2023 SU general election: Schulich School of Engineering representatives
Along with the responsibilities outlined for all Students’ Legislative Council (SLC) members, faculty representatives are accountable for responsibilities particular to their role including: Reporting to students of their faculty the policies, positions and programs of the Students’ Union (SU), reporting to their faculty itself (like Dean’s Council) the policies, positions and programs of the SU, representing student constituents of their faculty at SLC, representing student constituents of their faculty on university committees and reporting to the VP Academic on matters of academic importance within their faculty.
ABHARI LIMBU
Abhari Limbu is running for re-election as the Schulich School of Engineering representative but she did not interview with the Gauntlet, so this is what students can expect based solely on her platform.
Mental health is at the forefront of Limbu’s advocacy, although her platform does not specify how she plans to spread awareness and de-stigmatize topics and approaches surrounding mental health. Overall, she wants to establish a foundation that emphasizes the significance of quality mental health within the university community.
With the continued rise of tuition, Limbu plans to continue advocating for reasonable tuition fees and to provide transparency regarding its allocation. To further address the impact of these hikes on students, she aims to collaborate with faculty staff to provide additional scholarships and bursaries that students can apply for.
As a well-rounded student herself, Limbu advocates for a healthy balance between school and extracurricular activities by planning to re-launch the Engineering Mentorship Program. The program promotes and demonstrates the importance of creating a healthy, balanced lifestyle for students. In partnership with the Engineering Students’ Society and the Student Success Centre, Limbu hopes to foster inclusive, student-centred services tailored towards both academic and non-academic support.
FARDEEN ISLAM
Fardeen Islam is another candidate for the Schulich School of Engineering representative position. He did not interview with the Gauntlet, so this is what students can expect based solely on his platform.
With his firsthand experience as an international student, he knows the struggles that come with a lack of financial aid, course availability options and mental health services. As such, he is running as a representative to tackle these problems by creating an open dialogue between the university and its students to establish innovative solutions.
He is advocating for the increase of class availability options within the faculty as its shortage has impacted students’ graduation dates. Given that engineering courses require prerequisites, he aspires to have these classes available during all semesters — including spring and summer — to allow students to have more flexible schedules.
Additionally, Islam plans to increase grants and bursaries generated to aid financially disadvantaged students. He believes that providing these resources to individuals can help in overcoming financial barriers that often inhibit them from pursuing higher education.
Lastly, Islam hopes to provide frequent therapy counselling sessions while also assisting in the SU’s mental health advocacy in order to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for students. As engineering students face intense academic pressure, he aspires to conduct assessments to learn more about student concerns regarding mental health.
All undergraduate students in the Schulich School of Engineering can vote YES or NO on their ballot for up to two candidates for FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE or ABSTAIN from voting.