Supporting SFU undergraduates
with academic and non-academic matters

The Student Advocate provides resources and options, in a confidential manner, for students who need help. This may include help with navigating university policies and procedures, advice on how to deal with tricky situations, help you plan an academic or conduct appeal, serve as a support person in difficult situations, provide referrals to specialized support services, or help get a new project off the ground. The goals are to amplify the voices of students by advocating on their behalf, improve undergraduates’ overall university experience and work to make SFU a safer and more respectful space for all students, faculty, and staff.

You are welcome to book a one-on-one session with her or if you prefer, we have compiled self-help and how-to guides on the most common issues students face below.

How do I meet with the Advocate?

  1. Book an appointment in-person or remote
  2. Fill out this information form by clicking here
  3. Review the self-help tools in the menu at the bottom of this page
  4. Meet with the Student Advocate and come up with a plan

I don’t want to meet, I want to do it myself

COVID 19

Centre for Accessible Learning

Illness Forms

  • Self Declaration of Illness Form: Some Professors will accept this form in lieu of a doctor’s note for short-term illness or injuries, but know that an instructor may still require a Doctor’s Note. You can try starting with this document and proceed to get a Doctor’s Note if required.
  •  SFU Certificate of Illness Form: aka “Doctor’s Note”. This form is for longer-term illness or injury or where instructors require official evidence of illness or injury. SFU discourages faculty from requiring these due to the burdens they create for students and medical providers, though some instructors still require this form for things like Final Exams, Deferred Grades, or longer-term Concessions. These notes are free of charge from SFU Health and Counselling, but off-campus clinics may charge a fee. Students are responsible for the cost of these fees.

Counseling and Mental Health Support

Priorities and main areas of services

(Include, but are not limited to)

  • Support and guidance for students dealing with academic, institutional, and equity issues on campus.
  • Assistance with disciplinary and misconduct matters
  • Assistance with health and wellness concerns
  • Improving campus safety and access
  • Combating sexual and other forms of harassment and discrimination
  • Connecting students with campus resources
  • Advocating for new/improved services and policies that benefit students

Funding and Autonomy

The SFSS Advocacy Office is run by the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS). The SFSS is a not-for-profit organization that represents all Undergraduate Students at the Simon Fraser University (SFU). The SFSS provides members with a broad range of advocacy work, services, and events. The vision of the SFSS is students thriving everywhere and this is realized through our support of students to reach their full potential by providing resources and services that represent, connect and benefit our membership. Because we are funded by students, for students, we are not obliged to remain neutral which opens options for how we can support students.

To learn more, see sfss.ca.

Legal Help

Please note, the Student Advocate is NOT a lawyer, so if you need LEGAL help, please see:

Office Hours & Contact Info

Location

Student Union Building
Room 3301,
(3rd floor, via corridor past elevators)
8888 University High St, Burnaby, BC V5A

Hours

Monday (remote), Thursday to Friday (SUB) 10:30am to 5:30pm

Contact Info

Email: advocate@sfss.ca

We respectfully and gratefully acknowledge that we are located on the ancestral, unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) and q̓icə̓y̓ (Katzie) Nations. Unceded means that these territories have never been handed over, sold, or given up by these nations, and we are currently situated on occupied territories. To learn more about Indigenous territories, please visit native-land.ca.