New SA board sees a mix of new and returning members

Updated April 15, 2019 with comment from Manisha Punjabi.

Manisha Punjabi has been elected as the new director of education and equity at the Student Association (SA) of George Brown College.

Punjabi, the SA woman and trans students’ representative this year, received 825 of the 2,099 votes cast for this position, a total of 39.3 per cent.

“I almost talked to more than 600 students at George Brown College from all the campuses, and when I was talking to them I was listening to the problems that they were facing,” said Punjabi.

Punjabi said she will continue fighting for gender-neutral washrooms at the college as well as workshops focused on gender identity.

She will occupy one of the three executive positions on the SA board for 2019-20. The other executive positions will be elected in the fall.

Shweta Shukla placed second with 325 votes, or 15.5 per cent.

Arnel Fleurant, the current director of education who was running for a second term on the board, received 190 votes.

Seven education centre representatives were also elected. Only two of the seven posts were contested.

Taranjeet Singh Manchanda was voted in as the business education centre representative with 320 votes.

“In the coming term I plan for more networking events which we lack because (some) business students are international and we don’t know how to network in the business industry in Canada,” he said.

Sergio Parada Hernandez placed second in the business representative race with 128 votes.

Ricardo Brown was elected the construction and engineering technologies educational centre representative with 223 votes, or 50.2 per cent, to Tejinder Pal Singh’s 194 votes.

For positions that only had one candidate students were able to vote yes or no to them representing them on the board.

Jolie Tadros will continue her second consecutive term as the health sciences educational centre representative.

“I know no one was running against me but there is always still a chance of people voting no. It’s always exciting to win and I’m just glad to be able to continue the work I’m doing,” she said.

Vimal, the 2018-19 Casa Loma campus director, was elected the arts, design and information technology educational centre representative.

Benny Brown was elected community services and early childhood education educational centre representative.

Jamie Jamieson was elected hospitality and culinary arts educational centre representative.

Shathvahi Ramesh was elected preparatory and liberal studies educational centre representative.

“At the end of the day my entire goal and theme was just to be there for students and to help them as much as possible,” said Ramesh.

Punjabi, Vimal, Benny Brown, Ricardo Brown and Jamieson did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

A total of 2,099 students voted in the SA election this year, up from 1,584 in 2018.

Director of Education and Equity
Asif Farabi: 87 (4.1%)
Arnel Fleurant: 190 (9.05%)
Taliyah Gallwey: 298 (14.2%)
Nusrat Khan: 65 (3.1%)
Manisha Punjabi: (S.W.A.D. [Students With A Dream]): 825 (39.3%) – Elected
Shweta Shukla: 325 (15.5%)
Rejected: 1 (.05%)
Blank: 308 (14.6%)
Total: 2099  

Arts, Design and Information Technology Educational Centre Representative
Vimal (S.W.A.D. [Students With A Dream]): 261 Yes, 49 No – Elected
Rejected: 0
Blank: 75
Total: 385 

Business Educational Centre Representative 
Ashutosh Goyal: 14 (2.2%) 
Sergio Parada Hernandez: 128 (19.6%) 
Taranjeet Singh Manchanda: 320 (49.4%) – Elected 
Carla Rudberg: 50  (7.7%) 
Mina Zamani: 100 (15.4%) 
Rejected: 0 
Blank: 36 (5.6%)
Total: 648 

Community Services and Early Childhood Education Educational Centre Representative
Benny Brown: 102 Yes, 20 No – Elected
Rejected: 0
Blank: 46
Total: 168

Health Sciences Educational Centre Representative
Jolie Tadros: 151 Yes, 18 No – Elected
Rejected: 1
Blank: 27
TOTAL: 197

Hospitality and Culinary Arts Educational Centre Representative
Jamie Jamieson: 109 Yes, 25 No – Elected
Rejected: 0
Blank: 45
Total: 179

Preparatory and Liberal Studies Educational Centre Representative
Shathvahi Ramesh: 57 Yes, 10 No – Elected
Rejected: 0
Blank: 11
TOTAL: 78