The Strand: What experience do you have with student politics at Vic?
I was a first-year councillor [on VUSAC], I learned a lot in that position. My portfolios were Equity, VP External, and Finance. This year I’m the Equity Co-Chair on VUSAC, helping to lead the Equity Commission. On top of that I’m the Finance Director of UTUBS, the undergraduate bioethics society at Vic. Holding these positions have helped me understand how the administration and student government come together to affect [the] day-to-day of students. I think with my equity experience at Vic, understanding how marginalized students navigate the space, being a marginalized student myself, I have a strong voice to be at the table talking to higher admin at Vic. I want to speak to what they can do to make every student feel supported at Vic.
The Vic constitution states that the VPE is meant to be a liaison between VUSAC and the BoR—would that be a conflict of interest if you held office in both bodies?
I think in holding both positions, I could help strengthen the relationship between the BoR and VUSAC. Historically, student representatives on governing bodies aren’t super connected to VUSAC. It’s challenging for them to make it out to all the meetings and communicate everything that is going on. I think being able to sit on the board and bring that knowledge back to VUSAC would help communication between the two bodies. I could also help encourage other board members to be more involved with VUSAC themselves. The President of VUSAC also sits on the board, so it’s not unheard of to hold positions in both.
A lot of positions in the VUSAC election have only a single candidate—as VP External, how would you make VUSAC seem more accessible and get more people involved?
I think part of it is being transparent with what we do on VUSAC. We need to better communicate the things VUSAC is doing and present it in an accessible way. I’d like to work with the rest of VUSAC to make sure we are making an effort to get in touch with the general student body through programming and events, to try to make clear how VUSAC is here to help. It’s important to communicate that VUSAC not all about higher administration issues, it also often has free food!
If you had to pick a single issue you are most anxious to tackle, what would it be?
Responding to these new policies the Ford government has put in place is terrifying. I think that because the policy changes are so ambiguous right now, it’s hard to structure a game plan. A lot of student groups across UofT are making an effort to mobilize right now, making sure that university administration knows what students want. Hopefully, they will communicate that to the government. I’m excited to work this summer, and all next year, with students across campus to make sure they can be a part of the mobilization to combat these issues.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
