ASSU EXECUTIVE BY-ELECTION STATEMENTS

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Nicholas Grant

No statement submitted.

 

Stephanie Lim

My name is Stephanie Lim and I am a third year student pursuing a double major in Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies and Contemporary Asian Studies. I currently serve on the Contemporary Asian Studies Student Union in an executive capacity. In this capacity, I have become well acquainted with the functions and responsibilities of a course union; as well as the symbiotic relationship between ASSU and the course unions. If elected, I intend to work to further ameliorate this relationship, as well as that between ASSU and the greater U of T administration. Another initiative I hope to focus on this year is improving the first-year U of T experience.

The first-year at U of T can be an incredibly academically and socially period; however, with the proper support it can also be extremely rewarding and an opportunity for personal growth. In order to provide this support for first-year students I hope to pursue several initiatives at the beginning of the year such as:

· Creating a pamphlet with study-tips and information on fairly unknown but useful academic and personal resources available on campus

· Hosting a panel breaking down U of T governing structures and how first-year students can become more involved

· Host first-year specific mixers and events

In addition to these initiatives, if elected I’d also like to:

· increase funding to course unions

· streamline the process for applying for funding

· continue hosting fun stress-relieving events with refreshments

 

Alexander Verman

As a wise father figure of mine said “I’ll be there for you, I will care for you.”

That father figure was Drake, and it’s one I share; champagnepapi meets UofTpapi. I’m here to take care of students.

Writing for The Varsity for years, I’m tired of watching people politicking instead of working for their constituents. What I want is to help, by improving the daily academic lives of Arts and Science students at UofT.

That means making information about our classes accessible. I’d require course dropping dates and criteria on the first page of all syllabi, and for independent studies to produce a syllabus-like document that outlines expectations on student and staff participants, so no one ends up stressing over a class they didn’t want. I aim to secure administration funding for a physical anti-calendar for years to come, and to work with course unions to make our support easy to navigate for even the most sleep-deprived. I hope to begin developing a central UofT grad school service, where ASSU can work with and push the administration to develop a single site through which we can learn about and apply to graduate programs at UofT.

Lastly, I want to enhance ASSU events, advocacy, and accountability, drawing on my experience with the Association of Political Science Students executive, Jewish organizations on campus and the BDS coalition.

I know that this faculty can be tough to navigate alone; vote for a UofTpapi who’s here to take care of you.

 

UofT Statistical Sciences Association of Students (UofT SSAS) ELECTIONS

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The UofT Statistical Sciences Association of Students (UofTSSAS) is holding elections next week for President, VP-Internal and VP-External.  The President and VP-External positions have been acclaimed.  There will only be an election for the VP-Internal.  The candidates statements are listed below.

The polling station will be open from 10-3 on Monday, September 29th and Tuesday, September 30th in the Study Area of Sidney Smith (St. George Street side).

Please make sure you bring your Student ID card – only full-time Arts & Science students who are either enrolled in an ACT/STA course or those who are enrolled in an ACT/STA program are eligible to vote.

Here are the candidates and their statements:

Candidates for Vice-President Internal

Michael Jun Ki Yoon

I would like to run for vice-president internal for UofT SSAS.

I have past leadership experiences and commitments at other clubs at this university such as the vice-president of St Michael’s College Korean Students Association and as a finance and governance committee member of Global Student Network.

SSAS has been very successful with hosting various events such as social events, career networking and etc. My goal as a vice-president internal is to help the club run smoothly and follow the rules and regulation. Considering my experience of working for several clubs, I’ve found that I do my best when I’m in the back side of the team supporting the team members with governance and finance.

I reserve rather conservative ideas in terms of ideas for this club since, the club’s been running very successfully for the past years and there’s no need to fundamentally change the ideas of the club. My commitment should be supporting the club to run smoothly and seek for improvements. One particular thing I would like to focus on is hosting more career networking opportunities for the students.

I believe that my past experience and passion to help out this club will contribute greatly for this upcoming year. There, I believe that I am a very eligible candidate for VP internal.

Tannishtha Pramanick

My experiences in applied statistics began with a satellite tracking project affiliated with NASA in high school and continued with two clinical research internships at Harvard Medical School. From these, I gleaned that statistics and big data is very useful in a wide variety of fields. I want to share my passion for statistics with the student body, and as VP internal I intend to foster a community where students will have the opportunity to network and hear from experts in the field. Also, I understand that a vibrant social scene is vital for student satisfaction, as I currently serve as social coordinator of my residence. Lastly, my leadership experience as the editor-in-chief of the new global affairs magazine, The Foreign Observer, has prepared me to lead with enthusiasm and focus. Vote for me, and I promise you an amazing year!

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR COURSE UNION!!

Nominations for ASSU Executive are now open

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ASSU Council will elect two new executive members at our first Council Meeting on September 29th. These executive members will join the five ASSU executives who were elected in March.

This is a great way to get involved with your education here at the Faculty of Arts and Science. Executives take an active role in discussions around Faculty policy and the life of students here on campus.

More information and nomination forms can be found in the ASSU Office, Sid Smith Hall Rm 1068.

Nominations are now closed. 

ASSU’s New Executive

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Congratulations to our new 2014-2015 ASSU Executive!

ASSU council met on March 19th to elect five new Executive members for the coming academic year. The candidates gave impassioned speeches about the need for more support from the Faculty of Arts and Science, as well as a renewed focus on Course Union collaboration. The voting was extremely close due to quality of the candidates. Thank you to everyone who ran! As per the ASSU constitution, there will be two more Executive Members elected in late September.

PRESIDENT (Acclaimed)

Abdullah Shihipar

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Lisa Chen

Reid Dobell

Chrystal Gao

Dylan Chauvin-Smith

Thanks again to the wonderful candidates, and the ever-benevolent ASSU council.

ASSU Elections

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ASSU Council will be meeting to elect their new Executive Council for the 2014-2015 year on Wednesday March 19th at 4p.m. in SS2135.

The ASSU Executive is responsible for implementing policy initiated by Council, as well as working with Course Unions, the administration, and other campus groups to improve the academic life of students in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

The Executive is made up of seven members: one President, and six Executive members. Four of these Executive members are elected at this meeting, and two will be elected at the first ASSU council meeting in the next fall term.

Each Course Union will get two votes, one for their President or delegate, and one for their second council member. Current ASSU Executive members can also vote for candidates.

Here are the official statements from the candidates running for Executive:

 

Presidential Candidate (Acclaimed)

Abdullah Shihipar

Hi everybody. My name is Abdullah Shihipar and I am running to be your president.

Having served on ASSU for the past two years, I know the challenges we face as students in the Faculty of Arts and Science. We are privileged to be able to learn from some of the brightest minds in the world, however at the same time our academic experience is hindered by challenges the size of our faculty presents.

These past two years, together we have been able to accomplish a lot. We expanded our course union forum and increased cooperation, we worked with the faculty to tackle issues like private review sessions being hosted on campus, drop dates and syablli issues and collaborated to bring you events like Exam Jam. However, there is still a lot to do.

Inefficient course evaluations, flat fees and the declining quality of the educational experience in our faculty make it harder for students to earn a degree without facing significant academic, social and financial stresses. Taking a significant toll on their mental health. As president, I promise to first and foremost, listen to what you have to say and make sure your concerns are effectively represented at the decision making table. I wish to continue our productive relationship with the faculty, but I will also not hesitate to advocate for students on contentious issues.

Working together, we can overcome the obstacles we face in our quest for a better quality, affordable and accessible education for all.

 

Executive Candidates

Dylan Chauvin-Smith

I am running for re-election to the Arts and Science Students’ Union largely so that I can continue the work that I started this year and because my commitment to student issues hasn’t wavered.

If re-elected, my main focus will be the Syllabus Review Project that I initiated this academic year. The impetus of this project is to provide our executive team with the statistical data necessary to demonstrate the kinds of systemic policy compliance issues that are so often the subject of our advocacy to the Faculty administration.

I will continue to fight for a fairer fee structure, a better user interface for course evaluation results, and a more equitable academic environment. Additionally, I would like to explore how ASSU can adapt its structure and relationship to Course Unions, with the aim of improving our service to students in the Faculty.

I have been involved in various student organizations during my time at U of T, but my executive position on ASSU has offered me the best opportunity to make positive change for students. Please give me a chance to renew my commitment to Arts and Science students by voting for me.​

 

Lisa Chen

Hello ASSU council, I am running for re-election after a challenging but educational first year as an executive.  I am new to both U of T and ASSU, and my time as ASSU has helped me understand the university and its students better – be it through council meetings with their diversity of student groups or office hours where come in personally and voice their concerns about a professor or an assignment.  In this year I have re-vamped ASSU promotional posters for events such as Games Night and Exam Jam to better catch the attention of students and student unions alike.  I have also launched the meme-campaign to encourage students to donate past midterms and expand the test bank, using humor to remind students how their contributions can help other students.  In addition to promotional material, I have served as member on the ASSU scholarship committee where I have reviewed some truly exceptional students and was faced with the daunting task of selecting only one to receive the scholarship.  Serving as an executive on ASSU has allowed me to learn more about the student body and great diversity offered through our course unions, as well as personally connect and help students through office hours and travel grant requests.  I hope I will be given the opportunity to continue learning and connecting through a second term serving as a member of the ASSU executive.

 

Reid Dobell

My name is Reid Dobell and I’m running for a spot on the ASSU Executive. I’m currently in the second year studying International Relations and Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, but I’ve also taken courses in Math, Computer Science, and Economics. I have held leadership positions with multiple groups and clubs at the university, including serving as a NMCSU Executive for two years. I now manage the union’s finances and perform vice-presidential duties. I believe that this experience has prepared me to assume a greater leadership role. Aside from continuing the great initiatives of this year’s executive, my goals for the year ahead include:

  • Establishing a dialogue between ASSU and course unions to find innovative ways to increase attendance to CU events.
  • Increasing the funding and outreach support provided by ASSU for CUs seeking to engage their membership.
  • Promoting greater interaction between course unions by improving on the existing forum for executives to share ideas and information.

Additionally, having participated in the Faculty’s external review feedback session, I plan to actively advocate for the Faculty to act upon the recommendations of the report. I will work extensively with the Faculty to explore ways to innovate the first-year learning experience. I would also ask the Faculty to consider implementing a standardized feedback system for teaching assistants, much like the one that exists for professors. Thank you for taking the time to consider my statement.  I look forward to answering your questions at the next meeting.

 

Crystal Gao

My name is Crystal and I’m a first-year International Relations student. Though I’m still a fresh face on campus, I am running for an executive role on the ASSU because I have been dedicated to elevating student voice for the past few years.

As Vice-President of the largest school board senate in Canada, I represented the interests of 250,000 students. Last year, I organized and chaired two major city-wide student conferences at City Hall securing guests like the Minister of Education and Craig Kielburger, the founder of Free the Children. In 2013, I was selected as one of 20 TD Scholars across the country for my commitment to youth advocacy. As an ASSU executive, I wish to build on the great work that the ASSU team has accomplished thus far. I will continue to foster good relationships with student unions and ensure the academic concerns that matter most to our students are heard loud and clear. I will increase ASSU’s social media presence so that more students are aware of the valuable services that we provide.

Together, we can make a better academic experience for all students in the faculty.

 

Noor Kayyal (*”The first 250 words of the candidate statement is posted as per election rules”)

This time three years ago I was in sitting in my English class in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  My high school teacher started a class discussion on what magic was, and the ways in which it can be defined.  During that classroom discussion, my Saudi-British teacher advised something that has stayed with me since: “whatever you want to do, whatever dream you have, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Going to school the next day,

Next day coming to school I decided to look at every opportunity I had to get involved.

In those couple of weeks I joined 7 out of 10 clubs at school.

Extra-curricular became my priority, and school became secondary; and I loved it!

  • As the next year came by I made it a goal to continue being involved, with a balanced load however.  By the last two years of school i’ve gotten the honour to be a part of my favourite clubs:
  • President of the Student Council Captain of the basket ball team
  • Prefect Member
  • Executive President for Winter House

When I look back at high school, I credit the bliss of being part of such great committee and experiences in allowing me to defeat feeling overwhelmed.  I cannot begin to emphasize how important it is to have a support group, even more at u of t, where It’s really easy to indulge in stress.

It’s only been a good 8 months at school, I’ve found myself as

 

Celine Liu (*The first 250 words of the candidate statement is posted as per election rules)

Hey ArtSci buddies,

I am Celine Liu and I am a first year student here at UofT.  I am running for ASSU Executive for 2014-2015.

The reason why I am passionate about getting involved in ASSU is because I have benefited a lot after attending many great events course unions held and I want share my experience and encourage all my other ArtSci buddies to come together to create a better ArtSci community.

Short and Sweet, here are some goals I would like to achieve in the coming academic year:

(a) Make people care more about ASSU – The “Unofficial Anti-Calendar”

By establishing an open, online system, which allows ArtSci students to report any problems they have found in class to corresponding course unions, we can directly address students’ concerns about the course itself and the development of the faculty as a whole throughout their learning experience.

(2) Develop a more comprehensive course evaluation system – Call for “Course Evaluation Day”

By participating in F.O.C.U research group, I start to understand how important students feedback are to the development of ArtSci faculty itself. By creating a course evaluation day, it would be more effective for the faculty to collect students’ feedback

(3) ArtSci in business

Networking is important. After participating different events held by course unions, I have found career destinations is always the common concern for students in ArtSci. What job can I get after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts?

In the coming year, I will be working on providing course unions with more networking opportunities

 

 

 

 

ASSU By-Election Candidate Statements

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ASSU will be holding a by-election during the ASSU Council Meeting on November 20th.  Course Unions will be able to send two representatives to this election. Here are the statements from the candidates.

Charles Dalrymple-Fraser

The academic components of student life have been widely downplayed: we slave over textbooks, our assignments are due at the same time, and the groupwork’s a pain.  Yet, it has been my great fortune at UofT to be able to study what I love, and it’s been my passion to help others love what they study.  As a third-term executive and former president of the PCU, I’ve had a number of amazing opportunities to help improve the quality of the academic experience of students; but, these opportunities and the growth of our CU would not have manifested without the assistance of everyone at ASSU, and the resources they provide.

My name is Charles, and I’m a fourth-year student running for an executive seat on ASSU, so I can continue to work to improve the academic aspects of student life (and not just those of students in my home department).  Through my years at UofT, I’ve become intimate with the ASSU team, its procedures, and the many invaluable resources they provide, as well as its constituents and members, and I’ve naught but benefited from everything about those experiences.  It is my hope that you will allow me to bring these experiences – as a student and as a CU executive – to the ASSU team, to help continue its ever-upward momentum, to help enrich your own pursuits, and to bring back to mind the value of the academic experience.  If you have any questions at all, please do feel free to contact me.

 

Ben Coleman

Hello Course Unions!  My name is Ben Coleman, and I’m running as a Candidate for the ASSU Executive.

Before I explain why I can do a good job serving course unions and arts and science students, I should introduce myself.  I’m an Arts and Science student, from New College, in my third year of studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.  I have an odd, mixed accent, and I’m shockingly tall.  In my spare time, I’m Arts and Science director for the UTSU.

I’m interested in Arts & Science issues.  This summer, I made an ad-hoc twitter contest to see if anyone could make the course evaluations more pleasant to look through (shout-out to CSSU for joining in).

I take my responsibility seriously.  The only time I’ve missed a UTSU meeting was when I was doing fieldwork in middle-of-nowhere Saskatchewan and didn’t have internet.

I think an ASSU exec needs good communication skills.  Earlier in the year, I researched how much interest U of T was charging on late tuition payments, and landed on the radio being pitted against the University Registrar.  I made sure to diplomatically follow up with him to put us on good terms.  It worked.

I’ve met friends in class at an EEBU social, learned about banking from an ESA guest speaker, and have absorbed the history of Santa Claus parades from a HSA guest lecture.  I really appreciate how course unions improve students’ academic and social lives, and would love the chance to serve all of you.

Celine Liu

Hi everyone, I am Celine Liu and I am a first year Economics student.  In the past two months, I have seen many first –year students like me, who were experiencing academic stress and facing social activities anxiety.

After recognizing these common problems, I want to firstly, become a speaker who expresses our ongoing difficulties.  Secondly, becoming a negotiator who tries to arrive corresponding solutions with relevant departments at UofT.  Lastly, I want to be an advisor, letting more students know their concerns has been discussed, which they can now solve their problems with the support from UofT.

The desires of volunteering and helping other students in the UofT family have motivated me to run for the Arts and Science Student Union executive member.  I believe my fluency in different languages and active involvement in diverse clubs will help me to hear and represent the voices from everyone.  My skills of problem solving, which were developed from constant practices for debate and Model UN are also helpful when playing a role as a logical negotiator.  Moreover, my previous facilitation experience is helpful for organizing campaigns and events that aim at providing students with more useful suggestions and new assistance as a product of negotiation.

As a passionate learner, I will become a better listener, a negotiator and a speaker.  With your support, a sense of family will be achieved here at UofT.

 

 

ASSU Executive 2013-2014

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Congratulations to the incoming 2013-2014 ASSU Executive

On Wednesday, ASSU council met and elected their Executive Committee for the 2013-2014 year.

PRESIDENT

Shawn Tian

EXECUTIVE

Abdullah Shihipar
Dylan Chauvin-Smith
Leena Halees
Mohammed Ali Saeed

As per the ASSU constitution, two more Executive members will be elected in the Fall. Check back in the Fall for opportunities to get involved with ASSU.

 

ASSU Executive Elections

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ASSU Council will be meeting to elect their new Executive Council for the 2013-2014 year on Wednesday March 13th. The meeting will take place in Sidney Smith Hall, Room 2135 beginning at 5:00 pm.

The ASSU Executive is responsible for implementing policy initiated by Council, as well as working with Course Unions, the administration, and other campus groups to improve the academic life of students in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

The Executive is made of up of seven members: one President, and six Executive members. Four of these Executive members are elected at this meetings, and two will be elected at the first ASSU council meeting in the next fall term.

Each Course Union will get two votes, one for their President or delegate, and one for their second council member. Current ASSU Executive members can also vote for candidates.

Here are the official statements from the candidates running for Executive:

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Christopher Balette

My name is Christopher Balette.  I am a third year student in the economics specialist and mathematics minor program.  It would be an honour to be considered as your Arts and Science Students’ Union President.

As a course union executive, member of the ASSU Council, and member of the ASSU budget review committee, I have gained valuable experience and insights regarding academic issues faced by the student body.

If elected president I intend to address academic issues that matter to students.  First, I will push to improve upon the Credit/No Credit system by advocating for a penalty-free course retake policy.  Secondly, I will lobby to eliminate textbook purchases for courses where only small fractions of textbooks are used.

Furthermore, I will work to improve upon the great services ASSU offers to course unions and students.  I will streamline the course union budget process by posting budget guidelines on the ASSU website, clarifying budget category constraints, and creating a FAQ section.  In addition, I will also integrate the ASSU website with other social media to maximize communications reach regarding ASSU services, course union announcements and union transparency.

Finally, I intend to increase communications between ASSU council, Arts and Science Governing Council, and other university organizations.  I will bring issues addressed by ASSU Council and students to these organizations, and report back regularly to ASSU members through electronic means and council meetings.

On March 13th, I encourage you to consider me for ASSU President.  Thank you for your consideration.  Cheers.


Shawn Tian

Reflecting on the past 2 years serving as an Executive member on ASSU has helped me appreciate the unique role that ASSU and course unions serve. Working on the Budget Review Committee has shown me the creativity of Course Union’s initiative in engaging students. Deliberating with the Scholarship Review Committee has shown me the outstanding merit of undergraduate students.

Looking forward I hope to establish a presence on Faculty Council. I am adamant about maintaining the constructive nature of discussion with the Deans’ office and offering students a relatable perspective in being informed. ASSU’s mandate remains to focus on the academic concerns facing undergraduate students in the faculty and I want to stay true to our roots.

Flat fee schedule or not, Anti-calendar printed or online, Meric Gertler president or dean, my intent to do ASSU’s best to serve students will persist. Experience with ASSU gave me the insight to understand what makes us unique and what scope of influence we have in advocacy. Genuine concern gave me the perspective to see what truly troubles students the most. Your support will give me the means to make this happen, one small step at a time, one constructive discourse at a time and one successful course union event at a time.

Stay positive, stay true, stay ASSU.

 

EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES (ACCLAIMED)

Dylan Chauvin-Smith

My name is Dylan Chauvin-Smith and I am a third year student in English and Cinema Studies.  I am interested in running for ASSU so that I can expand my volunteer work for students. The academic focus of ASSU will be a fresh experience for me.  My commitment to students began when I joined the executive of LGBTOUT last year and continued when I worked for the UTSU as associate Vice President Campus Life responsible for events.  As an avid and ever-curious student, I relish the opportunity to work on academic issues.  Please consider me for the executive of the Arts and Science Student Union.

 

Leena Halees

Hello.  My name is Leena Halees and I am running for the Arts and Science Student Union executive member.  I am a first year student studying Peace & Conflict studies.  I have had largely active and essential roles working with a diverse number of student leadership societies and community involvement organizations ranging from the athletics, the arts, and the academics.  My passion is to volunteer and help others in hopes to make a positive difference.  My goal is to contribute and express my ideas on behalf of the majority of students here at the University of Toronto making sure any concerns or issues are voiced and taken care of to the best of my ability.  With your support, I will do whatever it takes to make it happen and I assure you I am exactly what this community needs to ensure success and prosperity.  Thank you for your consideration.

 

Mohammed Ali Saeed

As your executive for ASSU in the coming academic year, I will be able to continue my work in a better way on projects I have already been working on.  I was working as an associate with VP University Affairs at UTSU and have strong background on advocacy related work, part of ASSU’s job on campus.

I was working on a research paper extensively which will be submitted to the university administration soon regarding ‘drop credit’.

I have worked on credit/no credit option for courses earlier and plan on continuing my lobbying and advocacy with the university administration.  So if you’re looking for a candidate with strong past experiences of working, negotiating and lobbying with university administration, please vote for me and I can assure you will not disappointed with me serving you in ASSU as your executive next term.

 

Abdullah Shihipar

Hey everybody!  My name is Abdullah Shihipar and I’m running to be reelected to the position of executive for next year at ASSU.  This year, working with the rest of the executive and course unions, we were able to achieve a lot.  This year, working with you, I was able to run a successful inter course union food drive and made sure your events were promoted on our new facebook page

We also together created a course union facebook page to facilitate dialogue between the course unions.  I was also close to signing Justin Timeberlake but alas, the deal fell apart at the last minute.  The communist newspaper people scared him away.  Next year, I plan to continue the good relationship we have with course unions, by continuing to promote your events, host more socials to facilitate course union cooperation and include you in our broader campaigns.

In our quest for a better quality education, we face a lot of roadblocks; flat fees, large class sizes and things like Access Copyright stand in our way.  Working together, we can make ASSU stronger and overcome those obstacles to achieve the standard of education we deserve.