Instead of allowing their surplus to pass through to the following year’s council, the St. Michael’s College Student Union has donated their remaining funds, around $2,000, to the Red Cross earthquake relief in Japan. The council is also challenging other student groups to do the same.
“I expect positive results,” says Phil Wigmore, Finance Commissioner of the SMCSU. “We agreed unanimously as a council to the donation, and it’d make sense to receive unanimous support from all the student councils, too.”
Wigmore created the project, now dubbed “Send the Surplus,” and is confident that other councils will also participate. “Honestly, we’re expecting around $20,000 to come out of this.”
SMCSU sprung to action after a March 11 earthquake severely crippled northeastern Japan’s population and infrastructure. While SMCSU President Justin Rodrigues understands that some colleges may not be able to donate their surpluses, he thinks that asking colleges to commit to Send the Surplus, “when dealing with a unique and tragic situation […] is truly not asking for much.”
“If we felt that this donation was not financially possible, or if we felt that it would compromise the events that we put on for our own students in any way, then we would reconsider the donation,” said Rodrigues, who claims that student council financial surpluses are common at St. Mike’s.
“We rarely come together as a school, and efforts stop at the college level,” believes Wigmore, who also hopes this will inspire subsequent joint action between college councils in the future. “I want this to happen year after year.”
“We are so content at times to remain at the status quo and continue with the student council norms, whether that be free BBQs, formals, or open mic nights.” claims Rodrigues, “Not to say there is anything wrong with events like that, but we should never be limited on what we can do to improve not only our university community, but also the world around us.”
At press time, only Victoria College had responded to SMCSU about the Japan donation, and promised to debate it at their next council meeting. However, Wigmore ascribes this to how recently the project has been put together, and consequently how little time other councils have had to respond.
Meanwhile, Woodsworth and OISE are holding a student-led event on March 31, to debate and improve Canadian aid efforts for towards Japan. The panel’s wide array of speakers will include: Mr. Masaya Otsuka, the Consul of Japan; Mr. John Saunders, the Red Cross Ontario Director of Disaster Management; and Ms. Kristin Kobayashi, an eyewitness to the earthquake.
After the panel, there will be a showcase of Japanese dance, music, and art. The event will also feature a silent auction of Japanese crafts, with proceeds going to the Red Cross and Ashinaga, a Japanese charity that provides education to misplaced and traumatized children in Japan.
