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With gratitude to the Coast Salish peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, shíshálh, Lil’Wat, and Musqueam Nations, for receiving us into their unceded and sovereign territories, and to the honour of their ancestors.

On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, members of CSU and Capilano Faculty Association leadership have written a joint letter on human rights at Capilano University:

When you feel dismissed or disrespected by the university, do you feel that you are taken seriously — if you feel brave enough to mention it at all?

The Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) and the Capilano Faculty Association (CFA), together, pledge to advance BC Human Rights Code:

• by fostering a culture at Capilano University, and in British Columbia, in which there are no barriers to full and free participation;
• by demanding action to uphold the BC Human Rights Code through mutual respect, understanding, and fairness; and
• to collaborate in ending every form of discrimination prohibited by the BC Human Rights Code. 

We recognize that direct and systemic discrimination at Capilano University has brought harm to members of our community.

We see you, and honour you.

We are inspired by the members of our community who are leaders in the advancement of human rights.

We underline our resolve to “identify and eliminate persistent patterns of inequality” as prohibited by the BC Human Rights Code.

We affirm our commitment to make whole again the members who have suffered the violation of their human rights, to honour their human dignity, and advance their equality. For these reasons, the Capilano Students’ Union and the Capilano Faculty Association call upon the university to work with us in collaboration to publicly demonstrate their commitment to upholding the dignity and equality of all members of this community.

This message is a collaboration between the CSU and CFA. It was prepared by CSU vice-president equity & sustainability Mackenzie Gibson and ethics & human rights officer and Capilano University professor Dr. Michael Markwick (Spakwus). 

CSU Board of Directors

Interim Global & Community Studies Representative

Our interim global & community studies representative attends meetings of the Capilano Students’ Union board of directors (usually bi-weekly on Fridays from 2:30pm to 5:30pm) as a non-voting member as well as assigned committees as a voting member. They contribute to discussions and decisions with other student leaders and bring the perspective of a student in the Faculty of Global and Community Studies — including the unique needs and experiences of students in the Faculty of Global and Community Studies — to the work that the Capilano Students’ Union does. The role continues until a global & community studies representative is elected in the CSU general election in the spring, or May 31, 2021. Compensation: $330.25 per month. Application deadline is Friday, November 13, 2020.

Interim Indigenous Students Liaison

Our interim Indigenous students liaison attends meetings of the Capilano Students’ Union board of directors (usually bi-weekly on Fridays from 2:30pm to 5:30pm) as a non-voting member as well as assigned committees as a voting member. They contribute to discussions and decisions with other student leaders and to bring the perspective of an Indigenous student — including the unique needs, barriers, and experiences of being an Indigenous student — to the work that the Capilano Students’ Union does. The role continues until an Indigenous students liaison is elected in the CSU general election in the spring, or May 31, 2021. Compensation: $330.25 per month. Application deadline is Friday, November 13, 2020.

CSU Staff

Research Assistant

Our research assistant is responsible for assisting in the preparation of research to support the resource staff in the preparation of resources, background, and policy advice for our student leadership. A complete job description can be found on the application page. Compensation: $18.03 per hour (plus 16% in lieu of benefits) for 15 hours per week. Apply online.

In light of ongoing events, we have decided to extend the deadline on our call for presenters at Catalyst: From Agitation to Action. This means that you now have until October 30 to submit your application to present. 

What are we looking for? 

We are looking for members of the CapU community to present their experience with equity at Capilano during a special storytelling session at Catalyst. Your presentation can be live or pre-recorded; you can present as yourself or completely anonymously; you could tell a story, paint a picture, perform a dance or other original work, you could play a song that speaks to you… The most important factors are: 

• that your presentation is able to be streamed online (via Zoom);
• that your presentation does not exceed 15 minutes; and
• that you are comfortable sharing your experience.

If you’re interested, then we want to hear from you! Please complete this form to apply by October 30, 2020. Please note: Limited space is available. Selected presenters will receive an honorarium of $75. All applicants will be contacted by November 2, 2020. Successful applicants will need to submit their pre-recorded presentation or preview their live presentation for organizers by November 10, 2020.

About Catalyst: From Agitation to Action

At Catalyst, you will have the opportunity to engage with other members of the CapU community about Capilano’s history and future when it comes to justice, equity, and anti-racism work. Our goal is to facilitate a unique experience to authentically look at equity on campus as it has been while also building a forum to work on equity at Capilano as it should be. In other words, Catalyst will offer the chance to express agitation and to commit to action as we work towards an even better community. 

This will not be some stuffy, traditional conference. Catalyst promises to facilitate informational presentations, experiential performances, guided discussions, artistic expressions, and many opportunities to open your heart and your mind. 

Best of all, Capilano University students are invited to attend Catalyst for free. In fact, this conference will present you with a number of opportunities to express yourself, volunteer, and even win some prizes! 

We are excited to announce that the Capilano Students’ Union will be hosting a virtual equity conference called Catalyst: From Agitation to Action from November 16 to 20 (evenings).

About Catalyst: From Agitation to Action

At Catalyst, you will have the opportunity to engage with other members of the CapU community about Capilano’s history and future when it comes to justice, equity, and anti-racism work. Our goal is to facilitate a unique experience to authentically look at equity on campus as it has been while also building a forum to work on equity at Capilano as it should be. In other words, Catalyst will offer the chance to express agitation and to commit to action as we work towards an even better community. 

This will not be some stuffy, traditional conference. Catalyst promises to facilitate informational presentations, experiential performances, guided discussions, artistic expressions, and many opportunities to open your heart and your mind. 

Best of all, Capilano University students are invited to attend Catalyst for free. In fact, this conference will present you with a number of opportunities to express yourself, volunteer, and even win some prizes! 

Call for Participation 

In order to explore real experiences at CapU we are putting out a call to participate in Catalyst: From Agitation to Action. We are looking for students, faculty members, staff members, or administrators to present their equity-related experiences. 

Your presentation could take the form of a story, a performance, a work of visual art, curation of an original work — essentially anything, so long as it can play on Zoom and does not run longer than 15 minutes. Presenters are welcome to express themselves live or submit a pre-recorded presentation. Likewise, it is up to presenters whether they wish to participate anonymously or not. 

If you’re interested, then we want to hear from you! Please complete this form to apply by October 23, 2020. Please note: Limited space is available; selected presenters will receive an honorarium. Applicants will be contacted by November 2, 2020. Successful applicants will need to submit their pre-recorded presentation or preview their live presentation or organizers by November 10, 2020.

Check the CSU website and CSU social media pages for more information, including calls for participation, events, programming, and registration.

A member of the Capilano community wears an orange shirt to mark Orange Shirt Day in 2019 (photo: Tae Hoon Kim/Capilano University)

In the days leading up to September 30, the Capilano Students’ Union has changed the colour of our web presence to help spread awareness about Orange Shirt Day.

What is Orange Shirt Day?

In 1973, Phyllis Webstad’s grandmother gave her a new orange shirt to wear to her first day of school.

Phyllis, aged six at the time, felt excited to dress up and wore her new orange shirt with pride. Unfortunately, that first day of school was at St. Joseph Mission, a residential school for Indigenous children. Upon arrival, Phyllis’ beloved new shirt was taken away and she was forced to remain at the school for 300 more days.

Inspired by Phyllis’ story, survivors of the residential school system are honoured and remembered by those observing Orange Shirt Day, which takes place every September 30. You can honour Orange Shirt Day by taking the first steps towards reconciliation by making yourself aware of the history of the residential school system.

Resources

Take some time to review the resources below and share with family and friends.

Phyllis Webstad’s story
Phyllis shares the story of Orange Shirt Day in her own words.

Residential School History
This page includes a review of the history of residential schools as well as Orange Shirt Day.

Eddy Charlie’s story
Orange Shirt Day Victoria organizer and residential school survivor Eddy Charlie shares his experience.

Here we are, a new academic year at Capilano University begins, a year unlike any other. While I wanted to come to all of you and talk about how great this year will be — and it will be good in its own way — I can’t honestly look forward to the year to come without reflecting on where we were at this time last year, the events of the past several months, and the current state of our global community.

We are collectively mourning, still, for losses we can name and identify as well as others we can’t. While Black and Indigenous communities in Canada are grieving from a centuries-long legacy of colonial and racist violence that is now thrust into mainstream public discourse, a global health emergency continues to underpin every aspect of our lives. While the events of the past several months have affected each of us differently depending on our identity, employment status, immigration status, and personal health, we have all experienced loss.

What a background upon which to return to school, which is why I want to recognize each and every one of you for having the courage, the tenacity, and the resilience to choose to pursue your post-secondary education right now — whether you’re coming back to Cap or taking classes for the first time. For those of you who may not have a choice, and are continuing your education out of necessity — I see you too.

More than ever we need to lean on one another for support, think collectively, and re-imagine what it means to connect as a community. This has been top of mind at the Capilano Students’ Union, and we’ve been working all summer to ensure that our community has access to the services they need to be successful this year. And when I say “success”, I mean whatever that looks like for you, because as much as we are called to reach out and support one another this year, we must also turn inwards, practice self-compassion, and be gentle with ourselves.

The Capilano Students’ Union remains committed to enhancing the student experience of those studying at CapU. We’ve worked hard to adapt our programs and services to be delivered online and remotely, including the Device Doctor personal electronics repair service, Community Cupboard food bank, and the newly launched csubookmarket.ca. As the voice of students on the North Shore, we continue to meet university administration as well as representatives from the local, provincial, and federal levels of government in order to make sure our members’ perspectives are heard. 

I’m not going to sugar-coat this for you, it’s going to be a challenging year. University is no walk in the park, and when our global community is shifting at an increasingly rapid pace around us, there are plenty of opportunities to be pulled away from our studies. Despite this, we have the incredible privilege of pursuing higher education and now is the time to use our knowledge, community connections, and experiences to create the world we want to live in — and leave a legacy that will empower our descendants and communities to thrive for generations to come.

In a time of unprecedented challenge, we must practice unprecedented kindness, unprecedented compassion, and unprecedented love, and we have to do it together. I know that no matter where we are in the world, the students of Capilano University, with the support of their student union, are capable of all that and whatever else this year has in store for us.

So, welcome to the 2020/2021 academic year.

Dear Capilano University faculty members,

The world is rallying around the injustice of the killing of Black folks in the United States and Canada including George Floyd, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others. Amidst this, discussions around white supremacy, police violence, and anti-racism are more prevalent than ever. We stand in solidarity and support with our Black community members: students, faculty, and staff.

Black lives matter.

Many Black folks are being asked for emotional labour, or feeling a sense of responsibility to engage online in more dedicated ways than before. Discussions about breaking down systemic racism are critical, but the inundation of information we are receiving — especially in response to such violence — is exhausting and triggering for racialized and, especially, Black students in our community. The Black community in Vancouver is small, and many members of this community have either had direct interactions with the police themselves, or know someone who has. These interactions are negative, violent, and traumatizing — and the current news and social media climate has the capacity to re-traumatize folks with these experiences.

On behalf of our students and the Black community, we ask you to proactively provide academic accommodations to Black students through the summer semesters, in recognition that students’ well-being is the first priority during these exceptional circumstances. While there are ways in which students may ask for accommodations themselves, such as approaching accessibility services or counselling, these are institutional barriers that many don’t have the ability to interface with at this time.

Our appeal is this: treat students with the same compassion you would hope to receive were your community grieving or under duress. We are an institution of higher learning, and right now our students are being called on to be community instructors and educate the world on systemic oppression, police brutality, and what it means to be anti-racist. We call on you to honour this additional labour these students have been forced to undertake, and listen with an open mind and heart when they ask for your support.

______________
Emily Bridge
President, Capilano Students’ Union

CC: Laureen Styles (Vice President, Academic and Provost)
Ted Gervan (Dean, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts)
Pouyan Mahboubi (Dean, Faculty of Arts & Sciences)
Brad Martin (Dean, Faculty of Education, Health, & Human Development)
Lara Duke (Dean, Faculty of Global & Community Studies)
Capilano Faculty Association