Jenna Omassi is a fifth-year international relations student originally from Montréal. She has worked her way through the levels of student government and social life since arriving at UBC in second year. Having held positions such as president of the Arts Undergraduate Society and AMS VP Academic and University Affairs, she is running for a second term as a student senator.
Describe your platform and what sets it apart from your opposition in a few sentences.
My platform is categorized in two areas. The first is mental health and well-being, working with the academic policy committee, the curriculum committee and the teaching and learning committee … to prompt a university scheduling review to happen. I will be working in the last year of the triennium to actually embed pieces and considerations of mental health and well-being into other areas of Senate and to ensure that Senate endorses it and ensures the continuity of mental health and well-being as being a core priority. The second is looking at the Senate-Board of Governors relationship, specifically in regards to tuition. The issue is that the Board of Governors doesn’t actually have any knowledge about curriculum, so for them to truly understand the value of a program is problematic.
How have you been involved with the AMS before, and how will this help you?
I’m currently the AMS VP Academic and University Affairs, a current student senator and chair of the ad hoc Senate committee on student mental health. I’m one of two returning senators in this race. I have a very robust understanding of the Senate, not just because I’m a student senator, but because my job as VP Academic and University Affairs is to get Senate. [My job] is to do the background work that Senate needs to actually put things forward and to advocate to governing bodies on student’s behalf. In terms of my understanding of Senate, I probably have a better understanding than any other senators in the race.
What are the challenges facing this position in the upcoming year?
I think the main challenge is this is the third year of the triennium. That means that senators have been working for two years and in the third year they go, “Oh no, we have a year left and we need to do this.” This is one of these years when things are going to get done. There’s a ton of things to do and not so much time. I think the main challenge is going to be actually getting things done.c
Who is the most important body or person you need to collaborate with in this position, and how will you foster a relationship with them?
If we’re talking about mental health and well-being, the most important person to be connecting with is Dr. Paul Harrison in the Faculty of Science. He has been instrumental in ensuring that student senators had the tools to bring forward the framework on student mental health and well-being, and is the chair of the academic policy committee. Continuing to work hand-in-hand with Dr. Paul Harrison is the most important thing that we student senators will do.
What three committees would you like to sit on as a senator, and why?
I would like to continue on as chair of the ad hoc committee on student mental health and well-being. I’d like to sit on the academic policy committee — a lot of the changes in terms of university scheduling will be coming to the committee and I think having a background in all the research that we’ve done at the AMS surrounding everything from a fall reading break to withdrawal period, would be really important. I’d like to stay on the library committee. This committee discusses a lot of really important issues that students and faculty members don’t always think about and is a forum for the discussion surrounding open educational resources.
Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.