Katerina's March message
Spring is around the corner.
I wanted to begin this edition of my blog to acknowledge the devastating earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria last month. I am thinking of all those affected by this tragedy, especially those who have lost families and communities. If you have been affected by the earthquake, there are supports available. Please feel free to reach out.
March is International Women’s Month, with International Women’s Day landing on March 8th. IWD is a day to empower and uplift voices of women, while celebrating achievements, raising awareness, and taking action for gender equality. This year's theme is #EmbraceEquity, a platform to promote a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination, and a world that’s diverse equitable, and inclusive for all. MSVU focuses its efforts on the advancement of women and girls, and this is reflected through ongoing research. The Alexia McDonough Institute for Women, Gender, and Social Justice, aims to achieve equity and improve lives through feminist initiatives that extend knowledge and understanding of issues related to women, girls, gender, and social justice for the Mount community and beyond. We published an article for International Women’s Day, and I encourage you to check it out here. It's a good read!
The evening of March 22nd is also the beginning of Ramadan. Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims and is marked, in part, by fasting from dawn through sunset. The final exam period falls during Ramadan this year. Anyone with an exam conflicting with the breaking of fast can receive accommodation for this under the exam policy. You can email your professor to request this, and if you have any difficulty, please reach out for support. We have a very close Muslim community on campus, thanks in large part to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) society that is ratified. The MSA does excellent work and has been a great addition to our campus community. The MSA holds many events and has an active social media presence that I encourage you to check out.
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I hope everyone had a relaxing and rejuvenating break. I spent most of it writing my thesis, but the time away from my office was revitalizing. As we reach the halfway point in the semester, it’s important to pause and take some time for yourself. What did you do over reading week?
I cannot believe we are springing into March already. I am sure its welcomed if you’re someone who does not like the cold. Spring is only three weeks away, and while I am excited for flowers to bloom, it also signals we are nearing the end of the academic year.
Our General Elections nominations closed last week, and we will be announcing our candidates for our executive and Student Representative Council positions. Campaign speeches will be held next on March 14th from 5-7 at The Rook. Stay up to date in our newsletter and social media for updates, and we will be broadcasting speeches through an Instagram live.
The MSVUSU also approved its 2023-2027 strategic plan, which has four themes; communication; building community; education, training and institutional memory; and accessible governance.
I will be back for April, where hopefully the weather will get warmer.
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