Hello Badgers!
I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to share an update about the 2025 Fall Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) General Assembly (GA), which took place from October 23 to 26 at Laurentian University in Sudbury. Along with BUSU Policy Writer Tinashe Buckenham Dziva and delegates Claire Ventoso, Manya Arora, Joan Chinweike, and Sophia Carnovale, I had the opportunity and pleasure to represent Brock University students at this Fall GA.
We hit the road bright and early for our long drive up north, fueled by plenty of excitement for a weekend filled with policy writing, breakout sessions, delegate socials, and plenary debates.
Day 1 - Arrival and Breakouts
True to BUSU tradition, we arrived early and took some time to explore “Laurentian’s” beautiful campus before jumping into the action. After some fun icebreakers with the other delegations, we dove straight into breakout sessions focused on Mature Students, Indigenous Students, and Accountability and System Vision papers. In the evening, we joined the “Guess the Song” social. We gave it our best shot, but unfortunately did not win.
Day 2 - Collaboration and Connections
Friday began with more morning breakout rooms, followed by a networking event that gave us the chance to connect with sponsors of the GA and student leaders from across Ontario. Later that day, we reviewed preliminary amendments for plenary and wrapped up with a well-deserved dinner at Shoeless Joe’s, just in time to watch the Blue Jays’ 11-4 win over the Dodgers.
Day 3 - Final Edits and Fun
Saturday focused on finalizing and submitting our amendments. We also got a preview of the upcoming AI paper, and BUSU is excited to share that Tinashe, and I will be co-authoring the Tuition, Ancillary, and Incidental Fees paper for the Spring GA along with MSU (McMaster’s Student Union) and OTSU (Ontario Tech’s Student Union). That evening, we also visited the Big Nickel’s Pumpkinferno, which may not have been as big as expected, but was definitely a fun way to unwind and spend time with fellow delegates.
Day 4 - Plenary and Wrap-Up
Sunday was the big day, AGM and Plenary. We began with OUSA’s Annual General Meeting, followed by the plenary. The Indigenous Students paper, co-authored by Sophia Carnovale a fellow Brock student, passed unanimously. The Accountability and System Vision and Mature Students’ papers also passed after thoughtful discussion. This GA wrapped up quicker than usual, (a small blessing considering our long drive back to St. Catharines!).
Overall, the OUSA GA was an incredible experience filled with learning, collaboration, and advocacy. We are proud to have represented Brock students and contributed to shaping policies that will impact post-secondary sector across Ontario.
Until next time,
Aaditya Gupta
Vice-President, External Affairs
Brock University Students’ Union