Our Victories

Fighting for student rights and winning real change.

This Year

Recent Victories

The wins we secured for students this past year, across every corner of campus life.

Campaigns & Advocacy

  • Free Dinner Fridays — Provided students with regular access to free meals through our ongoing Free Dinner Fridays program.
  • Student Group Hiring Fair — Hosted UTM's first Student Group Hiring Fair and a Transferable Skills Panel with the Career Centre, expanding access to leadership opportunities and professional development.
  • Opposing Bill 33 & OSAP Cuts — Organized advocacy efforts opposing Bill 33 and OSAP grant cuts, mobilizing students and raising awareness about policies impacting affordability and accessibility.
  • Committee for Indigenous Justice — Established the Committee for Indigenous Justice and Collaboration, creating a dedicated space for Indigenous advocacy, education, and community engagement across campus.
  • Expanded Wellness Supports — Opened the Destressor Room, prevented Health & Dental Plan fee increases, and partnered with the Relationship Therapy Centre to improve access to mental health resources.
  • Non-Residential Bidets — Improved accessibility and student experience in the Student Centre by installing the first non-residential bidets on campus.
  • Committee for Palestine — Re-struck the Ad-Hoc Committee for Palestine, organized a commemoration event, and hosted Campaigns Commission discussions on federal legislation including Bills C-9 and C-233.

Transit

  • MiWay Route 110 Weekend Service — Successfully advocated for the addition of weekend service on MiWay Route 110, improving access for students travelling to and from campus.
  • MiWay Route 126 Service Hours — Advanced advocacy efforts for expanded service hours on MiWay Route 126, supporting greater transit reliability and flexibility for UTM students.
  • Brampton 199 & GO Bus Proposal — Advocated for improvements to Brampton Transit Route 199 and presented a comprehensive GO Bus proposal to Metrolinx, strengthening regional transit advocacy.
  • Bus Shelter Infrastructure — Advocated for improved bus shelter infrastructure and collaborated with MiWay on campaigns to raise student awareness of available transit services.

Housing

  • Keys to Housing Workshop — Hosted the Keys to Housing Workshop and panel during Housing Advocacy Week, connecting students with housing resources, tenant education, and expert guidance.
  • City of Mississauga Policy — Drafted policy recommendations for the City of Mississauga, ensuring student housing concerns were represented in municipal policy discussions.

Services & Student Support

  • Here to Help Video Series — Produced and released the ongoing Here to Help video series, increasing awareness of mental health resources, campus supports, and student services.
  • Queer Orientation — Reintroduced Queer Orientation and reinstated the Queer Student Coordinator position, strengthening community-building and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ students.
  • Food Centre Revamp — Revamped the Food Centre with a client-choice model and food voucher program, improving accessibility, dignity, and flexibility for students accessing food support.
  • Academic Process Support — Provided academic integrity, petitions, and academic policy support to students navigating complex university processes and academic concerns.
  • WUSC Student Refugee Support — Supported the successful transition of the UTMSU's WUSC student refugee participant through ongoing guidance, resources, and community support.
  • Sustainable Menstrual Products — Partnered with ALEA to provide students with exclusive discounts on sustainable menstrual products and savings opportunities.

Academic Advocacy

  • Second Attempt for Credit — Partnered with SCSU, UTSU, and ASSU on a tri-campus campaign to amend the Second Attempt for Credit policy to include failed courses.
  • Registrar-Level Advocacy — Conducted faculty consultations and comparative policy research, earning positive engagement and ongoing consideration from all three U of T registrars.
  • Academic Fair — Hosted the Academic Fair during Academic Advocacy Week, connecting students with departments, clubs, societies, and campus support resources.
  • Academic Integrity Guide — Developed an Academic Integrity Guide with the Academic Integrity Unit and produced a Citations and AI podcast with UTM Library leadership.
  • Academic Mentorship Program — Relaunched the Academic Mentorship Program with nine academic societies, introducing honoraria, CCR recognition, and expanded support for mentors.

Events & Community Engagement

  • Sold-Out Pub Night — Hosted the first sold-out UTMSU Pub Night in six years, featuring Young M.A. and Killy and achieving record-breaking student attendance.
  • Halloween Pub Night — Organized a Halloween Pub Night featuring Murda Beatz and Smiley, delivering another large-scale entertainment experience for the UTM community.
  • Women's Leadership Panel — Collaborated with women-led campus groups on a Women's Leadership Panel featuring six speakers, donating over $400 in feminine hygiene products to a local women's shelter.

Internal Operations & Financial Stewardship

  • Record Blind Duck Year — Achieved a record-breaking year for The Blind Duck, generating over $500,000 in walk-in sales while serving approximately 60,000 customers.
  • Strategic Investments — Maximized short-term investment opportunities by securing funds at peak interest rates, strengthening the Union's financial position.
  • Investing in Programming — Increased investment in student events and campaigns, contributing to record attendance at Free Breakfast Wednesdays and expanded programming.
  • Affordable Student Services — Sold approximately three times more Cineplex tickets than the previous year and assisted 230 students through the UTMSU Tax Clinic.
  • Duck Stop Expansion — Enhanced The Duck Stop's selection with Caribbean snacks, international food options, and protein-focused products, improving choice and sales.
Established Wins

Longstanding Victories

The lasting gains we've won for students over the years, organized by the areas we fight in.

Academic Advocacy

  • Moved CR/NCR deadline to the last day of classes
  • Introduced Course Retake, Late Withdrawal, and CR/NCR policy expansions
  • Eliminated Access Copyright fees, saving students $1.5M annually
  • Hosted Academic Advocacy Week
  • Introduced Student Rights on the syllabus & the Student Rights Handbook

Transit

  • Implemented the U-Pass & advocated for transit affordability and free transit

Housing

  • Created housing supports & a dedicated housing committee

Services & Student Support

  • Introduced Laptop Rental Programs (short & long term)
  • Negotiated better health & dental coverage with no premium increase
  • Launched the Peer Support Program (now Here2Help)

Mental Health Matters

  • Hosted Mental Health Awareness Week across multiple years

United for Equity

  • Launched the United for Equity campaign
  • Created the Equity Handbook
  • Hosted the Pride Flag Ceremony
  • Provided consent training for staff, leaders, and volunteers

Fairness for International Students

  • Launched the Fairness for International Students campaign (lobby document)
  • Established the International Student Bursary
  • Supported WUSC students & fought xenophobia

Reproductive Justice

  • Implemented free menstrual products on campus

Fair Trade Campus

  • Converted food containers to biodegradable products
Campaign Legacy

Historical Victories

Decades of student-led campaigns that reshaped life at UTM, grouped by the movements that drove them.

Education for All

  • Launched the Education for All Campaign, lobbying at all levels
  • Lobbied to split tuition fee payments
  • Advocated for free tuition for low-income families (with student unions & CFS)
  • Improved credit transfers between institutions
  • Introduced the Anti-Calendar
  • Established CO-OP at UTM
  • Held the Education for All Town Hall
  • Advocated against UMLAP (Mandated Leave of Absence Policy)
  • Increased awareness of academic policies through Advocacy Week

Fairness for International Students

  • Introduced the International Student Roundtable
  • Advocated for international students on Governing Council
  • Created a multilingual newsletter
  • Partnered with housing platforms for off-campus housing access

Mental Health Matters

  • Launched and relaunched the “My Mental Health Matters” campaign
  • Introduced the UTMSU Health & Wellness Program
  • Secured embedded mental health counsellors & licensed therapists
  • Advocated for racialized & Indigenous counsellors
  • Ran wellness sessions & myth-debunking programming

United for Equity

  • Established the Equity Service Centre
  • Secured mandatory equity training for admin & faculty
  • Advocacy against racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and anti-Black racism
  • Created QTPOC / racialized student spaces & office hours
  • Advocated for gender-neutral washrooms

Academic Support

  • Introduced the Mentorship Program for Academic Societies
  • Held the Undergraduate Research Symposium
  • Launched the Student Survival Guide
  • Partnered for academic skills workshops
  • Improved the registrar triage system
  • Expanded USkills programming
  • Increased study, group, and lounge spaces

We The Students

  • Introduced bursaries & increased funding
  • Introduced emergency grants (COVID, racialized communities)
  • Delivered 1000+ student care packages
  • Increased student jobs & minimum wage at UTMSU
  • Renovated the student centre & expanded services
  • Introduced gym equipment rentals
  • Launched job readiness programs & career workshops

Reproductive Justice

  • Advocated for accessible reproductive health resources
  • Expanded health coverage for relevant services
  • Integrated reproductive justice into equity advocacy

Fair Trade Campus

  • Introduced the Seed Library
  • Implemented the Good Food Box program
  • Ran free breakfast programs, feeding hundreds weekly
  • Removed a major corporate food provider (Chartwells)
  • Promoted local & small student businesses
  • Introduced sustainable products for clubs
  • Reduced the carbon footprint of the student centre
  • Supported food security initiatives (Food Centre, food bank, emergency food fund)
  • Advocated for fossil fuel divestment
  • Introduced ethical and diverse food options on campus

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