The StFX Student Union, known as The U, represents the students at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a student-run organization; it represents over 4000 students and it provides many services and activities. The U sits as a voting member on the federal lobbying group CASA and studentsNS (formerly ANSSA). Structure The U is organized as a collegial student government. Each January a president and vice president run separately from each other, and are elected by the student body. The elected officials then choose an executive team which serves as their cabinet for the following year. The new executive team works to structure the following year's budget and determine the organization's direction. The hired executive is then ratified by the Students' Representative Council (who are the elected officials of The U). The executive and chair of council work at the university during the summer to plan for the following year. In September, when the students return, council becomes active and the executives and council meet to discuss the general operations of the union and report/vote/pass various issues affecting student life at X. 2021–2022 Executive: 2021-22 Council: 2019–2020 Executive: 2019–2020 Council: Bloomfield Centre The StFX Students' Union is located in the Bloomfield Centre in Antigonish Nova Scotia. The offices of the president, executives and councillors are located on the fourth floor. Council Chambers can also be found on the same floor; this is home to Council and Senate meetings. History The StFX Student Union was incorporated in 1965 by James Sutton, Paul Rusyniak, Thomas McGowan, Joseph Coffey and Robert Hutton. Since its incorporation, the union has been a major part of the university. The Students' Union initially began to represent the student body as a whole while providing activities and social events on campus as well as societies. The union has since expanded through adding services such as tutoring, student advocates, drive-home service, campus police, and a darkroom for photo developing. It has also created off campus support services such as a student food bank, housing list, as well as staff to help with tenancy concerns. The union was also integrated within the University administration over the years, sitting on all major committees to represent student concerns at all levels within the University. The well known "X-Ring" ceremony, which takes place each year on 3 December, is also organized by the Students' Union. In 2004 the