Section 20 Student Associations and Alumni Relations

Section 20.1 Undergraduate Students

The Concordia Student Union (CSU) represents all undergraduate students, both full-time and part-time. Besides organizing many events and activities, the CSU ensures student representation on University decision-making bodies, both those that legislate on academic and administrative matters and those concerned with the cultural and social life of the community. There are student members of the Board of Governors, Senate, the Faculty Councils, and the Concordia Council on Student Life, which is directly concerned with all issues pertaining to student life including the provision of student services. The CSU offers services for its members such as a Housing and Job Bank, Legal Information Clinic, Advocacy Centre, free lunch program at Loyola, a Recovery and Wellness Community Centre and a student daycare service. The CSU also oversees almost 100 student-led clubs. There is a CSU office on each campus. The Sir George Williams office is in Room H 711 of the Henry F. Hall Building. The Loyola office is in the CC Building, Room 426. CSU’s telephone number is 514-848-7474;
email: contactus@csu.qc.ca; website: csu.qc.ca.

Powers and responsibilities are divided between three bodies: the Executive, the Council of Representatives, and the Judicial Board. The Executive is headed by an elected general coordinator. The Council of Representatives consists of students elected from the undergraduate student population with seats reserved for the four Faculties and Independent students. The Judicial Board is an appointed body charged with assuring the constitutionality of any new legislation or resolution of conflicts.

Students in the four Faculties are also represented by their own associations: the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), the Commerce and Administration Students’ Association (CASA), the Engineering and Computer Science Students’ Association (ECA), and the Fine Arts Student Alliance (FASA).

There are over 230 student groups. They may be associated with a department or discipline, such as the Psychology Students’ Association, or pursue a special interest like the Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club or the African Student Association. Each has its own program of activities funded by student fees. In addition, there are a number of independent groups on campus that provide a variety of ways for students to engage in campus and community life such as Sustainable Concordia, the Refugee Centre and the Concordia Food Coalition. Amongst these are student media including the radio station CJLO and two student newspapers, The Link and The Concordian. These media outlets operate independently of the student associations. Both newspapers are incorporated, with separate, wholly autonomous Boards of Directors.

Section 20.2 Graduate Students

All graduate students are members of the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA). The GSA is concerned with graduate student representation on the Board of Governors, Senate, the School of Graduate Studies, the Faculty Councils, and the Concordia Council on Student Life, and initiates a wide range of activities for graduate students and the University community as a whole, including social occasions and lectures. The GSA operates an Advocacy Service and provides funding to their members for travel, and other activities and projects. GSA’s offices are at 2030 Mackay St.; telephone: 514‑848‑2424, ext. 7900; email: info@gsaconcordia.ca; website: gsaconcordia.ca.

Section 20.3 Alumni Relations

Concordia boasts 245,000 alumni worldwide. University Advancement (UA) is charged with maintaining and nurturing a lasting and significant relationship between alumni and their alma mater.

The Concordia University Alumni Association (CUAA) was created in 1983 to “encourage the fellowship of graduates from Loyola, Sir George Williams, and Concordia University through social, educational, and cultural activities” and to “preserve and promote the interests of Concordia University through alumni involvement in its future and governance.” Graduates and attendees (who have completed 30 credits) of Concordia and of the founding institutions of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University are automatically CUAA members.

Benefits and Services – Current Students: University Advancement collaborates with the CUAA to offer students and alumni various programs and services. Starting even before they arrive on campus, students can take advantage of numerous services, events, and activities, including funding for student projects, professional development workshops, speaker series and career panels. Alumni Relations partners with colleagues on campus to welcome and recognize new students and their families during Orientation and Residence Move In at the Parents Tent; highlight and showcase diverse student leaders, and provide opportunities for alumni to interact with students on campus.

Benefits and Services – Alumni: With a complimentary Alumni ID card, alumni gain access to Concordia libraries, career services resources and discounts on fees at the Centre for Continuing Education. Alumni are also eligible for discounts at preferred hotels, Budget Rent-A-Car, VIA Rail, Tremblant-GolfMax, the Centaur Theatre, the Segal Centre for Performing Arts, the University of Toronto Library, the Princeton Review, Concordia Stores, the VA Art Supply Store, Nautilus Plus and Campus Recreation. Alumni receive the Concordia University Magazine and Accent, the monthly alumni e-newsletter. They can obtain the Concordia University MBNA MasterCard, reduced rates on home and auto insurance with TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, and reduced rates on health and dental insurance with Manulife Financial. Advancement and Alumni Relations also offers photography services at gowning and convocation through affinity partners, GradImages and Lassman.

Events: Year round, UA hosts a vast selection of social, cultural and educational events for the Concordia community. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends are always invited to participate in Homecoming, a series of activities including reunions, chapter and networking events, career educational lectures/seminars, panel discussions and the Homecoming Football Game.
The annual Alumni Recognition Awards Banquet honours outstanding volunteer contributions from the University’s alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends.
Staying Connected: After convocation, keep in touch with fellow alumni and the University online via social media groups on LinkedIn and Facebook. The Alumni Relations Twitter and Instagram accounts (@ConcordiaAlumni) serve up daily news about alumni and their alma mater.

Alumni Chapters
Canadian and International Chapters: There are active alumni groups in Beijing, Boston, Calgary, California, Dubai, Edmonton, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Jordan, London, Mexico, Mississauga, Netherlands, New York, North Carolina, Ottawa, Qatar, Shanghai, Texas, Toronto, Türkiye, Vancouver, Washington, D.C., Washington State and Winnipeg.
Montreal Chapters: There are Faculty-based chapters for the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science and the John Molson School of Business, in addition to alumni volunteer opportunities in the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Arts and Science.

For the latest information on alumni chapters, benefits, and events, visit concordia.ca/alumni-friends or contact University Advancement, 1250 Guy St., Room FB 520, 514-848-2424, ext. 4856, fax: 514-848-2826, or email: alumni@concordia.ca.