1. What do you think is the most important issue on campus and how do you plan to address it?

Student representation on building projects. For future development projects in Gage South and general student spaces, it is important to include student and alumni voices in groups that have actual decision-making power, not just poorly conducted consultation sessions. Spaces like the new SUB, the Alumni Centre, and the Engineering Student Centre have included students and alumni in all aspects of the projects and have resulted in flexible space designs the users are very happy with. I will work to leverage these precedents and my strong working relationship with administration to make sure that student and alumni input is not just heard, but acted upon.

2. As one of only three student representatives on the Board of Governors, how will you ensure that the student perspective is heard?

If elected, I will promptly schedule time to sit down with clubs from across campus to reach as many students as possible. I can’t promise baked goods and weekly barbeques, but I will commit myself to reaching out beyond the standard meeting requirements to undergraduate societies, the AMS executive, student senators, student interest groups, Greeks and any other group with a particular concern.

3. What is your position on Gage South?

I am concerned with the nuts and bolts of the issue: if student or faculty/staff housing, both of which are desperately needed, is to be built in the area, leases need to be carefully drafted such that they cannot transition to market housing at a later date. From a planning perspective, examples like the proposed Aquatic Centre replacement neglected perfectly viable and potentially better alternatives such as renovation. Instead of the administration simply presenting and defending their proposals, I will work with other students to push from the Board level to continue consultations with all relevant voices being heard and actually considered.

4.  In recent years, student BoG members have often abstained from votes on tuition increases. Would you abstain on tuition votes? How would you push UBC to make education affordable?

I don’t believe it would be responsible for any member of the BoG to decide how to vote before reviewing all relevant facts. The Board makes long-term decisions for which all viewpoints, stakeholders [and] possible outcomes must be very carefully considered. I will make my voting decisions on all topics when I feel that I am as well-versed on a given topic as I can be from both the student and administration viewpoints.

On the point of affordability, I strongly agree with increasing financial aid for students, whether academic, need, or participation-based. One very interesting possibility would be to help develop Enriched Educational Experiences (official university recognition of students’ participation in extracurricular activities) to include a stipend or bursary for successful completion of a module. Students could receive payment for their extracurriculars.

(+2 rating, 1 votes)

 Loading ...