THE FULCRUM ASKS Board of Administration (BOA), Board of Governors (BOG), and University Senate candidates why they’re running for their positions.
Faculty of Arts
Daniel Arnold
There is a disconnect in this university’s student community. I believe my experience with student association and club executives, and as a 101 [Week] guide, leaves me well equipped to confront this issue. By campaigning, I am committing to the welcoming, engaging student community every student deserves.
Jocelyn Boeré
I’m running because I know there are improvements to be made, and I want to be a part of that change.
Jordan Henry
I am running for the BOA because I want to see a change in the way that the student voice is incorporated into the decision-making process.
Chase Patterson
I am running because I believe the SFUO [Student Federation of the University of Ottawa] executive, no matter who is on it, needs to be held accountable by the federated bodies. I also believe the SFUO constitution needs to be rewritten so it holds the same meaning in the university’s two official languages.
At present, the constitution reads as though the SFUO executive and the BOA are the only legitimate representatives of students, while countless amounts of federated bodies and member associations also represent students.
Lastly, I believe the structure of the BOA itself should be rearranged so that it can only be chaired by a student at the university.
Brian Rowley
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Brian Rowley at press time. No platform was made available for print.
Faculty of Common Law
Caroline Soule
I’m running for the BOA position in order to offer my faculty the chance to be heard and take part in important decisions that concern them.
Although defederation is a possibility desired by most of us, it is important that we are represented until the deciding moment. We need to take advantage of all the possibilities and take charge of our destiny!
Faculty of Engineering
Ahmed Al-Masri
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Ahmed Al-Masri at press time. No platform was made available for print.
Nicholas Zorn
Directors on the Board of Administration have a lot of responsibility to act, stimulate discussion, and make decisions with its students’ interests in mind. Having already served a year on the board, I am running because I know I will make decisions and formulate motions that benefit the student body and improve the SFUO.
Faculty of Science
Inas Abuskeikha
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Inas Abuskeikha at press time, below is an excerpt from her platform, which can be found on Elections.sfuo.ca.
As a second-year student in the program of sciences and education, I am running to be a director for the BOA to represent the views of students both in my faculty and in general to the SFUO.
As an active member of one of the largest student clubs on campus, the Muslim Student Association, I understand the services offered by the SFUO and what needs to be improved. My experience with various groups and events both on and off campus will help me to contribute positively as a representative.
Maryam Benichou
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Maryam Benichou at press time, below is an excerpt from her platform, which can be found on Elections.sfuo.ca.
Running for this position would give me an amazing opportunity to get to know more students and be a part of our collective voice that needs to be heard.
I like to think that I am an outspoken person that most people can relate to.
Quinn Blue
I’m running because I am interested in what the BOA can do for students. I want to prioritize initiatives such as the Equity Audit, as well as other steps to make our campus and the SFUO more accessible to all students. I am running because I want to be a voice for students on our campus.
Wala’a Farahat
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Wala’a Farahat at press time. No platform was made available for print.
Faculty of Social Sciences
Nicole Desnoyers
I am running for re-election to the BOA because I would like to continue the work I started over the past year. One of my main points last year, and this year, was to continue sustainable initiatives at the SFUO.
I passed a policy at the board stating all SFUO businesses must comply with the fair-trade criteria as stated by Fair Trade Canada. I feel I have a good knowledge of club and service initiatives, and there are many ways to support these at the BOA level.
Mark Donoghue
I’m running because I believe that, despite our university’s stellar record and accomplishments, we should always strive to do better. I would bring a different perspective to the BOA and, with that, a voice that could truly represent the students in the social sciences faculty.
I would strongly work to improve the current SFUO services, increase student participation in all aspects of campus, and hold the SFUO accountable to your needs.
Bradley Dunseith
As a student with high ambitions, I naturally sought out a position on the BOA. For the past seven months I have been studying in India. My experiences with such a vastly different university structure, campus, and student culture have provided me with insights into the innumerable ways in which student and campus life can differ and be improved upon.
As a student unaffiliated with rigid university groups or ideologies I have a unique position to further the accessibility of student politics to the majority of students. I am eager to engage in, discuss, and involve myself with the student body at large.
David Eaton
I hope to be re-elected to the BOA to continue my work representing students, and I will bring many new initiatives to the table in the 2012–13 academic year.
Ghaith El-Mohtar
[I am running] because I believe that I have the best policies to enhance the undergrad experience here. In my three-point platform, I outline how we can enrich student life inside and outside the classroom by getting course syllabi viewable when selecting courses, unlocking the potential of clubs on campus, and increasing freedom of choice by allowing students to opt-out from certain SFUO services.
Madeline Gow
I would like my voice to be heard, and I am sure you do, too. Unless directly implicated in the decision-making, I have found it difficult to voice an opinion and have it count for anything. So, I am [nominating] myself, in the hopes that I might be able to bridge the gap between those who facilitate the decisions and those who are affected by them.
Noel Guscott
I’m running for three reasons: I want to improve SFUO promotion of SFUO events and policies; [promote] faster and more efficient communication to the student body; and to fight for the language rights of francophone and anglophone students in the classroom.
Vanessa Rydell
I am running because I am interested in making a difference. This is attainable because of my knowledge of and experience with student associations and the SFUO. I will ensure that my faculty is well represented on the board by following my platform: Awareness, advocacy, and accessibility. I will ensure students are aware of what the BOA is.
Telfer School of Management
Alexandr Revelo
The Fulcrum was unable to contact Alexandr Revelo at press time, below is an excerpt from his platform, which can be found on Elections.sfuo.ca.
It would be an honour for me to serve as the representative to the future generations of businessmen and women who will be controlling capital and the means of production of our world.
As your representative I will set up a program to get you started in learning the top business language, Spanish. Also, I will work closely with the Telfer Careers Centre to increase the amount of networking events as well as small group sessions with professionals.
Natalie Rydell
After becoming a member of the BOA in October, I realized that Telfer involvement with the SFUO is very limited. Most students are unaware of the board’s existence. It is my goal for this to change, which is why I am running for re-election.
Senate Candidates
Faculty of Arts
Pomeline Berger-Schulz
I worked as a Member’s Assistant on Parliament Hill last year and fell in love with the world of politics. What better way to take an active approach in politics than by running for a seat on the senate?
Call me a dreamer, but I want to be involved in making a difference. I am aware that the student population has a voice, and I want it to be heard.
Faculty of Common Law
Shaun Jaberolansar
I am running for the senate because the decisions that are approved directly affect the legal education of all law students. Being in a joint common law-civil law degree, I think I am in a good position to represent my classmates at the highest decision-making body of the university.
Faculty of Science
Jiselle Bakker
I have presented myself as a candidate for the senate because I would like to represent science students at the university level of administration and facilitate the engagement of students in university affairs.
I want to bring a strong voice of critical thinking to analyze the motions put before the senate and ensure science students are heard throughout this process. I want students to have the opportunities to maximize their university experience as well as be able to shape the experience of future students.
Julia Davies
My goal in running is to make students more aware of decisions being made on their behalf. My aim is to bring back discussions from the senate to the students’ elected representatives, as well as maintain regular updates on topics that students can find relevant to their everyday academic lives, via the students’ association website or a similar method.
This will be able to initiate communication about the senate meetings and hopefully improve the representation on behalf of the students. Keeping informed is a matter of staying aware of current policies and evaluating the impact of changes on students.
Rosy Fournier
This year, the senate has been able to offer me many challenges and a possibility to have a real impact on student life. I took part in obtaining the academic amnesty for the [National Day of Action] and other valuable causes. I am running because I am truly passionate for the students’ life on campus and because I am convince that next year I could continue to make a difference.
Sabrina Rosemary Slade
The reason I am running for this position is because I feel that if given the chance to represent science as a member of the senate, I would not only bring a fresh face to the table but also a fresh set of opinions.
Faculty of Social Sciences
Dave Eaton
I am running to represent students from the Faculty of Social Sciences and I hope to bring a strong voice to the table on matters of educational policies pertaining to students within my faculty.
Madeline Gow
I would like to make a difference within the academic system to help the students of the Faculty of Social Sciences see the changes they want made. Not only would I like to have a say in the decisions that will affect my university education, [but] I would like to let every other student who has something to say voice their opinions and be heard.
Tanner McInnis
As a bilingual third-year student in the Faculty of Social Sciences and vp university affairs for the Psychology Students’ Association for the past two years, I have encountered academic issues that affect a variety of different students. Representing the faculty at the senate would allow me to continue to voice these concerns of our student body on a larger scale.
BOG Candidates
Nicole Desnoyers
I am running because I believe students need a strong voice at the Board of Governors. We need a representative who will call out the administration when they do not respect student rights. I feel that my experiences during my time at the University of Ottawa will be useful in representing and working for students.
Bruno Gélinas-Faucher
[I am running] to make sure that the interests of all students—not just a few select members of the SFUO—are represented at the university’s highest deciding body.
Madeline Gow
I am running so that I may do my part to improve each and every student’s overall experience at the University of Ottawa.
