Board of directors candidate platforms

Sunny Chan

My platform for the WLUSU board of directors is to represent the students of Wilfrid Laurier University to the best of my abilities. I will do this by ensuring WLUSU is sustainable, fiscally prudent, socially aware and accountable to its membership by providing good governance.

Andrew Chudnovsky

My name is Andrew Chudnovsky, a third year honors political science major. I have been involved in many WLUSU initiatives including O-Week, L.U.C.K, Legal Resources, and Winter Carnival. If elected I aim to “Bring the Student back into the Student’s Union.” By this I mean making the union more accountable to the students, more transparent, and creating an atmosphere where students have the ability to become knowledgeable about what the students union is doing for them.

Jonathan Collaton

Being a current member of the Board, I know that one Director alone cannot possibly know the concerns of the entire student body. It takes a group of Directors with a variety of experiences all around the Laurier campus to ensure that the Board is truly speaking for the students it represents. I am a student who has been involved in a variety of volunteer experiences both inside and outside of WLUSU in my three and a half years at Laurier and I believe that with these experiences I can responsibly represent the Laurier community.

I have not set any specific platform goals because I want to be able to dedicate my time, if elected, to issues that students bring forward to the Board. I have some interesting ideas about study space on campus and WLUSU involvement in academics but ideally I will work towards the needs of students.

Zach Desson

If elected to the WLUSU Board of Directors, my main priority will be to improve the transparency of Board actions for all Laurier students. I believe that the Union should act on behalf of the students that it represents and will work to make that a reality. Through co-operation with WLU Student Publications and an active presence on campus, I will make the activities of the WLU Student’s Union more accessible to all of its members. Improving transparency is an integral step to ensuring that all members of the Board of Directors and the WLUSU President are held accountable for their decisions by the Laurier student body. As a member of the Board, I will work to represent each and every student at Laurier.

Luke Dotto

Listen, other candidates are going to promise you everything in your wildest dreams, but my promise is better, because mine is real. My promise is the only one that anyone can follow through on, that if elected to your Board of Directors, I will do everything within my best power to advocate for your needs. I’d like to bring Brantford students into our advocacy efforts, I’d like to create ends policy for our lobbyists to hold them accountable and give them direction, I’d like to create statements of position to help guide our Management Group, and I’d like to conduct research on the proliferation of ancillary fees and how they are used as a windfall for the Administration. And most importantly, I’d like you to vote for Luke Dotto to be on your Board of Directors. Go Hawks!

Scott Fleming

I believe in accountability and transparency when dealing with political and financial decisions. Students also need to be kept abreast of issues before the board and how the board is voting. On the issues: for housing I will support the proposed rental housing licensing program that would improve living standards for students and make land lords more accountable. I support the A.C. Extension but hope to avoid the budget overages that harassed the terrace extension and hope to spend my term making Laurier a better place. The best part about Laurier is how involved the students are in everyday life and I hope to continue that into the future and would love to support more programs dedicated to that end. For more information see About.me/ScottFleming.

Noah Habtemichael

Hey Laurier, my name is Noah Habtemichael. I am in my fourth year majoring in Political Science. If elected I fully expect to make your voices heard not just figuratively but literally. I will work to improve relations between WLUSU and the student body as a whole. Having the experience of working as a LOCUS OCA and student advisor with the JAC, this has allowed me to come in regular contact the student body. I believe that with hard work and dedicated people in place the board will be a model of efficiency. There WILL be accountability and transparency that will lead my platform. Every dollar spent should be explained and justified, no more wasteful spending. I am excited for the opportunity to represent you and make Waterloo and Brantford campuses the best it can be. On February 2nd- 3rd vote NOAH HABTEMICHAEL for WLUSU Board of Directors.

Nick Nyhof

As President of House Council, member of Inter-Residence Council, and a BBA major, I’ve worked hard for every community I’m a part of – serving Laurier is my next goal.

As a member of the Board of Directors, I plan to focus on improving relations between the Board and the students by seeking out input directly, through face-to-face interaction. The majority of students are disconnected from the organization and unsure of how or why it operates – this cannot continue.

Being the primary stakeholders in WLUSU, students deserve to know the Ends of the Union and how they represent the student interests. Through Board open forums, we can allow active engagement of the students. Engaging the students in every stage of the strategic process is essential as it allows the Board to fully represent the students, make goals public, and assess their performance.

Your union should represent your interests. Not define them.

Chris Oberle

Hi, my name is Chris Oberle. I am a fourth year student pursuing a double degree in History and Political Science. I am currently a member of the WLU Senate and President of CICDA (Council for the Intellectual and Cultural Development of the Arts). I am involved in several clubs around campus including the History Students Association and Political Science Association. If re-elected to the WLUSU Board of Directors I will work towards increasing communication between the Union and the student body. I will continue to advocate and use my experience to represent Laurier students to the best of my ability while ensuring that WLUSU is accountable and transparent. Finally I will work to ensure that Laurier students have increased access to services and opportunities available through WLUSU. Vote Chris Oberle for WLUSU Board of Directors. Check out my Facebook group “Oberle for WLUSU BOD.’

Tom Papanastasiou

As a current director, I bring experience as well as knowledge on how the WLUSU operates. In my first year on the Board, I was elected onto the Strategic Planning Committee and Ends Policy Review committee. For next year, I plan to take this knowledge and experience gained and advocate on a grander scale.

As a student going into my third year in the BBA Program at Laurier, I’ve had the pleasure to meet a number of different students, either through school, intramurals, or social events. Understanding how important their voices are, I aim to improve their experience by advocating to improve Laurier Wireless, restructuring OneCard meal plans, as well as adding and improving study spaces on campus.

Bill Papanastasiou

As a double-degree student studying business and mathematics, I can bring about ideas from the University of Waterloo that would be beneficial to the student body at Laurier. The ambitious attitude that I possess and diligent work ethic that I continue to show are both testament to the effort that I can demonstrate as a board of director. I am one who constantly strives to capitalize on their endeavours without a complacent mindset and thus, will provide my utmost commitment to providing students their needs.

Understanding the importance of satisfying the student body, the goals that I aim to accomplish as a member of the board will bring positive change to the university. My immediate concerns are the following: internet service, congestion at the athletic complex, communication from the board to students, and meal plan terms and conditions. On February 2 & 3, 2011 vote Bill Papanastasiou for WLUSU Board of Directors!

Jon Pryce

My name is Jon Pryce and I’m a third year Honours Political Science and History student. If I am reelected to the WLUSU Board of Directors I will ensure that transparency, practicality and communication are always being enforced. I feel that students have the right to know what is going on in their Union, and therefore the Union should make a conscious effort to grasp their attention. I will ensure that the Board has a realistic outlook in any initiatives or decisions that it makes. And lastly, I am committed to ensuring that Board Directors meet on a frequent basis, hold open forums for students to voice their concerns, and communicate properly with management.

Alex Reinhart

Hi, I’m Alex Reinhart. I am a second year History and Political Science student. If elected to the WLUSU Board of Directors, I would advocate for the rights and needs of all students, in both Brantford and Waterloo.

Communication with the students: I would focus largely on increasing the communication between the board and students. Manage the budget responsibly: I plan to provide a transparent budget, as well as ensure student input on spending.

Individual accountability and collective responsibility: I would make use of the WLUSU website to create transparency among the board. As a result, all members of the board would be accountable for their decisions.

Reallocate funding to services: I would attempt to reallocate funding towards WLUSU services. I would work to create an Emergency Response Team at Brantford, as well as increase the accessibility and sustainability of current services.

Ryan Sher

Your WLU experience
How can we make your student life better? It’s this simple question that makes reasons why the student voice needs to be heard. As Laurier students, we all take responsibility for the actions around our campuses. We need to stand up together to make sure our voice is loud and strong.
Student Issues

How long must the same issues brought forth by the student body remain unexpressed? Lack of study spaces, cuts to classes and poor internet are just several of the many issues still present on our campus that continue to go unnoticed.

Action

Actions take place on a higher political stage, Board of Directors. The Board of Director responsibility is for all aspects of student representation. Do you know who is representing you now on the Board?

My name is Ryan Sher; I care about this university and the students that come from it. How can we change it? I want to know.

Jenny Solda

My name is Jenny Solda, I’m a third year business student running for
re-election for Board of Directors. Over the past three years Laurier
has become my home and the students within it my family, I see the
board as a chance to be the voice of a community I care so much about.
After a term already on the board I can say with confidence that I
have what it takes to ensure that student needs are brought to the
forefront of every decision. My promise to you if re-elected is I will
be honest, I will be approachable, and every vote I cast will be for
the students.

Max Tremaine

First and foremost a delegate, I will represent the thoughts and opinions of Laurier’s student body. I vow to keep a sober, rational outlook and an eye for waste when considering new projects. With transparency as my mandate, social networking tools will be central to my campaign and position. WLUSU should be a stepping stone rather than a tripping block, giving power to our clubs by preventing unnecessary expenditure. Max Tremaine is… whatever you need him to be.

Chris Walker

Both WLUSU and the University have a role to play when it comes to providing for the needs of students, but it is up to WLUSU to hold the University accountable to their obligations and maximize the return on investment for you, the owners. When it comes to minimal study space, over enrolment, growing class sizes, and many other issues pertaining to life at Laurier, your WLUSU has to be your advocate. In addition, communication to and from students is at a deficit and must be improved to better engage and inform students. Furthermore, students should know who is working for them and who to contact when they have concerns. This can be accomplished by the Board and the Management Group having a more public presence on campus. Your WLUSU, your issues, your representative. Visit me on Facebook at “Pryce and Walker.”

Adam Warner

As an outspoken individual my primary goal is to be the voice of the student body, representing their opinions and concerns. First and foremost I am declaring war on doosh baggery and the old wasteful ways of spending student’s money. I am not afraid to ask questions regarding decisions being made and will ensure that all decisions made by the board will be the result of rationale thinking and spirited discussion. I will give a voice to fiscal restraint and end wasteful spending. It is essential that a Director on this board bring to the table an open mind yet also have the willingness to point out unnecessary and excessive actions. Adam Warner represents you, he is a voice of reason. Vote Adam Warner and all your wildest dreams will come true.