Since 1909, the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union (USSU) has been advocating, supporting and offering services to help undergraduate students excel academically and find community during their time at USask. 

The Executive Committee of the USSU is composed of the President, Vice-President Academic Affairs, Vice-President Operations and Finance, and Vice-President Student Affairs. These are paid positions filled by students who understand the struggles and concerns of their peers and want to take on a leadership role addressing the problems and improving existing systems. Elections to fill these positions take place yearly in March. 

The campaign period for the 2025 elections starts today, March 17! The Sheaf asked each candidate to provide a 300-word submission that encompasses why they are running and key components of their platform. 

Note: these submissions have been provided by the candidates, published in their entirety without editing from the Sheaf team and solely reflect the opinion of the candidates and are not an endorsement of them. 

Read on to find out more about the role and the candidates so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to who should represent you next academic year. 

President 

The role of the President is to govern all affairs of the USSU. They chair the Executive Committee and University Council, serve as a member of the Board of Governors of the University, and are the spokesperson for the USSU. 

Emma Wintermute: President Candidate

“Imagine walking through the upper floor of the Arts Building and the space feels alive, designed not only to support your academic goals but also your personal growth. Cozy pods for Zoom classes, comfortable seating, and couches for collaborative work create an atmosphere where you can thrive. Now it is not just a building—it has become a place that works for you.

Now, picture a campus where this vision becomes a reality for every student, where your voice is heard, and where you have access as a student to every opportunity. 

Hello, folks! I’m Emma Wintermute, a Double Honours student in Gender, Sexualities, and Social Justice Studies and History. I use She/Her pronouns, and I’m running to be your next USSU President. 

My platform is built around three core principles: Every Voice, Every Opportunity, and Every Student. Imagine access to enhanced mental health support and equitable financial aid, as well as diverse faculty hiring practices that reflect our campus community. Every student deserves to see themselves represented in those who teach and guide them.

As your USSU President, I will ensure that every student voice is central to every decision, from governance to student services. Your feedback will guide the changes that make our campus more inclusive, accessible, and empowering for all students.

Picture having the support you need to succeed—career-building opportunities, knowledge of accessible academic resources, and fair wages for student workers. I’ll advocate for collaborative learning areas, hybrid spaces that blend in-person, online work, and quiet zones for focus. These are the kinds of spaces that will meet the diverse needs of our community.

Together, we can create a campus where every voice is heard, every opportunity is within reach, and every student has the support they need to succeed.

Every Voice. Every Opportunity. Every Student.”

Selim Bytyqi: President Candidate

“Selim Bytyqi, Fourth Year History Honours student (He/Him)

I am running for USSU President in this year’s election because student governance is something I’ve been passionate about, and with my experience in the USSU, I think I have the best idea of how to improve the USSU for this upcoming school year. My platform can be broken down into three pieces:

1. Expansion – The vast majority of USask students are unaware of what the USSU does and how they can get involved in it. I want to improve transparency by utilizing our social media and general marketing ability on campus to inform the students of the work we do and how it affects them. If students realize the impact that the USSU has on them, they will be more likely to take an interest and engage with the USSU, or at the very least, vote in the election.
2. Advocacy
   1. University Administration – USask has become an increasingly unsafe campus due to cases of physical and sexual violence. USask admin has substantial disciplinary power, but it’s the USSU’s job to make USask admin aware of these cases and lobby them to take action and give harsher punishments to these perpetrators. It is the USSU’s responsibility to make campus a safer place. 
   2. Federal Government – The USSU has recently joined CASA (Canadian Alliance of Student Associations) as a means to lobby the federal government. With the recent laws passed limiting the number of international students in Canada, I plan to lobby the new Canadian government, alongside CASA, to remove or reduce these restrictions.
3. Accessibility – USask’s “Be What the World Needs” campaign has been incredibly successful. As someone who has knowledge of USask’s finances and achievements as an institution, I want to secure that funding and those opportunities for undergraduate students.”

Vice-President Academic Affairs 

The role of the VP Academic Affairs is to support students on their academic journey at USask such as through academic grievances, misconduct, and appeal cases. They chair many academic committees including the University Students’ Council Academic Relations Committee; Research, Scholarly, Artistic Work Committee; Academic Programs Committee; Scholarship and Awards Committee and many more. 

Norah Jacob: VP Academic Candidate

“My name is Norah Jacob, my pronouns are she/her, and I am majoring in psychology. I am running for VP Academic Affairs because I am passionate about improving students’ academic experience. Through my two years on USC, University Council, the Academic Relations Committee, and STM’s Teaching and Learning Committee, I have seen how student voices can be lost within administrative systems. I am committed to three key areas: transparency, accessibility, and advocacy.

Transparency

I want to implement a system where student course evaluations are accessible. This model has worked well at other universities, improving accountability, and ensuring teaching quality.

I also plan to make the VP Academic role more approachable by publishing updates, hosting Q&As, and attending college events to stay engaged with student concerns.

Accessibility

Academic misconduct cases often face long delays due to the time needed to assemble full hearing boards. I will work with the university to introduce a tiered system where minor cases are resolved quickly by department heads and a student representative, while full boards handle serious cases. This will prevent delays that harm students academically and financially.

I will also advocate for increased use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) to reduce textbook costs, particularly in first-year courses where free, high-quality materials are available.

Advocacy

I want to expand experiential learning by working with USURJ, OPUS, and SURE to better inform students about research opportunities. Additionally, I will push for more paid research positions and internships to help students gain real-world experience.

Finally, I plan to ensure students are fully aware of the academic supports available to them. Resources exist, but they aren’t useful if students don’t know about them—I will work to make that information accessible.

As VP Academic, I will advocate for students, ensuring their voices are heard and their academic needs are prioritized.”

Vice-President Operations and Finance 

The VP Operations and Finance is responsible for the financial aspects of the USSU such as ensuring the annual USSU budget is prepared and reviewing monthly financial statements. They are a point of contact for campus groups and assist them through ratification and funding. They chair the Finance and Assessment Committee and the Campus Groups Committee. 

Osama Abul-Haj: VP Operations and Finance Candidate

“My name is Osama Abul-Haj and I am pursuing a degree in Regional and Urban Planning. I use he/him pronouns.

I am running for Vice President of Operations and Finance because I believe we are at a pivotal moment with our incoming university administration. We have an opportunity to improve the student experience and address real challenges students are facing. For instance, there has been an increase in students needing to work long hours to fund their education and living expenses, with some even resorting to GoFundMe campaigns to sustain their education, all the while food insecurity increases both on our campus and in the larger community. This happens while food is wasted daily from Marquis Hall and other food outlets, which first lit the fuse for me to want to run and make a change. From that, I identified other problems students deal with like the lack of transparency surrounding how student contributions are used, and more importantly, a lack of adequate direct input and community engagement in decision-making. 

What you can expect from me if I am elected is a more holistic approach in coordinating with university departments and local stakeholders to harbor a more transparent and inclusive atmosphere that allows for students to know exactly where their contributions go. You can also expect me to establish clearer access to funding for clubs and campus groups to ensure that spaces are made available and accessible when students need them. You can also expect me to tackle the issue of sustainability and food waste on our campus through coordination with Consumer Services and other relevant stakeholders to ensure we are cognizant of food insecurity in the community. Finally, I seek to center the needs of the community through a USSU that puts students’ needs first.”

Owen Deis: VP Operations and Finance Candidate 

“Name: Owen Deis 

Pronouns: He/Him

Major: 4th-year History Honours 

Why am I running: 

I have a passion for helping people and am deeply committed to making our campus a better place for current and incoming students. Since my first year, I have routinely joined student groups in leadership positions and worked actively to hold events, raise money for student awards, and donate to important causes. Because of my experience, I possess the necessary abilities to improve the USSU’s efficiency and make students aware of the tools available to support them on their academic journeys.

Why Students Should Choose Me

I bring extensive experience in administration, oversight, and leadership as the current President of USask’s largest student group, the Arts & Science Students’ Union. I will bring the same diligence, integrity, and attention to detail that I have used to govern nearly 10,000 Arts and Science students to the VP Operations and Finance Portfolio. 

Through meetings with university administrators, student leaders, businesses, and organisations, I know everything there is to know about USask policies, where to send students when they need help, and how to enable academic and financial success on and off campus.

Key Platform Components 

1. Not every student has time to look through spreadsheets, so I promise to regularly disclose financial and budget information through social media posts, infographics, and other easily accessible formats. 

2. I will lead a review of campus group supports, launching a survey aimed at student leaders to learn what can be improved and how groups are utilising or not utilising supports.

3. I will work with the incoming executives to make more resources available to enable and reward student financial and academic success. This will include events, social media posts, and how-to guides to promote financial literacy, award applications, and deals and discounts across Saskatoon and campus.”

Vice-President Student Affairs

VP Student Affairs is responsible for non-academic affairs such as housing, campus safety and sustainability. They also are responsible for the USSU Centres which include the Pride Centre Women’s Centre, Help Centre, and Food Centre.

Elmer Vincent: VP Student Affairs Candidate

“My name is Elmer Vincent (He/Him), a third-year Computer Science major and I’m running for VP Student Affairs 2025-2026. As the only international student contesting in elections this year, I bring not only a different perspective but also a deep understanding of the issues students face. Navigating university as an international student, I have had to juggle several financial pressures to keep studies as my priority. Having faced such issues myself, I’m dedicated to making real, and effective changes. 

My platform has two core proposals: Firstly, I will introduce a Tuition rate cap to limit the percentage of tuition fee increase each year. This would protect students from unexpected and outrageous fee hikes, introducing certainty and fairness into our increasingly expensive education system. Second, I am proposing Housing bursaries, something USask has never done before! These bursaries would counterbalance the high rents many students, especially international students, struggle with. Students should not have to choose between their living arrangement and their studies.

I’m not just proposing policies; I’m proposing a shift in how we view student support. I believe that we need to have a leader that hears, understands, and acts. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” It will not be easy to change things, but I’m prepared to fight for what students deserve. If elected, I will ensure that every student has the support they need to flourish—no matter their circumstances. I will work tirelessly to find solutions that truly make a difference.

Vote for Elmer Vincent—VP Student Affairs. Let’s create real change, together.”

Emily Hubick: VP Student Affairs Candidate

“Hi everyone! My name is Emily Hubick, my pronouns are she/her, and I am a fourth-year Cellular, Physiological, and Pharmacological Sciences major.  

My interest in running for Vice President Student Affairs came from my involvement on the  University of Saskatchewan campus. Over the last three years I have volunteered with the  USSU Women’s and Pride Centres and run multiple discussion groups through them. I have  been a member of campus clubs and am now the vice-president of the USask Menstrual  Project. These experiences fostered my interest in the functioning of the union and their impact on student’s lives. After reflecting on my dedication and passion for bettering our university, I realized this is a position I could excel in.  

My platform is based on the 3 S’s – Support, Solidarity, and Success. Student Affairs is an exciting role since there is so much direct interaction with students and event planning.  However, this position is also responsible for aspects that can make or break students’  university experience. By providing more supports for mental health, affordable housing,  and healthcare, we can create a better environment to ease student’s stress outside of academics. Many students have lost faith in the USSU, and rebuilding that trust starts with solidarity and advocating for what they want. Improving our AES system, safety on campus, and opportunities for international students are a few examples of how I plan to work toward this. The overarching theme of my platform is success— what will make our students successful and how we, as their union, can advocate for it. Keeping this in mind is the best guide for our actions.  

I look forward to the opportunity to serve our campus community and students in the coming year as VP Student Affairs. Thank you!”

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To get a complete understanding of the candidates visit the USSU website which also includes the candidates’ campaign videos: https://ussu.ca/elections/. 

Here is a list of important election dates. By participating in the events leading up to the elections, students have the chance to learn more about each candidate and their platforms, fostering an informed electorate that makes choices that represent their collective interests. 

• March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Forum at Louis at 3 p.m.
• March 19: Candidates Meet & Greet in Place Riel North Concourse from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• March 25: Online Forum on Zoom at 6 p.m. Advanced registration is required. To register follow the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/98VG9A55TIaDZc-QxNIrUw#/registration 
• March 26-27: Voting opens at 9 a.m. on March 26 on PAWS and closes at 4 p.m. on March 27.

The Sheaf encourages all undergraduate students to participate in elections and the events leading up to them. These opportunities allow students to determine the future of their university experience, to advocate for their needs and ensure that their voices are heard on important issues.
Voting empowers students to take ownership of their academic and social environments to foster a campus that reflects their vibrancy and needs. Vote on March 26-27!