By: Olivia Visser, Staff Writer 

At the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) council meeting on June 8, committee elections were held for 28 vacant committee seats. Council members nominated themselves or a fellow council member for each committee. 

According to the SFSS, Board committees exist to “help assist the Board of Directors at SFSS do their job.” This includes preparing policy alternatives, among other initiatives. The SFSS currently has 14 committees, such as the university and academic affairs committee, the events committee, and the HR and personnel committee. Four seats were available in each election.

The first committee receiving nominations was the Black, Indigenous, people of colour (BIPOC) committee. The BIPOC committee seeks equity for BIPOC students on campus through a variety of engagement initiatives. They also ensure accountability on SFU’s equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments. 

The four members unanimously appointed to the BIPOC committee were Nimrit Basra from the Women’s Center Collective, Linda Chobang from Students of Carribean and African Ancestry, Simran Basra from the gender, sexuality, and women’s studies student union, and Keianna James from the SFU First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Association.

The first year engagement committee was another with open seats. The first year engagement committee coordinates “engagement events and initiatives,” as well as “first year advocacy activities and projects” for new students at SFU. 

The four members unanimously appointed to the committee were Aarthi Srinivasan from the behavioural neuroscience student society, Ayooluwa Adigun from the science undergraduate society, Liam Feng from the engineering science student society, and Ashley Flett from the philosophy student union.

The Surrey campus committee was also seeking councillors. Their committee “focuses on issues affecting students at the Surrey campus” such as “engagement initiatives” and “community building events.” 

The four members unanimously appointed were Ryley McWilliams from the mechatronic systems engineering student society, Jung-Yeon Lee from the interactive arts and technology student union, Vaibhav Aora, vice president events and student affairs, and Gurmehar Singh from the software system student society.

The accessibility committee is another vital group that was asking for nominations. This committee oversees the student society accessibility fund’s spending, approves “accessibility-related capital expenses,” and recommends accessibility focused changes around the university. 

After a council vote on 5 nominees, the final appointed members were Vivian Ly from the Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance, Brydan Denis from the political science student union, Gurleen Grewal from the biomedical physiology and kinesiology student association, and Rastko Koprivica from the faculty of communications, arts, and technology. 

The SFSS website has more information about their Council and committees.