Brace yourselves, folks: the SFSS elections are upon us once again. The Peak has compiled profiles from all 24 candidates running in the election. We’ve also included descriptions of every position, and a rundown of the referendum questions that will appear on your ballot. For more coverage of the SFSS elections, keep an eye on our News section.
Note: Submissions from candidates are unedited. Statements made by candidates do not reflect the opinions and perspectives of The Peak Publications Society.
What is the SFSS?
The Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) is a student-led organisation that represents and advocates for the interests of the 25,000+ undergraduate students at SFU. The SFSS is governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by students every spring semester to serve a one-year term. In addition to managing the day-to-day work of the society, the SFSS helps organise events on campus; advocates on matters to do with tuition fees, transit, and other student issues; manages food and beverage services, including the Highland Pub and the Higher Grounds coffee shop; and makes large-scale financial decisions that affect student life on campus.
Referendum questions
- Are you in favour of authorizing the Simon Fraser Student Society to collect a mandatory fee of $39.50 per month of study for the participation of students in the U-Pass BC Program beginning May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017 and $41.00 beginning May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018?
- Are you in favour of authorizing the Board of Directors, by ordinary resolution, to cease the collection and remittance of any funds to Schools Building Schools on behalf of the Simon Fraser Student Society?
PRESIDENT
The President represents the Board and Society, is involved in public relations, participates in formal activities of the Society, and leads large scope operational tasks such as contracts and legal consultations. The president undertakes different projects every term.
This position has the most contact with university admin and departments, and takes care of general issues involving the university, including convening the Board or Forum, being a signing officer, enforce Collective Agreements, employment contracts, and staff relations policies, among other tasks.
Questions
1) If you could chose three areas to focus on during your term, what would they be?
2) What is the biggest opportunity for improvement for the SFSS? What specifically will you do to make that improvement?
3) The role of the president is to ensure the board cooperates and works together, despite any conflicts or disagreements that may arise. What, if any, changes would you make to how the Board operates to ensure it is productive?
Darien Lechner
1) a) We need to restructure the BuildSFU levy. It is incredibly unfair to tax Vancouver and Surrey
students for this Burnaby centric project. I want to reduce it by 25% to start.
- b) The BC Society Act is provincial legislature that governs what a society is and how it
functions. The provincial government has updated this legislation and the new Societies Act will
come into effect in November of this year. It will be a major priority of the board to update the
society’s bylaws to agree with this act.
- c) Social Events. All pub nights should be free.
2) Student Engagement. This previous board has completely failed with engaging the membership. 7 candidates are running unopposed and there was no nominee for environmental science representative. It is unacceptable that the membership are this disinterested with the society when it holds so much power over services and the finances of students..
It starts with my campaign message. I don’t want to be a face on a poster with a slogan. I want to start a dialogue with our membership about the problems they see with the SFSS.
3) I believe a cooperative board begins with a professional atmosphere that the directors can feel comfortable and respected in. This can be achieved through teambuilding exercises. I believe conflicts and disagreements will happen. But that these will not consume the organization because the board is a group of professionals that all want to do their best. There is no place for malice in the society. Clear goal setting will be instrumental in organizing productive boards and committees.
Deepak Sharma (Connected)
- a. I’ve noticed the President is required to be focused on all areas of the organization. However if as President I had the privilege of focusing on three areas only it’d be the following:
Increased communication To ensure better communication internally and externally. Which will lead to increase overall membership engagement.
Connecting campuses We’re not a University with “Satellite campuses.” We’re just simply a tricampus university, whose resources should be distributed equally and constantly.
More efficient reimbursement process I will be making it my personal commitment to ensure that students aren’t waiting weeks or in some cases months to get reimbursed.
- a. The biggest opportunity for improvement for the SFSS is ensuring that we don’t have students waiting to be reimbursed for extended periods of time. Specifically the process we’re currently following at the SFSS is very stoneage like and does not even make use of any sort of database that can be used make the process more efficient. As previously stated, I’m committed to revising this process and making it more efficient so that we can put money back into the pockets of our students.
- a. It’s always very important to recognize that when any conflict or disagreements do arise, that we remind ourselves that we’re working towards the same common goal, just taking different pathways. Recognize this and work towards enhancing the student experience
VP EXTERNAL
The Vice-President External Relations is responsible for dealing with individuals and organisations external to the university, such as government officials and other student unions. They also chair the Advocacy Committee, which introduces and maintains advocacy initiatives on behalf of students.
Questions
1) What do you see as the most important aspect of the VP External Relations position?
2) How would you plan to keep the board updated on the plans and actions of external organizations?
3) How do you plan to fulfill your role as the “liaison” between the Society and other student unions?
Archit Bansal
1) This position is centralized around making sure that the Board of Directors are well informed about the changes that are proposed by external organizations so the society can act accordingly. What this infers is that our external stakeholders like the provincial and federal government, alliance of British Columbia students, translink, Vancouver outreach etc. should be engaged in open and productive dialogue with us on a constant basis. Thus, maintaining and improving our lines of communication and involvement are the most important aspects that I want to focus on if I am elected into this position.
2 The basis for this would be efforts focusing on improving our involvement with these organisations. The more active the role of the Board, the easier it will be to anticipate possible changes in policies and contracts. Moreover, I will make sure that I am constantly updating my sources of information regarding these organizations. This will enable me to keep the board updated with every thing I deem important and forwarding that information to them. Also, I would not be afraid to call emergency meeting(s) if an issue cannot wait discussion till the next scheduled board meeting.
3 I strongly believe that we need more cross campus collaborations with Capilano Students’ Union, Langara Students’ Union, Douglas Students’ Union, Student Society of UBC Vancouver – Alma Mater Society, Thompson Rivers University Students’ Union. I would like to initiate discussions to potentially collaborate on building a cross communication platform. Alongside these discussions I want to collaborate on events and workshops, which will bring intriguing diversity and experiences for our student community. This will encourage them to seek such collaborations through the SFSS and thus open doors for engagement and companionship among the different unions which are unimaginable as of today.
Christine Dyson (Connected)
1 The most important aspect of being VP External Relations is being a strong advocate for student concerns. This person needs to be vocal, organized and willing to prioritize student issues. If, elected I will ensure that the issues I advocate for are ones that students actually value. This requires regularly consulting students on the issues they care about. The VP External, also needs to have a clear understanding of the society’s overall mission and their role in conveying the board’s message.
2 In terms of external organizations in the SFU community, I am hoping to establish relations and strengthen pre-existing relationships. I plan to either meet or correspond with these groups on a regular basis to discuss student concerns. I would then relay this information back to the board, in order to ensure everyone is informed.
3 I plan to maintain the liaison role by working closely with other student societies this year. With a Provincial election set to take place in early 2017, this is a pivotal time for student societies to come together and create clear and concise messaging. Given my past experience on the board, I already have relations with other student society executives, so I believe this will be a smooth transition.
VP FINANCE
The Vice-President Finance is responsible for the Board’s finances, including budget breakdowns, fund allocation, and investments. They are also responsible for payroll and signing cheques. The SFSS is a multi-million dollar organisation and this position is responsible for the financial stability and success of the society as a whole.
Questions
1) What should be the number one priority for the VP Finance in the upcoming year?
2) What is an example of a change you would make to the ways in which the SFSS currently spends or saves its funds?
3) What would you have done differently if you were the VP Finance this past year?
Ibrahim Hafeez
- Focusing on opportunities when budgeting money. I would propose setting all of our fixed-costs (salaries, operating expenses etc) aside, and leaving everything else in a separate fund, until we have our priorities. This means conducting surveys to hear what students have to say, listening to them, deciding what to prioritize based on that, and then budgeting according to their needs.
- The SFSS is a non-profit organization, so we need to spend money efficiently. I would propose allocating funds based on what student’s need, by first conducting surveys to determine priorities. Then, students should get a chance to tell us how they feel about the way we spend their fees. Specifically, I would push to adjust ongoing projects, based on feedback. If they tell us they love something, we would try to improve, by adding more value. If they tell us they are unfavourable towards something, we would stop doing it; or, at least stop spending so much on it.
- I’m always hesitant about answering questions about specific individuals, because there is always more to an outcome in an organization like the SFSS, than just one person. I think if I were the VP Finance, I would try to show the board that the way the SFSS manages money, at the highest level, is broken. Budgets have been set before priorities are determined, and even before the incoming board, who will spend that budget, takes office. This has been hindering the societies, ability to perform efficiently, as a whole.
Hangue Kim (Connected)
1) Cheque requisitions. The current processes in place are inefficient and extremely time consuming. I would focus on clearly communicating the requirements for reimbursements and look for opportunities to improve the processes to reduce the time for students being reimbursed for their purchases.
2) Across the departments within the SFSS, there is a major overlap between specific line items. The current structure of our organization has each of the departments separated and siloed. There are departments that go over budget on certain line items and then there are some that barely touch a penny of it. I would focus on conducting an analysis of all of the departments and consolidate them so that students funds are being properly allocated and used more efficiently.
3) I would have put more time in communicating the financial information of our organization to our membership. We are collecting millions of dollars of student money and every student has the right to know how much money is being collected and where it is being spent. I will focus on holding bi-weekly meetings or monthly seminars that provide students with the necessary information.
VP STUDENT LIFE
The Vice-President Student Life works primarily with student groups on campus and individual society members. They are the liaison between the SFSS and its clubs, as well as SFU’s Departmental Student Unions (DSUs). The VP Student Life is also responsible for hosting events on behalf of the SFSS, including the Fall Kickoff concerts.
Questions
What do you see as the most important aspect of the VP Student Life position?
SFU is often called a “commuter campus”. What specifically would you do to enrich the student experience on campus?
What role do you foresee yourself playing in establishing and maintaining FSUs and DSUs?
Curtis Pooghkay (Connected)
1) The most important aspect of the VP student life position is engaging our membership. The VP student life in a lot of ways is the first point of contact for students; from events we hold to general outreach. This link between the student population and the SFSS allows us to encourage students to not only be engaged but to be involved also. Student involvement builds off of the engagement piece because proper engagement can lead to better involvement.
2) This notion of a “commuter campus” is something i am personally trying to break down. This can be done to being more inclusive with our events in addition to doing more face to face outreach. Another project that i would like to accomplish next year is having a Fall Kickoff week. We threw a very successful concert last fall where we had over 2000 people in convocation mall. I want this to be expanded to a week-long of events where students who may not necessarily like concerts can engage and still get involved.
3) This is actually a platform point that i have. I will be working alongside the faculty representatives next year to establish the Education, Applied Sciences, FCAT and Environment faculty student unions. This is very important, as it will allow faculties to have more funding, and a better governance structure to ensure students can have the best support systems to pursue their dreams and visions.
VP STUDENT SERVICES
The Vice-President Student Services is the main liaison between students and the SFSS. They are responsible for student services such as the health plan and food and beverage services. The VP Student Services also negotiates with the university and with external services such as TransLink for services. In the event of resignation or absence, this person will take over the duties and role of the SFSS President.
Questions
What is one area where the SFSS is lacking in providing services to students and what would you do to change that?
There has been a recent push for a sexual assault centre on campus. Do you support the proposal of a student levy to fund this project and in what ways would you increase access to existing services on campus?
What are some potential projects that you as the VP Student Services could take on, if elected?
Larissa Chen (Connected)
1. Clear communication must be prioritized in an easily understandable and accessible manner. Students must be made aware that our important services (such as the Health & Dental Plan, U-PASS, SFSS Highland Pub, Copy Centre, free Legal Clinic, Food Voucher program, subsidized workshops, etc.) exist for them. We’ve always been open to feedback for improvements, I aim to actively seek it through consultation. My goal is for students to be fully aware of our services and how they can optimize on them. I want the services to reflect on student needs and interests, so that students can feel empowered and supported.
2. In continuation of SFSS’ commitment to look into possible services to fund a preventative and supportive sexual assault program, I will be advocating to make it a priority for next year. Whether funding comes from a levy or budget reallocation (preferable because it mitigates additional student expenses), sexual assault support programming needs to exist for the protection of student safety, accessible on all campuses. In addition, clear & accessible communications and continual consultation procedures must be implemented to enhance student awareness of services, catering to all undergraduates of varying needs. These aspects must be implemented for all SFSS services.
3. Student empowerment is my priority as our services should be of value and support. I aim to enhance the undergraduate experience, beyond academics, by focusing on student wellbeing and engagement. Projects I will be advocating for, but not limited to, will be:
– Peer and mental wellbeing support
– Sexual assault support programming
– Volunteer opportunities & recognition
– Enhanced student group involvement
– Improved awareness of SFSS services
– Awareness of accessibility accommodations
I envision SFU undergraduates being proud of our SFSS services. In this sense, I aim to strengthen services so that students know, want and need them.
VP UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
The Vice-President University Relations is the liaison between the university and the SFSS. The VP University Relations works with university leaders, such as the President, vice-presidents, and Board of Governors. They also coordinate programs in collaboration with the university, including the U-Pass and BC Open Textbook Program.
Questions
What do you see as the most important aspect of the VP University Relations position?
As the VP University Relations, you are tasked with representing the SFSS Board of Directors on University committees and working groups. How will you ensure that your initiatives get the recognition they deserve in those committees/working groups?
How will you act in circumstances where the administration and students may have opposing views or interests, such as in the recent TSSU strike?
Arr Farah
1) I think the most important aspect of holding the position of University Relations is understanding the fine line between holding the university accountable and working with the university to get things done. My platform speaks to taking a hard stance on issues like the ongoing deferred maintenance of SFU buildings, while also seeking to work with the university to open the Fraser Library in Surrey. It is my understanding that in order to handle this situation, the VP University Relations must not only be a strong voice but a professional one as well.
2) In order for the VP UR to be effective on SFU committees and working groups the VP University Relations must be a strong advocate. The role requires a person who is professional, vocal, articulate and willing to take a stand at the university level. Throughout my term as the FASS Representative I have demonstrated these qualities in my work at the board table and with my faculty administration. If elected I will continue to do so and strive to improve where necessary.
3) I think students and the administration are bound to have opposing views on many issues, and that is why having the position of university relations is so vital. The VP University Relations is tasked with advocate the views of students. In a situation like the recent TSSU strike, regardless of what side you were on, you can likely agree that students were the ones most affected, especially graduating students and international students. In the scenario I would advocate that both sides, particularly the university make a commit to their students and go back to the bargaining table.
AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVE (2)
At-Large Representatives have a large degree of flexibility in their role, and have the freedom to join projects or initiatives which interest them. They also support executive directors in Society campaigns, holding events and launching campaigns. At any time, two At-Large Representatives will serve on the Board of Directors.
Questions
Which projects and committees do you intend to work on as an At-large Representative and why do you think they are important?
How do you plan on communicating with the membership you represent regarding the Society’s events and projects?
What do you see as the most important aspect of the At-Large position?
Mudiwa Bwakura (Connected)
1 I intend to work with all relevant stakeholders with the intention of developing Sexual Assault Support and Prevention services. I will also look to continue my work on the Events Committee in my attempt to support as many student led initiatives as possible. I also intend to join the governance committee to continue the work the current board has been doing in streamlining the society.
2 The best way would be increasing the frequency of the SFSS’s social media traffic as well as face to face promotion and outreach. The results of the 2015 survey the SFSS conducted, the most attended event on campus is clubs days where the SFSS traditionally has a table, and so would be the best opportunity to communicate what the society is doing.
3 The most important aspect would have to be the relative flexibility of the position. This flexibility presents the opportunity for an at-large representative to address issues that fall out of the purview of the executive and faculty representative members. This allows issues that may have not gotten the attention they require to be addressed.
Paul Hans (Connected)
1) I plan to work on Events Committee (EPCOM) and Advocacy Committee (AC). EPCOM is vital for social connectedness in bringing students together, and promoting social well-being which can be achieved through pub nights etc. AC is the cornerstone of what the SFSS is and should be about. As a returning member on AC I will continue to fight for student-interests such as need-based grants, sexual support & centers, to increase accessibility and safety at SFU.
2) I plan to communicate the Society’s projects and events in two ways. The first is through increased outreach, such as tabling, classroom presentations, and outreach hours instead of traditional office hours. The second is through the SFSS communication office, we live in the digital media age, in which thousands can be reached with a tweet or website. I would mandate that all communication channels be updated regularly and that the board hold regular outreach hours.
3) The At-large position is one of the most flexible in terms of mandate and therefore it should be the one most responsive to student concerns. The most important aspect is thus listening to student needs and then making decisions to act on those needs. The projects I will work on to address student needs are a Health campaign partnered with various stakeholders, such as Health & Counselling and a campaign for increased SFSS foodbank funding.
Alam Khehra (Bridge the Gap)
1) I intend to work on the events and promotions committee. I feel there is a shortage of student involvement within SFU at the moments, especially in the Surrey and Vancouver campus’s. There needs to be a lot more outreach done to target the SFU Undergrad student body as whole from all years and from the campus’s. This is also a very important step in increasing student involvement in the elections for 2017.
2) I plan on communicating more information about the SFSS to the students. The SFSS is an amazing organization with a vast amount to funding all to be used to provide the students with a superior university experience. However, not many students know what the SFSS is and how they can get involved. I plan to connect the students with the society by being their primary contact for all SFSS related services and needs.
3) I feel like the most important aspect of this position is to not only represent the student body, but to also take actions on their needs. First, outreach must be done to the students to gain knowledge of what students would like the SFSS to do for them. Secondly, projects must be started in order to meet these needs, and these can be student led projects with the assistant of the board members.
Jaggy Kullar (Bridge the Gap)
- I hope to work on the Student Space Oversight committee, Events and Promotions Committee, and the Surrey Campus Committee. The first addresses the issues and concerns students may have in terms of not enough study space, the second helps create and promote events to better engage students from all three campuses, and the third committee interests me as I spend a lot of time in Surrey and would love to work with students specifically studying there.
- A few ways to communicate this information includes talking to faculty representatives and further having them contact DSU’s by e-mail. I would also hold meetings at the beginning of each month where members of DSU’s could come to learn about events/projects coming up in that month, as well as sending out e-mails to as many clubs/organizations as possible letting them know to further relay the information to their members.
- The most important aspect of the At-Large position is simply listening. That means listening to concerns raised by students, clubs, organizations, DSUs and even faculty representatives. It means to listen to these concerns and actually act upon them to make a difference. Last but not least, to me it means connecting, engaging and building with students to help aid in addressing academic, financial, social, and health related issues at SFU.
Moein Sharifi Moghaddam
1) I am intending to join ‘Advocacy’ and ‘Events and Promotions’ Committees to fulfil three of my platform goals. First, advocating for establishment of Men’s center to help male students in times of crisis. Second, Assisting clubs and DSUs with hosting their events for better on campus experience of all students. Third, increasing transparency of SFSS’ activities amongst students to create a stronger communication network with the society’s members.
2) One of my platform goals is to enlighten students about SFSS’ projects, services and events. To increase awareness, establishing a new committee is a must. I will also work with student volunteers to set tables on different parts of campus to advertise about the projects and events. Also, I will use communication with the clubs to spread the words regarding events and projects.
3) Student At-large representative has three main responsibilities. First, assist other FARM representatives with their respective projects and to help to represent all faculties equally and fairly. Second, assist and collaborate with DSUs and clubs for better social and academic experience of all members. Third, prioritize current students’ problems and work towards solving them.
Faculty Representatives maintain relationships with their faculties as well as Departmental Student Unions (DSUs). There is no specific prescribed duties for these positions, and they are dependent on the interests of the elected parties, such as advocacy and events.
Question for all faculty reps
Which projects and committees do you intend to work on as a Faculty Representative and why do you think they are important?
How do you plan on communicating with the membership you represent regarding the Society’s events and projects?
How will you represent the unique interests of your Faculty, whilst serving on the board?
APPLIED SCIENCE REPRESENTATIVE
Alan Lee
1) I plan to work closely with each of the student societies in applied sciences for their yearly formal and also plan to work on continuing the governance reform project. The formal is a tradition that I personally enjoyed and will be happy to continue on and the governance reform project is important so the board members can take more time to engage students and represent them appropriately.
2) I tend to split my time across the three main campuses so I end up talking with many of my fellow students, I find this is one of the best ways to tell them face to face about events and projects. I know that this won’t reach all students so I would also use social media to promote and share the events.
3) In applied sciences, each student society has a different view on the issues at hand. As the president of the Software Systems Student Society I’ve been representing my fellow students when
speaking with former ApSci reps and bringing up concerns the students have faculty and I can translate this skill from just SOSY students to applied sciences as a whole.
Prashant Verma (Bridge the Gap)
1) The key issues I will be trying to resolve once elected are, bridging the gap between students with both intra and inter relations within and out of the Faculty of Applied Science, and providing an academic support system for major courses to ease transition into the faculty and reduce anxiety. I will also be working directly with students and DSUs to make sure a unified Student Union is finally formed for the faculty.
2) Communication is key to building strong relationship between the members and who represents them. Though I will be communicating with members face to face, this approach is not always feasible due to limits of exposure and time. Hence I will be implementing a mobile platform whether via an application or website that will inform all faculty members of upcoming events and raise any personal concerns directly with the SFSS office and myself.
3) The key here is to implement ideas and interests of FAS students by directly communicating with them. Being a faculty member I would like more of our interests brought up to major governing bodies throughout SFU. I will be bring such ideas up to the SFSS board of executives and working with them to ensure major projects are supported and funded by the SFSS.
ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE REPRESENTATIVE
Erwin Kwok
Apart from my priorities for program reviews, needs-based budgeting, and communication, I plan to sit on: Governance, Finance/Audit, Executive, Advocacy, and Events committees. Governance committee provides opportunities to directly assess SFSS operations and directives to improve performance. Finance/Audit committee allows me to aid in developing efficient funding mechanisms and address the FBS deficit. I have also actively contributed to Advocacy and Events as a member communicating with membership for over a year.
If by “communicating” this question means promotions, then Events or Advocacy committee. Generally, events tailored towards promoting socials and networking would be the privy of Events Committee, and improving academic, financial, or well-being as the privy of Advocacy. If there is anything I learned from working over the past year with board members, it’s that collaboration makes perfection. I will personally focus on approaching FASS members and delegate tasks to the Communications Office.
Of course “by outreach” is the typical answer, but students are unique. Every DSU/club and constituency group has varied interests. I plan to participate and continue to aid hosting the FASS DSU Presidents’ meetings to encourage discussion and acknowledge their differences working together. This is step one, but step two entails coordinating with SASS to adopt a new organizational model with assistance from staff. Board support for SASS is necessary to produce meaningful engagement.
Blossom Malhan (Connected)
1) I would like to work on the Advocacy and Constitution and Policy review committees. Sexual assault prevention and support services are something that I will be advocating for regardless of election results. Along with preventative measures, it’s crucial that we educate people so that such horrible actions cease to exist. Furthermore, with my experience on SCC, SASS and SFSS Council, I believe I can be a contributing part of societal reform with the CPR committee.
Social media is great but I believe conducting one on one conversation could save us a lot of trouble. I know I can’t talk to every single student but I can talk to their DSU execs and find out whether or not they want to attend or support society initiatives to begin with. Also, simple strategies such as class/club presentations work wonders during election time so why not throughout the rest of the year?
3) How will you represent the unique interests of your Faculty, whilst serving on the board? It’s a balancing act, I love my faculty but I also wouldn’t want to create a deadlock within the board. My mom always says be honest so I believe the best way to represent my faculty and serve on the board is by openly and regularly communicating with both parties and just letting them know what’s up! If I fail, I will own up to it and fix my mistake to ensure the balance remains.
BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE
Pritesh Pachchigar
1) Financial and Audit Committee – The society’s annual budgets are important to ensure funding is allocated in appropriate places, therefore working on this committee I will better understand how our budget is being allocated, and ensure that the business faculty funds are fairly distributed
The Events and Promotions Committee – Through my abundant event planning experiences, I will be able to better support this committee and provide a strong guidance
2) I will be in direct contact with the executive council of our FSU – BASS, and all the Beedie club executives by communicating via one-on-one meetings, email, and/or attending some of their executive meetings, and discussing the need to show support amongst the other business clubs and promoting each others’ events through social media.
3) While serving on the board, I will represent the interests of my faculty by voicing my thoughts and concerns regarding our interests and reasoning towards a proactive stance on finding a balance with the board.
COMMUNICATION, ART, AND TECHNOLOGY REPRESENTATIVE
Prab Bassi
1) One of the projects that I would like to work on is a cross-school FCAT Frosh. I want to allow new students to meet current FCAT students, to help them feel inclusive in our Faculty.
The committees that I intend to work on are the Surrey Campus Committee & the Advocacy Committee. I also understand that there is a need for a Vancouver Campus Committee which, I would like to collaborate on with the Board.
2) I truly think that all events and projects should reflect the four pillars of SFSS: Social, Academics, Well-being and Finances. The pillars are generated in regards to the needs of the students.
Being a Communication undergrad, I understand the importance of our media outlets such as the SFSS social media, student newspaper (The Peak) and campus radio (CJSF 90.1FM). I would like encourage FCAT students to participate and take initiative in our media channels.
3) FCAT is unique in the way that the faculty is a driving force of sociocultural change at SFU. FCAT consists collaboration between creativity, technology, science, art, design and new media.
As a FCAT representative, my goal is to showcase and enhance the engagement within the 5 different undergrad schools in FCAT that are widespread across all three campuses. As FCAT rep, I want to make a united shift to technological advancement in the Society.
EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE
John Ragone
1) I hope to sit on the Financial and Administrative Services Committee and the Granting committee because I want to contribute to the fiscal management of the SFSS, protect it’s resources by using discretion in its use of funds and ensure funds are being used in an impactful and beneficial way. A project I plan to work on with other execs is the improvement of communication from the SFSS to its membership regarding SFSS resources and events.
2) As an active member of the Education Student Association, I work closely with education students on a weekly basis. If elected, I would have a greater awareness of what is happening in the SFSS and would continue to communicate this at ESA meetings and over social media, just like I already do. I also want to be apart of improving and expanding the SFSS’ means of communication with students by creating some sort of engaging info board in several spots throughout the AQ and other high traffic spots throughout SFU that are exclusive for the SFSS only.
3) I will continue to do what I have done this past year. I will voice the needs of undergraduates within my faculty while collaborating with the Board and the SFSS to combine our efforts to not only benefit education students, but the entire membership as well.
ENVIRONMENT REPRESENTATIVE
No candidates running.
HEALTH SCIENCES REPRESENTATIVE
Raajan Garcha
1) I want to particularly work on the Events Committee because I believe it is very important that students at SFU are able to socialize and network so that more opportunities are made available for them to have an exceptional experience throughout university. I also want to increase the accessibility of students to the HCUSU and other health related clubs to promote unity and interconnectedness between the members in the faculty.
2) I would like to set up an online database for students in the Health Sciences Faculty, so that any new events and projects the Society brings can be directly communicating to the members. Here, Faculty members can have access to the important events happening within SFU, so that everyone is constantly aware of the opportunities we provide them and are able to get involved.
3) I will work with members one on one to address their concerns, and bring forth any changes they want to see, while informing them and promoting their decisions to the Society to create a future for SFU where everyone strives to reach their utmost potential. I will build awareness and support systems for current social and health issues that the Faculty oversees, and give a voice to the major concerns of the Faculty.
SCIENCES REPRESENTATIVE
Jimmy Dhesa (Bridge the Gap)
1) I plan on working with the outreach committee, since many students in the Science Faculty do not know about the SFSS. By outreaching the students we can inform and involve students about opportunities and engage them. I plan on creating a Science Engage program in which students can learn about all opportunities in one place and get involved. I will also advocate for a Science Common Room to increase the social experience in the faculty.
2) To communicate with the Science Faculty I will outreach to ALL three campuses and ensure their voices are heard. I will hold office hours at multiple campuses so anyone regardless of location can attend. I will connect the Department Student Unions with the Science Undergraduate Society to form unity and a strong voice. The students’ interest will be my focus.
3) It is important to listen to the opinions of all science students and advocate for their needs. To do this I will attend meetings for all Department Student Unions and the Science Student Union. I plan on having an open door policy in which students can come to me with their interests. Finally I will participate in voluntary outreach to inform and involve students who might not know about the SFSS.
Tomas Rapaport (Connected)
1 I intend to establish a Science Common Room and renovate the Science Lounges to better suit the needs of students. It is no surprise that the most successful and integrated Departmental Student Unions are those with allocated space. It allows for the planning and building of grassroots projects that can make a lasting impact on all students. Thus the Student Space Oversight Committee will be the first committee I join.
2 As a member of the Science Undergraduate Society I have developed strong relationships with many organizers from various Departmental Student Unions. Although my mandate as Science Rep will be different, I will continue to foster the same connections I have made by attending meetings, events and making my willingness to help known to all who might need it.
3 Science students own proportionally about 20% of the SFSS, and so they have a huge role to play in shaping this Society whether they believe that or not. I consider them to be my boss and I will work to address their issues first and enhance their experiences at SFU. If I can leave office with more enriched bosses, I will have done my job.
