The Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) is the student union of Simon Fraser University (SFU).

The SFSS represents over 25,000 students, and has an annual budget of over one million dollars. It employs dozens of permanent and student staff, and has its offices located on one floor of the Maggie Benston Centre of SFU's Burnaby campus. The SFSS has recently opened an office at SFU's Harbour Centre campus and is planning to open an office at the Surrey campus in 2005. Unlike many other student unions of its size, the SFSS does not own a Student Union Building.

The Student Society is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of seven Executive Officers (President, Treasurer, Internal Relations Officer, University Relations Officer, External Relations Officer, Graduate Issues Officer, and Member Services Officer), five (soon to be six) faculty representatives, and three at-large representatives, one of which is a graduate student. Executives work full-time for the Society, and non-executives work part-time. Elections to the Board are held once a year.

The Society offers many services to its members including a bookstore, a printshop, an Ombudsperson , a free legal clinic, a coffee shop, a pub, a free student dayplanner, a Women's Centre, a GLBT Centre, and funding for clubs, social events, student-initiated academic conferences, and political action groups.

Since 1967, when it was first founded, the Society has been a highly politicized organization, and has generally been led by left wing student leaders. Conservative candidates rarely run for office, and voter turnout has generally been low, leading to a high level of incumbant re-election. It's main campaigns have centered around fighting for reduced tuition fees and increased student financial assistance. In addition, the Society has also campaigned for democratized university decision-making, academic freedom, improved student services, social democracy in general, and for the rights of women, homosexuals, First Nations of Canada, people with disabilities, and international students. The Student Society opposed the 2003 war in Iraq. The political "advocacy" budget of the SFSS has grown considerably in recent years, causing controversy among students who disagree with the union's political causes.

Unlike most student unions, the Simon Fraser Student Society represents graduate students as well as undergraduates. Graduate students are represented within the Student Society through the Graduate Issues Committee, comprised of graduate students from every department. Two seats for graduate students are guaranteed on the Board of Directors of the organization, and graduate students also have representation on Student Society committees.

The SFSS has been a member of the Canadian Federation of Students since 1981.

External links

• SFSS Website