OPIRG-CARLETON UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT LEVY POLICY

OPIRG-Carleton's under-graduate student levy status is non-refundable, but we do offer refunds to students who maintain strong objections to the organziation. This policy document lays out the specifics and rationale of OPIRG-Carleton's Undergraduate Student Levee Policy.

Background

In 2004 a real threat to student groups and services was posed when the university administration attempted to centralize the process by which students opted out of refundable student levies. This process was advertised through the university administrations centralized email service and students were opting out of groups services en mass often without realizing what these services provide to individuals and campus culture. Some students opting out were volunteers at the same centres from which they withdrew their funding. At the same time athletic fees and university food plans for in residence students were and remain non-negotiable, non-refundable fees.

There are political implications to these aforementioned non-refundable fees, including the signing of exclusivity contracts with companies engaged in human rights abuses, their contribution to questionable labour practices on campus, and access, or lack thereof, to affordable food. All levees, refundable and non-refundable, have political effects and can result in both positive and negative social, economic, and environmental impacts.

OPIRG-Carleton, along with other groups, won through a 2004 referendum question the right to a non-refundable levy. OPIRG-Carleton will provide refunds to students who have a serious objection to the organization. We ask students to consider the organization in a holistic way recognizing that there is a great deal of diversity in our programming and working groups and events. We have a great deal to offer students including our resource centre, an orientation program for new students, film nights, space to organize, colloquium speaking events, training in anti-oppression, consensus decision making and more. The levy money from each student helps ensure these diverse activities happen.

Refund Period

For students who maintain a strong objection to the organization we will provide a four day opt out period to be announced on the OPIRG-Carleton website and through other means once the organization has received the levy money in question. Should students wish to be contacted directly about this announcement they should provide the organization with a means to do this in writing. Students wanting to opt out will be asked to visit the OPIRG-Office during the four day opt-out period during times to be specified and present their student ID, along with a current (ie dated that week) proof of enrollment indicating their student status (ie full time, part-time) and current proof of fee payment. OPIRG Carleton recognizes that the office may be difficult to access because of physical barriers such as the lack of elevator to the floor we are on. Should this be an issue please contact us (613-520-2757).

While OPIRG-Carleton values the freedom of its members, the organization also recognizes that the current campus structure is one where levies for athletics, residence food plans, student groups, media services, and other entities are non-refundable. OPIRG-Carleton will re-visit this decision as required/or on an annual basis and will make available any changes to the process or refund-ability of the undergraduate student.