Western USC Elections 2017

What is your current year and program?

David: Year 4, Honors Business Administration (HBA).

Harry: Year 4, Jewish Studies.

Why are you running for president and vice-president of the USC?

David: When I learnt about the USC I knew I wanted to get involved because I thought it was a place where students could make an impact. I saw the potential in the amazing opportunities for students. Now that I’m in my fourth year, I am truly beginning to understand the impact students can make if the USC is actually working for students and making these supports open and available.
I am running for USC President because I truthfully believe we can make a positive impact on this campus if we change things up and do things differently.

Harry: The USC has so much potential but over the past few years it has drifted from its original purpose: serving as a strong voice for the student body. There have been so many instances in the past year where students were looking for leadership but were met with silence. Students deserve a USC Executive who is ready and willing to stand up for our interests.
I’m running for USC Vice-President to bring the strong voice students deserve back to student issues.

Why did you choose each other as slate partners?

David: While recruiting for the Ally Western executive team I was looking for someone that was knowledgeable about the USC and knew how to push change through the organization. Not only did I discover that Harry was a walking USC encyclopedia, but he was also incredibly passionate about ensuring he would leave Western better than he found it. Harry keeps impressing me by being an incredible advocate and making the student voice heard. He is not afraid to go against the norm and I am confident working together we will create a USC that students will be proud of.

Harry: I’m running with David because I know the USC needs a leader who is ready to tackle the status quo head on and speak their mind on issues students care about. Working with him over the past two years has revealed someone who thinks deeply about improving our campus, but is never one to think he can do it all himself or that he has all the answers. In all of his leadership roles, the one constant is his commitment that everyone on his team gets a voice in the process, one that will serve him well as USC President.

What relevant experience do you have that makes you qualified for the position you are applying for?

David:

• USC Councillor (2016-Present)
• VP University Affairs, Ivey HBAA (2016-Present)
• USC Strategic Planning Committee Member (2016-Present)
• Ally Western Coordinator (2015-2016)
• Diversity and Inclusion Champion for the City of London (2016-Present)
• Theatre Western Executive (2014-2015)

Harry:

• Chair of the Western Student Senators and Senator at Large (2016-present)
• FIMS/Social Science Senator (2015-2016)
• Western’s Committee on Fall Reading Break (2016-present)
• President, Medway Sydenham Hall (2014-15)
• Community Review Panel, City of London (2016)
• Board Member, Pillar Nonprofit Network (2015-2016)

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue on campus and why?

Many students aren't aware of the power they have to make a positive impact on this campus or the resources that are available to help them. This is a huge issue because if students knew about the change they can create it would foster a culture of empowerment, where student voices are being properly represented and meaningful change is occurring. There is so much potential for good on this campus, but it has to start with students. Students must be the champions of student issues.

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue with the USC and why?

The biggest issue with the USC is that we have a built a bureaucracy that consistently favours itself over students. This is seen throughout the USC in its food policy, bias for closed door decision-making and treatment of the club system. Students deserve a USC that supports us, not one that constantly holds us back. The ingenuity of students has far surpassed the USC’s current policies and practices.
It’s time the USC caught up.

What are the top three tasks/initiatives you as a slate want to accomplish if elected?

Close the Purple Store: The Purple Store represents everything we want to change about the USC. It is an overpriced and expensive duplication of service. We will close it down and provide students with a healthy food option in its place.

Mental health support referendum: Our mental health services are overburdened and underfunded, with no meaningful financial support oncoming. We’ll give students the choice to fund services our campus needs through a referendum on adding $500,000 in annual support to core mental health and mental illness services.

A transparent, accountable & fair USC: This is as much about the little things as it is a culture shift. So many students feel disenfranchised with the USC because it unnecessarily hides information behind a veil of confidentiality and shields itself from criticism. We will create a USC that values openness and ensure it is reflected in our policies and day-to-day practices.

How will you engage students at large with the USC?

The first step in any sort of meaningful engagement with students across campus is to create a USC that students actually enjoy engaging with. This means making the USC more transparent, so students don’t have to struggle to find information they need. The USC needs to become more accountable, so students can feel confident that those who represent them are doing so. Lastly, the USC needs to become more fair, so any student who wants to get engaged knows they are getting an equal opportunity. If we want students to engage with the USC, we have to look internally first.

What is your current year and program?

Tobi: Year 3, Economics.

Landon: Year 3, Political Science.

Why are you running for president and vice-president of the USC?

Tobi: I’ve enjoyed every moment I have been at this school and been driven to meet and experience everything. I hope my role in this election will inspire people to learn more about the USC, get more involved with what we hope to do as well as join more clubs and improve the campus community. I hope to ensure students feel represented, valued and connected to their student council. Once that happens a lot of the issues we see with communication and relationships with the USC will be eradicated.

Landon: I am running with Tobi for the USC because we will be lead a USC that’s open and engaging with everyday students. I’m ready to address the real issues students are facing on campus and bring those issues to the university administration as well as the municipal, provincial, and federal government. I am running to lead the USC with Tobi because we need a USC that students can feel comfortable bringing their issues to. I know that not enough students feel the USC reflects them or does anything for them and it’s time we start to change that.

Why did you choose each other as slate partners?

Tobi: Landon is one of the hardest workers I have ever seen. He puts his mind to something and gets it done. And i knew that he was the perfect running mate because he will focus on each and every student issue and work until he resolves it. When he finds something he cares about it become his priority and his ability to speak on it and make people believe in him is unparalleled. We’ve worked together quite a few times and have always worked well together and I think we are the best slate to take this USC in the direction it needs to go.

Landon: As many of us know Tobi, we’ve all come to learn that Tobi is a natural leader. It’s easy to work with someone who genuinely cares about other students and who is passionate about real issues. Tobi’s ability to diversify his thoughts based on his experiences sophing, working with clubs, and raising awareness about mental health on campus has demonstrated that he can make a positive impact. Tobi reflects more than just a qualified leader; he reflects the everyday student. I chose to team up with Tobi because it’s about time we had a leader that advocated for every student.

What relevant experience do you have that makes you qualified for the position you are applying for?

Tobi: In my three years at Western I have been actively involved in many clubs and extracurricular activities. The likes of which include my time as a Social Science Soph, a member of the Black Students Association, and also the Pre-Business Students Network. Furthermore, I also have taken executive positions in the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, the Purple Spur Fashion Show, and last year as an event planner for the Austen Berlet Campout for Mental health. It encouraged me to start the initiative #ICheckIn pushing for greater group accountability on campus, creating a better mental health climate. Adding onto which, I have also coordinated several meetings with the Mental Health Student Advisory Board to discuss what students want to see on Campus. With most of my free time dedicated to these activities, I have learnt many life skills which have manifested into my problem solving and general leadership skills.

Landon: As an advocate to external institutions, I’m looking forward to bringing my experience working with members of the municipal, provincial, and federal level of government on various projects. Bringing an endorsement from a local London MP reflects how strong of an advocate I will be for students. I’m eager to bring my soph experience to the table, as well as everything i’ve learned working on the Clubs Governance Committee. Here at Western i’ve co-founded a student-run consulting company currently employing 8 Western students. I’ve been a residence representative on the Huron University College Students’ Council, as well as their Chief Returning Officer the following year. Most importantly however, I’ve been active in the Western Community here with clubs, local community organizations, and in the local political landscape. Most recently, I was the fundraising director of an annual Mental Health event held in 2016 that raised $20,000 for the Canadian Mental Health Association to fund the new USC - CMHA partnership, bringing mental health crisis counsellors onto to campus. I’m also looking forward to bringing my professional leadership skills from the Provincial Board of Directors for DECA U Ontario, as I am currently a Vice-President. Lastly, I’m a co-director of research with the student senators and I’ve been assisting with research on academic issues students are facing right here on our campus. Tobi and I are excited to bring more than just USC experience to this position, but rather everything we immersed ourselves in within the Western community.

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue on campus and why?

It’s clear that many students are overwhelmed by a variety of campus, academic, and mental health issues on campus and feel like the USC is not something that can help them. Students who have expressed concerns to us feel like there is isn’t a forum for them to bring forward their issues or ideas. The biggest issue is an inaccessible USC to students who do not feel represented. Especially now, students are even more disenfranchised after they weren’t asked their thoughts on moving Homecoming or shortening clubs week without asking.

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue with the USC and why?

We have chatted with many different students leading up to this election and the common theme seems to be a lack of USC engagement and accessibility. We’ve chatted with sophs who think their townhalls don’t allow them to fully voice all their opinions, club presidents who have said their wasn’t any consultation done with them on recent changes, and affiliate councils who said more communication would have solved problems with the USC. It’s clear that the biggest issue on campus is the USC not looking outside the organization to communicate with every student. We need to change this and make sure the USC is in the middle of campus instead of above it.

What are the top three tasks/initiatives you as a slate want to accomplish if elected?

Re-Engagement: We need to put a big focus on serving all students to ensure that students do not feel the over $700 in student fees they pay to the USC are going to waste. We’re going to prioritize connecting with everyday students on the entire campus during our term.

Addressing all students' needs: There are many services that the USC can improve upon. Over our term we are looking forward to hearing what students have to say, because little changes add up to make a big impact. For example, airport shuttles during exam seasons and implementing a mobile app for The Spoke & The Wave.

Increasing community partnerships: After the recent USC – CMHA partnership which we take much pride in saw so much success, we are looking to work more with community partners to engage with students, such as with Innovation Works, FEMAP, and the London City Council.

How will you engage students at large with the USC?

We are most excited about engaging students at-large with our ‘open community office hours’. The current USC made great strides with engaging students through their ‘office hours’ in the USC office, however, we are looking to build on that by also bringing all the USC executives to the first floor of the UCC, to our affiliate colleges, and to different buildings on campus on a weekly basis to chat with everyday students and hear out what everyone has to say in a more casual setting. As real student leaders, it’s crucial that we listen to every student at our campus.

What is your current year and program?

Anooshae: Year 4, Double Major in Business & Psychology at Huron.

Mohammad: Year 4, Honours Specialization in French Studies.

Why are you running for president and vice-president of the USC?

Anooshae: I am running for the President of USC because I want to bring a new and fresh perspective. Year after year, it’s always the same people running with the same ideas and platforms. My main goal is to provide a unique and different vision that students are proud of. My central focus is to engage students and make them aware that their voices are being heard. Western has provided me with an amazing experience for the past 4 years but there’s a lot of improvement to be made to the USC.

Mohammad: The USC needs to actively be advocating and fighting for students. It’s about making sure the student voice is heard. Too often decisions are made with absolutely no input from students or their concerns are brushed aside. To me healthy communication is the most important part of strong and effective government. I am running for USC because I will never stop listening to and fighting for students with everything I have. Complacency and indifference can no longer be the norms in student government.

Why did you choose each other as slate partners?

Anooshae: I chose Mohammad as my Vice-President because I see the passion and the drive in him to implement change. He is very dedicated and hardworking which is something I value about him. If there’s an issue that hits home with Mohammad, he makes sure to express his concerns and to always find a solution. Mohammad understands my strengths and weaknesses and makes sure to hold me accountable for my actions. We are very compatible and work very well together in personal and professional settings. Mohammad is someone I consider a best friend but also a role model.

Mohammad: Anooshae is a force of nature, when she wants to get something done nothing gets in her way. The reason I chose to run with Anooshae is because to me it’s important to have a running mate that will hold you accountable to your word and will be open to being criticized. We always push each other to strive for the best. I want someone who never lets me slow down and tells me when I could be doing more to bring change. Anooshae is that for me.

What relevant experience do you have that makes you qualified for the position you are applying for?

Anooshae: I have been involved with Huron University Students Council since 2013. In first year, I was the secretary under the Presidential portfolio and a member of the Red Surge Promotions Team as well as a Froph. In my second year, I was the Special Events commissioner under the Vice-President Student Life portfolio. In my third year, I became the Vice-President Student Life and sat on Orientation Programming Committee as well. In my fourth year, I became the Associate Vice-President of Marketing under the Vice-President Communication’s portfolio.

Mohammad: In second year I was a Soph at Huron that really got me to understand why the spirit at Western can’t be replicated anywhere else. I continued exploring Western in second year by interning at the Gazette to gain a better understanding of student politics and the behind the scenes.

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue on campus and why?

The biggest issue on campus is that the average students doesn’t care about their government and not enough is being done to change that. Student’s don’t believe that their student government can actually make tangible changes. This is a huge issue because when students feel that way they don’t think sharing their opinions will ever amount to progress. Each and every student voice brings something completely new to the table and right now it seems the conversation for the past few years has been dominated by the same voices.

What do you as a slate see as the biggest issue with the USC and why?

The biggest issue with the USC is the lack of communication. During our time talking to club members, many of them felt that too many decisions were being made behind closed doors. This is a huge problem that needs to be addressed. When a government isn’t transparent people stop believing in its abilities. We want to create a government that makes hard decisions with the input of clubs and councils, not behind their backs. When we hold ourselves to a higher standard, it builds confidence in the people you represent.

What are the top three tasks/initiatives you as a slate want to accomplish if elected?

The club system: Reforming the club system is extremely important to us. Currently many issues exist that clubs have to face, from renting out space, to having to get all catering done by the Wave. The thinking needs to shift from us versus them to a collaborative process.

Keeping promises: Empty promises are made too often during election time. If students are making promises, there should be a way to track their progress and allow discussion to what’s being done right and what could go better. We want to implement something similar to Trudeau Metre to stay accountable.

Academic counselling: One of the initiatives we want to push is the inclusion of student feedback in the academic counselling process. Counselling is crucial to the academic progression of a student, and if they didn’t get the help they deserve, it’s important we push for a system that allows student feedback.

How will you engage students at large with the USC?

We can’t stress enough how important it is to engage the USC with Western students. We want to start by making the USC more accessible to Western students. No students want to read council minutes; they’re not written in a format for the average student to care. However, by summarizing the content of these meetings and creating videos and graphics that present this information accessibly, we will create a social media campaign that lays the foundation for a relationship between students and the USC.