Chinese Students and Scholars Association finds home downtown

The BUCSSA's growing needs have pushed them off-campus into their new office in the heart of downtown St. Catharines.
The Brock University Chinese Students and Scholars Association (BUCSSA) is one of Brock's largest clubs ratified under the Brock University Student Union (BUSU) and represents the Chinese students and scholars at Brock for either academic inquiries or social gatherings.
"So, basically, if you are a Chinese student or scholar at Brock or if you are interested in Chinese culture no matter which culture you are coming from, we are the people you will need," said Li Ye, a second-year Visual Arts major and Promotion Director of BUCSSA.
BUCSSA holds many events, offers a membership card and has lauched a Web site which all help introduce Chinese culture to the Niagara area and Brock, as well as connecting Chinese students to the community.
"In order to allow the members of [BUCSSA] get involved with the Canadian Society, in order to really help the Brock Chinese students, our association is offering a membership discount card," said Ye. "This card is cohesive to the hard work of all the executives in the association. Any student who holds the membership card can get a discount in over 10 stores in the Niagara Region."
On Nov. 21, BUCSSA officially christened their new office location in the pulsing epitaph of downtown St. Paul Street.
During the celebration, many were present including Brock students, community members, BUSU representatives and faculty members, the latter of which both graced the ceremony with speeches. All for one main reason.
"The reason why we opened an office at downtown is pretty simple," said Ye. "Lots of students were having a hard time [finding] us since we did not have an office to meet them in."
Their new office at 152 St. Paul Street allows students easy access to everything the club has to offer.
"If you need any help, you can simply drop by, our staff will help you face to face, and that always make things easier," said Ye. "Our office is open from Monday to Friday 12 - 5 p.m. With the office, our Chinese students have a place to gather and the community has a place to get to know Chinese culture."
Everything they have accomplished "is worth allthe hard work and time our staff spends", said Ye.
However, how much time, dedication and resources should a Brock or BUSU ratified club have to spend in order to have a space for their members and those interested in what they are doing?
"BUCSSA is not the first and surely not the last club that has asked us to find club space on campus," said Sohail Ahmed, Vice President Student Services for BUSU. "Other clubs such as Brock Outdoors have always been looking for space on campus and have considered off campus. The BUCSSA is the first club that has taken the initiative to find space off campus and was willing to fund it."
According to Ahmed, BUSU is well aware of the difficulties that BUCSSA and other clubs at Brock University have faced when it comes to finding a place to simply meet and greet its members. However, BUSU is attempting to address the problem of lack of space on campus.
"By committing the 'elections office', the office that is in between the Brock
Press Ads Office and Health Office - to clubs once elections are over" said Ahmed, "clubs will be
able to book this space for office use and it will be shared by all clubs. It may not be big but it's a start."
BUSU is not limiting their push to provide student associations with the space they so desperately need to this one humble gesture.
BUSU is "putting forward a referendum question to students for a Clubs Levy which allows a percentage of the money to be used to rent or buy space for clubs," said Ahmed. "I am strongly in support of the levy and am confident that once it passes, the funds will be used to establish a central office/space for clubs.