The University of Ottawa Students' Union, commonly referred to as the UOSU (; SÉUO) is the student organization representing undergraduate students of the University of Ottawa. A student referendum was held in 2019, designating the UOSU as the successor to the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, after the University of Ottawa terminated its agreement with the SFUO due to allegations of fraud.
History Student Federation of the University of Ottawa
The SFUO represented University of Ottawa undergraduate students from 1969 to 2018. It was a not-for-profit organization, incorporated under the Ontario Corporations' Act. On August 9, 2018, La Rotonde, the university's French-language newspaper, reported that the Ottawa Police Service was investigating members of the SFUO and its executive for fraud. Subsequently, on August 10, the university announced it was withholding their funding until an audit into the allegations could be completed. Due to fraud and embezzlement allegations, the University of Ottawa announced that it would terminate its agreement with SFUO.
On September 25, 2018, the University of Ottawa provided the Federation with a 90-day notice of termination of their contract, citing insufficient progress and further allegations of workplace misconduct, internal conflict, and improper governance. The announcement noted that, as of December 24th, 2018, the Federation would no longer be recognized as the official representative of students, and invited students who wished to establish successor organizations to come forward.
The SFUO offices closed on April 10, 2019. An equitable court receiver was appointed to officially dissolve the federation.
Notable past presidents of the organization included Marcel Prud'homme (1958–59), André Ouellet (1959–60), Allan Rock (1969–70), Hugh Segal (1970–71), Denis Paradis (1974–75), Mauril Bélanger (1977–79), Anne McGrath (1979–80), Bernard Drainville (1984–85), Gilles Marchildon (1987–88), Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin (1990–91) and Guy Caron (1992–94).
Founding and subsequent history To determine whether or not the SFUO could remain in place, the university organized a referendum to decide which organization should represent undergraduate students. The newly organized University of Ottawa Students' Union ran on decreasing politicization, increasing student power, and decreasing centralization within the Union. Meanwhile, the SFUO believed that it was best positioned to maintain the services and resources that students had access to. UOSU won the referendum overwhelmingly.
The university then signed a new agreement with UOSU, outlining additional oversight and financial transparency measures, and recognizing it as the sole voice of undergraduate students at the university.
In 2020, the position of President was established, with Babacar Faye as its inaugural office holder.
Governance The University of Ottawa Students' Union is a not-for-profit organization, incorporated in Canadian corporate law under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. The organization itself is governed by its Constitution, which establishes its political apparatus and component organs.
General Assembly The General Assembly (GA) is the highest governing body within UOSU and is composed of all of the members of the Union. The General Assembly meets twice annually, once in the fall and winter semesters, respectively. Except as limited by the Constitution, the GA may pass resolutions that bind the Board and executive committee. The GA has authority over amending UOSU's Constitution.
Board of Directors The Board of Directors governs and provides oversight to UOSU. It comprises up to 30 members that serve 1-year terms: a President; 5 Commissioners; 22 Directors elected from their faculties; 1 Indigenous Director, elected through a nomination from the Indigenous Students' Association; 1 International Student Director. Each faculty has between 1 and 5 Directors. There is 1 unallocated seat on the Board of Directors, since the removal of the Equity Commissioner role.
There is a public Board meeting session held every month; much of its responsibilities are delegated to various committees, which are either enshrined in the organization's constitution or formed as ad hoc committees, each focusing on a specific field or area of concern.
Executive Committee The executive committee (EXEC) manages the day-to-day operations of UOSU, with specific jurisdiction over human resources and signing contracts. The executive committee comprises 5 undergraduate students: the President, and four Commissioners. Each Commissioner is responsible for a specific aspect of the organization. They include the Francophone Affairs, Student Life, Advocacy, and Operations Commissioners.
2026-2027 Executive CommitteeNameFacultyPositionElnaz EnayatpourSocial SciencesPresidentNorah Bello (interim)ScienceAdvocacy CommissionerDan Ngenzi Ya Ruty (interim)Science and Social SciencesFrancophone Affairs CommissionerZach LebelScience and Social SciencesOperations CommissionerHamza El MendriEngineeringStudent Life Commissioner
2025-2026 Executive CommitteeNameFacultyPositionJack CoenSocial SciencesPresidentAlex StratasSocial SciencesAdvocacy CommissionerÈve TremblaySocial Sciences and ArtsFrancophone Affairs CommissionerElnaz Enayatpour (interim)Social SciencesOperations Commissioner-Emilia BahArtsStudent Life Commissioner (interim; from May 1 - November)Samar Mohamed AhmedTelferStudent Life Commissioner (until May)–Kaitlin Ma (interim)Social SciencesCommunications Commissioner
2024-2025 Executive CommitteeNameFacultyPositionDelphine RobitailleSocial SciencesPresidentvacant (until May 5, 2024)– Advocacy CommissionerSanjida Flora (interim; from May 6, 2024, to August)LawAlex Stratas (from November 18, 2024)Social SciencesDaphnée Veilleux-Michaud (until January)Social SciencesFrancophone Affairs Commissionervacant (from January)–vacant (until May 5, 2024)– Operations CommissionerGreg Coleman (interim; from May 6, 2024)Social Sciencesvacant (until November 17, 2024)–Student Life CommissionerEmilia Bah (from November 18, 2024)Artsvacant–Communications CommissionerAnne-Moïse Gusnie Hyppolite (from November 18, 2024)Social SciencesImani Bunzigiye (until November)EngineeringEquity Commissioner
2023–2024 Executive CommitteeNameFacultyPositionvacant (until November 12, 2023)– President (from November 12, 2023)Social Sciences (until March 8, 2024)ScienceAdvocacy Commissionervacant (until May 28, 2023)– Francophone Affairs CommissionerAmine El-Idrissi (interim; until November 12, 2023)Social SciencesTristan Maldonado-Rodriguez (until March 8, 2024)N/A (until August 25, 2023)Arts Operations Commissioner (interim; from January 1, 2024)Telfer School of Managementvacant (until May 28, 2023)– Student Life Commissioner (interim; elected on November 12, 2023)Social Sciencesvacant (until November 12, 2023)–Clubs & Services Commissioner (from November 12, 2023)EngineeringCommunications Commissioner (until November 12, 2023)Telfer School of Management Equity Commissioner (interim; from January 1, 2024)Engineering
2026-2027 Board of DirectorsNameFaculty / ConstituencyRole Executive CommitteeElnaz EnayatpourSocial SciencesPresidentNorah Bello (interim)ScienceAdvocacy CommissionerDan Ngenzi Ya Ruty (interim)Science and Social SciencesFrancophone Affairs CommissionerZach LebelScience and Social SciencesOperations CommissionerHamza El MendriEngineeringStudent Life Commissioner Faculty DirectorsEmma BrissonArtsDirectorJosh KleinArtsDirectorAgam SinghEngineeringDirectorPatricia DefoHealth SciencesDirectorYesha VillanuevaHealth SciencesDirectorEvan HongScienceDirectorKevin JosephScienceDirectorAmy ParkScienceDirectorCédrik DesjardinsSocial SciencesDirectorKareem MukbilSocial SciencesDirectorAlec TweddellSocial SciencesDirectorvacantSocial SciencesDirector At-Large DirectorsRani BetsiaroanaInternational StudentsDirector for International StudentsBen CameronIndigenous Students' Association nominationDirector for Indigenous Students
2025-2026 Board of DirectorsNameFaculty / ConstituencyRole Executive CommitteeJack CoenSocial SciencesPresidentAlex StratasSocial SciencesAdvocacy CommissionerÈve TremblaySocial Sciences and ArtsFrancophone Affairs CommissionerElnaz Enayatpour (interim)Social SciencesOperations CommissionerEmilia Bah (interim)ArtsStudent Life CommissionerKaitlin Ma (interim)Social SciencesCommunications Commissioner Faculty DirectorsJulianne LeBlancArtsDirectorEmma BrissonArtsDirectorMatias Suxo SalinasEngineeringDirectorJustin PatrickEngineeringDirectorJad MghabghabEngineeringDirectorGrace TongueHealth SciencesDirectorYesha VillanuevaHealth SciencesDirectorFarah MouradHealth SciencesDirectorZach LebelScienceDirectorEvan HongScienceDirectorAmy ParkScienceDirectorMaréme DiongueSocial SciencesDirectorRyan ChangSocial SciencesDirectorEli Zima LusteSocial SciencesDirectorLien HuynhSocial SciencesDirectorEyinojuoluwa OrolugbadgbeSocial SciencesDirectorJean Paul AzziMedicineDirector At-Large DirectorsKim ManthaIndigenous Students' Association nominationDirector for Indigenous Students (September - May)Kassidy KlingerIndigenous Students' Association nominationDirector for Indigenous Students (May - August)– 2024-2025 Board of DirectorsNameFaculty / ConstituencyRole Executive CommitteeDelphine RobitailleSocial SciencesPresidentAlex Stratas (from November 18, 2024)Social SciencesAdvocacy CommissionerDaphnée Veilleux-Michaud (until January 2025)Social SciencesFrancophone Affairs CommissionerGreg Coleman (interim; from May 6, 2024)Social SciencesOperations CommissionerEmilia Bah (from November 18, 2024)ArtsStudent Life CommissionerAnne-Moïse Gusnie Hyppolite (from November 18, 2024)Social SciencesCommunications CommissionerImani Bunzigiye (until November 2024)EngineeringEquity Commissioner Faculty DirectorsFull membership not available. At-Large DirectorsFull membership not available. 2023-2024 Board of DirectorsNameFaculty / ConstituencyRole Executive CommitteeDelphine Robitaille (from November 12, 2023)Social SciencesPresidentMaisy Elspeth (until March 8, 2024)ScienceAdvocacy CommissionerTristan Maldonado-Rodriguez (until March 8, 2024)N/AFrancophone Affairs CommissionerJessika Salambere (interim; from January 1, 2024)Telfer School of ManagementOperations CommissionerRayne Daprato (interim; from November 12, 2023)Social SciencesStudent Life CommissionerDaniel Thorp (from November 12, 2023)EngineeringCommunications CommissionerImani Bunzigiye (interim; from January 1, 2024)EngineeringEquity Commissioner Faculty DirectorsFull membership not available. At-Large DirectorsFull membership not available.
Elections General elections are held during the Winter term, either in February or March, to elect the board of directors and executive committee. By-elections are held in October or November to fill vacant Director and Executive positions.
2026 General Election The 2026 General Elections saw a turnout of 11.25%, with 4,397 ballots cast out of 39,090 eligible electors. Elnaz Enayatpour was elected President with 74.92% of the vote, defeating Daniel Thorp. Hamza El Mendri was elected Student Life Commissioner; although the balloting was ruled non-compliant with sections 9.6.1 and 8.3.1 of the Elections Code pursuant to Lebel v Chief Electoral Officer, 2026 ACUOSU 08, El Mendri nonetheless won the confidence of the required threshold of electors. The Operations Commissioner race was declared entirely invalid under the same ruling. The Advocacy Commissioner race was won by Norah Bello, who had been disqualified or withdrawn prior to the vote.