OCSU Letter to Kelowna Senior Secondary

To: Kelowna Secondary School Administration, School Board District 23, and the Kelowna Secondary School Parental Advisory Committee;

CC: Okanagan College KSS Task Force, James Coble

The Okanagan College Students’ Union represents over 5000 OC students in Salmon Arm, Penticton, and Kelowna, and is governed by a board of 18 elected student representatives.

We are writing to formally raise concerns about the ongoing presence and behaviour of Kelowna Secondary School (KSS) students on Okanagan College (OC) campuses. While we recognize that Okanagan College is public property and that many KSS students conduct themselves appropriately, the volume and severity of incidents involving KSS students has reached a point where it is significantly impacting the safety, learning environment, and overall campus experience for OC students.This issue has become the number one complaint we hear from our students on the Kelowna campus, and so we feel it necessary to bring this forward to you all.

OC student study spaces, particularly areas with access to electrical outlets, are frequently taken over by large groups of KSS students. This often coincides with loud and disruptive behaviour, including verbal altercations and physical fights. There have also been repeated instances of vandalism and littering on OC property, such as broken windows and doors, vandalizing and stealing supplies from bathrooms, as well as discarded trash and cups throughout buildings and common areas, done at the hands of KSS students on OC property.

We have received numerous complaints from OC students who report feeling unsafe on campus when KSS students are gathering, engaging in raucous, disruptive and explicit behaviour. There have also been reports of harassment directed toward OC staff, security, and students, including being combative when individuals are politely asked to adjust their behaviour or leave. OC signage on campus clearly indicates that KSS students are welcome to come to campus and purchase food, but are then directed to depart, and this is blatantly disregarded daily.

Okanagan College is a place of learning and academic focus. Disrespectful behaviour and repeated disruptions undermine this environment and contribute to a negative experience for students, staff, and members of the public alike. When behavioural expectations and campus guidelines are disregarded, it creates frustration, animosity, and a growing sense of tension across the OC community. Consistently, the presence and conduct of several groups of KSS students on campus has become the number one complaint raised by Okanagan College students to both our organization, and the institution.

We want to be clear that these concerns do not reflect the behaviour of all KSS students. However, the number of incidents is significant enough that it impacts nearly everyone at OC and has led to a broadly negative association with KSS students as a whole. This is an outcome we wish to avoid, but one that will persist without meaningful intervention. With the growing animosity amongst OC students for your students, we are deeply concerned for the safety of everyone on campus. Frustration and short tempers are building blocks for altercations of all varieties, and it is not OC’s responsibility to manage the discipline of KSS students. Safety is not a privilege, it's an expectation for all students, faculty, and staff of Okanagan College, as well as visiting guests.

We are requesting in-person, on the ground support from KSS staff and the School District to help manage KSS student behaviour when KSS students visit the OC campus, particularly during lunch break. It is not acceptable for any guests to damage property, engage in or instigate violence, harass others, or otherwise disrupt the learning of post-secondary students. This behaviour reflects poor neighbourly conduct and places an unreasonable burden on OC staff and campus security, who are continually disregarded and disrespected by many KSS students.

We feel strongly that many of your students who visit our campus are in serious breach of KSS’s own Student Code of Conduct. Some of the breaches include failing to meet the following expectations:

• Displaying Respect for the rights, property and safety of themselves and others.  

•  Honouring the Rights of others - through the process of learning and demonstrating appropriate behaviours.

• Exhibiting behaviour that is free of all forms of intimidation, harassment, racism, and discrimination;

• Refraining from all types of violent acts;

• Refraining from disruptive or unnecessary behaviours that negatively affect the learning environment;

• Refraining from the possession and use of all forms of intoxicants and tobacco (drugs, alcohol, etc.); including vapes, cigars and E-cigarettes;

• Modeling respectful and responsible behaviour, not only at school, but within the community as well

We also would like to highlight which examples of unacceptable behaviour are outlined in this code of conduct that these students are actively participating in:

• Interfering with the rights of others to learn

• Creating an unsafe situation for any school member, and extending to OC school members

• Distract others from focusing on instruction or concentrating on prescribed tasks

KSS students are participating in the following Prohibited Acts of your Student Code of Conduct:

• Bullying, harassment and intimidation

• Physical violence

• Any acts of a sexual nature outside of public displays of affection acceptable in a professional environment

KSS students have also been witnessed with the possession or action of the following prohibited acts of the KSS Student Code of Conduct:

• Theft of or damage to property 

• Tobacco, E-Cigarette or Vaporizer use on school grounds.

KSS states on their website under the Principal Authority of the student code of conduct that the “Principal and his/her designates has a right under the School Act to discharge discipline from the time a student leaves home to go to school until such time as the student returns home at the conclusion of the school day.  However, the Principal’s and the District’s authority also extend beyond the normal "home-to-home" rule when the behaviour of a student off school premises or after school hours adversely affects the operation of any school in the district for example, online communication, violent altercations, etc.” and since KSS states that “it is partially our responsibility to actively teach these [code of conduct] attitudes and skills,” we believe that it is a requirement for the staff and administrators of KSS to take an active role in daily supervision of the KSS students descending on the OC campus during lunch hours, and all other peak visiting hours to ensure the appropriate behaviour and discipline as required is enacted on your pupils. We are committed to making ourselves fully available to support the staff and administrators of KSS in lobbying School District 23, should they request it, for additional resources to better manage this issue on the condition that they agree to immediately devote current resources to managing the issues we have outlined above.

OCSU believes that with your active support and cooperation, clear communication, and shared responsibility, it is possible to reduce these incidents and restore a safe, respectful, and academically focused environment for everyone who uses the Okanagan College Kelowna campus, and our two student populations can coexist peacefully and respectfully. We would be pleased to continue these conversations through face to face conversations in the spirit of collaborative problem solving.

We appreciate your attention and consideration on this matter.

-Okanagan College Students’ Union Board of Directors. 

Okanagan College Students’ Union Written Submission for Post-Secondary Review

Introduction

Okanagan College Students’ Union (OCSU) represents college students at Okanagan College.

• We have over 5000 members 

• We are located across the Okanagan, and our campuses include Kelowna, Penticton and Salmon Arm. 

• Key demographic features are that we are a unique combination of urban to rural market with a complex array of campuses in diverse pockets of the province, and our student body membership ranges from academic, vocational, upgrading, domestic, international, indigenous and mature learners.  

• We advocate on behalf of students, deliver essential student services, and ensure student representation within institutional governance and decision making structures.

Our students’ union strongly endorses the core principles outlined in the BC Federation of Students’ submission and offers the following local evidence and recommendations to support and expand on those themes.

The Okanagan is a region known for world class living and has seen a tremendous surge in popularity. That has caused significant challenges with housing affordability and availability until as recent as late 2025 when Kelowna became flooded with micro unit condominium buildings. Vacancy rates are currently above 1% however, affordability is certainly not. Wages and transportation are incredibly low to non-existent across the Okanagan. We are an underserved region by means of transit, and an overpopulated segment of BC. We are also facing income disparity at higher levels than ever, and with increased unhoused populations and those struggling financially, we are also seeing a deeper struggle with food insecurity. 

The current waitlists for classes at Okanagan College is okay at best, if waitlists being more than full can be considered okay. When courses are cancelled it causes complications with waitlists and massive fluctuations which are detrimental for learners. We have been experiencing reduced hours for services, such as library hours of operation, as a means to cut costs for our institution. This is also unsupportive of students' needs. Our current state of infrastructure/training equipment on campuses is problematic in that roofs are leaking, upgrades and maintenance tasks are deferred, and study areas are few and far between. Regarding safety in equipment in learning environments, that appears to be okay for the time being. Given appropriate operational and building funding we would be in a much better position, and would be able to provide more state of the art learning and resource centres for our students.

Purpose and Value of Okanagan College to the Okanagan

Okanagan College has campuses spread throughout the Okanagan, historically ranging from Oliver, to Revelstoke, to Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton. The 4 main campuses serve the towns, cities and surrounding communities of Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm and Vernon. All campuses provide ABE for students. Other nearby public post-secondary institutions include UBC Okanagan in Kelowna, then Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Selkirk College in the Kootenays, and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt. Okanagan College programming directly relates to serving the student populations among the Okanagan region. Our students are often mature, re-entering post-secondary or upgrading in order to meet the needs of the workforce. 

Okanagan College directly supports the needs of our region by educating students in the fields of highest demand. We have programs in all of our biggest industries such as food, tourism, hospitality, aerospace, healthcare and construction. We have entire buildings on campuses dedicated to meeting industry demands with state of the art learning environments. 

Our institution improves prosperity in the region by having opportunities to learn in fields that directly get students hired immediately upon graduation. Our institution alone is a massive portion of the work force in our communities. Our institution provides educational opportunity, career stability and is responsive to the needs of our communities. This should not be de-stabilized and should be funded adequately. 

Local Impacts of Stabilization Without New Funding

We want to highlight that long-term sector sustainability without additional funding is a recipe for failure. Many institutions such as Okanagan College are already feeling deep financial impacts due to the slashed international students rates and compounding years of chronic underfunding for operational costs. It's easy to point fingers at which governing body is responsible for the crisis in post secondary education, however the fact of the matter is that both the federal and provincial governments have played damaging roles. Now is the time to reverse the habit of underfunding, not dig deeper in. 

We’ve seen the College centralize a good portion of its services to the Kelowna campus such as recruitment. Taking the people who best know their local communities away from the task of recruitment disconnects local would-be learners from the spirit and culture of Okanagan College, and sending people from outside our varied communities means there is a missing link between what those local communities need from the institution and its offerings. This feels especially apparent as our senior administration has worked to isolate its Board of Governors from hearing from outside groups and steers them into an operational board model, not a group tasked with stewarding and steering Okanagan College. 

Without stable and sufficient public operating funding, post-secondary institutions are having to pursue external revenue-generation measures to maintain basic operations. At Okanagan College Penticton, this pressure has resulted in the exploration and implementation of the leasing of academic and campus spaces to non-post-secondary users, such as Grade 9 secondary school cohorts, in order to offset operating shortfalls. While these arrangements may provide short-term financial support, they underscore a deeper issue: public post-secondary institutions are being required to subsidize educational mandates through measures that displace student access to learning spaces, and blur the intended purpose of publicly funded campuses. These are neither sustainable or aligned with the long-term mission of colleges to serve post-secondary learners and regional workforce development.

Opportunities for Collaboration & Reducing Competition

Students want access to good education and opportunities and are profoundly unconcerned with the egos, drama, or brand of their institution. Students want to feel that the priority of their institution is the student experience and opportunities that might be afforded to them, and if that means forging collaborative relationships with other institutions, then that would be considered a generally favorable approach.

The interior region is not a cohesive one. It comprises unique landscapes, industries, and communities. This diverse collection of places and people calls for diversity of educational opportunities. Institutions across the Thompson-Okanagan, Boundary Region, and the Kootenays ought to develop strong collaborative relationships as it benefits both its students and employees. It would be ideal to see simple courses and credit transfers be available between the institutions of the interior – especially those from the colleges like Selkirk and Okanagan College to the Universities of the area. When students, and potential students, are able to stay as local as possible to complete their education, it ensures our interior communities remain active and continue to build new industries in the face of collapsing forestry and mining sectors. 

Necessary Safeguards when Considering Consolidation

The Okanagan has already experienced a takeover of our previous North Campus of Okanagan (University) College in 2005 by UBC. This was a complex at best, hostile at worst amalgamation of sorts, of which the effects are still being felt 20 years later. The duty of public post-secondary is to support learner access in the region of their choosing, to provide high quality education, and to ensure communities can prosper with a local workforce which has been effectively trained in order to meet regional and geographic needs. 

If any consideration of amalgamation occurs, all interest holders of post-secondary would need to have a seat at the table for consideration, evaluation and preparation. This is not a direction we believe is fruitful for the residents of British Columbia and will be detrimental and de-stabilizing in both the long and short term horizons.

Community colleges should absolutely not be consolidated with other colleges, or neighbouring universities. The strength of community colleges is that they provide programs and jobs that meet the needs of their direct communities. They support the local workforce and provide economically beneficial programs, which ought to be further incentivized to best respond to the needs of the communities they are in. This will also help keep potential and current students, and graduates, local. 

Another important step to this are direct program-to-employment initiatives (independent of co-op programs).This is something applicable to all PSE institutions in BC. There are already many institutions that prioritize lining students up with jobs following completion of their program; BCIT is a great example of this. Governments and institutions need to incentivize companies (or otherwise penalize them for trying to minimize labour costs by eliminating entry level positions) into hiring new graduates. New generations of workers are losing faith in higher education; a degree no longer guarantees a job for young people, and in many cases, can act against them for companies that fear hiring capable employees.

Legislative Oversight: Responsiveness Must Not Come at the Expense of Accountability

Chronic underfunding forces institutions into short-term, band-aid solutions and constant operational adjustments, creating an environment of uncertainty and instability. Ever-shifting plans and management decisions foster unease, mistrust, frustration, and burnout among staff and faculty, which inevitably trickles down to students. The post-secondary experience is not isolated to the classroom; when employees and instructors are stretched thin and dissatisfied, the impact is felt across the entire campus community.

A clear example of this was the former nursing bridge program between Okanagan College and UBCO. When funding for Okanagan College’s portion of the program was cut, students preparing to enter their second year were suddenly told they would be required to attend UBCO instead, with the announcement coming just as they were gearing up for their first practicum. There were not enough seats to guarantee placement for all students, and the window to secure on-campus housing had already passed; without strong advocacy from students and allies, many would have been forced to absorb significantly higher university fees a full year earlier than anticipated. This decision came at a time when the province was publicly prioritizing solutions to the health-care worker shortage, making the funding cut directly at odds with its stated goals. It also followed the construction of a new, government-funded Health and Science building at the Kelowna campus, supported by substantial community donations from those who reasonably expected their investment would translate into more locally trained nurses serving Interior Health.

Online Learning at Okanagan College

Okanagan College appears keen to devote resources to online learning. It has been observed by students that this new direction comes across at the expense of current students for hopes of attracting other demographics of learners such as those already with established careers who are looking to upgrade. In fall 2024 nearly every cohort of adult upgrading students on OC’s Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm campuses showed up to class a week after their programs had started and were told their courses no longer had devoted in-person learning and were moving to an online format. The institution insisted the format was in fact hybrid, however students seeking the in-person portion of that “hybrid” learning were offered an empty class room with a screen to stream their class, and no actual, on-the-ground support from an instructor. 

Okanagan College has gone on to remove several Adult Upgrading instructors and has implemented “learning strategists” through one-time grant funding to support these students. These “strategists” are outside hires with far less education and expertise than the faculty they are “filling in” for, meaning students are missing out on the high quality education they were promised at registration or recruitment. 

Our other key concern with online learning, especially OC’s desire to use it as a default for the majority of students accessing our regional campuses, is a lack of access to stable internet – something not even guaranteed on campus! – and the additional costs of required participatory equipment needed to succeed in online courses. Not all computers come standard with cameras or microphones – these are hidden costs to students that are just as predatory as required quizbank and code purchases with text books. 

We know that online learning is here to stay, and there certainly are those who benefit from their availability – taking a required course online is better than potentially delaying graduation by waiting a semester or longer to take the course. We also know that flexible learning options such as hybrid courses can help students better manage complicated personal life schedules, such as juggling classes and multiple jobs just to afford their opportunity at post secondary education. However, without sufficient funding institutions are not able to keep up with their own technological requirements to make these as successful as they need to be for students. Equipment breaks down, rural wifi is spotty and inconsistent, loaner computers lab computers are used and abused routinely, the list goes on. If our institutions have the appropriate, proportional operation funding to maintain these new-age requirements, then we will become more viable and easier to participate in across the board. Without these direly needed supports, students will suffer at the brunt of the shortages and struggles of the institution.  

Implications of Tuition Caps for Affordability, Access and Equity

Maintaining a cap on fee increases is crucial to the health of the post-secondary sector. Making changes to the Tuition Fee Limit Policy that allow institutions to increase tuition for domestic students is certainly an appealing low-hanging fruit for administrators and governing bodies, however it is the most inequitable, unreliable, and unstable route for students. It would be a move also in stark contrast to the original reasons and spirit of the Fee Limit Policy-to protect affordability for the widest demographic of students possible, and to help lift BC residents from poverty through post-graduation employment opportunities. 

Furthermore, individuals and families throughout the valley and beyond are already facing unprecedented unaffordability across many sectors. A clear indicator is the 20 percent increase in usage year over year of the Central Okanagan Food Bank reported in 2025. When families cannot even afford groceries, it is hard to see how they will be able to bear the weight of rising, unpredictable tuition.  

Impacts on Underrepresented Learners

At Okanagan College, we are seeing the deepest impacts of an unsustainably funded and supported institution at our regional and rural campuses. Students recruited to Salmon Arm, Vernon, and Penticton were promised the chance to stay local while still receiving the full academic experience so many young people dream of. The reality, however, is that many of these students face extremely limited course options, are often forced to commute to other campuses to access in-person classes, and, year after year, entire cohorts discover they cannot complete more than one year of their program at their home campus.

The loss of local options further harms people in smaller communities who are already facing poverty–an issue that is deeply intersectional for many groups. These barriers show up as an inability to travel to distant campuses, unreliable or nonexistent internet, and a lack of devices needed for online or “hybrid” learning. At the same time, reduced services such as limited library hours and less in-person access to accessibility coordinators, counselors, tutors, and advisors mean that students already facing systemic barriers are left with even fewer supports and even fewer pathways to real educational success. If protections like the Tuition Limit Policy are weakened, these students will be the first left behind and there would be many more to follow.

Okanagan College Students’ Union Recommendations 

We echo the BC Federation of Students’ provincial recommendations and highlight the following local priorities to support the long-term sustainability of BC’s public post-secondary system:

Affordability & Tuition Protections: Keeping tuition increases capped is absolutely necessary for affordability, and consequentially, enrollment. Demanding that students either pay more for their tuition or take on more debt to cover said education in a cost of living crisis is a deplorable and predatory move by the ministry and government. However, it can also be recognized that maintaining the limit means institutions don’t have flexibility to adjust when costs go up, especially when the government is unwilling to properly fund post secondary. 

The Provincial Government recognizing that the sector is in crisis, without taking action by creating additional funding, is simply unacceptable. Many groups, including students’ associations, have been sounding the alarm bells that the reliance on unregulated international student tuition fees as the “funding model” for post secondary education is a reckless and dangerous practice, and is why so many institutions are in such dire straits now. With costs rising across all sectors, students and would-be students cannot afford to pay even more for tuition. Eliminating or changing the 2% cap will lead to a decrease in enrollment, which will consequently lead to fewer graduates and professionals, which will impact lagging sectors and the labour gap even more.

Governance & Representation. Institutions exist to serve their biggest interest-holders, the students and institutions were established to meet the needs of the committees. Therefore, the communities and the interest-holders must be fully participatory in reviewing and prioritizing the long term sustainability of BC’s public post-secondary education system. If the system is changing, underrepresented students cannot be an afterthought. Minority groups are already suppressed due to many socioeconomic factors, and need support from all sectors, such as childcare and transportation supports, stable funding for access programs, stronger Indigenous partnerships and real say in decisions that affect them. Underrepresented students must also be protected from those that seek to stigmatize programs under the labels of “diversity hire” or “DEI”. 

Student-Safe Financial Measures

The review committee will be hard pressed to find post secondary students who view the Tuition Fee Limit Policy as a failure. The policy has protected student affordability, provided reliable financial planning opportunities, and has kept costs to students from spiraling completely out of control in stark contrast to their costs of living outside of their tuition fees. The only way this policy failed was through its lack of protection for international students. 

If there were tuition regulations for international students, we wouldn’t have seen the mass-overreliance and exploitation of international students in our post secondary sector. If institutions hadn’t been able to use international students as their financial crutches institutional growth likely would have been more measured and gradual, which would not have left so many floundering as they did during the pandemic and now after international numbers have been slashed. 

Student-safe financial measures that are genuinely student-centred are protecting and strengthening the Tuition Fee Limit Policy for students-maintaining the annual 2% cap, creating a similar policy for international students to create equitable predictability and reign in institutional reliance and exploitation, as well create more measured, sustainable growth, and to commit to new and appropriate funding for the post secondary sector which must include a reasonable funding model and annual infusions of funds. 

Conclusion

Okanagan College exists to serve the communities and its diverse members of the Okanagan Valley. Failure to adequately address the needs of institutions such as ours will result in devastating losses for this region, not only in qualified workers, but also in stability among citizens. Failing to support the post secondary sector any longer is detrimental to all of BC, and the other economic challenges we are currently facing-healthcare workers, labour shortages, environmental challenges. These struggling sectors need educated problem solvers to move us forward. We urge you to consider the impact and importance of post secondary in your consideration. Long-term sustainability in post secondary education must be built on new, sustainable, public funding that protects access and affordability while actively mitigating harms to students. When education remains affordable and regionally accessible, students are able to train and stay in their home communities, which directly helps fill labour shortages and ensures workers are trained to meet community needs. This approach strengthens the local economy, supports community stability, fills the gaps in our work forces, brings innovation to our existing challenges, and reduces pressure on other social safety net programs by creating clear pathways to employment and economic security. Post-secondary education is a system that requires dedication from our government, and is a worthy investment of taxpayer dollars.

Sincerely,

Okanagan College Students’ Union Board of Directors 

The Okanagan College Students’ Union Stands in Solidarity with Trans Athletes: A Call for Accountability and Inclusivity in PACWEST

The Okanagan College Students’ Union  is proud to reaffirm its unwavering support for trans athletes and the broader 2SLGBTQIA+ community in light of recent developments in the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST). Following an investigation into a transphobic incident during the October 2024 women’s basketball game between Columbia Bible College (CBC) and the VIU Mariners, PACWEST took the necessary step of suspending the CBC women’s basketball head coach. While this disciplinary action marked progress toward addressing discrimination in sports, subsequent events have raised new concerns.

In the aftermath of the suspension, the CBC team launched a public campaign and the coach has taken legal action in an attempt to overturn the suspension. These moves threaten to undermine the essential steps taken to combat discrimination and could send a disheartening message to trans athletes and their allies throughout PACWEST.

At Okanagan College we believe that sports should be a safe and inclusive space for everyone, regardless of gender identity. Trans athletes deserve the right to participate fully and equitably without fear of harassment or exclusion. We have seen firsthand the impact that discrimination can have on individuals and communities. It is for this reason that we are speaking out - because standing by silently is not an option.

When incidents like this arise, accountability is not just about responding to the moment; it’s about setting a standard for the future. Attempts to reverse disciplinary action not only put the safety of athletes at risk but also undermine trust in the systems designed to protect them. This is a pivotal moment for PACWEST to demonstrate leadership and reaffirm its commitment to inclusivity, fairness, and safety for all athletes.

We call on PACWEST to:

• Stand firm against external pressures to reinstate the suspended coach, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all athletes.

• Reaffirm your commitment to creating and maintaining a safe, equitable, and inclusive sports environment for everyone.

• Call on the CBC Bearcats to publicly commit to fair and safe play by clearly stating that harassment, discrimination, and hate have no place in their organization, and that they will fully respect and uphold eligibility rules for trans athletes.

• Implement comprehensive safety planning practices to protect the well-being of all athletes, with specific measures to ensure the inclusion and safety of trans athletes.

Discrimination has no place in sports - or anywhere. Leadership means standing with marginalized communities, taking decisive action, and ensuring that every athlete is treated with dignity and respect. We urge PACWEST to seize this opportunity to lead by example and show that inclusivity is not just a policy but a fundamental value.

The Okanagan College Students’ Union remains committed to its support for trans athletes across the PACWEST Conference. We will continue to advocate for environments where every player feels safe, supported, and seen.

In solidarity,

Okanagan College Students’ Union, Local 1

OCSU Statement of Settler Colonialism in Palestine

30 days cannot begin to encapsulate the profound agony endured during 75+ years of occupation. This month marks a devastating milestone, with over 10,000 lives lost in Gaza, and thousands more missing, unmarked, and unidentifiable.

The OCSU has always been a champion for student voices, but our silence has been a deafening contradiction of our principles. We would like to make it clear that genocide should never be a subject of neutrality.

We grieve for the loss of homes, dreams, aspirations, and lives affecting men, women, and children. We mourn for the loss of safety. We ache for those left orphaned and widowed, for the martyrs and survivors. We mourn the dispossession of Indigenous Palestinian land and civilians. 

We stand in solidarity with our Indigenous and Racialized peers who bear intergenerational traumas stemming from settler colonialism, land seizures, apartheid, and genocides.

We have the responsibility to educate ourselves on the history and context of this dire reality. We extend our compassion to the Palestinian, Arab, and Jewish communities who have shouldered the unfair burden of tirelessly educating us whilst continuously fighting for their own humanity. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people who risk their lives daily to document and communicate to the western world. They speak to us in a language foreign to them, pleading with us to witness their struggle and to see their humanity. We stand by the Jewish community, whose grief and fear have been exploited by corrupt, greedy, and oppressive systems to enact a cycle of continuous violence.

To our peers, community, and members, we implore you to:

1. Call upon the House of Commons in Parliament to require the Prime Minister to take the necessary measures to address the Israel-Palestine conflict

2. Call for an Immediate Humanitarian Corridor in Gaza

3. Take the time to learn with us and review these resources

• All the Walls Will Fall: 2023 Palestine Liberation Resource List Curated by the Popular University of the Palestinian Youth Movement

• Unveiling the Chilly Climate: The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada, written by Sheryl Nestel and Rowan Gaudet and published by Independent Jewish Voices

• Okanagan College Library’s exhaustive resource list 

No amount of words or expressions of compassion and solidarity can ever fully capture the overwhelming grief, tragedy, suffering, and trauma brought about by this genocide. Above all, let us hold each other with more compassion and create space for learning, understanding, and collective grief. 

We maintain hope that through united efforts, we can persistently call on our representatives, sign petitions, rally, amplify Palestinian voices, and educate ourselves to demand a ceasefire. 

Collectively and individually, the OCSU acknowledges our ongoing need for learning and unlearning. We must stay united to champion the liberation of Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Hawaii, the Uyghurs, and Indigenous People of Turtle Island, just to name a few. 

Liberation for one means liberation for all.

From the river to the sea,

OCSU

OCSU Letter of Support for Emily Carr University Walkout

To: Emily Carr Students’ Union, Premier David Eby, Minister Anne Kang and Honourable Selina Robinson

Cc: Emily Carr University Board of Governors & Administration

The OCSU is writing this letter of support for the student walk out by the Emily Carr Students’ Union on December 1st in opposition to the proposed increases to international Student fees for Emily Carr international students and members of the ECSU. The Okanagan College Students’ Union strongly opposes the proposed increases to international students including 30% for new students and 10% for returning students. International students are already paying four times more in fees than their domestic counterparts. In 2017, international students contributed $4.15billion in spending, created 31,400 jobs, and contributed $2.37 billion to the provincial GDP.

They are already contributing their fair share to the BC economy. This continual pillaging ofinternational students is discriminatory, predatory and inexcusable.We are calling on Premier David Eby, Minister Anne Kang, and Honourable Selina Robinson tosupport the BC Federation of Students, and all post-secondary students of British Columbia byimplementing legislation to regulate international student fee increases in an equitable mannerto domestic students.We also call on our elected officials to reinvest in post-secondary education through additionalgovernment funding which has dwindled to just 43.6% in total operating revenue, down frommore than 80% in the 1980s, and more than 90% in the 1970s. With a reported $5 Billionsurplus, this is the opportune time to support our future work force and policy makers.The students of British Columbia have had enough of our post-secondary institutions andgovernment treating international students like cash cows. We stand in solidarity with the ECSU,and all international students in BC, and across Canada. We demand better for our peers.

In solidarity,

Okanagan College Students’ Union

Local 1 BC Federation of Students