What is a PIRG?

PIRG stands for Public Interest Research Group.  PIRGs are student organizations based on the idea that students are citizens, and as such, part of their education should include recognizing and engaging the problems of society.  PIRGs exist to provide training, support, and opportunities for students to be active citizens in their communities.  Through involvement with PIRGs, thousands of Canadian students have learned skills in consensus, group facilitation, events organizing, media, and research which help individuals to act effectively in the public interest.

PIRGs are student based, student funded, student run, student directed and community minded.  They are democratic, independent, non-partisan, and non-profit to ensure that PIRGs are able to work on issues of importance to students.

What Do PIRGs Do?

Since PIRGs are student directed, the specifics of what PIRGs do depends on the interests of students.  The heart of PIRGs are student-initiated Working Groups which work on public interest issues that are of importance to students.  The PIRG helps to coordinate students and members of the community into Working Groups that work to translate student concern into educated action.                                    

While board members, as student volunteers, may identify projects and programmes for the PIRG, their primary role, along with staff, is to support the interests of students in their working groups. 

PIRGs give busy students the opportunity to take effective action to improve their communities by providing a staff person, resources, training, ideas, and the support to allow students to devote their time to the issues that they choose.  PIRGs also coordinate students in organizing educational events on issues of public interest, and coordinate research with students in collaboration with faculties, professors, and the community.

Where did APIRG's come from?

Public Interest Research Groups are an initiative of Ralph Nader and others with roots in the United States during the 1970s. With over 200 PIRGs established in the United States, over 20 organizations can now be found on Canadian University campuses, with additional PIRGs under organization.

APIRG was founded in 2001 after students successfully organized a referendum campagin to create a Public Interest Research Group at the University of Alberta. APIRG opened its doors and and accepted its first working gropus in autumm of 2002. Since then APIRG has continued to build its resources, projects and volunteer base, and is always open to new ideas and working group proposals.

What services does APIRG
provide to students?

The primary focus of the Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG) is to provide support and resources to student working groups.Students and community members are always welcome to form working groups to address social, environmental, or community-based issues. New applications are accepted three times per year at the beginning of each academic term.
In addition to project funding, APIRG provides the following resources to working groups and individuals working on public interest projects:

  • Meeting space
  • Resource library, including books, videos,
    newspapers, and magazine subscriptions
  • Web hosting
  • Text editing and graphic design
  • Computers and printer
  • Phone lines and fax machine
  • Photocopier
  • Button maker
  • Staff support
  • Conference Fund and Speaker Fund

All application forms and funding criteria are available
online at www.apirg.org

How is APIRG accountable
to students?

APIRG is a democratic organization that is accountable directly to the people who fund it— students at the University of Alberta. We ensure accountability in a number of ways:

  • Any student can run for election to the APIRG board.
  • All board meetings and general meetings are open to students.
  • Students are encouraged to get involved with APIRG by volunteering or by forming or joining working groups.
  • APIRG keeps audited financial records and produces an annual report, both of which are available to students.
  • Students who are philosophically opposed to APIRG or who cannot afford to contribute can opt out of the APIRG fee and receive a full
    refund.

Board of Directors meetings

August 7th, 2003 Agenda
August 7th, 2003 Minutes

Annual Schedule of activities and deadlines - coming soon

Online policies and forms

Media articles about APIRG

check out our links to other PIRGs in Canada and the States