The Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) is the official representative of students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The DSU is a participatory democracy and student union composed of over 20,000 students studying at Dalhousie University. Through elections, four executive members and 22 faculty and community representatives oversee the day-to-day operations of the Union. The DSU advocates for student rights, builds community on campus through events and supports over 350 societies https://www.dsu.ca/your-student-union.

History

On November 10, 1869 students accepted ownership of the Dalhousie Gazette from the founding editors.

A referendum was held February 18–19, 1960, regarding the question of a Student Union Building being built on campus. 90.2% of voters backed the idea. 83.2% of students turned out to vote.

On November 8, 1968, the Student Union Building was opened. The cost of the building eventually was $3,700,000. The construction of the building was made possible in part by the province of Nova Scotia, which granted a loan of $2,766,600 to the Student Union. The SUB loan was retired in 1982.

The CRTC approved student-operated campus radio station CKDU's application for an FM broadcasting license in October 1984. The station's first broadcast was Friday, February 1, 1985, at 3:30 p.m.

The Dalhousie Student Union was a founding member of the Canadian Federation of Students in 1981 but withdrew its membership in 1994. In that same year, it became a founding member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

In 2003, the DSU helped found the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations, later named Students Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia's provincial student advocacy group. On February 27, 2015, the DSU council voted on and subsequently passed a motion to remove its membership from Students Nova Scotia.

Structure The DSU is run by a Council consisting of members elected by either the student body directly in open elections, or appointed by certain student societies. The Council meets every two weeks during the school year, and monthly during the summer. The Council has the ability to approve budgets and expenditures on behalf of the student body.

Day-to-day operations of the DSU are managed by the Executive, which is led by the DSU President. The Executive has the ability to execute its functions and spend its budget as approved by Council, but any new programs or substantial changes must first be approved by Council.

The DSU also represents students on the Dalhousie Board of Governors and Senate, and to external organizations. The DSU is granted eleven seats on the Senate and three on the Board of Governors. Two of the eleven seats on Senate are occupied ex-officio by the DSU President and DSU VP Academic & External. The remaining seats are filled by appointment by other student societies or the DSU. The DSU President is also a member of the Board of Governors and the remaining student seats are filled by student representatives chosen during an election. Students sitting on the Board of Governors also hold seats on the DSU Council.

The DSU general election is held annually during the Winter term and concludes by the end of March. Any vacancies are subject to a by-election held annually in October. All elections are preceded by a campaigning period as per the DSU bylaws.

The union also employs full-time staff to manage the Student Union Building, the Grawood and T-Room campus bars, research, communications, and reservations for building facilities. All full-time staff are managed by the student union executive.

Past Presidents

Term Name Notes 2023-2024 Mariam Knakriah 2022-2023 Aparna Mohan 2021-2022 Madeleine Stinson Two-term president 2020-2021 Madeleine Stinson 2019-2020 Aisha Abawajy 2018-2019 Aaron Prosper First indigenous president 2017-2018 Amina Abawajy 2016-2017 Kathleen Reid 2015-2016 Dan Nicholson 2014-2015 Ramz Aziz 2013-2014 Sagar Jha Survived a recall vote triggered in March by the loss of his student status and subsequent ineligibility to remain a DSU executive and resigned weeks before conclusion of term 2012-2013 Jamie Arron Originally disqualified for too many campaign violations, however, election board overruled enough violations for him to meet the threshold to win. 2011-2012 Chris Saulnier Two-term president 2010-2011 Chris Saulnier 2009-2010 Shannon Zimmerman 2008-2009 Courtney Larkin 2007-2008 Mike Tipping First international student president 2006-2007 Ezra Edelstein Two-term president 2005-2006 Ezra Edelstein 2004-2005 Curtis McGrath 2003-2004 Johanne Galarneau Two-term president 2002-2003 Johanne Galarneau 2001-2002 Shawn Tracey 2000-2001 Steven Cote 1999-2000 Kelly Mackenzie 1998-1999 Ted Chiasson 1997-1998 Chris Adams 1996-1997 Brad Mackay 1995-1996 David Cox 1994-1995 Rod Macleod 1993-1994 Jefferson Rappell 1992-1993 Lale Kasebi 1991-1992 Peter Pottier 1990-1991 Ralph Cochrane 1989-1990 Dave Shannon 1988-1989 Juanita Montalvo 1987-1988 Caroline Zayid Two-term president; first woman two-term president 1986-1987 Caroline Zayid 1985-1986 Catherine Blewett First woman president 1984-1985 Alex Gigeroff 1983-1984 Jim Hill 1982-1983 John Logan Two-term president 1981-1982 John Logan 1980-1981 Gord Owen 1979-1980 Dick Matthews 1978-1979 Mike Power 1977-1978 Robert Sampson 1976-1977 Gord Neal First Black President 1975-1976 Bruce Russell 1974-1975 Dan O'Connor 1973-1974 Mike Gardner 1972-1973 Brian Smith Two-term president 1971-1972 Brian Smith 1970-1971 Andy Winstanley 1969-1970 Bruce Gillis 1968-1969 Randy Smith 1967-1968 Dennis Ashworth 1966-1967 John Young 1965-1966 Robbie Shaw 1964-1965 Peter Herndof 1963-1964 George Cooper 1962-1963 Alan Robertson 1961-1962 Dick Thompson 1960-1961 Douglas Cudmore 1959-1960 Byron Reid 1958-1959 Dave Matheson 1957-1958 Murray Fraser 1956-1957 Ken Mounce 1955-1956 Douglas Brown 1954-1955 Victor F. Burstall 1953-1954 Gordon McConnell 1952-1953 George Kerr 1951-1952 Eric Kinsman 1950-1951 Sherman Zwicker 1949-1950 Art Moreira 1948-1949 James Russell McKinney 1947-1948 Ross Hamilton 1946-1947 Clint Havey 1945-1946 Alex Hart 1944-1945 Arthur Titus 1943-1944 Ken MacKinnon 1942-1943 Henry Tonning 1941-1942 Webster Macdonald 1940-1941 George Corston 1939-1940 Fred Barton 1938-1939 Gordon Mackenzie 1937-1938 Fred Day 1936-1937 Gordon Lea 1935-1936 H.E. Taylor 1934-1935 Fred Henry Wigmore 1933-1934 W.G. Mackenzie 1932-1933 William Gerald Stewart 1931-1932 John Denoon 1930-1931 Gerald Stewart 1929-1930 Frederick C. Jennings 1928-1929 Murray McGregor Rankin 1927-1928 Joseph Gerald Godsoe 1926-1927 Fred W. McInnes 1925-1926 A.B. Morton 1924-1925 L.W. Fraser 1923-1924 Leonard Fraser 1922-1923 N.A. Mackenzie 1921-1922 N.A. Mackenzie 1920-1921 W. Marshall Rogers 1919-1920 Daniel W. Hoare 1918-1919 1917-1918 C.M. Bayne 1916-1917 D.G. MacGregor 1915-1916 J.S. Fraser 1914-1915 E.C. Phinney 1913-1914 J. McG. Stewart 1912-1913 J.D. Vair 1911-1912 1910-1911 C.L. Gass 1909-1910 1908-1909 1907-1908 1906-1907 1905-1906 J.H. Charman 1904-1905 1903-1904 1902-1903 1901-1902 J.R. Miller 1900-1901 L.J. Miller 1899-1900 David Jardine 1898-1899 Chas E. McMillan 1897-1898 D.A. MacRae 1896-1897 A.D. Gunn 1895-1896 H.V. Bigelow 1894-1895 D.K. Grant 1893-1894 D.G. MacKay 1892-1893 1891-1892 1890-1891 J.W. Brehant

References

External links

Tiger Society Website