SU Elections 2024: Presidential Debate, Myer Horowitz Recap Part II

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The fifth forum of the University of Alberta Students’ Union (SU) 2024 elections was held at the Myer Horowitz Theatre in the Students’ Union Building (SUB) on March 4. The event was offered online and in-person.

There are two presidential candidates running this year: Lisa Glock and Michael Griffiths, the current vice-president (student life). The debate was moderated by Sithara Naidoo, the SU’s Deputy Returning Officer (DRO). Themes included food insecurity, adressing barriers to student governance, transparency, and support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Open forum followed the debate, which allowed students to direct their own questions to each race.

This is the second part of the Myer Horowitz Forum Recap. Find the first part here, and the third part here.

First question of presidential debate addresses affordability and student barriers

To begin, Naidoo asked both candidates how they would address food security, in ways other than relying on the Campus Food Bank (CFB). 

First, Griffiths said he wants to take a holistic approach to food insecurity. He said to address food insecurity on campus, affordability as a whole needs to be addressed. 

“Food insecurity does not start just because our students can’t afford food. It starts because our students are facing financial pressures on tuition, rent, food, and all the other expenses that we’re expected to enter when we’re here on campus,” Griffiths said.

During his time as vice-president (student life), Griffiths said he worked with the Office of the Registrar to lobby the university to increase the Supplementary Bursary program. According to Griffiths, this lobbying resulted in an additional $1 million in funding for students.  

“These are the kinds of initiatives that our president needs to undertake and I will continue to undertake to solve affordability on this campus,” Griffiths said. 

If elected president, Griffiths said he would work to raise the profile of student voices to BoG, demand the tuition offset program is increased, and ensure financial aid is “up to speed” for students. 

Following Griffiths, Glock said she understands the issue of food insecurity on a personal level, as she has had to use the CFB a number of times during her degree. To address food insecurity on campus, Glock said an “approach that encompasses all aspects of student well-being is needed.”

“Housing is health care, food is health care, [and] so is community,” Glock said. She added that needs-based bursaries are one way to address the issue.

“I think those that are struggling to meet their basic needs and standards of living are the ones that are more in need of financial assistance. Especially when it comes to communities that are more at risk for these issues, such as international students,” Glock said.

Additionally, Glock said she wants to work to facilitate student protests. Having planned multiple events, Glock said she understands how difficult it is to get events off the ground. In particular, Glock said she would like to make organizing protests easier.

“Making that process easier … really help us get noticed when we bring our voices together and ask for our needs to be met. Because students going hungry is absolutely unacceptable,” Glock said.

Following Glock, Griffiths gave his response. Griffiths said he was glad Glock mentioned international students, as international students make up the majority of CFB users.

“This just goes to show how issues are not equal across campus. Marginalized students experience tougher challenges than many of our domestic students. This is not okay,” Griffiths said. 

Griffiths said he has worked with groups like the ISA to put together events and make sure they are connected to their community. Additionally, he said his platform outlines how he plans to reduce barriers for student groups to start and host events.

Glock asks Griffiths about his platform and reducing barriers to student governance

In the second round, the candidates asked each other questions. To begin, Glock said Griffiths’ platform is heavily centred on his experience as vice-president (student life). To Glock, the implications of this are that “the average student without SU experience … maybe shouldn’t bother running or getting involved with student governance.”

Glock asked Griffiths what specific actions he would take to reduce the barriers to participation in student governance.

First, Griffiths said he does not want students to feel like they shouldn’t get involved in student governance. He said his personal journey to student governance was “unconventional.” Griffiths said he did not serve on Students’ Council as many executives do. Instead, he was the president of the Lister Students’ Association. 

“Governance needs to be accessible, and my platform outlines ways to do that,” Griffiths said.

According to Griffiths, one of the pillars of his platforms is empowering Student Representative Associations (SRAs). He said he intends to reduce the barriers for students to get involved in governance.

Following up on her question, Glock asked what he has already accomplished as vice-president (student life) if he would have to follow-up on his work as president. 

Griffiths said much of his platform draws on his experience as vice-president (student life) as this is the lens he intends to bring into his work as president. According to Griffiths, a vice-president (student life) executive has not become SU president in 10 years.

“I think that speaks to the need on our campus for a fresh perspective. A lot of the work to empower our student leaders and reduce barriers to getting involved in governance comes with the [vice-president] (academic) and presidential portfolios,” Griffiths said. “And that is why I have run for president this year to undertake some of that work.”

Griffiths questions Glock’s lack of a “full platform”

Next, Griffiths said Glock does not have a complete public platform available for students, which is standard for candidates. Griffiths also said she had only made three posts on her Instagram regarding her campaign. 

According to Griffiths, Glock shared her intention on social media to expand access to re-usable menstrual products. Griffiths said he has already done that by providing Club Periodically with funding. Other posts speak about expanding OneCard access to HUB mall, Griffiths added. He said he has already expanded OneCard access to HUB mall and other buildings on campus.  

“Do you think that your three posts, which discuss issues that I have worked on but give no plan to improve upon, are equal to a full platform and are transparent enough for students to make an informed decision?” Griffiths asked.

In response, Glock said she does not have an “industrial complex” running her campaign team. As well, she is currently in four classes, running two student groups, working as a U of A Ambassador, and working as a teaching assistant. Glock added that she only decided to run for president in February. 

Glock said her full platform will be out at the end of the week.

“I have had some barriers to entry, as were discussed,” Glock said. “I’ve had a very hard time with this election. But I want to show you that no matter what comes up, no matter what responsibilities may be in your life, you can still run. You can still put yourself out there and provide a good platform. It might just take a few days longer if you don’t have the resources and experience of running a campaign before.”

Griffiths responded and said his question is not meant to be a critique of any candidate. Additionally, Griffiths said his campaign team is also small. He clarified that what he had asked Glock was how students could trust her just based on her word.

“They must rely on you. You’re asking them to vote for you without a clear plan at this point, when students are in crisis right now,” Griffiths said. “Students need a leader who is prepared and who understands the system, and they might not have the ability at this time to take a leap.”

In response, Glock said she is sure she can handle the role of president. She mentioned her previous experience with student groups and activism. 

“And if I need to learn a few more things, I think that’s okay. I think a fresh perspective is what’s needed,” Glock replied.

Glock asks Griffiths about diverse supports, says “survivors on campus have not felt their needs are met”

Next, Glock asked Griffiths how he would ensure the diverse needs of sexual assault survivors are met after students have seen the “detrimental effects of the [U of A’s Sexual Assault Centre’s] (UASAC) abrupt closure and intransparent communication.”  

Griffiths said the conversation around diverse supports should be expanded to all services offered on campus. With regards to the closure of the UASAC, Griffiths said this is where he has focused much of his advocacy in the past semester. This includes leading the SU statement on the closure, which called for the restoration of services and promoting the community petition.

Additionally, Griffiths said he met with the interim director of UASAC, Tim Tang, and the assistant dean of health and wellness, Kevin Friese, to work towards the restoration of the UASAC. He said he also worked on Consent Awareness Week, promoted the launch of the Options Navigation Network, and lobbied administration to ensure Sexual Violence Response Coordinator Deb Eerkes’ renewal. In his term, Griffiths said he sought the hiring of 10 new clinicians with the intent to ensure they are more diverse, and receive cultural and religious training. 

In response to Griffiths, Glock said that she knows the survivors on campus have not felt their needs are met and that she is concerned for them. 

Since Griffiths said diverse support should be expanded to all services, Glock said she would speak about the struggles of Palestinian students. 

“Palestinian students were ignored and belittled and had a very difficult time on campus, when it should have been their safe space while facing a genocide in their home country,” Glock said. “Supports for these students were very broad and not tailored to their very unique traumatic circumstance.”

Griffiths responded and said that he does not think students have received enough support, which has driven his advocacy. 

“There is a genocide being committed against the people in Gaza. I am unequivocally against this violence and would love to see a ceasefire and an end to the violence. But the role of the SU president is to support and empower our students here,” Griffiths said. 

During his tenure as vice-president (student life), Griffiths said he worked with the university to increase supports for affected students. These included relaxed exam deferrals, relaxed requirements for course withdrawals, and tuition forgiveness. As well, Griffiths said he advocated for a Student Crisis Support Hub and expedited the process for the Palestinian Cultural Club’s group approval.

Griffiths brings up Glock’s participation at GFC

Next, Griffiths addressed a question to Glock. In 2021, Glock was elected to the General Faculties Council (GFC) as an arts representative. During this time, she only attended four out of eight meetings, Griffiths said. He asked why Glock did not use her position on GFC to speak out about issues she “claims to care about now” and why students should trust her to represent them as president when she “failed to do so as an arts representative.” 

Glock said when she ran for GFC, she thought it would be different than it ended-up being. As well, the COVID-19 pandemic and her living situation took a toll on her mental health, Glock said. When she did attend GFC, Glock said she didn’t feel heard or supported. 

“I definitely failed in my time on GFC. I didn’t accomplish what I set out to do. And so knowing that I didn’t run again,” Glock said.

After this, Glock said she decided to focus on women’s empowerment and sustainability through student groups. Through this avenue, Glock said she “was able to do much more.”

In response, Griffiths said he appreciated Glocks honesty and vulnerability. Griffiths then asked Glock if she didn’t feel heard on GFC, how she will effectively voice students’ concerns to GFC as president. 

“How will you overcome that adversity? Because students are counting on their future presidents to be able to overcome that and to make these changes happen for students,” Griffiths said.

Glock said she is mentally in a better place now and has gained experience through the Government of Alberta as a policy intern. She said she also gained experience from her work in student groups and non-profits, including building the Sustainable Development Goals Student Alliance “from the ground up.” Currently, Glock also sits on the Student Advisory Committee, which she has attended every meeting for. 

“I feel anyone who stands up here and speaks at least deserves to be taken seriously. And deserves to be evaluated on their merits and not on failings during their mental health crisis two years ago,” Glock said.

Presidential candidates discuss supports for different student groups during open forum

During open forum, the two presidential candidates were asked how they would advocate for Palestinian students as president.

Griffiths said he wants to build his advocacy for Palestinian students off of the work he’s already started as vice-president (student life). To Griffiths, this means hearing what concerns students have, what tangible supports they need, and seeing what the SU can do on campus to support them. According to Griffiths, the SU worked with the university to increase academic leniency for exam deferrals and for students who need to withdraw from a course.

“My platform also outlines ways that I hope to strengthen student groups and empower our student leaders on campus this year. This is one of the most effective ways that we have as an SU to empower voices,” Griffiths said.

Following Griffiths, Glock said there are many things the SU can do that address students and their needs directly. Glock said she has consulted with Palestinian students and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

Glock mentioned that students have said the SU needs to divest from companies that are “harming people, committing human rights violations, labour violations, and frankly, that are partaking in unsustainable practices — which was a part of my platform already.”

Additionally, Glock said students in crisis need specific supports, “not broad sweeping ones like they’ve been provided with before.” Glock also said she wants to allow for student protests or vigils to get through the event approval process faster.

Later, Glock and Griffiths were asked how they would support Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) students while they are experiencing chronic operational underfunding. 

Glock said she wants to get more funding for “things that CSJ deems necessary.” These include making gender-neutral washrooms accessible for people with disabilities, which Glock said was a concern she heard from students.

“I think CSJ has the capacity to tell us what they need. We just need to follow through and make sure that they get those needs addressed.”

Griffiths said one of the best ways to support CSJ students is to have them lead their own advocacy to the federal government, as the provincial government often neglects funding. As well, the federal government has a responsibility to protect the French language in Edmonton, Griffiths said. 

“CSJ has had a lot of success when their students speak directly to some of our government representatives,” Griffiths said. 

The Gateway asked the candidates how they would address deferred maintenance and its consequences. 

Griffiths said his plan to address deferred maintenance will involve advocating to the provincial government, as that’s where funding for large infrastructure comes from. In the recently released budget from the Government of Alberta, Griffiths said that while other Alberta post-secondary institutions received funding for specific projects, the U of A did not.

“We need to reframe our advocacy strategy to the provincial government to target them and demonstrate the value that the U of A brings to this province,” Griffiths said. 

Glock said the SU needs to try different avenues to gain funding. She mentioned that many buildings have accessibility issues, and said this could be one avenue to gain funding. Additionally, Glock mentioned working together with other post-secondary institutions. 

“I have been looking into universities that often extend work opportunities to their students or students in other programs. There’s a lot of students in other universities that work in construction. So we can partner with them to get some of this work done,” Glock said.

Later, the candidates were asked how they would support queer and transgender students without relying on The Landing, or the labour of queer and trans students.

Glock said she wants to work with any other resource that is provided to queer students, specifically students in Augustana, who expressed to Glock “how difficult it was for them to run their Pride this year.”

Glock said funding should be equally distributed across campuses. Additionally, Glock said it is “reprehensible” to rely on students from marginalized communities to educate people who aren’t a part of those groups. 

“We should be thoroughly compensating people for their work. And we should make sure that they have the platforms that they need to do their advocacy,” Glock said. 

Griffiths mentioned the “deeply problematic recent legislation that has been passed attacking queer and trans youth in the province,” and the importance of voicing support to the government.

He said there are additional measures in place that empower queer and trans students that will be important to promote, such as STRIDE Campaign School.

“We won’t stand for policies like this, and they are not welcome at our university. Our university is a place for those students to feel safe.”

Lastly, the candidates received a question about how they would address Islamophobia on campus.

First of all, Griffiths said the first step is “condemning” Islamophobia, attacks, and hatred, and making sure students know “there’s no place on our campus for that.” Griffiths said “one of the best ways we can uplift these voices” is by empowering student groups, and expediting the process for events and student group approval. 

Glock said part of her “community building advocacy is about learning from each other.”

“We must fight ignorance and foster togetherness,” Glock said. Glock added that she wants to ensure there are safe prayer spaces for students. As well, she said that while there is a need for gender-neutral washrooms, there is still a need for gendered washrooms, “as many people still feel most comfortable and require” them.