Manifesto for the student reappropriation of space at the University of Ottawa

Thirty years after the University unilaterally and illegitimately took control of the University Centre (UC), we declare that it is high time that students take back what is theirs.

The University of Ottawa claims to confer great importance to the “quality of the learning environment” and to the “optimization of the student experience” while placing the “student population at the heart of its educational mission”. However, the policies put in place by the University, along with its deficient management of space and of the UC in particular, blatantly contradict these principles.

Because the University has focused on the commodification of its services and has given in to the superficiality of interuniversity competition, and because it consequently neglects its obligations to serve the students of its campus, we feel the need to denounce the current state of affairs.

It is unacceptable that the University recruits graduate students on a large scale while unable to offer them adequate workspace; that it forces student-financed organizations to pay rent or to occupy insalubrious spaces; that it gives priority to private enterprises over student businesses; that it allows the distribution of sexist, unilingual, or violent advertisements; that a Second Cup was introduced in the library, violating the sacred character of that institution, etc.

We believe that the illegitimate and inequitable management of the UC is symptomatic of this trend. Today, we vow to work relentlessly until the situation is rectified. More specifically, these are the most problematic aspects of the UC’s management of and its extensions:

- In 2001, the function of the Jock Turcot fund (collected by student levy) was deliberately diverted by the University. This money, which was to be used for the maintenance of the UC, was instead used to subsidize cultural and social programming run by Community Life Services. Between 2001 and 2006, more than two million dollars, taken directly from student levy funds, went towards this superfluous programming.

- In the past, students have financed 60% of the UC. Nevertheless, the student unions (SFUO and GSAÉD) have established that they occupy 18% of its space. Meanwhile, the University has recognized that it occupies 82% of the space.

- The students are bound by commercial agreements which they did not approve. All the polls made by the University indicate that a wide majority of students prefer student cafés to the businesses managed by Chartwells. The University nevertheless renewed the contract with this private enterprise, a contract which grants them a monopoly to the UC, without consulting students.

- When student organizations ask to have their spaces renovated for reasons of safety or reorganization, complicated negotiations with Community Life Services must be undertaken, whereas the workspaces of this service are frequently renovated.

- High administrative fees are imposed on students for the renting of material/equipment necessary to hold the activities which they organize, a fact which, without a doubt, harms the quality of the university experience.

- Services financed directly by the student levy, such as CHUO and Café Nostalgica are forced to pay rent, while their owners – the students – largely finance the UC via the Jock Turcot fund.

- A bookstore stemming from a student initiative is prevented from establishing itself in the UC because the University prefers an American company.

- Miscellaneous shops occupy key spaces of the UC while major institutions like La Rotonde, the Fulcrum, la LIEU, OPIRG and many others are left with dilapidated or inaccessible buildings far from the centre of campus.

These are aberrations which we refuse to silently acquiesce. We demand:

1. That all the private businesses and administrative offices of the University of Ottawa be immediately evicted from the UC.

2. That all the student organizations which are directly financed and managed by the students of the University of Ottawa be admitted to the UC, without being charged rent.

3. That the full sum of student contributions that have not been spent by Community Life Services be paid back to the student unions.

4. That the UC be democratically managed by the student community.

Dear students, our inaction can no longer be justified. Together, we can reclaim our student space and shape this campus according to our aspirations. We have thirty years to make up for, yet we alone can rectify the situation.

For the RESPECT – SPACES campaign committee,

Céline Basto

Gaétan-Philippe Beaulière

Caroline Bouchard

François-Olivier Dorais

Sonia Noreau-Pérodeau

The following organizations have endorsed the manifesto :

Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)

Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG)

The independant newspaper La Rotonde

Le Délibérant, the University of Ottawa’s political science magazine

Student Appeal Centre (CRÉSAC)

Women’s Resource Center

The following students have endorsed the manifesto :

Mathieu Langlois, Environment Studies student

Faris Lehn, Political Science student

Guy Hughes, Political Science student

Houda Souissi, Civil Law student

Robert Prazeres, Linguistics student and SFUO BOA member

Serge Miville, History Masters student

Jason Benovoy, Civil Law student

Karine Hébert,  Law and International Development student

Mireille Gervais, Law Masters student

Sam Ponting, International Development student

Janie Guénette, Political Science Masters student

Mathieu Gohier, Political Science and History student

Marie-Pier Delisle, Conflict Studies student

Éric Malette, Sociology Ph.D student

Zachary Fouchard, Public Ethics Masters student

Taiva Tegler, International Development and Globalizations

Étienne Brown, Philosophy Masters student

Dominik Marchand, Political Science Masters student

Róisín Beck, Political Science Masters student

Robyn Arsenault, Political Science Masters student

Désirée Lamoureux, Lettre françaises Masters student

Parastoo Jamshidi, Clinical Psychology Ph.D student

Sarah Jayne King, International Development student and SFUO BOA member

Catherine Séguin, 2009 Alumnus

Blaise Guillotte, Political Science Ph.D student

Eric Martin, Political Science Ph.D student

Mai Elramly, Health Sciences student

Georgeanne Blue, Women’s studies student

Melanie Capper, Communication student

Émilie Jabourin, International Studies student

Dean Haldenby, 2007 Alumnus and 2008-09 SFUO President

Danika Brisson, History student and SFUO BOA member

Martin Schoots-McAlpine, History student

Caroline Morneau, Lettres françaises and English student

Sameena Topan, Conflict Studies student

Julie Séguin, Communications student and SFUO VP Communications

Ariane Marcotte, Criminology and Women’s Studies student

Joseph Hickey, Physics Masters student

Marc-André Léveillé, Political Science and Communications student

Jordi Pourcher, Political Science Masters student

Martin Schoots-McAlpine, History student

Renaud-Philippe Garner, Ethics and Society (Philosophy) student

Julia McDonald, International Development and Globalization student

Iain Brannigan, International Development and Globalization student and PIDSSA Director of Activism

Joel Duff, Alumnus and former GSAÉD President

Anaïs Elboujdaïni, Political Science and Philosophy student

Liam Kennedy-Slaney, Biology student

Olivier Desharnais-Roy, Political Science Masters student

Michèle Lamarche, Medieval Studies student and SFUO VP Student Life

Kyle Simunovic, Political Science student, Faculty of Social Science Senator, SFUO BOA Director and PIDSSA VP External

Federico Carvajal, Alumnus and former GSAÉD VP Services and External Commissioner

Parissa Bayat, political science student

Amy Kishek, Public Administration and Political Science

If you’d like to sign the manifesto, please send an email to : respect.spaces.uottawa@gmail.com

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