PRESS RELEASE: Withdrawal from Alliance of BC Students (ABCS)
Dear SUS Members,
Today, March 31st, 2022, the SUS Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion in the public meeting to confirm our withdrawal from the provincial advocacy organization ABCS. This took place after the Board initially began the process of withdrawal back in January 2022. The Board’s decision to withdraw from the Alliance was not one made lightly, but one ultimately made with the interests of our members at the forefront. Over the past two terms, the interests of ABCS and UFV students has become less aligned, with an overwhelming portion of the alliance representing metro Vancouver and holding different priorities about the issues facing BC students.
Additionally, financial decisions that SUS did not agree with, including increasing membership dues, were made in a way that did not reflect the standards and procedures of stewardship that SUS operates within. In light of these changes in the operations and function of ABCS, we believe that the higher membership dues do not provide the value necessary to justify these fees to our student members. The nature and patterns of the Alliance’s public communications routinely failed to meet SUS’ expectations of professionalism, to the extent that we felt uneasy to display our name on ABCS’ external communications and lobbying efforts. SUS felt that we no longer had a voice at the ABCS Board and it had become increasingly apparent that we were two very different organizations with different priorities, strategies, and memberships.
Despite these differences, there is much common ground with ABCS and other provincial lobbying alliances, that will provide us the opportunities to work together on issues that affect all BC students. The Board’s decision to withdraw from the Alliance should not be seen in any way as a dismissal of advocacy efforts, either locally, provincially, or federally. Instead, SUS will continue to advocate on your behalf as we strengthen our capacity to lobby independently of provincial lobbying alliance membership.
Sincerely,
Nikiel Lal,
SUS President