Understanding reached with Operational Student Employees

Dear Western Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I’m following up today with an update that we have reached an understanding with our Operational Student Employees (OSEs) to address the issues and concerns recently raised by student employees and help ensure greater parity across all student employee positions. For the community’s broader context, OSE roles are generally part-time positions that students use for additional financial support as they pursue their education. They contribute in important ways across campus, from residential life to academic departments to campus events. While distinct from permanent staff roles, the WWU administration very much values OSE contributions and sees them as essential to our daily operations.

We appreciate the opportunity to engage with our student employees, listen to their concerns, and work together to ensure that all student workers at our university experience safe, fair, and equitable working conditions. This collaborative effort reflects Western's core values and reaffirms our deep commitment to supporting our students both in and outside the classroom.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to ensuring the OSE roles are supported in meaningful ways. We also remain committed to supporting OSEs in advancing legislation in the upcoming legislative session to grant formal bargaining rights to operational student employees.

I want to again thank our student employees for their dedication to WWU and express my appreciation to all who contributed to these discussions in a spirit of mutual respect.
Sincerely,

Sabah Randhawa
President