Eric Zhao, Marjan Hatai, Jenna Omassi, Gurvir Sangha and Aaron Bailey came out victorious in the Senate race.
Overall, all newly elected senators shared the same level of excitement and appreciation.
“I feel very excited [and] accomplished,” said Hatai. “I’m looking forward for the year to come and I can’t wait to make some tangible changes. Thank you so much for voting for me. I’m so excited to actually make an impact and follow through on my goals and make a change at UBC in the academic atmosphere.”
Sangha is also excited to try his hand at politics and student government.
“It’s very surreal,” said Sangha. “This is my first time in the AMS level of politics. I think the one common thing that every senator has said is that Senate is very slow-moving so the faster I can get the training wheels off, the better. I’m so excited to serve you next year.”
Omassi, who was also elected VP academic, is excited to combine her experience in both roles to make change.
“I’m feeling great,” said Omassi. “I’m very excited for the year ahead. I think that VP academic and Senate are going to be a great combination. It’s going to mean that Senate can be effective outside of the Senate doors. There’s not much happening outside, so I’m excited to actually start initiatives and carry them on to tie into what’s going on in Senate.”
Amongst the new student senators, Zhao was relatively more relaxed about being elected to another term in the Senate.
“I’m feeling great -- relaxed,” said Zhao. “It doesn’t feel like a huge change because it’s the same continuity, and for us, it’s kind of just a celebration, but I’ve really enjoyed this election period."
Bailey, who was elected AMS president in the same night, also secured his seat in the Senate for a second term.
“Honestly, it was a good fight by both sides of the campaign,” said Bailey. “I’m very happy with the efforts that we put forth and they came through in the last couple of minutes. It was close.”
As Bailey will soon enter his fifth year here at UBC, he offered advice for upcoming students.
“In four years, if you’re a first year student listening to this now -- this could be you,” said Bailey. “Start working.”
Bailey thanked the public and promised to successfully fulfill his new role as both senator and AMS president.
“I’m going to make the AMS something that people actually care about," said Bailey. “There’s literally no reason we have a building that’s worth $135 million if people don’t give a shit about what we’re doing next year. Next year is going to be the pivotal year for the AMS and for the next 65 years, if you don’t make a good first impression the first twelve months, it’s going to be our fault, and I’m going to ensure that doesn’t happen.”