The results of the 2022-23 Health Sciences Society (HSS) election were announced publicly late on Feb. 10 after polls closed at 11:59 p.m. the night before.
26.4 per cent of eligible voters—250 out of 947—cast ballots to select their new executive team.
Sara Pollanen, HealthSci ’25, was elected president in an uncontested race after winning 80.5 per cent of a confidence vote. Pollanen based her platform on three principles: equity, sustainability, and opportunity.
“I’m excited to start working with the incoming executive team to start our preparations for the upcoming year,” she wrote in a statement to The Journal.
“My plans start with hiring for next year’s team. I am looking forward to being able to implement the sustainability commissioner role to advocate for eco-conscious behaviours while allowing for the thriving of sustainability-based student initiatives.”
Pollanen foresees the establishment of an opt-in AMS membership fee for online students as her biggest challenge for the upcoming year.
She hopes to work alongside the Faculty of Health Sciences and other faculty societies like ASUS to guarantee access to health and dental insurance for all online Queen’s students, including those in Health Sciences.
Claire Lipton, HealthSci ’25, narrowly won the race for vice-president (university affairs) (VPUA) with just 4 votes—50.9 per cent—over her opponent David Walji.
Writing to The Journal, Lipton said she looks forward to ensuring a smooth transition into her role as VPUA and expanding mental health support for Health Sciences students through the HSS Mental Health Committee.
“I am excited to begin collaborating with my fellow HSS council members, work alongside faculty members, and represent the interests of Health Sciences students,” she said in a statement.
Walji congratulated Lipton on her victory in a statement to The Journal and thanked those who supported him throughout his campaign.
“I was obviously disappointed in the results of the election, but I know Claire will do a great job as VPUA. I’ve learnt a lot over the past few weeks, and I’m really excited to see the great things this year’s HSS council members bring to our program,” he wrote.
Roan Haggerty-Goede won 90.9 per cent of votes in a confidence vote, which earned him the position of vice-president (operations) of the HSS in the upcoming year.
Haggerty-Goede congratulated his fellow election winners in a statement to The Journal and said he’s excited to begin working on initiatives he proposed, such as a textbook bursary and HSS newsletter.
“I would like to thank everyone who engaged in the election process, everyone who read all of the platforms, those who watched or attended the debate, and everyone who took time out of their day to vote!” he said.
Tags
Elections2023, Health Sciences, Health Sciences Society, hss
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