Peter ElimaThe UASU Elections 2020 campaigns have begun! Here is your cheat sheet with all The Gateway’s coverage to help guide you through this election. Links to coverage will be consistently updated throughout the campaign period.
What are these positions and who’s running?
President
This executive represents students as a whole and acts as the primary spokesperson for the Students’ Union. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them all here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: President
Vice-President (External)
This executive works with the outside, non-university community, including the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Their work surrounds issues such as tuition, grants, and academic policy. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them both here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Vice-President (External)
Vice-President (Academic)
This executive manages academic initiatives, which can involve helping students afford university or improving course requirements. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them both here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Vice-President (Academic)
Vice-President (Student Life)
This executive is responsible for university-related non-academic issues, including residence life, internal approaches to mental health, and fun campus-wide events. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them both here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Vice-President (Student Life)
Vice-President (Operations and Finance)
This executive manages the Students’ Union’s $11 million budget, including the SU’s various businesses such as RATT and Dewey’s. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them both here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Vice-President (Operations and Finance)
Undergraduate Board of Governors Representative
This executive sits as a student voice on the Board of Governors, the highest decision-making body on campus. The Board works around campus-side issues including tuition fees, rental rates, and the university’s finances. This year’s candidates are:
Meet them both here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Undergraduate Board of Governors Representative
Referendum: Sustainability and Capital Fund
The Sustainability and Capital Fund referendum, represented by Akanksha Bhatnagar — current Students’ Union president — is asking students if they support paying $25 a semester to help address deferred maintenance and sustainability projects within the Students’ Union Building.
- “Yes” side: Akanksha Bhatnagar
Meet the referendum side here: SU Elections 2020 Q&A: Sustainability and Capital Fund Referendum
Referendum: The Gateway Dedicated Fee Unit (DFU)
The Gateway referendum is asking students if they support increasing The Gateway’s current student fee from $3.50 per student per semester to $5.50 per student per semester, as well as making the fee opt-outable instead of mandatory.
Due to a conflict of interest, The Gateway will not be covering our own referendum campaign. Please read our statement to learn more.
Plebiscite: Golden Bears and Pandas Legacy Fund
The Golden Bear and Panda Legacy Fund is asking students if they wish to continue to support paying their $4.54 per student per semester fee distributed to University of Alberta varsity athletic teams and the Athletics Department for the purposes of saving and stabilizing varsity athletic teams and promotion of varsity athletics.
- “Yes” side: Cameo Hanlon, Alexandra Poznikoff
Plebiscite: The Landing
The Landing, a student space for gender and sexual diversity located in the Students’ Union Building, is asking students if they to continue to support paying their $1.61 fee per student per semester, which funds operating costs, programming, events, outreach and awareness, grants and a volunteer program.
- “Yes” side: Rain Zewde
Forums
Residence Forum
This forum took place on February 24 at 5 p.m. at Lister in the Marina and included all the races.
News:
Opinion:
- Lister Forum Live Blog
- Opinion: Inexperienced candidate does surprisingly well at Lister forum
- Opinion: Ops-Fi candidates bet future success on Sustainability and Capital Fund
- Opinion: SU campaign promises about mental health should be considered carefully
SUBStage Forum 1
This forum took place on February 26 at 12 p.m. and included the president, vice-president (student life), undergraduate Board of Governors representative races, as well as the Sustainability and Capital Fund Referendum, and the Golden Bears and Pandas Legacy Fund Plebiscite.
News:
Opinion:
- SUBStage Forum 1 Live Blog
- Opinion: VPSL candidates promise to bring grassroots advocacy to the role in a refreshing change of pace
Augustana Forum
This forum took place at February 26 at 5 p.m. and included all the races. We didn’t attend, but check out the rest of the list for our constantly-updated coverage on the other forums.
SUBStage Forum 2
This forum took place on February 27 at 12 p.m. and included the vice-president (external), vice-president (academic), vice-president (operations and finance) races, as well as the Gateway Dedicated Fee Unit referendum and The Landing plebiscite.
News:
Opinion:
- SUBStage Forum 2 Live Blog
- Opinion: Is there a best of both worlds in the vice-president (academic) race?
- Opinion: Vice-president (operations and finance) candidates focus on mental health resources
- Opinion: We need a new kind of advocacy from vice-president (external) this year
Campus Saint-Jean Forum
The forum took place on February 28 at 12 p.m. at Campus Saint-Jean and included all the races.
News:
Opinion:
“Myer Horowitz” (SUB Atrium) Forum
The forum took place on March 2 at 12 p.m. at SUB Atrium and included all the races. All classes were cancelled from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. to allow students to attend the forum.
News:
Opinion:
International Students’ Association Forum
The International Students’ Association organized its own elections forum, which took place on March 3 at 12 p.m at CAB Atrium and included all the races.
News:
- International Students’ Association Forum Recap
- Fact Check: International students running for SU exec and Dean of Students student care coordinator hiring
Opinion:
Bite the Ballot
Watch this space for who our Opinion team members think will take home the titles.
- President
- Vice-president (external)
- Vice-president (academic)
- Vice-president (student life)
- Vice-president (operations and finance)
- Board of Governors representative
- Sustainability and Capital Fund Referendum, Golden Bears and Pandas Legacy Fund Plebiscite, and The Landing Plebiscite
Election Dissection
Watch this video of our expert panel of students past and present to see what they have to say about each race, candidate, and platform.
Poster Slam
Read what our team of savage tomato-throwers has to say about this year’s candidates’ posters.
Presidential candidates’ debate
Follow the link above to listen to two of the three presidential candidates, Luke Statt and Joel Agarwal, take part in some live Q&A.
