VOTING FOR UOSU’S BY-ELECTION OPENED OCTOBER 6TH AND CLOSES OCTOBER 10TH: HERE’S WHO’S RUNNING AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR
A brief summary
The University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) is holding its fall by-election, with voting open from October 6 to 10 at 6:00 p.m. All U of O students automatically qualify to vote through paying student fees and have received an email with voting instructions on the 6th.
This fall, more than 20 positions were available at UOSU, including those on the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors (BOD), and student representatives for the University Senate.
The BOD, which includes elected representatives from each faculty, had 12 vacant spots across the faculties of arts, education, engineering (2), health sciences (2), civil law, common law, science (2), and Telfer (2).
Contested BOD positions include the faculty of arts, with candidates Shivani Narendranath and Emma Brisson; the faculty of health sciences, with Eshaal Maher, Yesha Villanueva, and Farah Mourad; and the faculty of science, with Neal Singh, Amy Park, and Evan Hong.
Meanwhile, the Senate has 5 open seats in education, law, medicine, science, and Telfer. The University Senate serves as the university’s primary academic decision-making body, and student representatives play a key role in shaping academic policies and initiatives.
The Executive Committee had three open positions this year – Communications Commissioner, Operations Commissioner, and Student Life Commissioner – with the latter two being contested.
Both sets of candidates participated in a UOSU-hosted debate held on October 6 in the Agora of the University Centre, and the event was also livestreamed for students to attend virtually. The event provided students with an opportunity to hear each candidate’s position and vision for the upcoming year through statements and a question-and-answer period.
The debate: highlights and need-to-knows
The debate began with the Student Life Commissioner role: current Student Life Commissioner Emilia Bah and Samar Mohamed Ahmed are running for this position.
Bah was not in attendance and had a prepared statement read aloud on her behalf, which highlighted improving club communication and mitigation, recognizing student leaders, as well as increasing the current recognized club cap from 300 to 400. Bah’s statement pointed to her work in organizing the Student Life Awards and launching the Student Life Ambassadors program as highlights of her current term.
Ahmed spoke after Bah’s statement, emphasizing a vision of lively student life with regular events on a weekly basis. She hopes to streamline communication between UOSU, clubs, and student associations and boost opportunities for the student ambassadors. It was unclear what specific events and opportunities would be provided.
UOSU asked Ahmed what a successful term as Student Life Commissioner would look like by the end of the mandate in April 2026, how past experiences have prepared Ahmed for the position, and how to maintain trust during times of logistical issues.
Ahmed highlighted her experience in clubs and registered student government, noting that it provides her the perspective to understand what student life needs most. Further, she stated that more regular student events can be a marker for success, and how she would remain open-minded during times of adversity.
The debate continues: Operations Commissioner
Current Operations Commissioner Elnaz Enayatpour and candidate Hamza el Mendri took the stage next.
Candidates were asked to outline what they view as the most important responsibilities of the Operations Commissioner and how their past experiences have prepared them for the role. They also faced questions about transparency in student government, measuring success, and balancing advocacy initiatives with their mandate.
Mendri emphasized relatability, making changes, and being accountable to students. He discussed his volunteer work as qualifications for the role, and his desire to represent international students’ voices.
Mendri expressed concerns about students’ lack of awareness of UOSU services, calling the “biggest issue” for UOSU that needs urgent attention. He highlighted this need for change within UOSU, repeatedly stressing that students should “vote for changes” – though specific changes that he would enact were not discussed.
Following this, Enayatpour outlined her qualifications, referring to her skills learned as the current Operations Commissioner, as well as in student clubs and the federal government.
Enayatpour consistently brought up responsibility, and communicating results through developing an annual UOSU report for the first time, summarizing UOSU’s activities, accomplishments, and finances.
Other ambitions outlined by Enayatpour were providing free premium Canva accounts for student clubs, crafting a UOSU news billboard to help students stay updated on UOSU matters, and launching a Fund for Students with Disabilities – assisting in the extra financial burden for students with disabilities.
So vote now!
Voting remains open from now until Friday, October 10, at 6:00 p.m. Students can find their ballot through the personalized link sent to their U of O email.
Results are expected to be announced shortly after voting closes on Friday evening.
