Student Fee Referendum 2024
Campaign and Voting Dates
Elke Sorensen is a volunteer host at CHLY 101.7FM. Her experience at the station helped her find employment over the summer at Cabin Radio in Yellowknife NWT.
On October 8th, 9th, and 10th, students from the Nanaimo Campus of Vancouver Island University will have an opportunity to vote yes to support their campus radio station.
The campaign period starts on Monday, September 16th and ends at 4 PM on Thursday, October 10th after online voting closes. During this time, our station will campaign on campus to convince students to vote in favour of the referendum question. We will be handing out campaign materials, signing students up for reminders to vote, and doing general outreach for the station.
If you are interested in learning more about how students have been involved in our station, go to chly.ca/students.
Why vote yes?
A vote in favour will hugely impact our station’s future, at no significant cost to students! With your support, we will be able to:
Hire more students, and increase student-led programs on our station;
Offer paid internship opportunities to support students;
Have the financial resources to relocate our studio and office to the campus increasing student access;
Have long-term financial stability!
Referendum Question
Whereas The Radio Malaspina Society (operating CHLY 101.7FM) seeks to provide VIU students opportunities for knowledge mobilization, quality student employment and work-integrated learning opportunities;
Whereas CHLY 101.7FM, VIU student's campus radio station is underfunded when compared to comparable campus stations in British Columbia;
Whereas The Radio Malaspina Society seeks to relocate CHLY-FM to the Nanaimo campus of VIU to better serve its Student Members and the campus;
Therefore:
Be it resolved that the student fee for the Radio Malaspina Society be incrementally increased by .63¢ for three years from $1.13 to $3.01, and that the eventual $3.01 fee be pegged to the CPI.
Yes, I support the fee increase.
No, I do not support the fee increase.
What does CHLY provide students?
There are plenty of benefits to having a campus station beyond the eclectic mix of music we play! We do the following for you!
Former VIU Student Fanya Feng and Summer Station Assistant Will Hough demo a tape sync. Photo by Jesse Woodward.
✅ A hub of community! If ever there was a place to make friends while at VIU, our station is a fantastic place to do it. Lifelong friendships have started here over the years. Bands have formed here too!
✅ Work experience and skills building. Our staff regularly support students in their volunteering and employment! We help to develop your work skills, give letters of support, and provide references for job applications!
✅ Great vibes! We’re an inclusive space with a love for music, arts, community, news and local stories. You can meet local and touring musicians and more!
✅ The privilege to volunteer at the station. You can become a program host, producer, or music librarian! Share your love of music with your friends who are listening, and our listeners on the Salish Sea!
✅ Free advertising for Campus Clubs and their Events! We provide campus clubs and course unions $428 worth of free advertising per semester. That’s 56 30-second ad spots!
✅ Work Integrated Learning opportunities through internships and co-ops. Every summer we host students from VIU looking to complete their 120 hours, and we’re a pretty fun place to do this!
✅ Curated music discovery. Our hosts play music your Spotify algorithm isn’t just going to recommend to you! University is a great opportunity to expand your musical horizons.
✅ Access to ticket draws for community events, shows, and festivals (available to email newsletter subscribers).
✅ Free and reduced prices for CHLY trainings, workshops, panel discussions, and music events.
Where is CHLY currently located?
Our station is currently located in downtown Nanaimo on Lois Lane, next to what will soon be the Downtown Nanaimo Transit Exchange. If the referendum is approved and our fee increased, we will use the funding to pay for the costs of a return to campus once space has been acquired.
What is our current fee?
Our current fee of $1.13 per student per month enrolled results in an average student budget of $60,000 per year for our radio station. This is the lowest student budget for a campus radio station in British Columbia and is only collected from the Nanaimo Campus of Vancouver Island University.
Our core staff work very hard to increase our budget beyond what we receive from students via donations, grants, advertising and sponsorships, but the student budget represents an integral core source of funding for our station.
Alumni Testimonials
“Volunteering with CHLY gave me all the hands-on experience I needed to launch my career in radio. My time at the station helped me learn how to produce a show, conduct on-air interviews and develop my broadcast voice. If it wasn’t for CHLY I don’t know if I’d be working in radio today. Radio is magic and CHLY is one of the best possible places to experience that magic in its purest form!” ”