With campaign posters plastered across campus, University of Saskatchewan students are anticipating the 2016-17 U of S Students’ Union executive election. Choosing from a diverse group of nine candidates, students can make their decision through the vote channel on their PAWS account with polls opening at 9 a.m. on Mar. 23 and closing at 4 p.m. on Mar. 24.

In accordance with the annual election comes the Sheaf’s USSU executive election quiz, based on a series of short answer questions testing the candidate’s knowledge of U of S history and current events.

PRESIDENT

Kehan Fu

Fourth-year political science

Quiz score: 68%

“To sum up why you should vote for me, I think it’s because in our campaign we have demonstrated a lot of passion, both for what I enjoy but also for why I think students need to be at the forefront of every agenda. Our campaign has been very positive and for us; student engagement comes first and foremost, with including as many people in the campaign as possible and making sure that as many voices are heard as possible.

“You should vote in the campaign, because for us we are not only trying to have a serious campaign, but we are trying to have a fun campaign and we are trying to make the most out of the time that we are undergrads, but also we are undergrads together on this campus.”  

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Jamie Labrecque

Fourth-year chemical engineering

Quiz score: 88%

“I’m really passionate about students and making a difference, and making sure that they know when they ask people to do something, especially when it comes to an elected position, that they actually do it. So accountability is a really big factor for me. It’s the best way to let students know what the USSU is doing and how they can get involved and that there is actually services available to them that they could be using.”

“I’m really dedicated. When I say I am going to do something, I do it. I do everything that makes sense. I am a very logical kind of person. I don’t like playing political games although I know I get tied up in them every once in awhile, but I guess that’s just the engineering background and the training that I have so far. It’s just really ethical, and that’s what they train us to do. So if there are rules, I’m going to follow them and make sure that other people do as well.”

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VP OPERATIONS & FINANCE

Emmanauel Barker

Fifth-year international development studies

Quiz score: 72%

“I think that students should vote for me because I have a clear idea of the changes I would like to help make on campus. I want to try and make the campus a more fun place and a more accessible place by increasing funding to the student groups. I want to make it a more convenient place by introducing the TV screens in Place Riel. I want to make it a little safer place by introducing an app that connects people to the SafeWalk services. I want to make it easier for people to transition from school to work by introducing the student activities transcripts.”

“A huge part of the vice-president operations and finance position is managing, ratifying and funding the student groups, so I’ve been the president to two student groups and I’ve been an elected member of those groups for three years, my involvement even longer than that. I think that is the primary experience that I bring to the table.”

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Mahad Jama

Fourth-year business economy

Quiz Score: 35%

“I really want to offer a much better experience and campus culture. Coming from another university, transferring over here, I have seen what other universities were capable of doing. I know what our school has to offer and our potential and I really want to capitalize on that potential for our students, to maximize our budget, making sure that our budget is going toward students who are paying union dues and not as much towards administration costs.

“I do have experience with my classes and work experience with budgeting and I was vice-president secretary general of our model UN group here, so with that I was working on the budget, creating it and making sure that it maximizes our groups’ efforts in traveling to different schools and conferences and within our own conference.”

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Jordan Robertson

Fourth-year finance

Quiz score: 83%

“I’m a fourth-year finance student in the Edwards School of Business, I’ve been on the USSU for three years as a member of student council, I’ve been on the budget and finance committee for two of those years, as well as a bunch of other committees, I sit on a bunch of stuff with lots of senior admin. For our platform, I want to work on campus culture and working toward a more collaborative event with a cup throughout the year for all the colleges to partake including rivalries, pranks and extend a lot of the old traditions and bring back kind of different things and work towards a better environment.”

 

 

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VP ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Ahmed Abueidda

Third-year business economics

Quiz score: 75%

“I believe I have the best platform that solves students’ needs and issues. I have been a counsellor this past year, and before that I was on the Student Representative Council. I have dealt with many international students and being an international student myself makes me unique since I am the only international student among all the other candidates.

“I believe students do not struggle in university because of their lack of intelligence; why they may not succeed is because of the lack of a positive environment. One point of my platform is that I want to create a student-exchange program: sometimes, students have to skip classes for work, for medical reasons, for many things and if they had this program they can exchange notes as needed and I think that would be very helpful.”

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Geneva Houlden

Second-year political studies

Quiz score: 70%

“I wanted to keep my platform realistic and specific, so I have three main pillars: The first one is quality and affordable education. I want tuition forecasting; I don’t think we should be having three midterms in 24 hours … and I want to make sure professors are being held accountable to university teaching standards.

“The second main pillar is to increase awareness for students about programs and opportunities for now and after university. Way too many scholarships are being left each year because students don’t know who to apply or qualify for them, so I want to be there to help students find these scholarships and opportunities as well as internships and co-op programs.

“The third pillar, is to just be your voice. For academic advocacy, this is the main role of academic affairs. I want to be there for students. I want to be there to listen and do something for them. I think the USSU can be a lot more active and engaging with students, and I want to engage all of the colleges.”

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Brooke Malinoski

Fourth-year Indigenous studies and political studies

Quiz score: 60%

“There are five key points to my platform. I believe they are concrete and clear to students so that students can hold the executive and hold me accountable and know if I am actually doing my job.

“Students should vote for me because I am in my fourth year of studies and throughout these four years I have been really involved with a variety of different things on campus. I believe I have a really well-rounded experience and can speak for a lot of students that go to school here.

“I promise to be an outspoken advocate for students … Young people, do not often stand up for themselves and I think I would be a very good person to do so and I hope that the rest of the university sees that as well.”

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VP STUDENT AFFAIRS

Renata Huyghebaert

Fourth-year marketing

Quiz score: 52%

“I will be very dedicated and I am very passionate about students. I would like to have students know that the main point is representation and inclusion and support for everyone, which I think is really important. The second part, I will work hard toward maximizing the student experience, which means having the best possible university experience for everyone. My third platform point, I will be very dedicated to getting a nap room on campus … I want to make sure that we make the university experience as smooth going for everyone. I believe my job is to support students to the best of my capabilities and I am really serious about that.”

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The Sheaf’s 2016 USSU Elections Quiz

Name the University of Saskatchewan’s provost and vice-president academic. (1)

Ernie Barber

What year was the Sheaf founded? (1)

1912

Name three former USSU presidents. (3)

Jared Brown, Scott Hitchings, Chris Stoicheff, Max FineDay

Which body sets tuition fees at the U of S? (1)

The Board of Governors

Name the five USSU centres. (½ each)

Pride Centre, Food Centre, Women’s Centre, Help Centre, Childcare Centre

Name the three governing bodies of the U of S. (3)

Senate, University Council, Board of Governors

In September 2015, the U of S released what new policy? (1)

Sexual Assault Policy

Name the two scholarships created in conjunction with Transgender Awareness Week. (2)

Transgender Student Award, Two-Spirit Student Award

Which sport features a Huskies coach that is also head coach for Team Canada? (1)

Women’s basketball (Lisa Thomaidis)

What are three unique features of the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre? (½ each)

Star blanket skylight, drum filled with earth, building built in form of blanket, reclaimed Elm trees, blue tiles, Medicine wheel ceiling, wampum belt tiling, etc.

Which day does the Sheaf hit stands? (1)

Wednesday/Thursday

Who is the U of S hoverboarder/rapper? (1)

J-Staxx

Approximately how many undergraduate students attend the U of S? (1)

16,000-17,000

How many Huskie teams won a Canada West banner? (1)

Four

What year was the University of Saskatchewan founded? (1)

1907

Name one the Sheaf’s features (mid-paper spread) for the 2015-16 year? (1)

(various answers)

Whose controversial firing was the catalyst for major changes within the U of S administration in 2014? (1)

Robert Buckingham

What musical instrument does President Peter Stoicheff play and teach. (1)

Classical guitar

Who is the USSU General Manager? (1)

Caroline Cottrell

What year was the USSU, then known as the SRC, established? (1)

1909

How did the men’s volleyball team place at nationals this year? (1)

Fourth

Who was the keynote speaker for the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition professional enhancement day? (Hint: Canadian olympic athlete) (1)

Clara Hughes

What Canadian Prime Minister is buried on U of S campus? (1)

John George Diefenbaker

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Photos: Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor