2025 general election: Vice-President Academic
Gabriela Dziegielewska
Gabriela Dziegielewska, a fifth-year Chemistry and Computer Science student, is running uncontested for Vice-President Academic.
Dziegielewska has a clear grasp of the VP Academic portfolio, particularly its untapped potential. She sees the role as both a watchdog for student rights and a proactive force for academic improvement, from curriculum reviews to expanding research opportunities.
“I think VPA issues are bread-and-butter issues that touch on every single student’s experience on campus,” she said.
She has already tested these waters as a Science Representative, where she successfully opposed the Science Exceptional Tuition Increase (ETI), securing commitments for better consultation and securing faculty funds for additional student services. She believes her experience navigating university bureaucracy gives her an advantage.
She clearly understands the inner workings of student advocacy, and her willingness to “butt heads” with administration while maintaining working relationships suggests she knows how to balance persistence with diplomacy.
“I’ve had experiences where you kind of butted heads over things, and despite any potential conflicts, I was still able to deliver on the things that I wanted to,” said Dziegielewska.
Dziegielewska’s platform includes major initiatives, such as passing a Student Bill of Rights, increasing Ombuds office staff and expanding hybrid learning.
She acknowledges that some initiatives, such as the Student Bill of Rights, will require navigating university legal barriers but emphasizes that most of the policies already exist.
“It’s just compiling all existing student policies into one document,” she said, stressing that the challenge is getting the university to officially recognize it.
Her plan to tackle academic rights violations — such as paywalled assignments and attendance-taking policies — shows a well-thought-out approach. Rather than immediately pushing for sweeping policy changes, she first wants to launch an awareness campaign so students know their rights and can report violations.
“I really want to just emphasize to students that I am their snitch line on campus, and I want them to tell me when things are happening so that we can try to fix them,” she said.
This focus on student engagement and incremental change is a sign of a practical, strategic thinker.
While she supports expanding hybrid learning, Dziegielewska is aware of external constraints, including faculty union policies. Instead of unrealistic overhauls, she suggests smaller, achievable wins — such as ensuring lecture recordings are saved and posted.
One of her most concrete proposals is expanding Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) and making research job opportunities more transparent. She has already run into resistance from the university, which she says is “married to Elevate” and reluctant to change the current informal, networking-based hiring process. She acknowledges that overcoming this mindset will take more than presenting data—it will require persistent advocacy.
Dziegielewska stands out as a strong candidate who understands the power and limitations of the role. She has a proven track record of advocacy, realistic strategies for implementing her platform and the political awareness needed to negotiate with the administration. While some of her goals will require persistence and collaboration, her experience and pragmatic approach suggest she can be effective in the role.
All undergraduate students can vote YES or NO on their ballot for Gabriela Dziegielewska as VP ACADEMIC or ABSTAIN from voting.