Two candidates are contested for the position of Vice President of Residence Operations (VPRO) in the upcoming Residence Society (ResSoc) election.
ResSoc is a student-run body that represents first-year residents. The VPRO oversees House Presidents, House Councils, and residence events. Ahead of the election, House Presidents Soomin Han, ConEd ’27, and Kailyn Mao, HealthSci ’28, shared their platforms and vision for the role if elected.
Soomin Han
With a platform that focuses on honesty and inclusivity, Han explained in a statement to The Journal that she plans to centre connection, inclusivity, and support as VPRO. Reflecting on her early years at Queen’s, Han explained that she wants to make leadership more approachable and supportive if she’s elected.
“Strong communities help students feel more comfortable interacting with neighbours, classmates, and peers,” she wrote.
Han emphasized the importance of community to help students feel safe in their residences and on campus in general. She plans to promote student connections through encouraging the use of shared spaces and resources on residence. She also wants to make herself available in these shared spaces to initiate dialogues between herself and the students.
Beyond personal connections, Han also believes that campus facilities are an essential part of the residence experience. Han describes multiple student concerns about their lack of TAMs, slow Wi-Fi, and malfunctioning elevators. If elected, she’d be committed to keeping these concerns at the top of her agenda and making sure that the concerns raised by students are always brought up for discussion.
“I value honest input from students and encourage ongoing communication about residence experiences,” she wrote.
As a House President of Legget Hall, Han understands the work that comes with the role, and that while a VPRO is there for the students, they’re also there to support House Presidents by offering guidance when necessary.
“I hope to provide meaningful support to House Presidents and work collaboratively with them and dons to help create positive residence experiences,” Han wrote.
Kailyn Mao
Mao believes that her experiences as a QSuccess mentor, VPRO intern, and Health Science Society Peer Tutor Chair have given her the skills and mindset to make a good VPRO. While she enjoys her current position as House President at McNeil House, she believes that she needs to move up within the system to implement real changes within ResSoc, motivating her to run specifically for VPRO.
In an interview with The Journal, Mao stated that her platform is centred around three A’s: advocacy, accountability, and action.
“I’m here, as a House President, not only as a way for advocacy, but to encourage others to seek their own self-advocacy,” she said.
Citing issues like missing elevator fobs and a lack of seating in the residence common areas, Mao told The Journal that students often don’t know who to tell when issues arise, and as a solution, she wants to create a direct line of communication between residents and VPRO through QR codes that can keep them in contact with each other all year round.
She explained that the role of VPRO requires spending a lot of time in weekly one-on-ones with House Presidents, meaning that the position comes with a major time commitment that she’s willing to undertake. She’ll prioritize these meetings in an attempt to build a good rapport with House Presidents to ensure that things within the residences run smoothly.
Mao also discussed her plans to remain accountable to students, stating that she wants to push the boundaries of what ResSoc can do without giving false hope to residents and is ready to accept criticism to improve herself for the students she’ll be serving.
“I don’t want to be a perfect leader. I want to be an honest leader,” Mao said.
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The ResSoc debate will be taking place on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Victoria Hall Upper Commons. With voting taking place from Jan. 26 to 27 for all students and staff living in residence.
Tags
Elections 2026, residence society, Vice President (Residence Operations)
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Helen
Article well written!