Written by Bethany M. Leal-Iyoupe

It’s showtime at SMUSA and the grand finale is approaching this week. This article aims to provide you with all you need to know about this year’s election season, from who’s running to how the voting process works packed in a detailed timeline of events.

The Buzz

We’re back to another semester of virtual programming, huskies! To inform interested students about each stage of the process, SMUSA alerted the Saint Mary’s community through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email newsletters, and website updates (such as an events calendar and brief elections timeline). On average, announcements were posted a few days before each event took place so that interested students were afforded enough time to register.

The Basics (January 18th - February 1st, 2022)

On January 18th, 2022, the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) and Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) at SMUSA held a virtual information session on Zoom so potential candidates could learn about the elections process and work duties of the President or the Board of Directors (BOD). The Executive Team was also available to answer questions for inquiring students. The campaign begins with the curation of nomination forms, which are distributed to the public, who would then submit nominations for their top Presidential and Board candidates. Nominations closed on January 28th, 2022, leaving the following candidates in the running: Isobel Tyler and Aljaro Knowles for President; Toni-Ann Bennett, Rishi Bhalla, Meghan Boudreau, Ashish Ganapathy, Alexis Keizer, Nikita Lakhanpal, Sorav Sogy, Francesca Southwell, and Thomas Waite for the BOD. On February 1st, 2022, these candidates began training for their campaigns.

The Campaign (February 4th - 15th, 2022)

The campaign period lasts approximately one and a half weeks, taking place from February 4th to 15th, allowing candidates to set their intentions with the student body. The campaign included a Board of Directors Forum, on February 8th, which was dedicated to interested voters looking to learn more about the candidates. The Forum was followed by the Presidential Debate where candidates expanded upon their platforms to convince audiences on why they would lead the best team to serve the student body.

The Big Icebreaker: Board of Directors Forum (February 8th, 2022)
The Forum gave student voters a chance to get to know their candidates a little better and ask them questions that will inform their decision making. The Board of Directors will consist of nine students and there are nine students in the running. Here are the candidates:

Running for: BOD
Toni-Ann Bennett is a second-year international student, assistant, community volunteer, and pack leader who is able to balance her many different roles on campus. Bennett hopes to enhance the student experience at SMU by bringing diversity to the Board and giving students opportunities to be heard. Visit Bennett’s campaign page here.

Running for: BOD
Rishi Bhalla is a third-year student with experience in event organizing, student societies, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs). Bhalla hopes to further the progress of the last Board’s campaign by “following in their footsteps” and making sure all student voices are heard. Visit Bhalla’s campaign page.

Running for: BOD

Meghan Boudreau is a second-year student who has been involved in numerous initiatives on campus like Enactus’ Square Roots project, Husky Patrol, and SMU Accessibility Week. She is passionate about creating accessibility on campus, advocating for disabled community members, and promises to implement policies with the BOD that will benefit everyone at Saint Mary’s.

Running for: BOD

Ashish Ganapathy is a first-year international student with society and pack leader experience, hoping to represent first and second-year students at SMU on the BOD, particularly with adjusting to a hybrid university experience. Ganapathy hopes to close the gaps to offer support for new students, who have mostly experienced university online, and foster a more tight-knit community. Visit Ganapathy’s campaign page here.

Running for: BOD

Alexis Keizer is a fourth-year student with leadership experience in student societies, such as Model United Nations, and community involvement outside of campus. She hopes to become more involved in the campus community with SMUSA.

Running for: BOD

Nikita Lakhanpal is a fourth-year student involved in research, societies, and local environmental initiatives. As a woman of colour, she offers student representation and a listening ear to increase diversity on campus.

Running for: BOD
Sorav Sogy is a third-year student who intends to give back to the community by serving through the Board. His focus is to make the organization more approachable and visible through student involvement, curating timeless policies that will benefit students for years to come, and improving the achievements that SMUSA has already built. Visit Sogy’s campaign page.

Running for: BOD

Francesca Southwell is a first-year international student, women’s empowerment activist, community volunteer, and SMU cheerleader. She is a team player with fresh perspectives to bring forward to any lingering issues facing the Board of Directors. Visit Southwell’s campaign page.

Running for: BOD

Thomas Waithe is a third-year international student who operates on the values of integrity, accessibility, transparency, and accountability. He is “committed to advocating for the return to normalcy” to undergraduate students “with new, novel and fresh ideas, and [dedication] to assisting and directing the executive in a manner which corresponds with the university’s policies.” He also hopes to hold the Executive accountable to the students’ best interests and equip the organization with the tools to tackle concerns in a post-covid world.

“Choose Your Fighter”: Presidential Election

Tyler’s platform entices students with a permanent hybrid learning model, increasing international student support, and expanding support to societies and food accessibility on campus. Knowles’ campaign is similarly enticing with promises to advocate for better mental health outreach, flexible learning models, and encouraging more student involvement on and off campus. We provide a brief explanation of their credentials below but I encourage you to read more about the candidates’ platforms in this article that covers the presidential debate from February 10th in detail.

Running for: President
Isobel Tyler is a fourth-year student with years of experience working on campus, organizing student events, and supporting campus societies. In fact, she held the position of 2021-22 Vice President of Student Affairs. Her promise is to “be a strong voice for the students, advocate for change, and work hard to address the issues that are important to us. Students have a voice, and I am here to let it be heard.” Her candidate profile can be found in this article, written by Claire Keenan, The SMU Journal Executive Editor, with links to Tyler’s campaign page.

Running for: President

Aljero Knowles is a third-year international student who is also working in residence as an assistant. He is passionate about his values and beliefs to build inclusivity and lasting connections on campus. “In order to elevate the SMU student association, I will innovate and renovate it in an effort to improve the student experience at our university.” His detailed candidate profile can also be found in Keenan’s article.

Voting

Finally, voting is open for approximately 1 day and 8 hours. Students are able to vote for the new President and Board of Directors online from February 16th at 9:00 AM to February 17th at 5:00 PM. So, head on over to SMUSA and get your vote in to elect the next student prez and board of directors! Talk soon, Huskies and may the best candidates win.

2022-23 SMUSA Elections Coverage

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