Written by Bethany Leal-Iyoupe

Thumbnail and Header Photo by SMUSA

The Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association (SMUSA) elections are held every May to determine who will lead the next student government and the 2021-22 elections were held almost entirely online, for obvious reasons. However, with the plethora of resources available on SMUSA platforms and their successful start in governance, it’s safe to say that the new SMUSA team is defying all odds in these trying times. Aside from being students themselves, the representatives have been curating and maintaining initiatives to promote the well-being of all SMU students. I’ve reached out to them over the past month to gain a deeper understanding of their roles and goals for the upcoming school year.

Franklyn Southwell (he/him)
President & Chair Executive Officer (CEO)

The SMUSA President acts as the official representative and spokesperson for the students while managing the Association. Franklyn Southwell is a fourth-year Political Science and Economics student with interests in basketball, fitness, and anime. He is also a member of the Academic Senate, the University Board of Governors, and the primary representative on the University’s Budget Advisory Committee.

Southwell recalls when the former president, Bryn de Chastelain, advised him that time management and prioritizing one’s schedule is the key to success for this role. “Being President comes with a lot of responsibilities and expectations, such as attending all my committee meetings, planning staff meetings and being flexible to accommodate students – to name a few.” It seems that this advice has been proven beneficial. The team has advocated heavily for a return-to-campus plan that includes a blended model for course delivery, mask mandates, and accessibility to vaccine and testing clinics. Additionally, recommendations have been made to the sexual violence policy. Overall, one of his favourite initiatives this year has been working closely with Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQIA+ students on campus.

In an interview with the Journal, Franklyn Southwell expressed gratitude for the role: “aside from completing my duties on committees and managing my staff, I get to support students directly which is the most fulfilling part of my job. Students often come to my office or send me an email asking for help. It is extremely gratifying to know students are comfortable coming to SMUSA for help with anything going on in their lives. By creating an environment that is accommodating and resourceful, we’re able to strengthen our community.” So, don’t be a stranger to the SMUSA office if you ever need anything.

Franklyn’s main goals as President are to advocate for students on prominent issues, such as mental health and equity, and provide a platform for international students and minorities on campus while nurturing student engagement, outreach, and support. To learn more about the President or how SMUSA can address your concerns, Southwell can be reached at president.smusa@smu.ca or by visiting his office on the 5th floor of the O’Donnell-Hennessey Student Centre.

Isobel Tyler (she/her)

Vice President Student Affairs

The newest Vice President Student Affairs, Isobel Tyler, has been heavily involved in organizing campus activities, like haunted houses and paint nights to name a few, for the past three years. The role itself entails the development, planning, and execution of the many events across campus, such as Welcome Weeks and pub nights. The VP Student Affairs is the primary representative and overseer for student societies; she offers workshops, feedback sessions, and support for student societies to become ratified, plan events, and ensure that inclusive practices are being followed. So far this year, the Welcome Weeks have been the most honourable achievement to mention for the VP Student Affairs, alongside the revival of many societies who struggled to operate throughout the pandemic.

Tyler’s double major in Criminology and Social Justice suggests that her passion for helping others goes much deeper than her role at SMUSA. When I asked Isobel what the most fulfilling part of her job is, she replied that seeing students get involved took the top of the list. She continued, “I love being able to meet and speak to students about their interests and what they’re studying. I really enjoyed seeing students connect their interests to societies and events.” Her main goal for the school year is to create a safe and fun environment on campus by increasing opportunities for students to get involved through events and initiatives.

If you are interested in learning more about societies or how you can get involved on campus, don’t hesitate to reach out to Tyler at vpstudentaffairs.smusa@smu.ca.

Kyle Cook (he/him)

Vice President Advocacy

This year’s Vice President Advocacy is Kyle Cook, who is in charge of representing students with their academic concerns. At the Board of Governors, which is the highest governing body of SMUSA, he is responsible for acknowledging public interest and upholding academic traditions. Furthermore, Kyle represents students at the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) as the Director for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion; Students Nova Scotia (SNS) as the Chair of Membership; and through management of the SMUSA Tutor Network. Similar to the VP Student Affairs, Cook is a Bachelor of Arts student in the Criminology and Social Justice programs at SMU with extensive co-curricular experience at the school; a fitting career pathway for someone working within the field of advocacy.

So far this year, Cook and the SMUSA team have worked with the school to organize Student Success Week, the Consent & Masculinity workshop, and a drag event for Halifax Pride. The VP’s favourite initiative was the workshop he helped organize with lawyer Billy Sparks and the Tenancy Rights of International Students (TRIS), titled Understanding Tenancy in Nova Scotia. This covered information on finding off-campus housing, landlords, damage deposits, and more. With the dire housing situation in Halifax, this resource is more important than ever. Cook plans to focus on enhancing support for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities while collaborating with community partners, students, and the university to organize grassroots projects. The last team at SMUSA advised Cook that networking and building relationships with the university and the government is important to be able to collaborate with stakeholders with collective interests.

In conclusion, I asked Cook if there was anything else he had for students reading the Journal. He said “I kindly invite students to reach out to me at any point to discuss their student experience and wellbeing. Additionally, if any students have ideas for projects they would like to see come to life, I would be delighted to collaborate. Students can reach out to me via email at vpadvocacy.smusa@smu.ca.”

Amanda Cadeau (she/her)

Vice President Academic

The VP Academic is an expert advisor who provides academic recommendations to Saint Mary’s University on behalf of students’ interests. This role involves student outreach, the curation of reports and position papers, and conducting research that will benefit the Association’s priorities to improve academic well-being among the student body. Cadeau manages the SMUSA Tutor Database, one of her favourite initiatives that connects students to tutors with flexible rates, and the Student Experiential Learning Fund, which offers $500 per year in funding for students’ learning experiences. Some examples of learning experiences are academic conferences, competitions, and society trips like the annual Model UN trip in Manhattan, New York.

When I spoke with Amanda, she noted that their predecessors passed down some great tips to the new Officers, including the importance of combining the skills of the whole team to benefit students in greater ways than what could be achieved alone. This led to the success of re-opening Welcome Weeks. Her main goal is to increase accessibility on campus, as well as in course delivery and materials. Overall, she states that “assisting students with their day-to-day questions and concerns, as well as advocating for students at every opportunity” is the most fulfilling part of the VP Academic role.

Outside of SMUSA, Cadeau is a fourth year Commerce student, majoring in Global Business Management and minoring in Intercultural Studies. Her primary interests are hiking, historical re-enactments, road trips, and of course, lobbying for students’ academic success. If you’d like to know more information about the VP Academic or if you have an academic-related concern, she can be reached at vpacademic.smusa@smu.ca.

Adrian White (he/him)
Vice President External

The Vice President External facilitates research that will benefit student advocacy at the Association, advocates for student resources at all levels of government, and is also responsible for participating in committees such as the University Board of Governors. White is also the primary representative for students on the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, which establishes resources for post-secondary students across the nation, and Students Nova Scotia, which represents students from Acadia, SMU, St. Francis Xavier, and NSCC. Advocacy work has been conducted in the following fields: academic support, financial aid, student safety, communication, and student services.

Outside of SMUSA, White is a fifth year Political Science student from Cape Breton. According to the Association’s website, he has experience “working with provincial representatives and political organizations” which he feels has equipped him with the skills needed to represent SMUSA to municipal, provincial, and federal governments. Furthermore, he is a people-person who loves to make friends, play golf, and explore Atlantic Canada. To reach White, feel free to email vpexternal.smusa@smu.ca.

In the meantime, I hope this article equipped you with the information you need to understand the roles, responsibilities, and agendas of the Officers. To connect with SMUSA’s Executive Team for support, please consult the relevant Officer above to deal with your concern. Happy fall semester!

Meet the SMUSA Executives

FOLLOW US