A Letter from Your WUSA President 

Samir Sharma

Samir Sharma
WUSA President 2026-27

Serving, empowering and representing the undergraduates of the University of Waterloo are WUSA’s core values that have guided every officer, director, and volunteer, and they’re also what guides this year’s Annual Plan.

This is our second annual plan that is part of the 2025-30 Long Range Plan, and it highlights our plans to deliver key wins for students. Our operational and advocacy priorities were developed from what we heard directly from students in roundtables, surveys, and at the ballot box. It also continues to push key priorities from our Long Range Plan that we’ve been working towards over the years.

This year’s plan recognizes student groups as being the centre of the student experience on campus. The biggest piece will be the rollout of a new online clubs software, the first major rebuild since 2014. We’re also reviewing how our student services operate, rethinking the support we give to student societies, and continuing the work on the Student Lounge and The Bomber to figure out how those spaces should look for students long-term.

On advocacy, we’re continuing to push relentlessly for students. This means fighting for proper degree tracking tools and strengthening the rights of undergraduate TAs and RAs. It also means looking into new areas where we can advocate for students on campus, such as food on campus and improving how student course feedback is used.

We’re also planning to expand the support we provide directly to students. Two priorities I’m especially proud of are our commitment to exploring tenants’ insurance and continuing our Pay-What-You-Can program as part of our larger effort to combat food insecurity.

That said, we can’t pretend there aren’t real challenges ahead. The recent changes to OSAP funding have made post-secondary more unaffordable and inaccessible, while Bill 33 threatens to defund critical services that students rely on. However, I have confidence in our staff, my fellow officers, and the Board of Directors to face these challenges head-on.

Having the privilege to serve as your President has shown me what is possible when people just decide to show up. As WUSA turns 60, this plan and all the ones before it serves as testament to what is possible when students come together. If any part of this plan makes you want to get involved, volunteer, join a club, or run for a leadership position with WUSA, please do so. We are just one rung of a long list of student leaders. WUSA was built by students who decided to be a part of it.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at pres@wusa.ca; to Rory Norris, your Vice President, Government Stakeholder Relations at vpgsr@wusa.ca; or to Majdalen Azouz, your Vice President, Student Experience at vpse@wusa.ca.

Sincerely,

Samir Sharma

Operational Goals

The Organization shall:

  1. Bring back The Bomber, including daily bar service* and the return of special event programming (LRP 4).
  2. Continue working towards the SLC Lounge Plan renovations, while using The Bomber as an interim space (LRP 4).
    • *This is contingent on the University’s approval for us to serve alcohol in the space.
  3. Conduct a review of WUSA’s student services and their mandates (LRP 1).
  4. Increase support to student faculty societies (LRP 3).
  5. Expand Clubs administrative improvements (LRP 3).
  6. Create a proposal for an Indigenous Student Lounge in the SLC (LRP 2).
  7. Implement the recommendations as outlined in WUSA’s Governance Reform, including (LRP 2):
    • The creation of a Vice President, Student Experience position
    • The creation of an Advocacy Committee
  8. Review the BDS policy as passed at the 2026 Annual Members’ Meeting and create an implementation strategy (LRP 6).

Each of these operational goals connects to a goal from our 2025-30 Long Range Plan.

Advocacy Priorities

Affordability
Co-op and Employment
Mental Health and Wellness
Academics/Quality of Education

Affordability

Food Insecurity

  • Exploring the most effective model for delivering the Pay-What-You-Can program.
  • Researching and creating a report to understand student perspectives of food access across campus, including Food Services, WUSA food outlets, and off-campus options.
  • Looking at new deals and benefits for our members, guided by recommendations from the RSP Member Value survey.

Housing

  • Exploring WUSA’s options for collecting and publishing information on rental housing quality so we can advocate on students’ behalf at the municipal level.
  • Examining the feasibility of offering WUSA-provided tenant insurance tailored to students.

Education

  • Continuing our advocacy work on OSAP and working alongside OUSA to amplify student voices at the provincial level.
  • Collaborating with the University on the direction and implementation of the Educational Technology Fee.

  • Working with OUSA and CASA to advocate for a predictable funding framework so post-secondary can remain affordable and sustainable without costs being shifted onto students.

Co-op and Employment

  • Advocating to CEE for student leadership roles to count toward co-op credits.
  • Working to improve co-op job relevance and employment equity across faculties.
  • Advocating to keep the co-op fee increases low (e.g. tied to inflation).
  • Supporting student consultation and ensuring student feedback is included in the development of mandatory PD courses.
  • Examining the impact of the return-to-study policy on students affected by the Reneg Policy.
Three people sitting at a table, reading papers and smiling, with drinks and papers in front of them.

Mental Health and Wellness

  • Continuing to be an active partner in Healthy Waterloo initiatives to enhance the student experience.
  • Providing accessible guidance on how to use health and dental benefits, including the costs of covered services.
  • Bringing student voices to Campus Housing and EDI-R as they develop a comprehensive strategy to strengthen inclusion and support for 2SLGBTQ+ students in residence, building on the Queer Living-Learning Community motion passed at the 2024 Annual Members Meeting.

Academics/Quality of Education

  • Encouraging the University to develop a degree planning tool that students can use to track their courses and program requirements.
  • Strengthening job protections for undergraduate TAs and RAs.
  • Increasing support for Student Society VP Academic roles.
  • Investigating how Course Perception Survey results are used and advocating for the data to meaningfully improve the classroom experience.
Student raising hand in SLC

Published: July 1, 2026

If you would like to leave us feedback on your experience or satisfaction levels on a product, service, or positions WUSA may be taking visit our feedback form.