Community-Driven Research for Concordia Students on the Forefront

NewsHélène Bauer — Published September 17, 2015

With the petition goal reached, CURE will move forward to a referendum Concordia Student Union by-elections to obtain stable funding.

If the students vote for the fee-levy group, they will pay an extra eight cents per credit. With the extra funding, CURE will be able to offer more job opportunities, internships, conferences and events to help students connect and work with grassroots organizations in the community, said Cassie Smith, CURE coordinator.

“CURE breaks down the wall between academia and community,” Smith said.

Being involved in a CURE project, students have the opportunity to step away from the theoretical boundaries introduced by the university, according to Smith. They will participate in community-oriented projects while being credited for their work.

There are more than 75 projects offered by CURE for students to do “real life work” within the context of their studies, according to its website. Examples of the projects offered include classes in urban planning and public space, food security, and gender and sexuality.

“Students put so much work into term papers that get shoved in a drawer at the end of the term,” said Smith. “With CURE, they can do something that actually makes a difference.”

Professor Gada Mahrouse offered a CURE project in the context of her Post-Anti Colonial Feminist Theory class in the Fall 2013 semester. After teaching this course for five consecutive years, Mahrouse wanted to take a “bold” step and try an unconventional approach to the material.

The class partnered with CURE and Missing Justice, a solidarity group for indigenous women in Montreal. Students worked with Missing Justice to produce teaching material for them, which they continue to use today.

“There is a real disjuncture between the theory and the surrounding reality, especially in the context of feminist theory,” Mahrouse said.

“The work became more meaningful when it was bound to leave the closed system of the university,” said Jess Glavina, a student from Mahrouse’s class.

Correction: In a previous iteration of this story, it incorrectly said that the CSU by-elections will be held in October. They haven’t been announced yet. The Link regrets the error.