Candidates – 2021 By-Election

The 2021 By-Election voting days are Wednesday, October 13 to Friday, October 15, 2021. There are three plebiscite questions regarding the future of student programs and services. Please familiarize yourself with the background and upcoming questions here.

Candidate Platforms

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[header]Cumming School of Medicine Representative[/header]
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[subheader]Emily Macphail[/subheader]
[content]Hi CSM students!

ABOUT ME

My name is Emily, and I’m currently a third-year MD student. I’m also a BHSc. graduate, a past MDSC308 TA, and a Leaders in Medicine joint-degree (MD/PhD) student. Having seen many aspects of the CSM, I am seeking your support for election as one of your Faculty Representatives.

I previously served on the SU as the VP Academic and as a Senate representative, and I have represented medical students both provincially and nationally. My experiences have given me a strong understanding of the functioning and organizational structure of the Students’ Union, the CSM, and the university, which will strengthen my ability to amplify student voices, address concerns and priorities, and advocate successfully for you.

PLATFORM GOALS

1) STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORTS CONSULTATION & REPORT

• Facilitate a broad student consultation process across all undergraduate CSM programs to identify accessibility and equity issues, current needs, and other concerns, challenges, and barriers with respect to academics, wellness, and overall experience.
• Present program and faculty leadership with a comprehensive consultation report and requested action items so that all students’ voices are actively informing new initiatives, renovations, and program changes.

2) RESOURCE GUIDE DEVELOPMENT

• Develop an accessible, thorough, one-stop resource guide for students in each program (BHSc, CRDS, UME), to subsequently be transitioned to programs for sustainable maintenance and distribution.

3) ONGOING COMMUNICATION/ADVOCACY REGARDING COVID-19

• Continue to work with the SU to advocate at program and university levels for proper supports and communications with respect to the challenges created by both COVID-19 and return-to-campus (e.g. online classes, CRDS practicum changes, etc.).

I’m also cognizant of ongoing issues and initiatives (e.g. UME tuition increase, Support to Entry Program, etc.) and would work with my co-representative to continue to address and support these appropriately.

SELECTED PAST RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• – SU Vice-President Academic
• – SU Senate Representative (2 terms)
• – Canadian Federation of Medical Students Western Regional Representative
• – Canadian Federation of Medical Students National Wellness Officer
• – Graduate Students’ Association Finance Standing Committee Chair

CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions, concerns, or thoughts? Want additional platform or experience details?
Email: ecmmacph@ucalgary.ca
Website: www.macphailformedicinerep.wordpress.com.

Thank you for your time and consideration![/content]
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[header]Faculty of Social Work Representative[/header]
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[subheader]Nik Jarvis[/subheader]
[content]My name is Nik Jarvis, my pronouns are she/her, and I’m a white settler who is queer, disabled, a psychiatric survivor, and a 4^th year BSW student. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the 2020-2022 cohort hard over the last academic year. None of us had the capacity to take on advocacy positions and as a result, this has left our faculty without an elected or appointed SU representative. Outside the SU, the Social Work Student Association has also been left without a single executive member.  We’re at the mercy of the Faculty, and it shows: we’ve seen ineffective guidance through the practicum process, a lack of psychological and educational support from faculty members, and a lack of intersectional equity for marginalized students, especially those who are racialized, LGBTQ+ and disabled.

If elected, I promise to advocate for changes to the BSW program that promote student mental health, prevent burnout, provide community, and let us thrive. I will also put particular focus on the need for both settler and indigenous students to have integrated indigenous and anti-colonial education throughout the program. It is imperative that the next generation of social workers have the education we need to do right by our clients. We need to see indigenous elders and social workers teaching in our classrooms. Indigenous students need easy access to culturally informed support. Students of all backgrounds who have been traumatized by the field of social work need the faculty to commit to trauma-informed pedagogy. I want to see this happen.

BSW students were humans before we were ever social workers, and we deserve to be treated like humans. I promise to connect individually with students and listen to concerns, advocate for our interests on faculty committees and in the SLC and do what I can to restore the community support we desperately need. Now is the time to improve the BSW program for ourselves and for future BSW cohorts, because no student should feel like they’re barely making it through their degree.[/content]
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[subheader]Coleson Proudfoot[/subheader]
[content]Hello! I am a third year Social Work student with a Diploma in Social Work from Mount Royal University. I work as a Disability Support Worker and I am an active volunteer outside of that for a number of causes (Global Shapers, STEM Fellowship, Alberta Beyond Coal). I want to be your next Social Work Faculty Representative because I want to exercise my advocacy skills and bring forward our faculty’s collective voice. I would keep the faculty updated with what’s happening around UofC so there is clear communication. I would make myself available to address any issue that is brought to me, and I am hoping to specifically fight for the following;

1. I have navigated folks in wheelchairs on this campus — it is not easy. Some disability buttons are broken, ramps don’t exist for some entrances and outdoor paved paths are limited.
2. Accommodations and Services. Our faculty is very diverse and we need to make sure we are expanding on current offerings of things like night classes for mature students, hours of operation for amenities (ex. multi-faith rooms) for those who don’t have a traditional schedule and online options for rural/immunocompromised students
3. Community building. We have a chance to make a better university in a post-COVID world. I am highly collaborative and love partnering with other groups/people to create meaningful change. Let’s (safely) come together and make campus a better center for events and experiences.

Ultimately, we will get as much out of the Student’s Union as we put into it. Sending me to the table will make social worker students seen and heard.[/content]
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[header]Haskayne School of Business Representative[/header]
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[subheader]Neelinder Sarao[/subheader]
[content]Hello Haskayne!

My name is Neelinder Sarao, a fourth-year student at the Haskayne School of Business. Over the past five months, I have served as your interim Haskayne Faculty Representative and spearheaded several initiatives.  This includes the Haskayne Campus Expo to increase awareness of our faculty’s services and opportunities to all students, such as concentration offerings and case competitions. Additionally, I re-hauled the Hello Haskayne page by consolidating resources for easier accessibility. I have been a constant advocate for student concerns and dedicated to prioritizing transparency and communication during untimely course delivery changes and course drop extension considering sudden shift to online due to government restrictions.

I aspire to continue my advocacy work for you, and I will voice and represent you better with my experiences at the Students’ Union! My primary areas of focus will be:

Townhalls:

Have you ever experienced anxiety or uncertainty about the lack of transparency at Haskayne? Hosting semesterly Townhalls will allow for transparent conversations between the Haskayne administration and students to discuss topics of your choice, for instance, tuition increases and imminent student concerns. I will be available for your feedback and encourage you to engage in this dialogue on campus to allow me efficiently to represent your values.

Leadership Development:

Do you want to be a leader on campus, but don’t know where to start? Then lookout for the Development Sessions through Haskayne’s BOLD program will educate you about leadership, opportunities on campus, and the steps required to attain your desired role!

Accessibility and Affordability:

Although Haskayne is undergoing developments with the upcoming Mathison Hall, I will work to attain funding for Scurfield washrooms renovation and installing period products to increase the accessibility of resources. This initiative will also support the health and wellness of menstruating students by providing access to period products at no cost, especially in times of crisis. Also, it would allow Haskayne to embrace Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and break stigma/misconceptions revolving around menstruation.

My objective is to be YOUR voice as your next student representative.

Don’t forget to vote on October 13 –15 to make me YOUR representative![/content]
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[subheader]Jaime Pablo[/subheader]
[content]Hello!

My name is Jaime Pablo, I am a 5^th year Business student, and I am hoping to serve as your Haskayne Faculty Representative. As your prospective Faculty Representative, I aim to be completely transparent and honest and improve student life with realistic, high-impact initiatives including:

The return of in-person events as soon as possible

As a business student, networking is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself when searching for job opportunities. This aspect of university has been lost as a result of COVID-19 and has been insufficiently replaced with online events. If you have attended one of these events, you would know that it is nearly impossible to have quality conversations with employers. In addition to the increased difficulty of finding a job, the lack of in-person events has also diminished students’ enjoyment of university. Prior to COVID-19, in-person events brought students together and were a large part of the university experience.

Anti-tuition hike advocacy

COVID-19 has caused tougher economic conditions than ever before. It is unjust that students are experiencing these extreme increases in tuition despite the significant financial investment in construction projects by the university. As your faculty representative, I will fight relentlessly to slow these tuition hikes down and find other ways to cut costs that will not impact student life.

Online lecture accessibility for sick students

The university has mandated that students must stay home if they show COVID-19 symptoms, however there is no way for these sick students to be able to keep up with lectures online. After a year of online classes, every professor should have the lecture recordings needed to support these students. There is no reason why students should have to suffer academically if they are sick.

Useful USRI’s

USRI’s are a tool for students to have a voice in how classes get taught, however they have little impact with how they are currently used. Moving the USRI date to the middle of the semester rather than the end would allow students to give professors useful advice while the class is ongoing and actually benefit from the changes made.[/content]
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[header]Senate Representative[/header]
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[subheader]Armaan SIdhu[/subheader]
[content]As students of the University of Calgary you deserve a student senator who is passionate, informed, and can represent your voice most effectively.

My name is Armaan Sidhu and I am a student in the faculty of Kinesiology. I have had the incredible privilege of engaging with countless students on campus to explore what they believe would make for an enriching experience on campus. Through your support, I will ensure that your voice is brought to the table in Senate and beyond. With over 5 campuses, 14 faculties, and over 26,000 students I have confidence that I can be a voice for exponential change that will help students achieve both their personal and professional goals in one of Canada’s most enterprising cities. If elected I will work on the following:

Funding and Affordability

1. Promote access to higher education through scholarships and initiatives that help students foster a positive university experience with little to no financial burdens upon graduation.
2. Strive towards making our university a global intellectual hub where students can create new discoveries, ideas, and applications with increased funding that priorities these advances.
3. Protect and strengthen the need for education to be affordable and accessible through connections/initiatives that promote the aforementioned.

Community Engagement

1. Promote the next generation of leaders by ensuring that students are fully integrated within the university community.
2. Inspire others to be champions of change in areas that they are passionate about.
3. Work to implement university events that are student-centered and focus on future-forward research and ideas.

Teaching and Learning 

1. Create an academic environment that enables and empowers students to maximize opportunities (e.g. research and internships) offered by the university through equal opportunity initiatives.
2. Work systematically to address student hardships and/or struggles that prevent them from having a real chance at education.
3. Further develop sustainability as a theme across our campus through curriculum, research, learning spaces/environments, and our daily operations and business practices.

If you have any questions/concerns please email armaan.sidhu@ucalgary.ca. I will be more than happy to get in touch. Thank you so very much for your consideration. [/content]
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