Candidate: Sunisha Dugar

University is a place that sculpts us as individuals amid the chaos of navigating friendships, partners, academia, and potential jobs. The quest to find ourselves within all the chatter is quite enriching, given the central aspect of experiences in uni life. It would be a privilege to play a role in enriching and improving those very experiences in OUR university. The privilege to represent one of the strongest pillars of the university would be an honour.  

Being actively engaged across varying capacities has been an incredible journey as an international student. Being involved across multiple clubs, as a residential adviser, and as a volunteer across multiple university events and initiatives, I’ve managed to cast a wider net with multiple stakeholders. These have not just had me identify and face various issues but further think of solutions. A significant part of student governance revolves around empathy, which can only be truly embraced if one has lived through the pains. Having persisted through moving countries and being actively engaged, I believe I can have a strong sense of relationality, especially within a multicultural community. The university is a complex network of systems with thousands of policies, departments, views, and organisations. Thus, building stronger connections with those across faculties, AUSA, multiple clubs, the proctor’s office, and student groups would be vital and tested ways to form actionable solutions. After all, I have already been conversing on varying capacities across the channels. It would be an honour to represent the many voices carried across conversations that create a sense of community within our university. Student voices are created through perspectives, particularly experiences, whether they project direction to foster change or maintain certain practices. Currently, I aim to discuss and advocate issues revolving around safety for all students on campus, SET evaluations, lost property, course cuts, reducing rent in student accommodations, increased wages or discounts for residential advisers, yield time for assignments, streamlining of process within student group for clubs, and ways to increase transparency for all students. 

As a student council representative, I would like to create a bridge between the complex network of systems within our university and us students. I strongly believe our university has significant scope for improvement, which can only be achieved if students remain at the center. I am driven, bold, and determined to serve for changes within this university, so join me on this journey and cast your vote as the first step. It's not about filling up another position; it's about being a catalyst for change with YOUR voices.