The empty blue chairs around campus.....each one represents a student academically qualified for university, but who cannot attend due to financial barriers placed in their way.

That's the message of the OUSA Blue Chair campaign at Brock this year. OUSA stands for the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, the provincial postsecondary lobby group that Brock students are part of. Every year, the Blue Chair campaign aims to inform and educate students about the work of OUSA, as well as one of the priorities we are working for on behalf of you, Brock students.

This year's campaign focuses on financial barriers, and most specifically, OSAP. OUSA and BUSU have demanded that the provincial government raise the maximum OSAP awards by 25%, in line with the recommendations of the most recent review of post-secondary education in Ontario, from $140 per week to $175 per week. This will allow us to rectify the situation where our students at Brock are being asked to live $3000 below the poverty line just to attend school. Other problems with OSAP include parental contribution expections which are unrealistically high, no exemptions for any personal savings for illness or emergencies, and allowing students to work only 5 hours per week (at minimum wage) before clawing back any OSAP funding dollar-for-dollar.

You will find volunteers all week by the Fishbowl, in the BUSU lobby, and elsewhere asking you to sign a petition to support OUSA's recommendations surrounding OSAP, in advance of the provincial budget in March. Also drop by for a fortune cookie, and find cans of Alphagetti around the school for you to keep, to supplement your $2.50 per meal OSAP allotment. Find the BUSU video camera as well, to share your thoughts about funding your education, which OUSA may use in promotional videos or government submissions.

Fore more questions about the Blue Chair Campaign, OUSA, or any other BUSU advocacy efforts, please contact VP University Affairs, Rob Lanteigne, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 905-688-5550 x.4198.