In a contested race for the Engineering Society’s (EngSoc) top seats, three students vie to be the next vice-president (finance and administration).
In the running are Bruce Cao, Sci ’26, Sara Bacher, Sci ’25, and Avery McFadden, Sci ’25. Cao sat down with The Journal to discuss his platforms and goals.
After multiple requests for comment, Bacher and McFadden declined to share information about their vision of managing EngSoc’s $2.4 million budget and administrative intricacies if elected.
Bruce Cao
“By voting for me you can ensure a consistent voice on the executive team that speaks directly for design teams,” Cao’s campaign platform reads.
In The Journal’s only interview with a VPFA candidate, Cao explained his platform stems from his extensive experience with financial management.
“I believe my experience in financial management will allow me to work with EngSoc’s investment advisors to generate higher returns, which will be able to better support the students if there are more funds available,” Cao said.
Cao underscored the need for increased support from EngSoc towards design teams, a fundamental pillar of the Smith Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.
“We focus a lot on engineering design teams and student involvement, but there’s a lack of funding in these areas. A lot of these design teams cost a lot of money to run and a lot of times, these costs are pushed on to the students,” he said.
Consequently, clubs are imposing exorbitant membership fees, rendering team memberships prohibitively expensive. Cao contends these elevated entry fees and membership costs shouldn’t hinder any student from pursuing their passions and participating in extracurricular activities within the faculty.
Cao envisions the VPFA role will resonate with his past experiences and align with his post-graduation plans in the financial industry.
“With five years of stock trading experience and two top ten placements in the worldwide DECA stock trading competition, I feel that my personal expertise, in partnership with EngSoc’s investment advisors, will be able to help lead EngSoc into an era of financial prosperity,” Cao wrote in his campaign platform.
“This prosperity will provide a larger cash flow into all areas of the EngSoc, helping the executive team, and EngSoc as a whole better support the students we represent.”
Cao has said his past experiences as the financial director for the Biomechatronics team, capital analyst for QUBE, and software developer for RBC makes him feel well suited for the task of managing and conserving the EngSoc financial portfolio.
Through his position as a second-year representative for the mathematics and engineering discipline, Cao has become deeply invested and interested in the inner workings of EngSoc.
“I am eager to take on a larger role in the leadership and guidance of my colleagues and friends,” he wrote in his campaign platform.
If elected, Cao expressed his commitment to fostering teamwork and collaboration with the EngSoc president and vice-president (finance and administration), highlighting the collaborative and supportive nature he’s observed in everyone he has encountered within EngSoc.
READ MORE: Candidate Profiles: EngSoc candidates talk inclusion and community outreach
“Any challenges we might face can be solved through transparency and communication,” he said.
Speaking to EngSoc’s current issues Cao believes everyone currently in the faculty society knows each other, but people on the outside don’t typically interact with people on the inside.
“It’s difficult for someone outside of EngSoc to become involved in positions within EngSoc,” he said.
“For example, I don’t hold any positions currently within the society. This would probably put me at a disadvantage compared to other candidates. I feel it’s important everyone has an opportunity to participate,” Cao added.
If elected, Cao would vote on many EngSoc decisions. Improved communication outside EngSoc is crucial, as many Engineering and Applied Science students outside EngSoc are unaware of positions, contributing to the perceived closed nature of the faculty society. By publishing articles, posting about positions, and hosting events, more students would apply, Cao said.
Sara Bacher
Based on her campaign platform, Bacher’s pillars are financial awareness, inclusivity, and optimization.
She hopes to increase financial education and communications with design teams, clubs, and conferences, allowing for greater financial transparency within EngSoc.
“Fostering an inclusive environment through information availability and improved engagement efforts” is highlighted in the inclusivity pillar of Bacher’s platform.
Bacher hopes to optimize the current financial and administrative systems in place to ensure the longevity of EngSoc.
Avery McFadden
In his current role as Director of Internal Processes, McFadden has focused on automation, one of his pillars alongside transparency and community, according to his campaign platform.
Claiming automation has improved greatly this year, McFadden hopes to take this same speed and efficiency, if elected vice-president (finance and administration).
McFadden’s transparency pillar emphasizes spending time helping all members of the student-run society understand finances.
“For those of use [SIC] who haven’t taken economics yet, let’s just say the world of finances can be very confusing and hard to understand.”
McFadden’s community pillar is about eliminating the “EngSoc bubble” to make the faculty and society a more welcoming place.
For people who aren’t already involved in EngSoc, it may be intimidating to get involved, McFadden said in his platform.
Tags
EngSoc, EngSoc elections, Faculty elections, student elections
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