WLUSU board of directors platforms
Alicia Appleby
As a candidate for Board of Directors I feel that I have many creative and innovative contributions to offer. My main goal is to create a more
collaborative multi campus university, working off each other’s strengths.
Laurier campuses have much to offer their students and I have learned that there is no singular approach to how we provide student services. I believe I will be able to bring fresh ideas and a unique perspective to ensure that everyone feels included. I will bring my transferrable skills from my previous positions within WLUSU and student affairs. I hope to offer open communication between our campuses and bring my skills to Board of Directors to help ensure our student’s voices are heard.
Alex Balint
I am a big advocate for Ownership Linkage at Laurier, maintaining a strong connection between students and WLUSU. Staying directly in touch with students every day is important to ensure WLUSU is always meeting the expectations and demands of the students. Providing a safe and empowering environment is essential through the various services our school has to offer. To build on these I will promote increased attention to the awareness and support of mental health for students. I will make certain that our school’s resources are sufficiently and suitably being applied to the four ends to keep life at Laurier everything a student wants it to be, and always moving forward.
Matt Casselman
I am a BBA student who is involved on campus as a member of various clubs including the Debate Society, Farmers Market, and Best Buddies. As a Director on the Board, I will focus on four themes of increasing student voice, improving campus experience, increasing fiscal responsibility, and improving information distribution. Please allow me to defend the interests of a community I care so much about.
If elected I will work to address each point in my full platform and champion student interests as a strong advocate in and out of the board room. Your concerns about frivolous spending, accountability, campus clubs, service and facility hours, and more, will have a stronger voice than ever before. For more information please visit www.facebook.com/CasselmanForWLUSU or email cass9720@mylaurier.ca
Marek Chovin
Greetings fellow students here at Laurier, my name is Marek Chovanec, but most know me as Drigg. I am a third year Honours Psychology: Research Specialist Student and this is my first time running for the WLUSU Board of Directors position. I believe in justice, learning, responsibility and improvement. If I get the honour of being elected, I want to enforce the above at Laurier through acting as a liaison between the WLUSU and the Faculty of Science as well as ALL of the faculties by committing myself to addressing the issues that students may have: accessible study space, reliable internet all over, 24 hour accessibility and more. Making student life a positive experience towards a better future is my goal; the future is friendly.
Jazz Clement
Passionate about making a difference here at Laurier, and being involved within the community, I see the changes that need to be addressed. If elected as board of director, I will ensure that I understand and am knowledgeable about important elements of WLUSU such as, the ends policy, executive limitations, committee work, and holding the president accountable.
Furthermore, I believe in communication, connection, and change. Through communication, I want to tie the missing link between the students and the union. Through connection, I want to ensure that all students are connected and feel part of the union.
Most importantly I want change, a change in us… a change in our student union and change in how you view yourselves as the student union.
Sebastian Dudek
Falling GPA’s, growing class sizes, lack of study space … what do these issues all have in common? They all affect the students at Laurier. My name is Sebastian Dudek and if elected for the Board of Directors I pledge to advocate for the issues that affect every student who attends Laurier As the owners and shareholders of WLUSU, it is up to us to set our expectations for the union and up to the board to ensure they are met. If elected I will actively work with management to ensure that every goal we set is met and exceeded. So on February 1st vote for Sebastian Dudek, on February 1st vote for accountability.
Jordan Epstein
My name is Jordan Epstein and I’m a third year Kinesiology student. I have been involved in the Students’ Union in the Campus Clubs, Programming, and Services departments. I will use the experiences gained through the diversity of my activities within WLUSU to better represent students in the boardroom.
My main goal as a potential director is to increase accessibility, communication, and transparency of what occurs in the boardroom. I feel I have already started working towards this goal by live-tweeting about what happens during meetings as a guest.
Having missed only one Board of Directors meeting since I started attending them in September, students on both campuses can count on me to consistently represent them and ensure that their voices are heard.
Dejan Eskic
If elected to the board, I wish to take on the role of a trustee for the benefit of the student body. WLUSU exists to benefit students and as a director I will vote on issues and contribute to discussions that affect everyone’s experience at Laurier. I will cooperate with the board in coming up with a strategic direction; giving the president the goals we want him to accomplish and allowing him to determine how.
The main goal I have for WLUSU and of course the president and board is: To provide a safe and empowering environment – I wish to provide a liaison between organizations like Bacchus and Foot Patrol to produce a more efficient student safety initiative. I want students to feel at home because, frankly, it is for most of the year. Communication between students and governance is key in finding issues and establishing ways of fixing them.
Scott Fleming
I believe student government needs to be accountable and transparent; particularly when dealing with political and financial issues. I also believe that the status quo should be questioned when necessary. With the dissolution of the BCC I plan on focusing on Board outreach to the Brantford campus. Every Student is an owner of WLUSU and I intend in promoting that knowledge.
Stephen Franchetto
My platform is based on accessibility, advocacy, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. The following is what each means to me: Accessibility means being available through mediums that enable prompt responses to your concerns or feedback and through ownership linkage events. Advocacy means working on behalf of students to continuously improve the student experience at Laurier, being knowledgeable of the issues students face, and accounting for all students (not just a select group) when making decisions. Accountability, I will be results oriented, and work with the Board and Management Group to ensure we follow through on campaign promises. Fiscal Responsibility, I will ensure that every dollar of your money is spent purposefully and responsibly. It’s your WLUSU, on February 1st, it’s your choice. Vote Franchetto.
Dannel Cartwright-Jordan
I am Dannel Cartwright Jordan, a Laurier Brantford student running for the board. With the recent eradication of the Brantford Campus Council and the possibility of structure changes it has become more important then ever that Brantford has a voice in the Board of Directors. I will represent the needs of the students as a member of the board with particular attention to quiet study space and safety, but intend to remain open to all students from both campuses for input. My goal is to bridge the gap between the two
Hannah Lee
My goal is to focus on Communication and Accessibility (of information) to enhance WLU experience.
Management: Provide further tools for training and development at the management level in WLUSU establishments to improve the level of efficiency for both customer and employee satisfaction. Health Services/Counseling Services Encourage students (particularly in first year) to seek out help and advice from these institutions that are so readily available to us.
Engage Student Population in Extra Curricular Activities: Create a complete online calendar with events submitted from every WLUSU club. Thus allowing for currently idle students to access the information required in hopes to avoid potential time-conflicts between classes and events.
Green Initiatives: Build upon BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) to further Laurier’s Green Initiative
Ryan Neufeld
As a third year psychology student I have volunteered as an icebreaker, Laurier International ambassador and active member of campus clubs. As a dedicated member of the faculty of science, I believe Laurier’s diversity should be represented on the BOD. I will bring a triple AAA focus to the board by enhancing ADVOCACY, APPROACHABILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY. I will encourage advocacy surrounding limiting class sizes, technology infrastructure and study space for student success.While WLUSU provides many services, an enhancement of approachability would increase awareness for students. Board members need to take ownership of communicating with students and create conversations through on campus engagement and social media. Through accountability I will ensure that students receive full value for their financial and volunteer commitments to the union.
Caleb Okwubo
As a third year psychology student I have volunteered as an icebreaker, Laurier International ambassador and active member of campus clubs. As a dedicated member of the faculty of science, I believe Laurier’s diversity should be represented on the BOD. I will bring a triple AAA focus to the board by enhancing ADVOCACY, APPROACHABILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY. I will encourage advocacy surrounding limiting class sizes, technology infrastructure and study space for student success.While WLUSU provides many services, an enhancement of approachability would increase awareness for students. Board members need to take ownership of communicating with students and create conversations through on campus engagement and social media. Through accountability I will ensure that students receive full value for their financial and volunteer commitments to the union.
Jon Pryce
As a returning Director, I will use my experience and acquired skills to provide the incoming Directors with guidance and advice. Through intensive training and goal prioritization, the Board of Directors will exhibit the highest quality of professionalism and shrewdness; I aim to lead this initiative. I will highlight and coordinate the strengths of each incoming Director to ensure that Students’ Union values and Ends are properly advocated and communicated to all students. I will also guarantee that each campus is holistically represented and fairly governed at all times. And finally, I will emphasize the need for the Board of Directors to exercise its high-level, strategic planning capacity to safeguard the integrity of the Students Union.
–Disclaimer: Jon Pryce is on the board of directors for Wilfrid Laurier Student Publications
Deanna Sim
My name is Deanna Sim. Being first and foremost a student, I will represent the needs and desires of students through a student-minded approach to topics such as spending. If elected, I will work towards a more convenient campus including advocating for improved food services during exam time and considering the needs of students who commute. I will also work to strengthen the unique communities clubs provide. Through my involvements as a LOCUS Off-Campus Advisor and executive, Food Bank executive, House Council VP, Model UN delegate, and the founder and President of the Agents of Awesome club, I have gained a broad prospective and many experiences which will greatly benefit the Board of Directors and the student community as a whole.
Kate Stevenson
My name is Kate Stevenson and I’m a second year business student running
for WLUSU Board of Directors. Over my one and a half years at Laurier I have fallen in love with our school! Being involved with several student groups across campus has given me insight into many different perspectives, making me aware of issues that are important to students campus-wide. When making decisions, I believe the BOD should maintain constant communication and transparency. I care about Laurier and the people that make it the special place it is. Therefore, if elected I would consider every issue from the students’ point of view. I believe my passion for Laurier and my compassion towards my fellow students makes me a great candidate for the BOD.
Jennifer Taborowski
My goal as candidate for the Board of Directors is to bring my passion for involvement, leadership, and the greater Laurier community, to the Board. During my position I would represent the Laurier Brantford Campus while bringing a new fresh perspective to the Waterloo Campus. As a student who has been involved within Residence, WLUSU, and Student Affairs, I know how important student services and leadership opportunities as an essential part of the university experience. Long -term planning and goals lead to successful and meaningful years for current and future students. A Board of Directors with representatives from both campuses will strengthen multi-campus governance where both campuses are included and working together to build a stronger, and more diverse representation of two beautifully unique campuses.
Jeff Vincent
As a new director of the board, I will evaluate the Ends policies of the Students’ Union and use my new perspective in the boardroom to ensure the stakeholders of the Students’ Union (the students) can have a positive academic experience. I will engage students and make sure that their feedback is understood and taken into consideration. I will use my organizational and leadership skills to represent all members of the Students’ Union. Also, it is important that students at both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses and across all faculties, from business to science, have their voices heard. It is important to have a safe and empowering academic environment that fits the needs of all students.
Seth Warren
During my last election, I campaigned on accessibility, action, and accountability – principles that I maintain. Accessibility to me, prompt Action on Issues, and Accountability to Students.
Now, as a returning WLUSU Director and candidate for WLU Board of Governors and Academic Senate, I offer an informed, experienced and unified approach.
By sitting on BOD, BOG and Senate, I will provide one voice – comprehensive representation and thorough understanding. I will act as a bridge between these bodies, fostering communication, and furthering their effectiveness.
My Focus – Cutting Campus Congestion:
Waterloo campus is busting at the seams and Brantford isn’t much better. We lack study space and access to faculty. See my full platform online for a Comprehensive Action Plan!
Editor’s note: This article has been updated since its original publishing date.