Candidate statements

Vote online Feb. 1-2. Check Webmail for details

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Patrick Allin-Undergraduate Student Trustee

Queen’s is at a pivotal point! The Board of Trustees is responsible for all spending at Queen’s This means that tuition increases, budget and program cuts stem from the actions of the Board. The Student Trustee is the one undergraduate member of the 43 member board, the advocate for 14,300 students. Why must a student wait a month for an appointment at Health Counseling and Disability Services (HCDS) at a top tier university? Why is tuition increasing faster than available student assistance? Why are required classes being offered online only, without even an optional classroom component? The Globe and Mail loves to bash Queen’s students – why isn’t the University standing up for us? I will make it clear to the Board that these issues are unacceptable, and will work with administration to enact change. Canceling Homecoming not only hurts alumni engagement, but takes away from the Queen’s experience. To bring Homecoming back will require extensive planning and a large financial commitment from the Board of Trustees – I will set these plans in motion.

Sustainability is good for the environment and saves money – but Queen’s has no sustainability plan. I will make sure that a sustainable energy and infrastructure policy is developed and adhered to.

We are already paying rent during the summer – improved availability of summer course options will increase provincial funding to Queen’s while allowing students to save money by taking courses over the summer – a win/win.

The Student Trustee has unparalleled access to senior administrators. If you email me with an issue, I promise to get back to you within 24 hours. I’ve done my research, I know the issues, and I’m here to represent you.

Learn more about me at votepatrick.com, and vote for Patrick Allin on February 1st and 2nd!

Lauren Long- Undergraduate Student Trustee

I. Increased accessibility through online portal

If elected, I will work to launch an interactive Student Trustee web portal that can be used for many years to come. The portal will encompass the following sections:

a. Updates on current Board initiatives

b. Forums for active discussion

c. Polls to gage student stance d. My contact information

e. Guide to university governance and student advocacy groups

On top of being a site for idea exchange and a catalyst for collaboration and involvement, the site will also give me the opportunity to gather student opinion on various issues so that I can present these during Board meetings. No matter how big or small an issue, I want to hear from you.

II. Representation of students of all years and disciplines I will meet with as many councils and societies as possible before every Board meeting to ensure that a balanced student viewpoint can be presented.

III. Open access office hours, 24 hour reply time to emails

IV. Student empowerment

Queen’s has a strong culture of students speaking up for issues they believe in, getting involved in the campus community, and truly caring about their alma mater. I believe we need to purposefully and strategically nurture that culture. I will accomplish this by maintaining strong publicity and transparency, and work hard to be the best resource and support figure I can be for any students wishing to pursue advocacy work on campus.

V. Objectivity as Candidate

You may have noticed that my platform does not address the “hot topics”. I chose not to comment because my opinions would be meaningless unless backed up by student consensus. If elected, I need to accurately represent the interests and perspectives of all students that I engage with, not just my own.

Stephen Pariser- Undergraduate Student Trustee

While it is important that the Student Trustee be active and knowledgeable at the board level, it is important that they act as a liaison and resource between administration, other student leaders as well as clubs, teams and individual students navigating the bureaucracy that often hinders student initiatives to change the university. Having experience as the director of the JDUC and Queen’s Centre and dealing with the issues that are deliberated at the board level, demonstrates an ability to sit effectively on a board. Furthermore, these experiences exemplify a strong commitment to student interests, despite working with high level administration. The T.R.U.S.T. platform is based on several commitments to students, the first of which being increased communication. This starts with the establishment of an undergraduate trustee webpage that not only describes the job (a description is currently not widely available), but also provides updates on, and the rationale behind, the decisions at the board. The second commitment regards the voice the student trustee possesses. While some decisions may be in the interests of the university as a corporation, the voice of the undergraduate trustee is to represent students. While there are fiscal concerns and insufficient financial support for students, I will never vote to increase mandatory fees and will always speak the priorities of students. The final commitment is to the effective use of the connections and information the office holds. Working with the AMS, ASUS, MCRC and several departmental student councils, as well as being a varsity athlete has bestowed a great appreciation for all aspects of student life. When working with different campus groups, it is important that their platforms, chosen through elections, should not be undermined by trustee involvement. Finally, it is important to be available and answerable to the individual student. The trustee position exists to assist everyone in achieving individual goals, while building towards long-term accomplishments at the board level that benefit the undergraduate student body as a whole.

Jesse Waslowski-Undergraduate Student Trustee

When I successfully ran for ASUS rep to the AMS, it was on a “Triple A” platform: Accessibility, Accountability, and Activity. I committed myself to this, and will continue to do so.

But this position requires more than making sure students know about AMS Assembly and how to keep their officials accountable.

The Board of Trustees oversees financial matters in the University, which is why a strong and committed undergraduate trustee is important.

The Queen’s Undergraduate Student Trustee needs to be committed to putting student issues on the table, and needs to deal with the issues that affect students in ways they won’t recognize. Recently, the international student tuition increase and the issue of pension solvency have become prominent, and it’s increasingly important that students understand the process and are allowed to voice their opinions.

I’m proud to announce the basis of my second triple-A platform: Authenticity, Amiability and Acumen. I am genuinely dedicated to student issues and our school’s community, I am friendly and I have a sharp ability to get down to what matters, with a keen attention to detail.

I will continue to show the dedication I’ve demonstrated in my role within the AMS. I have the experience to get the job done and an unshakable belief that every student’s opinion is valuable.

My door, my ear and my mind will always be open and ready to hear from you, the students.

Andrew Witzke- Undergraduate Student Trustee

Campaign Slogan: “Leading to where WE need to be”

I have enjoyed the privilege of calling Queen’s home for over two years. It would be an honor now to contribute to the community that has given me so much. As a Dual Degree student in Commerce and Political Studies, the technical ability and experience I have gained, will help me to serve students’ interests in an effective manner.

My campaign is built upon the principles of enhancing the student experience while simultaneously advancing student values. As Queen’s students, we are capable of leading both in the classroom while we are here and in the world that awaits us afterward.

The platform incorporates three student-oriented tenets: taking Action, being Accountable and Advocating for you. I want to remove the veil of uncertainty that surrounds the Trustee position by presenting a decisive and effective position that accurately reflects students’ interests and perspectives.

It is my conviction that students should no longer bear the burden of the financial shortfalls Queen’s University currently faces. I promise to work with my colleagues on the Board of Trustees to find new, practical ways to secure the finances of our university. This must become a priority so we not only maintain but, more importantly, strengthen the high educational standards students expect when they enroll at this great institution. By doing so, this will help Queen’s to improve its teaching quality and learning experience at the undergraduate level.

I have always believed in the proverb that states: “for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” I know the students of Queen’s University prepare everyday for the challenges of tomorrow. I ask for your support, so that the tomorrow we deserve can be fully realized.

CES-Executive

Vote YES to CECampaign Slogan: “Leading to where WE need to be”

I have enjoyed the privilege of calling Queen’s home for over two years. It would be an honor now to contribute to the community that has given me so much. As a Dual Degree student in Commerce and Political Studies, the technical ability and experience I have gained, will help me to serve students’ interests in an effective manner.

My campaign is built upon the principles of enhancing the student experience while simultaneously advancing student values. As Queen’s students, we are capable of leading both in the classroom while we are here and in the world that awaits us afterward.

The platform incorporates three student-oriented tenets: taking Action, being Accountable and Advocating for you. I want to remove the veil of uncertainty that surrounds the Trustee position by presenting a decisive and effective position that accurately reflects students’ interests and perspectives.

It is my conviction that students should no longer bear the burden of the financial shortfalls Queen’s University currently faces. I promise to work with my colleagues on the Board of Trustees to find new, practical ways to secure the finances of our university. This must become a priority so we not only maintain but, more importantly, strengthen the high educational standards students expect when they enroll at this great institution. By doing so, this will help Queen’s to improve its teaching quality and learning experience at the undergraduate level.

I have always believed in the proverb that states: “for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” I know the students of Queen’s University prepare everyday for the challenges of tomorrow. I ask for your support, so that the tomorrow we deserve can be fully realized.

S – Morgan Campbell, Ashley Eagan and Kieran Slobodin for AMS Executive

Team CES believes that it is not enough to be an approachable student government; we pledge that we will be a student government that approaches you. We strongly believe this and it is evident in a platform that has strong input from students not typically involved with student government. For us CES stands for Creative, Experienced, and Sustainable, three words that reflect our vision for the 2011-12 AMS government. To achieve that vision we want to place emphasis on increasing club, performance, and athletic space, environmental and financial sustainability, and support equity projects on mental health, anti-oppression, and combatting gender based violence. We encourage you to read our platform in full for more details and more ideas at www.voteCES.com.

The AMS is at a crossroads, and Team CES has the experience to make sure that the AMS will be financially sustainable. Between Morgan Campbell’s years as on the Board of Trustees, Ashley Eagan’s vast experience in AMS services and most recently as the Retail Services Directer, and Kieran Slobodin’s experience as Academic Affairs Commissioner, Team CES is the best choice a financially responsible AMS. During this campaign we want to approach students and get them involved with not only their student union but their university at large. We want to see students attending sports games, using our services, and attending our assemblies. We know we can’t do this unless we come to you, and we know that there are good ideas for making Queens a university you want to be a part of. We pledge to make them happen.

Vote for a different approach. Vote for different and new ideas. Vote CES. Make a difference. February 1st and 2nd.

SDL-Executive

We are Sacha Gudmundsson, Dan Szczepanek, and Lara Therrien Boulos, and together we are Team SDL!

Our goal is to shift the focus of the AMS back to students, as we believe the Society must place undergraduate students at the centre of every project and every issue: Team SDL is about Support, Connections, and Opportunities.

As a team, we will support you throughout your time at Queen’s by creating guides that centralize all information about financial aid, the new QCARD, the new GPA system, and tuition changes. Team SDL will work with TheJackProject.org and other mental health groups at Queen’s and in Kingston to improve mental health resources on campus.

We are committed to connecting you with recent graduates of your programs and clubs to ease the transition from being a student to alumni and give you a greater sense of community. If elected, Team SDL will ensure that the AMS engages with students outside of AMS offices and provides a number of channels through which students can communicate their issues and concerns.

Team SDL will expand the opportunities the AMS offers by giving student athletes the same employment opportunities as students who go on exchange, allowing them to work during their off-season. We will work with each faculty to make sure shifts at your AMS services fit different programs’ schedules. We will support your clubs with easier access to necessary information about funding, referenda, and space allocations.

Our vision is to make the AMS about students again. It’s about making sure your voice is heard and your interests are addressed. It’s about helping you shape your unique Queen’s experience. Simply put: it’s about you.

This February 1 and 2, vote SDL for AMS Exec and shape your Queen’s experience, your way. Don’t forget to check out votesdl.com to learn more!

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

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