KSA By-Election: CONSTITUENCY REPRESENTATIVES
The Kwantlen Student Association is holding a by-election to fill several unoccupied positions on Council. Polls will be open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm on Oct. 17 and 18. Here are the candidates running to represent various constituencies recognized by the KSA.
KSA By-Election: CONSTITUENCY REPRESENTATIVES
Sarah Strachan, Anthropology student
Running for: Aboriginal Students Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I thought it would be a good experience, as well as I was hoping to reach out to other Aboriginal students and get to know them better. I was also trying to figure out some programs and stuff that we could do together.
Why should people vote for you?
I’m really interested in and dedicated to the Aboriginal community. I just recently found out about my culture and who I am. I’m still exploring that, and I thought maybe there were other people out there doing the same thing and we could do it together.
What experience would you bring to the position?
I’m working at the Aboriginal Gathering Place right now. I also just got a position at the Future Students Office as the Aboriginal Ambassador there.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
Not that I can think of at the moment. I’m still figuring it out.
Bruce Ferguson
Running for: Aboriginal Students Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I’ve been a student for like two years and one of the things I find interesting is that the campuses are spread out so far that Native students haven’t had a chance to really come together in any kind of community. So my main priority would be to sit down and be available for students who have ideas, and I’m also interested in talking to non-Native students about their ideas. I want ideas that build friendships and allyship.
Why should people vote for you?
I think because I have a lot to offer. I have a lot of experience in the Native community in Vancouver and Victoria and I can bring that to the table.
What experience would you bring to the position?
I’ve done a lot of work with community organizations throughout the years. I was on the Board of Native Housing for a lot of years and learned a lot through that process.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
I would really like to see a very visible Native student community, and then the rest can take care of itself, because we have some very wise Native people around here which I appreciate very much.
Emily Haugen, Business student
Running for: Aboriginal Students Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I feel like on campus there’s a lack of inclusivity not only within the Aboriginal community but also with students at large. I feel like everyone could be a lot more involved in this school rather than just doing the come to school, do what you have to do and then leave at the end of class. I think getting involved really makes the most of your experience here and I want everyone to really be able to have that experience and leave here with something more than just an education.
Why should people vote for you?
I think based on my platform and the fact that I’m passionate about making these events and promoting inclusivity.
What experience would you bring to the position?
I have a little bit of political experience. I haven’t done any involvement with Kwantlen yet because I just finished my first year. I was part of the Cloverdale Langley Constituency Youth Council last year for the 2016-2017 term so I learned a lot about how to work within that political system and the constraints of that.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
I think that everyone needs to be more involved so I’d like to support that and figure out how to make that happen.
Mamanjot Kaur, Biology student
Running for: International Students Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I just want to stand for international students and their issues. Sometimes they’re [too] shy to speak up. I could easily speak up for students in their own language because I’m an international student. I know what they are going through and what their needs are.
Why should people vote for you?
I have that leadership quality and I love to talk to people and learn new things. I have been in orientations in spring and fall and I like linking with them and talking to people.
Another thing is that I want to run for the position to bring new motivation to the people, especially international students, to represent KPU internationally in every community.
What experience would you bring to the position?
I have been volunteering since I was a student here, since January 2016, so I have good experience, especially with talking to people and meeting them. I’m also going for the global buddy program at KPU, so I have experience with these things and sitting in meetings and stuff.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
Many international students are quite shy. They’re not sure about the things here and when they get into trouble [and] they don’t know how to get out of it because they’re not totally aware about something. I just want to bring more awareness for them and I want to ease the shy thing with them so they can get involved in student life here. It shouldn’t be work and studies and that’s it. They can also bring student life things, so there should be more international events for students. I think they lack that student life here.
Manpreet Singh, Entrepreneurial Leadership student
Running for: International Student Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I came here last semester and I was volunteering with the street team and I heard about the {KSA] Council and I was intrigued by it, and I did more research and more digging. I looked at the posts that were available for students that wanted to represent and I saw that they were looking for [an] International Students Representative, and that fit most right with me. I decided to give it a try.
Why should people vote for you?
Why they should vote for me, besides the fact that I’m fun and funny, I’m a nice guy and easy to get along with but I also feel that, apart from all of that, there is something I can give back to the community and I feel that I’m a people’s guy.
When I came [to KPU] initially, I felt out of place and I was trying very hard to fit into the flock. I want to make it easier between domestic students and international students to break the ice because I feel that international students will have a tough time going out and talking to anyone, and domestic students won’t know how to make an approach.
What experience would you bring to the position?
Back in high school I was a prefect … and I definitely recognize myself as a leader.
Also, I have joined a program that is hosted by Esso and Exxon Mobil. They held an entrepreneurial program at school and I was in that. I represented my school along with a few of my school mates and we did pretty well. So [through that program] I got experience on how to run an organization.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
If I’m elected I could host a workshop or something, or a small party where I invite both international people and domestics to get to know each other.
I’d like to see international students get more involved on campus, because I feel that they are lacking that experience and I feel that this is a very good way for them to build a Canadian experience, because it all starts from being on campus.
Munir Khalid-Dossa, Policy Studies and Political Science student
Running for: Students of Colour Representative
Why are you running for this position?
I’ve gotten really involved in the KSA in this position. I really think that it’s something I want to really continue. It’s just been a privilege and an honour so far helping the plight of students of colour and I think there’s so much more that the KSA can achieve with that in terms of secure spaces and really having students of colour feel welcome on campus, more or less making it a fun atmosphere on campus too. That’s the main reason I wanted to re-run.
Why should people vote for you?
I have held this position since the AGM [in March], so I’ve gotten to learn the ropes about how the KSA functions, what we can realistically do and what we can’t do. If students were to elect me, continuing in this position, I think I would have a much easier time getting events done and being able to represent students of colour on campus.
I have had [Students of Colour Collective] meetings and I’ve gotten people to register for the SOCC, and I’ve gotten more voices and more of a dialogue going about what students of colour want on campus, because it’s such a diverse group and such a large group in Kwantlen. Since I’ve held this position, I’ve gotten a bit more well-versed in that end, seeing what students want and what their needs and desires are with the KSA.
What experience would you bring to the position?
I’ve been involved with clubs at Kwantlen. I was one of the co-founders, Treasurer, of ESAAK and I also served as the president of the Environmental Sustainability Academic Association of Kwantlen. I’ve done a lot of volunteering with nonprofits, and my roles there have always been helping to facilitate communication and planning events, and it’s always been for marginalized populations, so people of colour, people with self-identified barriers. That’s kind of the experience I’m bringing.
What would you like to change about student politics if you are elected?
I’d like to see more students involved in committees. Honestly, we always have so many vacant student positions on committees and even with the students who do apply to sit on committees, there’s always a low turnout for those students. So I’d really like to get students more involved in committees and more involved in the KSA. It’s our student association. We need to take some pride in it as well and be as involved as we can be to make it a better organization and make the school better.
KSA By-Election: CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVES
KSA By-Election: FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES
