CASA submitted recommendations to the government's Finance Committee, on where we think they should invest in the upcoming federal budget to improve post-secondary education and help students.

Short Term 6 Month Contract (subject to renewal) Position Profile: Reporting to the Executive Director and working in close collaboration with other home office staff, the Stakeholder and Member Relations Officer will manage numerous partnerships and relationships required for CASA’s advocacy activities.  They will manage internal and external relationships in an effort towards member recruitment and retention.  This position will require extensive travel throughout Ontario and potentially across Canada. This is a short term contract position- the position will be staffed by an outside contractor, who is preferably based in Ottawa, Toronto, or Montreal. Salary $42,500 annually prorated.

CASA believes that international students are invaluable members of post-secondary communities. They directly contribute billions of dollars to the Canadian economy, and as highly skilled and educated individuals, many go on to become contributing members of the Canadian workforce across all sectors of the economy. They enrich dialogues on campus, offer essential cross-cultural perspectives, and encourage a wider awareness of pressing national and international issues. CASA would like to see concrete actions designed to ensure that international students experience a truly high quality education in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

CASA is deeply concerned about the recent news that Saudi Arabian students studying in Canada have been asked to leave their institutions.  It has come to our attention that up to 8,000 students could be impacted by this recent decision.  Many of these students are entering their last years of study and will likely not be able to receive their accreditations from Canadian institutions due to these recent political events. International students are important to the Canadian landscape as they make a valuable contribution to our institutions by bringing diverse perspectives and innovative ideas to our classrooms.  Furthermore, international students make important economic contributions within universities and in the cities and towns they occupy.  In smaller areas this decision will make a tremendous economic impact.  We are disappointed that students have been caught in the cross fire of a diplomatic dispute that is beyond their control. CASA hopes that international students will be treated fairly by governments and post-secondary institutions in this process and that Canada maintains an open and welcoming environment for international students from around the world. 

CASA advocates for a post-secondary education system that is accessible, affordable, innovative and of the highest quality. A key aspect of achieving this system is upholding the right for students to access information. With regards to the ongoing review of the Copyright Act, CASA strongly believes that fair dealing for educational purposes should be preserved. Fair dealing for such purposes has proven instrumental in reducing barriers to learning, fostering innovation, and enhancing the quality of post-secondary education in Canada.

OTTAWA, August 3, 2018 – Last week, at the Canadian Alliance of Student Association’s (CASA) second conference of the year, the organization’s student leaders chose to establish an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. The first of its kind, this student-led committee will work to ensure that CASA takes an intersectional approach to understanding student issues and that its policy development and advocacy efforts are reflective of diverse student experiences.