Here are the statements submitted by the nomination deadline for candidates in the ASSU Spring Elections. Elections will take place on Friday March 20th at our ASSU Council meeting. There is one (1) position of President and four (4) positions for Executive in this election.
Candidates for President
Grace Johnson
My name is Grace Johnson, and I am a third-year student, going into my fourth year, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Visual Studies and Caribbean Studies with a certificate in Business.
At UofT, I have been part of a few student groups, such as the West Indian Student Association, the Hart House Art Committee, the Caribbean Studies Student Union, the Art in Politics Student Association, and two years on the Arts and Science Students’ Union.
In ASSU this year, I have continued the podcast with Zayne, collaborated with Accessibility Services, and led the organisation of 2 speaker series events. I am really happy that I have so far achieved the goals I set for myself as an executive back in 2024. I am grateful for the community ASSU has provided for me and for the experience I have garnered being a student leader on this team. As I run for president for the upcoming year, I hope to continue encouraging the embrace of cross-disciplinary dialogue and learning from the students around me. I believe that students are in a pivotal era for growth and a unifying student voice. I hope that ASSU continues to be an outlet in advocating for student rights, creativity, and our education. I know I can continue to be a part of that initiative and continue to inspire and promote others to foster leadership and communication in other communities.
Candidates for Executive
Mikihiro Higashi
Hi, my name is Mikihiro Higashi, and I am a 2nd-year student at the University of Toronto, applying to the executive position within the Arts and Science Union. While I may not have traditional leadership experience, I have an extensive background in community service and volunteerism. From coordinating blanket drives for low-income children in Detroit, Michigan, to volunteering with “Theatre for Thought” at Victoria College, a program that brings community members and students together for reflection and discussion on theatrical shows throughout history. I now hope to bring this energy directly to students, particularly in affordability. Between the rising costs for housing and recent events related to OSAP and tuition, students are now dealing with a higher financial burden when it comes to attending university. I have spoken with close friends who are considering dropping out of U of T due to these increased costs. After hearing these stories, I wanted to improve their lives by alleviating their financial pressures. Although I cannot do big actions such as cutting tuition costs, I hope to, even if it’s a very small amount, limit the costs for students in small ways, such as increasing access to school materials and cheaper access to previous exams to ensure that no student’s GPA is limited by their bank account. This will be a difficult process, especially in my first year as an executive in the Arts and Science Union. Still, I will bring the same energy I have dedicated to community volunteering toward ensuring our university is as inclusive and accessible for all students.
Jonathan Holubko
Hello everyone! Surely you haven’t forgotten me already, hopefully you remember the guy last election with curly hair? To refresh your memory, I am a second-year student majoring in Criminology, Sociolegal Studies, and Political Science. As an ASSU Executive I will ensure that student voices are heard and answered, I have experience in student council and understand how to act as a liaison between students and faculty.
I will also advocate for more awards to be created for students and course unions to help students who are impacted by osap cuts. Furthermore, as an executive, I would expand the arbor journal and the undergraduate research conference to allow more students to share their research and I will finally digitize the ASSU past test library to make it more accessible for all students.
Lastly, as a UofT student I understand that it can be difficult to go out and plan events with friends due to things being expensive or far which is why I would plan more socials and events so students can interact and have a break from their busy schedules, these events would also be great opportunities for course unions to showcase their culture, food, art, and course specific items/information. This especially can be done as I have experience in event planning during my time as a new college orientation executive.
Thank you very much for reading my candidate statement! I will work hard and diligently to ensure all student concerns are heard and addressed.
Quintina Liu
A little about myself – I’m a third-year undergrad studying Political Science, Peace, Conflict, Justice, and Human Geography. I’m rerunning to be an executive this year to continue to ensure student concerns are heard, and ASSU is held accountable. This year alone, I’ve helped Co-Direct the ASSU Undergraduate Research Conference, further Indigenous reconciliation initiatives with the Dean’s Office, and have been extremely present and vocal about issues that affect UofT students both at the Governing Council level and with the Faculty of Arts & Science. With the news about OSAP cuts, I have been involved with the protest planning process and will continue to fight on behalf of ArtSci to ensure every student has the opportunity and access to AFFORDABLE education. Social justice is deeply important to me, and something I carry with me in every initiative I take on.
Being a part of course unions such as the Association of Political Science Students as a Vice president and the Toronto Undergraduate Geography Society, I’m also experienced in working in a team where the main goal is to enhance the student experience. Being a student at UofT is not easy, not cheap, and often confusing, so that’s why I want guarantee students have initiatives and programs that support them in their actual needs and most importantly, have transparency of where their tuition is going.
Your opinion is integral to me, so please reach out to me at @quintinawliu on Instagram or through my email quintina@assu.ca with any concerns, ideas, or
Zayne Nettey
Hello! My name is Zayne Nettey, and I am a third-year Arts and Science student and current ASSU Executive seeking re-election for the 2026-2027 Academic year.
In my year and a half with ASSU, I have come to greatly appreciate what collaboration represents in Arts and Sciences. I admire the work that my fellow executives and I have put into our initiatives, and I hope to be able to use my accumulated experience as Executive and Treasurer to contribute to the enrichment of our faculty in the future, through these initiatives and all new ones. In collaborating with my fellow execs on our Arbor journal and the AI panel event, as well as serving on the Budget Review Council, I have had the pleasure of seeing firsthand what good work comes out of our faculty, and I want to be able to help to propagate this moving forward as well.
Once again, I am committed to my original goal of ensuring that all students, regardless of where they find themselves in their time here, know the importance of their voices and contributions towards the betterment of the Arts and Science student community. Through my involvement with ASSU, I am further encouraged that this can be realized, and through future initiatives and activities I hope to engage in, as well as the enhancement of initiatives we already have, we can ensure that each Arts and Science student feels that their time here is as enriching as it should be. Thank you.
