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The UOSU is replacing the SFUO as the University of Ottawa’s undergraduate student union. Photo: Courtesy of the UOSU.
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Most candidates are running uncontested

The University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) launched its first election season with the candidate list partially released on March 23 and then in full the following day.

Students will have an opportunity to vote for members of the Board of Directors (BOD) and executive commissioners. A majority of candidates are running uncontested, and many positions have no candidates at all.  

The BOD will replace the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) Board of Administrators (BOA) as the strategic steering body of the union. Its 22 seats are divided by faculty based on student enrolment. Only the Faculty of Social Sciences and Telfer School of Management have enough candidates to contest all of their seats.

Six BOD seats have no candidates, while seven more seats only have a single candidate. The position of equity commissioner on the executive has no eligible candidate, while the other four positions will also be running uncontested.

Any vacancies in the executive committee will have their portfolio covered by an interim member in accordance with the UOSU’s constitution. Positions held by interim members must be filled by elected executives in the fall.

Jason Seguya is the only returning SFUO member contesting an executive commissioner position. He was previously employed by the union as a social media coordinator and defended the SFUO in a series of debates during the referendum to replace the SFUO.

The all-candidates debate on April 2 is the only formally planned event of the campaign period, prior to a three-day voting period beginning on April 3. Candidates will be in a blackout period during voting, and will not be allowed to participate in any campaign initiatives.

The UOSU has not publicly expressed any intention of allowing more candidate applications to fill vacant spots prior to the fall by-elections.

The Fulcrum has reached out to the UOSU for comment and will update this story as needed.