2020 Board of Director's Candidate Platforms

The 2020 SMUSA student elections are here! The Journal reached out to all board of director candidates through the election’s Chief Returning Officer (CRO) and asked each of them for a statement on who they are and what their platform consists of. Not all candidates replied to the Journal’s request in time for publishing. This post will be updated as other candidates reach out to the Journal. You can find out more about the 2020 SMUSA elections by clicking here or by emailing the CRO at elections.smusa@smu.ca. Photo credit to Dénis Amirault, Marketing & Communications Officer for SMUSA.

“My name is Alex Wilson, I am a political science student and I am running for the Board of Directors to create a more positive student experience at SMU. My platform is focused on three main pillars, Mental Health, Affordability, and Engagement. I've been a student at SMU for almost three years now and being born and raised in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia ( About an hour south from Halifax ) I found myself visiting my Friends on weekends throughout grade 11 and 12. Since starting at SMU in January 2018 I have observed two elections and what I have observed in both elections is low polling numbers, A Board that is in place to represent 6000+ students is only receiving the votes of 1000-2000 votes students. This level of engagement is dangerously low! I want to work towards creating more opportunities for student engagement, the work that SMUSA does is important and deeply impacts the lives of students. Furthermore, Mental Health is just as if not more important then physical health, studies have shown that living healthy lifestyles are important, however healthy food options on campus are both expensive and limited, we also need to focus on other mental health initiatives that we need to invest in and thus leads me to my last point Affordability, money doesn't grow on tree's and many students know this, SMUSA has some amazing societies however the enrolment in these groups in limited due to students need to work, as well as some of the cost associated with joining this societies, I believe that club sports should be supported by SMUSA as well to help offset the cost of student enrolment, Please follow me Facebook as well as on Instagram @awils2899 I will be having a town hall meeting Monday, Feb 10th at 6:30 pm in LA 273 please feel free to come ask questions and engage in my platform.”

- Alex Wilson

“My name is Pearl Bella Buyanzi. I am a 2nd year student pursuing a BA in Psychology with a minor in Political Science. I am from Nairobi, Kenya. I come from a background where mental illnesses are ridiculed and dismissed because they are not “real” illnesses and this is why I am so passionate about Psychology. My goal is to eradicate the stigma surrounding mental illnesses because I have seen the very real effects and consequences they have on people’s lives. As for my interest in politics, it stems from a place of deep anger and frustration at seeing innocent disadvantaged people suffer at the hands of the wealthy and powerful. I am running for SMUSA Board of Directors because I want to be a representative and advocate for marginalized people especially in matters relating to sexual violence. ½ of reported sexual assault cases are people between the ages of 15-24, most of whom are in university. For groups such as aboriginal women, disabled women, gay men and other members of the 2slgbtq+ community, etc. the risk of sexual violence is even higher. Vote for me and together we can fight to stop sexual violence on campus.”

- Pearl B. Buyanzi