This is an election being held to fill two vacant positions for student Senators at-large on the Okanagan Senate for a term ending March 31st, 2020.
Voting Instructions
- Go to your SSC and find "WebVote" under the "Grades and Records" menu
- Click “Vote” under “2019 Okanagan Student Senator at-Large By-election"
- Vote for up to two of your preferred candidates by clicking on the box next to the candidate’s name
- Click on “Submit Vote” then click “ok” to confirm your submission before logging out.
Polls will close at 4:00 pm on Thursday, November 21, 2019.
Candidate Information
Toney Bedell
My journey is not singularly unique but rather is the very definition of the Canadian experience, having migrated from West Africa at the age of 4 and fully engaging myself in an enriched and diverse melting pot of culture, my love for advocacy was instilled. My advocacy for youth issues began when I was invited to sit on a Panel with Canada’s newly minted Children’s Minister to discuss the major issues facing Youth in Canada, at the Economic Club of Calgary. Since then the passion of advocacy has burned strongly within me, I have pursued in every area of my life a self-inflicted standard of excellence towards my peers, and my superiors, learning from those around me to continually improve and mold my worldly outlook. Above all else, I stand by the belief that it's nice to be important, but more important to be nice. Since my youth I have always been active in representing my peers, standing as an ambassador and giving my voice for the voiceless. I hope to embody that same ideal in a new chapter of my life. As I enter the world, I take with me the lessons that have shaped my worldview, continuing to serve in principle and with virtue. In that same spirit, that is why I believe I would be a strong candidate for the Student Representative At-Large to the Senate.
Chance Boruck
Hello, my name is Chance and I am a third year political science student at UBCO. If elected, I will be exclusively committed to the interests of UBCO students. I plan to engage actively on the student’s behalf to ameliorate the issues that actually concern the student body. I want to maintain communication between the students and the university government, and to hold the leadership accountable for being quiet on issues that negatively impact the students daily. Issues such as; high tuition fees for domestic and international students, steadily increasing prices on food options available on campus, and the elimination of valuable undergraduate study spaces (such as the arts atrium). Additionally, students have been unable to follow the required course load to complete their degrees due to limited class sizes or conflicting timetables, often having to choose a second or third option for classes which slows their ability to graduate on time. It is not fair for students to be forced onto endless waitlists, miss out on weeks of early instruction time, and potentially pay for a course they do not really want to take because the university administration does not provide adequate options for them to complete their graduation requirements. To sum it all up, I am here for you, the students. I want nothing more than to help make the students’ university experience a better one than it is today. Thanks for your time.
Lee Jia Fu
My name is Lee Jia Fu, and I am a first-year international student studying management. I have been nominated for the position of student representative at large on the Okanagan senate of the University of British Columbia. I am eager to play an active role in this robust community, which can help challenge my comfort zone. I believe I am a qualified candidate because of my various past experiences as a secretariat for model United Nations and other leadership positions. I will endeavor to listen and articulated the interests of our diverse community.
Romil Jain
I am Romil Jain, 5th year student at UBC Okanagan majoring in Economics. I have had the honor of being elected as your President at UBC Student Union Okanagan. As the official spokesperson for students on the Okanagan campus, I work everyday to assure student voices are heard and proactive decisions are taken to benefit student life on our campus. Currently, UBCSUO doesn't have any voice on the senate of UBC Okanagan which significantly restricts our capacity to advocate for changes in Academic policies that cause inconvenience for the students by negatively impacting them on a daily basis. I plan to work on bridging this gap by voicing student concerns that have been brought up to me in my numerous committee with the administration and students. I believe it is important to have representatives on senate who understands the everyday struggles of the students on our campus. My role as President empowers me with the knowledge that is necessary to advocate effectively in the best interest of the students. I hope to serve as your representative on the Okanagan Senate. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns at president@ubcsuo.ca .
Tashia Kootenayoo
I’m pleased to accept the nomination to be a candidate for the at-large student representative on the Okanagan Senate of the University of British Columbia. As an Indigenous student and leader at UBC-Okanagan I bring an important and diverse perspective to this position. During my current term as a Student’s Union Director at Large, I’ve already shown my ability to ensure the student voice is involved in necessary conversations. I’ve mobilized and organized two important working groups, one on Open Educational Resources and another on consultation for Policy 131. These two groups allow students to connect, share their voice and provide recommendations on important issues. My desire to create these forums derives from my passion for advocacy and the belief it is a collective effort. Similarly, my involvement with organizations such as the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the Sexual Violence Prevention Response Office, Pre-Law Society and the Women’s Resource Centre demonstrates my commitment to improving student experience. I’m continuously leading initiatives that seek to improve the university environment and administrative structures for students. The success I’ve achieved so far in my efforts are a result of my resourcefulness, tenacity and passion. The experience of working with a variety of groups on campus has equipped me to serve as an effective Student Senate Caucus Representative.
Trevor Malyk
As a first year student and the recipient of bursaries and scholarships, I believe thathard work gets you everywhere in life. Born and raised locally, I have been leaped on every chance within my education to expand my knowledge and to engage more actively within the community. I believe that the University of British Columbia senate by-election will offer another opportunity to engage with an academically minded community and to help shape the atmosphere of campus. I have forever been interested in politics, and believe this
nomination offers an opportunity to explore and materialize my curiosity and expand my resume.
Kristen Morgan
I am excited and honoured to be running as one of your Senators at Large to the UBC Okanagan Senate. If elected, this will be my third term on Senate, and I am excited to continue the work I’ve started.
My notably, I’ve been working on implementing a Fall Wellness Week- a week long break in W1 for all UBCO students, similar to Reading Week in February. This has been a passion project for nearly two years, and I know there is still important work to be done before the policies are passed. Currently, we’re on track to have FWW enacted for the 2020 academic year.
I am the Chair of the Student Senate Caucus, the body of Student Senators who work collectively to represent student voices and advocate for our academic needs. My years of experience on Senate and in the Caucus have given valuable institutional knowledge that I take deep pride in passing along to the next generation of Senators. I have been the grateful recipient of mentorship from student leaders who came before me, and I take very seriously the responsibility of sharing that background.
A quick list of projects that I’ll continue working on- Exam Hardship and Clashes (J-102) policy updates, award eligibility, increased research recruitment and funding, and additional seats for student representation on academic administration committees.
Serving UBCO is a deep personal motivator. I’m excited at the opportunity to re-join the Senate and to continue the vital work I’ve started. Thanks for voting!
Miah Shull Omsted
I am a 3rd year student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program studying documentary film, photography, and environmental science. As a mature undergraduate student, straddling responsibilities and forging relationships in the diverse fine arts, sciences, and humanities disciplines, I have spent several years at UBCO negotiating the challenges created by the different silos which continue to dominate our experiences here and, at times, within the greater Okanagan community. These silos can fail to mitigate the isolation, anxiety, and depression many students face. Mental health needs are overwhelming levels within the student body. We are confronting complicated issues such as lack of affordable housing, tuition increases, and many of the tasks required to bring our community together face of climate change challenges.
I have a proven track record of building inclusive networks on campus as part of my efforts to encourage everyone to remember always that working together WE CAN DO MORE. Historically, my experience in leadership teams where all voices are respected, I have diligently worked to forge relationships with diverse individuals to address challenges and growth opportunities. We are now at a crossroads and I ask for your vote of confidence as I seek to build collaborative relationships once again, as a member at large for the UBCO Senate, to be a voice of students in both the monthly senate general meetings and also within a variety of committees as needed. I believe the future, including the 2040 planning underway provides an extraordinary moment for us all
Riley Petillion
Having completed my undergraduate degree, and continuing on through graduate studies, I have been a student at this institution for six years. In my time here, I have been involved in and witnessed many changes in the structure of various science degrees, and have accumulated a knowledge of the various faculties and their academic compositions. My involvement in undergraduate and graduate educational research has fostered me an interest in teaching and learning in higher education and instructional and curriculum design. This background has taught me what makes an effective curriculum, and how to effectively disseminate and assess course content. A natural next step in my studies would be to take part in academic governance and policy.
Dylan Rogers
An international student from Seattle, Washington, Dylan Rogers is a current first-year undergraduate pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree. With aspirations of pursuing a coveted Doctor of Medicine degree following the UBC, Dylan strives toward a profession as a pediatric neurologist. Dylan recently graduated from Kent Mountain View Academy with his High School Diploma and simultaneously graduated from Green River College with an Associate of Arts degree with a political science approach in the Spring of 2019. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Green River College and was the sole recipient of the Signature Award from Kent Mountain View Academy – an award presented to a single member of each graduating class in recognition of their leadership, academic excellence, and demonstrated compassion towards all. Dylan most recently worked as a lifeguard in San Diego, California, but currently volunteers with the UBC First Responders as well as Kelowna General Hospital, moreover, he is currently in the process of volunteering with St. John ambulance. With regards to current public office positions, Dylan serves as the Western Region Venturing Vice President – a program of the Scouting organization – with intentions of fostering a positive work environment and providing resources to the nearly 40,000 youth members under his domain. Furthermore, Dylan has served in many student leadership positions and held a previous speaker position at the Holocaust Center for Humanity. If presented with the opportunity to represent the greater UBC Okanagan student population, Dylan is determined to continue to foster an environment of inclusivity and unity.
Gurnaz Sandhu
Hello, my name is Gurnaz Sandhu and I am a second year Bachelor of media studies student. I have always been passionate about serving my community and have held a number of leadership positions which have allowed me to gain a diverse set of skills. This year, I am a student leader on the UBC Alumni committee, I am on the UBC Wellbeing team, and I am a Thrive month volunteer as well. I am also the marketing executive for the UBCO Punjabi Student Association, and I am in a number of other clubs as well. In the past, I have served on my high school student council for two years and I have worked in planning and managing events and solving student issues. I have also held the title of Miss Teen Greater Vancouver from 2017-2018, which allowed me to raise money for different charities, volunteer, and do speeches. I would appreciate your consideration, as I would like to be apart of resolving issues to create a better experience for the students of UBCO.
Mrinaal Tomar
I think that the biggest challenge I have faced is when I have been asked to write personal statements, mainly because there is always a word limit, and I do not feel that mere words can do justice to one’s personality. However, I also love personal statements for this exact reason. It is, in my opinion, the best way to really get to know what one values most about themselves. It’s a slippery slope in that sense, but I think that taking that risk is one of the major qualities I possess - that I never hesitate, that I always go for an all-or-nothing, and rarely compromise. Having said that, I do know when it is crucial to take a step back and learn to understand and incorporate other people’s opinions into your own, even if it might mean you have to adjust slightly. Knowing when to compromise and when not to is a fine skill, one which I proudly have. I could talk about my experience of being in the student council for the past 5 years, but I don’t think this is of any benefit as high school is very different from university. Instead, from the past one month of being here, I have truly immersed myself into knowing how UBCO works, and as an international student having lived in four different countries, I understand diversity extremely well. I believe that my skills combined with my experience truly make me the ideal candidate for an at-large student representative.
Chantal Vien
My name is Chantal Vien and I am seeking the nomination for Senator at Large on the UBC Okanagan Senate. I am a second year Master of Social Work student who is passionate about community care and the safety and wellbeing of all UBC students.
Throughout my time at UBC I have had the privilege of serving as Social Work Student Representative, where I was elected by my peers to represent social work voices within the graduate community. Shortly after, I was selected from the serving graduate students to operate as the Non-Thesis Student Representative where I represented the interests of all graduate students to the Graduate Council.
During my first year at UBCO I was a Resident Advisor in Nicola (Go Nighthawks!) and this is where I’ve had the pleasure to learn and gain understanding from students in all years and faculties across campus. I have learned that students want opportunities to grow professionally in their given field, they want better mental health initiatives, they want affordable textbooks and tuition, they want to feel like their individual interests are represented on campus (because representation matters!).
Therefore, If I am elected to the senate, I will speak up to represent the ideas and voices of my peers and continue to be accountable to the student population with the changes and new policies that are implemented across campus.
Questions
Contact elections.information@ubc.ca if you have any questions or if you experience difficulty voting.