyone is encouraged to bring ideas and proposals, and it would be great if you could bring food or drink that you could share!
We will try to keep this short within 2 hours maximum and as well organized as possible. Also, if there are any events that are coming up very soon, you are more than welcome to announce it there. The meeting will be followed by a social, location TBA.
Hope to see you there, and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD as widely as possible!
"In the dark times, will there also be singing?
Yes, there will be singing about the dark times"
--- Bertolt Brecht. "Motto"
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