Onyekachukwu Odenigbo is running for the Board of Governors to push for increased financial and housing support for students.
Odenigbo is a PhD student in civil engineering who currently sits on the Graduate Student Society (GSS) Finance Committee. Before coming to UBC for his PhD, Odenigbo worked as a lecturer in Nigeria, which he said kept him in touch with student needs.
“I was involved in student affairs, seeing what they were going through and how more solutions could be provided.”
Odenigbo said his motivation to run for Board stemmed from a desire to work for the broader university community.
“All my life has been for service … it gives me this joy and this sense of pride that I am giving back to my community when it has given so much to me,” he said.
One of Odenigbo’s priorities is addressing affordability, with a focus on rent and wages.
He said UBC could increase its financial aid, particularly related to housing. He mentioned the GSS Financial Aid program — which can cover rent and living expenses — as a model UBC could follow.
“I believe UBC as a university … could also provide housing financial aid for students across campus,” he said. “No matter how little it is, it’ll help out." UBC offers a one-time $2,700 grant for first-year students to support their on-campus housing costs.
Odenigbo said, if elected, he would focus on increasing the wages of teaching and research assistants and research stipends.
“If the prices of rent, of school, is increasing … they should push for an increase in the income of students.”
He noted that Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 2278, the union that represents teaching assistants on campus, has pushed for higher wages, but that it would be useful to have someone on the Board advocating for that as well.
Odenigbo also mentioned decreasing transit wait times on campus as a priority. Rapid transit planning is part of Campus Vision 2050, a land use plan that the Board oversees, but negotiating with TransLink does not fall under the Board’s purview.
To engage students in Board decision making, Odenigbo said he would try to leverage UBC email lists for monthly communications on the key decisions the Board had made as well as a preview of key issues being considered over the next month.
“I believe communication is key, I believe that would give students a sense of belonging … [to] know what is happening,” he said.
He also said that while the Board consults with students on issues like tuition increases, he would push for student opinion, when sought, to be followed.
“There should be a threshold mark, if [student support or opposition] gets above 80 per cent that has to be respected. It’s not just about sending surveys out,” he said.
During debates, Odenigbo displayed knowledge of UBC's finances, but seemed to be less familiar with other policies the Board is responsible for overseeing.
Odenigbo is running against Kareem Hassib, Sultana Razia, Leonard Wang and current AMS President Eshana Bhangu.
Follow us at @UbysseyNews on Twitter and follow our election coverage starting February 27. This article is part of our 2023 AMS Elections coverage.