Get to know your 2020 SFSS candidates – President

Compiled by: Kelly Chia, Features Editor

It’s election season for the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS)! The Peak has reached out to candidates to ask three questions based on their positions and compiled the results to help you navigate this election period. Voting this year will take place March 17–19 through SFU Mail.

The SFSS is SFU’s student-led society, representing the entire undergraduate population of the university. Headed by 16 Board of Directors, SFSS members are elected every spring by the student body to hold a one-year term. During this term they manage day-to-day society work, manage large-scale finances, execute university-wide campaigns and projects, and advocate for student interests regarding issues such as the U-Pass, student-centric spaces, and food and beverage services.

Please note that these answers have not been edited for spelling, grammar, or clarity, nor do they reflect the positions of The Peak Publications Society. Candidates were given a limit of 50 words per answer; responses that went over 50 words have been cut short.

This article has been divided by candidate positions. This is for the President candidates. Click here to read the questionnaires for the VP External Relations, VP Finance, VP Student Life, VP Student Services, VP University Relations, At-Large Representatives, Faculty Representatives.

President

The president leads the Board of Directors. In this position, they are responsible for convening the Board, Board Executive Committee, and Council, meeting with university representatives, communicating on behalf of the Board of Directors, and liaising between Board and Board employees amid other duties.


Questions:

1. What are the three main areas that you hope to focus on during your term?

2. What will you do that your predecessor specifically did not do?

3. What leadership experience do you have that enables you to take on this position?

Christina Loutsik

1. During my term, I will be focusing on: 

• Affordability by lobbying at both the university and government levels
• Service delivery to support the health and wellbeing needs of our members 
• Supporting sustainability  initiatives to work towards a zero waste campus.

2. This year I will focus on building additional supports and services in the new SUB for the health and wellbeing of the membership such as a “Peer Support Network”. This will complement the services already offered by SFU and support students stuck on waiting lists.
3. I served two consecutive years on the Board, first as a Faculty of Health Sciences Representative, and second as the Vice President of Student Services. I have a strong understanding of the SFSS and will not have to overcome the steep learning curve that most new Board members face.

Osob Mohamed

1. I want to focus on building student power through better advocacy, services and resources. I also want to work towards a Society governs in a way that is open and accessible, with a student Council that has real oversight over the Board, and can hold us accountable for our decisions.

2. A board that is disjointed and board members that do not understand their roles cannot work together effectively. Considering the inherently political nature of a student society, I want to foster an environment where directors understand their responsibilities, and what core values uphold a student society, including building student power.

3. I took on a leadership role in various capacities on the Board this year, by bringing forward motions related to improving our voting and minute-taking practices, developing new issues policies, working on the free menstrual products project, and pushing Open Educational Resource (OER) campaigns and initiatives.

Miguel Resendiz

1. Campus safety

• Have a first respondent team on campus to deal with health emergencies.
• Worked alongside SFU and campus security on a protocol to ensure that all students are safe when stuck on campus due to inclement weather. 

2.

• I will push for a cost and sales forecast for major events such as the Fall Kick-Off.
• I will push for efficient decision making, and conflict resolution within the board.

3. I have taken on the following leadership roles:

• House Chair (Residence Hall Association)
• Vice President Communications (Residence Hall Association)
• Community Advisor (Residence Life)
• Marketing Executive (ALAS)
• President (ALAS)
• PR and Marcom Manager (ERS electronic GmbH)