The new SGPS executive was elected after polls closed on Feb. 7.
Three of the six positions available ran uncontested in this year’s election. The sole candidates running for the graduate student senator, president, and vice-president (campaigns and community affairs) each earned a vote of confidence with 95 per cent in favour.
Gabriela Fekete was victorious in the contested election for vice-president (finances and services). She received 86.5 per cent of votes in favour against Matthew Kuciak.
Steacy Coombs was victorious against Jordan Balson in the election for vice-president (graduate), with a vote of 73 per cent in favour.
Maya Kawale was victorious over Elizabeth Frangos for vice-president (professional). This position had the tightest race of the whole election, with Kawale securing 50.7 per cent of the vote.
Each member of the incoming executive expressed gratitude to the student body for participating in the election and is excited to get to work.
Fowlie said he’s excited at being able to contribute to changing landscape for graduate and professional students in Canada.
“There is an increasing attention being paid to caring for our students amid rapid inflation and precarious financial stability,” he wrote to The Journal in a statement.
“I am dedicated to advocating for the financial, physical, and mental well-being of our students by having the difficult conversations that will produce meaningful change.”
Vice President-elect (Campaigns and Community Affairs) Tony Hu especially is excited to encourage SGPS members to start thinking about how they want to get involved, saying: “there’s lots of exciting opportunities.”
Coombs is looking forward to improving the graduate student experience.
“I feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to not only be a graduate student voice to the school, but also give first-hand experience as a disabled graduate student,” Coombs wrote to The Journal.
“I look forward to my tenure on SGPS and contributing to improving the graduate student experience.”
Happy with the enthusiastic and experienced SGPS team this year, Emils Matiss, who was re-elected as graduate student senator, said he was honored to take part in the SGPS election this year.
Kawale said she’s looking forward to working alongside the entire SGPS executive team and ready to hear the voices of SGPS students.
Fekete is grateful for the win and for people taking the time to vote. Making students more knowledgeable and aware of mental health services is an important goal for Fekete.
“I’m excited is looking at how we can expand financial resources for students in financial need or experiencing financial stress,” Fekete told The Journal.
She’s also looking forward to potentially reviving the SGPS grant program for students, in combination with advertising government run programs that are already existing.
Tags
Elected, Elections2023, results, SGPS
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