Students supporting students: the Student Life Levy
Funded directly through the generosity of our undergraduate students with the support of the Students' Union, the Student Life Levy (SLL), which started up in the 1980s, supports special one-time projects that enhance Laurier’s undergraduate student experience at the Brantford and Waterloo campuses.
The SLL supports projects that would not otherwise have the funding to be realized. It focuses on projects that provide Laurier students with increased opportunities to engage in activities leading to better personal health and wellness, or increased opportunities to engage each other and the spaces around them in a culture of learning outside of the classroom.
In 2020/21, the SLL awarded a total of $1,623,068 to 25 projects that present increased opportunity for students to engage in activities leading to improved personal health and wellness, and increased opportunity for students to engage each other and their environment in a culture of learning outside of physical classroom space.
Of course, everything looks a little different in the world of COVID-19 and, with the pandemic forcing Laurier’s campuses to close, innovative projects and initiatives that improve the Laurier student experience are more important than ever. Many 2020 SLL-funded projects have a common thread of supporting and connecting the Laurier student community across great distances, while others aim to improve campus spaces as we welcome students home for in-person learning.
In March 2021, Student Affairs staff organized a series of Crock-Pot Kitchen Parties to engage students socially and combat feelings of isolation – and introduce them to food concepts and skills in the kitchen. Funded by the Student Life Levy, the Crock-Pot Kitchen Party provided 30 students with a crock pot, a $50 grocery gift-card, shopping lists and a recipe booklet. Each weekly virtual session covered a different culinary topic and a live cooking demonstration from Laurier guest chefs such as Brantford Residence Don Selina Alaimo and Vice-President: Student Affairs Ivan Joseph.
March 15-19, 2021 was Masculinity and Mental Health Week. This week of Student Life Levy-funded virtual events and social media campaigns helped spread awareness of men’s mental health, and provided male-identified folks with the space to normalize mental health struggles and learn about available resources. Events included “Shattering Stereotypes – A Conversation on Moving Through Struggle” with CFL veteran and 2011 Grey Cup champion JR LaRose, and “I Can’t Fix This – Masculinity and Feeling Helpless” with Adjei Scott of @maleallies, a public education program of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region.
Laurier’s Dean of Students offices in Waterloo and Brantford distributed 500 student care kits with items to help students practice good mental health habits during final exams, and show their Golden Hawk pride. The Student Life Levy provided $8,425 toward these kits, which featured blue-light glasses to help with excess screen time, calming scented candles from local business in Waterloo and Brantford, and information and resources about the many services and programs available to support Laurier students.
In Brantford, the Student Life Levy is providing students with additional space to relax and connect in One Market’s new student lounge. Designed in consultation with Laurier students, the lounge will repurpose much of an existing gathering space in the lower level of the former shopping mall, and feature moveable and modular furniture, a videogame console area, large table games, a group workspace, booths for student use, lockers and a kitchenette.
Visit the Student Life Levy website for a list of funded projects going back to 2005.