Top 10 Reasons to Support SFPIRG
Top 10 Reasons to Support SFPIRG
1. Mandate for social and environmental justice
SFPIRG is a non-partisan organization with a very clear mandate to support social and environmental justice work on campus. SFPIRG believes in and supports student organizing for human rights, dignity, justice and sustainability.
2. Community
SFPIRG is a space for students to connect with each other in a collaborative environment. Students have developed lasting friendships as a consequence of working together in and across various parts of the organization whether it is an action group, a volunteer committee or the board. SFPIRG conscientiously promotes accessibility and inclusivity; all of our events are wheelchair accessible, queer-positive and offer childcare subsidies. Students can come in at any time and plug into existing projects or begin new ones.
3. Skills development
SFPIRG is a safe place for learning important skills that most students are not likely to access through the university curriculum. Our workshops offer skills to organize around social and environmental issues effectively, and to develop more equitable and sustainable practices in day to day life – including diversity and affirmative action, facilitation, anti-oppression, conflict resolution and consensus decision-making. Students also gain valuable skills for the job market through SFPIRG’s work-study positions and board responsibilities. Many SFPIRG alumni have gone on to successful careers in non-profit work.
4. Practical and progressive research experience
SFPIRG offers a wide range of opportunities for students to apply and develop their research skills by partnering them up with grassroots and non-profit organizations on collaborative research projects. These partnerships are facilitated by SFPIRG’s Action Research Exchange (ARX) program. Students get practical research experience in their fields of study and receive course credit, while community groups with limited resources receive much-needed research support.
5. Critical thinking
SFPIRG has an alternative library with over 5000 books, DVDs and reports about social and environmental issues. It is a place where students can ask questions and develop a wider base of knowledge from which to assess the events, institutions and discourses that shape society. SFPIRG also organizes, sponsors or co-hosts special events on campus to shed light on and encourage discussion about issues related to environmental sustainability and human rights.
6. Resources for social and environmental justice organizing
SFPIRG offers skills, tools and funding for student organizers working on social and environmental issues. Student organizers can make SFPIRG a home for their project by becoming an action group, which entitles them to financial and organizational support from SFPIRG including a budget; a mailbox and locker; access to SFPIRG’s copier, meeting room and computers; and skills training for organizing events and facilitating meetings. Currently SFPIRG is home to five action groups: Ancient Forests, Climate Change, Voice of Animals, Letters for the Inside and No Bottled Water. SFPIRG also offers funding for students to attend social and environmental justice conferences.
7. Connection and solidarity with groups directly affected by social and environmental violence
In line with our mandate, SFPIRG sees itself as an ally to communities struggling with poverty, homelessness, racism, homophobia, occupation, environmental destruction, and other forms of systemic violence. SFPIRG offers donations to community groups with limited resources that are working to address these issues. Priority is given to community groups in the Lower Mainland and working within their own communities.
8. The Bike Tool Co-op
SFPIRG is home to the bike tool co-op, a do-it-yourself space to fix your bicycle. The workshop is open to everyone and students exchange knowledge and share a full range of tools including pumps, tube patching, tools for gears, brakes, hubs, trueing stand and more. Volunteer bike experts are also available to help students out.
9. Student accountability
SFPIRG was created by students through organizing that led to a successful cross-campus referendum in 1981. All registered SFU students are members of SFPIRG and students are involved in decision-making at every level of the organization – board, staff and volunteer. SFPIRG is funded by student fees and provides an opt-out option at the beginning of every semester for students who would like to give up their membership.
10. Student initiative and empowerment
SFPIRG views students as capable and creative agents. It is a space for students to grow, challenge themselves, and imagine possibilities for a more just, sustainable and meaningful world. SFPIRG values student feedback and direction in our programming work, and we are constantly thinking up new ways of empowering students to affect progressive change in their communities.
More details on SFPIRG’s work, check out www.sfpirg.ca
2 comments 
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March 13th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Keep up the great work!
April 1st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
SPEAKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
WHY SFPIRG HAS A ‘BIG HEART’
A. Library Resources – If I want to write a balanced essay that reflects different points of view not just the professors point of view, the staff has easily categorized their library. SFPIRG is proactive in procuring resources that are unique.
B. Students often get their undergraduate degrees without having any hands-on experience in applied research. Their ARX program marries non-for-profit and/or non-government-organizations NGO’s with students. For example, my professors were happy to let me have the opportunity to work with the organization and use the research information for a research essay. It is always helpful for students such as myself to have the opportunity to do research for an organization that is not so well funded. In some cases, the research could be confidential and thereby interesting and challenging. SFPIRG’s function is to be a liaison between the student, the organization and of course the Academic Departments.
It enriches university life for students such as myself that fall into the category of ‘mature’. Individuals like myself have worked since I was 18 and bring to the project(s) practical skills garnered from working in government, corporations and running my own businesses.
C. For students that are involved in running an SFU Club will appreciate the support the staff give such as “space for club boxes” and “mail slot” and “they themselves are proactive with various projects that are approved by the Board.
D. What is also wonderful is that space allows for students, teachers/professors and organization to mingle and discuss different issues in a friendly environment.
E. The bike co-op has been a fantastic service. Last semester I arranged through SFPIRG someone to assist in getting my bike in good enough shape. The young man did far more than I expected for me and while he was fixing my bike I had the opportunity to meet other bike enthusiasts. Unexpected bonus.
I want to emphasize that SFPIRG is an essential organization to the university, just as the Women’s Centre, Out-On-Campus, First Nations Association, Food-Bank, Disability Centre, Print Shop… All these services are for the benefit of 26,000 SFU students and faculty.
My concern right now is that I see the CORPORTIZATION of my university where space includes big – large – corporate ads popping up in student spaces which I find abhorrent. Sure, promised funds from the Provincial and Federal Governments have not always been delivered which has substantially affected SFU more than UBC but is that a legitimate excuse to dissolve SFPIRG. Also, we must keep in mind that in 2008 Premier Gordon Campbell named several local University Colleges, Universities which also affected funding.
Certainly, since the Provincial Government removed tuition freeze, my cost of going to school has substantially increased along with the cost of food, cost of rent…combined with the market offering low-paid jobs is a strange mix of discontent.
This long commentary is to support the existing staff at SFPIRG who are tireless in their commitment to ’social and environmental justice’. It is a resource centre for everyone regardless of their stripes. It is important to continue to be inclusive. I have always been welcomed and supported regardless of my personal opinions, personal viewpoint of the world, my religion, my race; not even my political leanings. Not once has a staff member been intrusive or disrespectful in any manner.