President Jeff Keshen says students’ union failed to fix financial problems
The University of Regina says it is terminating its money-collecting agreement with the students’ union due to “significant concerns” over their finances. Right now, the university levies and collects student fees on behalf of the University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU). Student fees are assessed at a flat rate of $44.60 per student, plus $5.70 per credit hour. URSU then spends that money on various services, programs and on-campus organizations including the Regina Public Interest Research Group, UR Pride, the Women’s Centre and The Carillon.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, URSU had income of $8.9 million, but it finished the year with a loss of more than $1.2 million. According to the most recent URSU financial report covering May-December 2024, the loss for those seven months was estimated at $500,000. A particular sore spot is the Lazy Owl, the URSU-run campus pub that has been bleeding red ink for years. So, the dire state of URSU’s finances is nothing new. However, in a letter to stu- dents, faculty and staff on April 2, U of R president Jeff Keshen announced the agreement to collect student levies on behalf of URSU would be terminated effective Aug. 31. “After reviewing URSU’s 2024 audited financial statements, the University raised significant concerns with URSU regarding its financial situation,” Keshen said. “This is a matter we take very seriously because the University’s highest priority is the best interests of our students.” Keshen says for several months, the university has tried to work with URSU leadership, offering financial and governance assistance. “Unfortunately, URSU has not undertaken the steps recommended by the University to improve and address these matters. As a result, the University has lost confidence in URSU’s ability to serve and represent the University’s students.”
Keshen says that despite the change, the university will continue to collect student fees so that “core student services will continue.”He says the necessary changes will be made in the coming months.
“These are complex situations to navigate, and this is a decision we do not take lightly.” URSU has been in the news recently over a conflict with some of the groups it distributes student levy money to.
The URSU board took preliminary steps last year aimed at defunding groups like UR Pride and the Women’s Centre, saying they were in violation of their commitments.
An URSU proposal for a student referendum about defunding the groups never came to pass, after URSU said it wanted to give the groups more time to get their affairs in order.
Student fees collected by URSU currently support a range of student services, including the U- pass, Health and Dental insurance and the Emergency Bursary Fund. The future of these programs is uncertain as the university transitions away from URSU fee collection.
In a statement posted to its Instagram page, URSU said it is looking at its options, but for the time being it will be business as usual providing services on campus. “This means that URSU fees would no longer be collected after the spring/summer 2025 semester and student representation on campus would cease to exist.” The statement also said URSU still hopes to negotiate a resolution with the university “that restores confidence to the student body and our partners on campus while ensuring the independence of student governance.”
