Questions, listed in order they were answered:

  1. What will be your three main initiatives/areas of focus, if elected?
  2. How do your past experiences make you a good candidate for Governing Council?
  3. What is your position on tuition?
  4. What do you think about the recent changes in the student code of conduct?
  5. How would you make GC more accessible to students’ needs?

Graduate Students,
Constituency II
Francoise Ko (Pharmacology)

  1. My three main initiatives will be: tuition; accessibility for minorities, lower income families and particularly for those with physical disabilities; better communication between different levels of GC .

  2. Francoise was the president of the Math Association, through which she worked with administration at more of a departmental level. As a grad student, she was vice-president of the Pharmacology Graduate Students’ Association.

  3. “I’m for tuition freeze…I think it’s really good that students are banding together and trying to get tuition freeze by putting pressure on the government.”

  4. “I don’t agree that a non-academic record should be put on an academic record.”

  5. “Students should bring their issues to student governors, and it’s our responsibility to try to deal with those issues and make sure they are properly represented at governance.”

Graduate Students,
Constituency II
Elan Ohayon (Medical Science)

  1. Elan’s three main initiatives for this year will be: funding for grad students; dental plan for grad students; human rights code.

  2. Elan was on GC two years ago and was involved in the GC Planning and Budget Committee, the Academic Board, Student Board, Council of Student Services and was a GSU executive.

  3. “I think tuition as an idea is obscene—this is supposed to be a public education system. When I was on GC, I voted every time against tuition increases.”

  4. “The code of conduct is a fundamentally flawed and problematic document. It treats students differently than other members of the university.” Elan was the only governor to put a motion forward to abolish the Student Code of Conduct.

  5. Elan believes the GC has to be more open and widely advertised. Also, the building must be more accessible to the physically challenged.