GSA announce 2019 election results

By Jason Herring, March 13 2019 —

The University of Calgary Graduate Students’ Association announced the results of their 2019 General Election at the Last Defence Lounge (LDL) on March 13. The results follow a nearly month-long campaign period that began on Feb. 20.

Two of the five executive positions on the GSA were contested. In the four-candidate vice-president student life race, the results were left uncertified for reasons the GSA declined to disclose. The position will be left vacant until a byelection.

The other contested executive position was the two-person vice-president operations and finance, which was won by Mina Iskander. He plans to work on investments for money that the GSA holds, including for things like the student dental plan. He also wants to increase the financial performance and sustainability of the LDL, which is run by the GSA.

“I’ve been volunteering with the GSA for two-and-a-half years now, so people know me,” Iskander said. “So it was a nice campaign period.”

Two other executive positions were acclaimed. Mohammad Mansouri, who is currently the GSA’s VP operations and finance, was acclaimed as president. Marcela Coelho Lopes was acclaimed to serve a second term as vice-president external.

Mansouri wants to focus on finances and an investment policy for the GSA over the next year, something he says he gained experience with during his term as the organization’s VP operations and finance. He also says he wants to work on advocating to the federal government ahead of this year’s election.

“It’s something that we should spend time on that will directly and indirectly benefit students,” Mansouri said. “It’s a very important piece of the puzzle for the GSA that was missed in the last year.”

The vice-president academic position was left vacant.

The final position announced was for the associate vice-president labour/chair, which was won by current GSA president Brit Paris.

Voter turnout in the GSA election was seven per cent.