In 2019, BUSU offered students the exciting opportunity to approve a referendum for a new Student Centre on campus with 65 per cent voting in favour. Since then, BUSU has been taking the necessary steps to begin the process of building.

“Making this new Student Centre a reality is not only exciting for current undergraduate students, but for future students as well,” said BUSU’s Vice-President, University Affairs, Andrea Lepage. “Student space provides opportunities to socialize and interact with peers outside of a classroom setting, building a sense of community and belonging on campus.” 

The new BUSU Student Centre which will be centrally located on campus, will rehome the BUSU Offices and offer 45,000 sq. ft. of additional space. BUSU currently runs on significantly less space and will more than double in square footage for a better student experience. BUSU’s new student centre will provide exciting opportunities for Brock Students to enjoy a large variety of bookable meeting rooms, student lounge space, quiet study space as well as a new coffee shop.

BUSU has taken several steps in making this building a reality including important talks with Brock and making financing arrangements. Since 2019, there have been changes to the terms and conditions that need to pass in order to move along on the build. Some of the changes include more flexible repayment terms, allowing BUSU to use restricted funds to pay for a portion of the project and a commitment that the fee cannot be reversed once we have signed contracts with a builder.

“The need for the new building is long overdue as our student population has grown significantly, over 130%,” Said Lepage, VPUA “The undergraduate student population back in 1990, when the current building was built, was around 9,701. Brock currently sits around 18,000 undergraduate students to date,” Lepage adds “The new centre is a welcomed addition to the University, and the revisions to the terms and conditions adds no extra costs to us students.”

Voting for the referendum will begin along with student elections at midnight on March 28 and closes at 9:00 p.m. on March 30. All Brock University undergraduate students will receive a ballot via their Brock email. Voting is simple, students will click the link provided in their email and will be directed to an online ballot. Students will find the referendum on their ballots and are encouraged to vote YES on changes to the terms associated with the new Student Centre to continue forward with the build.

Overall, a new student centre on campus is beneficial for all Brock students as it will provide a supportive environment for students to socialize, learn and grow both academically and personally while providing much needed additional space on campus. Vote YES on March 28, 29 and 30.

To learn more about the election or the referendum visit the BUSU website. Be sure to follow @BrockBUSU on Instagram during the campaign period for updates and announcements.