Nestled deep in the basement of the Bulman Centre is the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA).

In the past, the UWSA has been largely unknown to much of the university’s student body. But this year’s four new executives, president Jason Syvixay, vice-president advocate David EisBrenner, vice-president student services Kelly Ross and vice-president internal Courtney Maddock, are determined not to let their inconvenient location stop them from making their presence known on campus.

“Since our offices are downstairs in the basement a lot of students don’t know what [the UWSA] is,” Syvixay said.

“That is probably one of my biggest goals this year, just connecting students to the UWSA.”

The role of the students’ association on campus is threefold: They unite students by organizing campus activities such as O-Week, they advocate for students by assisting them in processes like grade appeals or concerns with professors and they provide services for students like Soma Café and the daycare centre.

But EisBrenner said that in the past, many students had no idea that the UWSA was behind such initiatives.

“Most students don’t realize what the UWSA does for them,” he said.

Lack of awareness about the UWSA helps explain the feeble participation in UWSA elections. Last election, the voter turnout was 12 per cent, an improvement over March 2008’s election in which only six per cent of students voted.

“Students don’t actually vote because they are not aware of the issues,” explained Syvixay, admitting that until last year, he was one of those students.

But Syvixay feels that his lack of prior knowledge about the UWSA can be used to his advantage.

“I feel like I could be the person who could speak to that demographic because I can make the issues a little bit more relatable,” he said.

The four executives have specific plans to increase student participation on campus. UWSA info tables and sign-up sheets will be set up during O-Week and a new website is set to launch this month. They are also working on communication strategies like YouTube videos and monthly event calendars to disseminate information about upcoming events.

The UWSA invites students to attend UWSA board meetings. The meetings are open to all and every student is granted speaking rights.

EisBrenner, along with the other executives, encourages students to open themselves up to what the UWSA has to offer.

“The best way to get involved is just to see what student groups are out there…and you will be seeing a side of campus that you never would have seen before,” he said.

Published in Volume 64, Number 1 of The Uniter (September 3, 2009)