International students on same plan as domestic students at other schools

March 24-26, TRUSU is holding a health and dental referendum for international students, as stated in an article published in the Omega ("International students to vote on health, dental benefits", March 17).

At TRU, international students are not currently on the same extended health and dental benefits plan as the domestic students and will be asked the question of whether or not they would like to join.

Rob Nagai, general manager of the UBCSUO, said that the UBC Okanagan does not separate international students from domestic students. He said that the benefits act like a fee.

"Same with the media fees. If you pay the fees, you read the Pheonix," he said.

At the University of Manitoba, Sid Rashid, president of their students' union, also said that international students and domestic students are the same.

In Manitoba and Saskatchewan he said that international students are required to have basic coverage that is administered through the University, as well as extended benefits.

"We work together with a national student network to provide health coverage for all students, including international student," Rashid said.

He said that students with alternative coverage are also able to opt out of the plan.

TRUSU should take note

In a previous post, I mentioned that I asked TRUSU if they had considered posting documents on their website. They responded that they had discussed it and had decided not to.

Today, I was browsing the UVSS website and thought I should share. While I am not trying to attend their meetings and have no way to verify that their schedule is accurate, I wanted it to be noted that both their meeting minutes and financial documents are posted online. How convenient.

The calendar is still not fixed?

TRUSU still hasn't done anything about the incorrect dates listed on their calendar.

It should read:
March 22 council meeting
March 24, 25, 26 International Students' Health & Dental referendum
April 5 council meeting
April 19 council meeting

TRUSU takes part in Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan

An individual considered "at risk" to homelessness is one that spends more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, explained Nathan Lane, executive director of TRUSU, to the TRUSU council on March 8.

Nathan Lane is a member of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan committee, as a representative from TRUSU. He said that some of the goals of this action plan would also benefit students, as well as the Kamloops homeless, by making more rental housing available at an affordable rate.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation stated that the average cost of a two bedroom rental unit in Kamloops was $825 per month in 2009 (according to "Housing Market Outlook" 2009 report).

Students who share an apartment (at $412.50 each per month) would need $1,375 per month to keep their housing costs at the recommended 30 per cent. Does the average student enter a semester with $5,500 in savings for living expenses?

Surveys of Kamloops shelter users, presented in the action plan, made it apparent that some of the users were former TRU students. Current shelter users that had been interviews said that their goal was to return to TRU.

"You can't say that tuition fees don't have an impact on the access," said Natalie Reisle, TRUSU VP External, to the council.

The Homelessness Action Plan aims to eliminate homelessness in Kamloops within five years, Nathan Lane explained to the council, with these six goals:

1) Establish a Local Housing Board

• Discussion of more secondary suites in the Kamloops area.

2) Reduce evictions and have greater housing stability

• Landlords are often hesitant to take on individuals that do not have steady employment and rely on social services.
  

3) Connect people with the help they need.
4) Concentrate on building basic life skills.
5) Improve fairness, accessibility and responsibility
6) Take recommendations from the public

• Hold a forum in April or May

Manitobans stoop to "dirty politics"

In an article published in the Manitoban it was reported that students have taken their elections to a whole new level: vandalism, stalking, and violence.

Here at TRU, the elections have already been wrapped up and not even a debate was held to hear members of each slate. While it would have been nice to for the TRUSU candidates to campaign and get the students attention, I am glad that no one felt it was necessary to stoop to the level of the students at the U of M.