Meet your SMUSA VP of Societies

Written by Samarth Behl

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by SMUSA

About Khuloud

Meet Khuloud, a third-year criminology student at Saint Mary’s University hailing from Saudi Arabia. She brings an interesting story, she had plastic surgery on her finger after her sister accidentally slammed it into a door. This fun fact often serves as her go-to for icebreaker games like "Two Truths and a Lie." Beyond her academic pursuits, Khuloud is deeply passionate about volunteering, dedicating much of her time to making a positive impact in her community.

Her Role

In her role as the VP of Societies, she oversees the activities of approximately 50-60 active societies on campus. These societies cater to a broad range of student interests ranging from cultural to academic to recreational and play a critical role in shaping the student life on campus. Her responsibilities include everything from event planning to helping societies manage their websites to budget management and supporting societies in navigating university procedures.

As far as hosting a society event is concerned, SMUSA has a system called the Society Event Risk Management form in place. “So basically, any event that a society wants to host, they have to submit the form two weeks prior to when the event is going to happen and then me along with two other people in the team, work very closely to dissect whether this society event is something that is a reputational risk or if it's going to reflect well on SMUSA. If they are missing anything, we help them in those aspects to make sure that societies are actually able to successfully host an event,” she added. This shows that a lot of planning goes into any event hosted by any society that many students are not aware of.

Achievements and Future Plans

One of Khuloud’s most significant achievements as VP of Societies was organising the Societies and Partners Expo, a major event in SMUSA’s calendar. “The expo is one of the biggest events in my portfolio, and from what I was hearing from people, they mentioned that it was the best Societies and Service expo that they have seen so far. I always wanted this event to be a very big hit because I know how it feels to be a new student and trying to actually find your place,” she said with a sense of accomplishment. “I know how challenging it can be for new students to find their place in university life, and the expo is designed to help them do just that,” she further added.

Looking forward, Khuloud is focused on making improvements in the way societies transition leadership from year to year. “I had noticed that a lot of societies end up becoming dormant once a few passionate executives leave the society without an election taking place. Either no executives get selected or the new incoming team does not get a proper transition from the outgoing team. Though these are only a few explanations, they are the ones we have noticed the most. I do think there are ways we can navigate these issues to ensure that all the active societies have a proper transition and an election,” she further explained the issue. This matter is currently being discussed with the Board of Directors.

To tackle this problem, Khuloud is planning to create a Society Executive Transition Handbook (SETH), which will mainly consist of the following:

The roles and responsibilities of being an executive member of a society.
The forms that will need to be filled out by executive members and a "how to fill out" those respective forms throughout the year.
A list of policies that Societies are held accountable to, as SMUSA has around 13 policies on the website and societies may not read through them all. A few examples of the main policies they are held accountable to are the Society Policy, the Poster Policy, and the Social Media Policy.
A contact list of emails they may need over the year (i.e. SMU copyright email for movie nights, conference services email for booking rooms port-SERM form approval, all SMUSA VPs, etc).

This handbook aims to enlighten the members who are thinking of joining a new society as executives, to ensure that the tasks and responsibilities of an executive are properly passed on and communicated.

Another goal that Khuloud aims to achieve this year is to find plenty of ways through which societies can get more reach through social media and other forms. She wants societies to collaborate more with each other. “To do this, I will be hosting socials to ensure that societies have plenty of opportunities to communicate their ideas in a social and relaxed setting,” she added. She is also encouraging societies to make the most of the resources available on campus like utilising the student centre spaces, including the fifth-floor common space and the Gorsebrook Lounge.

Additionally, Khuloud plans to host more Roundtable discussions with society executives. The Society Roundtables were introduced last year as a platform for executive members to come together to bring up any issues/concerns that they are facing. She will be having a roundtable discussion every month and will be holding each roundtable discussion with a guest speaker for the first hour of each session. These speakers will be relevant to the Executives (i.e. SVPI Workshop, RBC Speakers hosting a Budgeting/Banking session, etc).

Khuloud also mentioned that much of her work involves being readily available for students. “My day is often filled with walk-in meetings. For example, yesterday I only had one scheduled meeting and still I ended up speaking with seven different people who walked into my office,” she added. The following are Khuloud’s office hours: Monday: 1 pm - 4 pm, Tuesday: 9 am - 4 pm, Wednesday: 1 pm - 4 pm, Thursday: 9 am - 4 pm, Friday: 9 am - 2 pm.

Khuloud’s Vision for Change at SMU

When asked about one thing she would change at Saint Mary’s University, Khuloud was quick to identify the importance of better promotion for campus events. “I believe the only reason that an event is not successful is because of the promotional aspect,” she added. She wants all the events hosted at Saint Mary’s to be promoted in as many forms as possible, such as posters, social media, emails, word of mouth, etc.

Khuloud’s vision for change doesn’t stop at event promotion. She also hopes to see more club sports offered on campus. “Currently, we don’t have many options for students who want to be active without committing to competitive varsity sports,” she explained. A lot of students would love to participate in sports, but the time commitment required for varsity teams can be overwhelming. Club sports offer a more flexible, low-commitment option where students can engage on their own terms.

She also hopes to expand the variety of sports available on campus. “While the University offers intramurals and other low-commitment options, there’s still a lot of room for new and diverse sports,” she added. Khuloud envisions a rotating program where different sports like running, spikeball, field hockey, and rowing are offered every few weeks. This would provide more opportunities for students to explore different activities and meet new like-minded people. Additionally, she suggests that varsity teams could hold occasional workshops to teach students the basics of their sports, providing a low-pressure environment for students to try something new, even after the varsity season is over.

Final Words of Advice for Students

In closing, Khuloud offered some sage advice for her fellow students, particularly those who may be hesitant to get involved in campus life or pursue leadership opportunities. “Don’t be scared to do what you need to do,” she urged. “There’s definitely someone out there who shares your ideas and your passions, so never be afraid to speak up. Whether it’s joining a society, starting your own, or advocating for something you believe in, your voice matters, and you’re not alone.”

By interviewing Khuloud, I learnt just how vital campus involvement is to creating an amazing university experience. Her ideas about improving event promotion and creating more opportunities for flexible sports programs highlight how involvement can go beyond just attending events. It’s about actively making the university a more engaging place. I hope students reading this article feel encouraged to engage with societies and events at SMU to build their connections and make an impact on our Saint Mary’s campus.

Melissa Alvarez Del AngelNovember 5, 2024