It is up to the students to get informed about Student Association candidates
Illustration by Sam Bullis
For students, the end of the year means celebration, an overload on schoolwork, and last but certainly not least, student elections.
The most important time for candidates is right now. The individuals running for office, whether it be as a representative, a campus director, or an executive should understand the role but it is ultimately up to the students to get educated on what they can do for you.
The walls of George Brown College (GBC) will soon go from off-white to being covered with colourful posters that push students to vote for the best candidate. The content of these posters vary from promises of serious change to witty comments, in hopes of catching the eyes of students that may be out of their reach.
You may not know exactly what is achievable by those who get elected, and it’s your job to get informed. Right now.
The Student Association (SA) is an organization that runs services for students such as dental and health plans, clubs, food banks, awards, as well as takes care of campus events. Essentially, they want to help their fellow peers have the best college experience and resources they are capable of providing.
When reviewing your potential candidates, take into consideration that they are only capable of providing services that the SA is responsible for. Knowing the differences between which responsibilities fall on the college and which fall on the SA will save you time and energy as the election approaches.
Be wary of candidates stating that they can change classroom equipment, areas other than the SA’s student lounges, or who offer vague statements without specifics. This could indicate that the candidate does not have a clear understanding of the job ahead.
While advocacy plays a huge part within the SA, its power is limited. It is often a point of debate, but unfortunately it’s not up to the SA’s board to freeze rising tuition prices, despite the wishes of students and the goals of some candidates.
What they can do is make their voices heard by lobbying for the freeze of tuition prices to the GBC board of governors and the provincial government
Know your candidates and know their roles. It is up to you, the student, to decide who represents you.[pullquote]
