U of T goes to the polls this week to pick a new Students’ Administrative Council. The election, held March 12-14 on the university’s online registration website, ROSI, will see voters picking from almost 100 candidates running for SAC’s presidency and vice-presidencies.
Changes to SAC’s bylaws have created a reshuffled Board of Directors where there are six vice-presidencies, instead of the previous two. The new executive positions used to be elected by the board of directors without direct student input.
A highlight of each campaign—for those masochistic enough to pay attention—is the series of debates between presidential candidates, held on each campus. This year’s St. George debate saw the five contenders for SAC’s top job face off in an event that bore more resemblance to a beauty contest than it did to the knock-down, bare-knuckle events of years past.
Last Friday’s debate was held in Sid Smith in front of about 40 students. Candidates were restricted to brief speeches, with opportunities for questions from the floor. The atmosphere remained sedate, as opportunities for candidates to directly question each other were limited.
First up were the candidates for the vice-president equity position. Johnathan Chang took the podium and spoke about the opportunities for mutual understanding that the position provides: “We all have a heart, a passion.” He suggested soccer matches as a way to fight discrimination on campus. His opponent, Julia Munk, who is running with the Students United ticket, promised that if she were elected, she would “work with minority groups to break down stereotypes.”
The five presidential candidates took the stage next. Michael Andreae said he was aware that “student politicians aren’t held in the highest regard,” and noted that he had the “most experience in leadership,” adding that he met with federal Minister of Finance John Manley.
Paul Bretscher, a University College student who is head of the “Students United” ticket, blamed “a decade of cutbacks” from the provincial government for U of T’s steadily-increasing tuition. He held his own as a speaker, and was cheered on by several current and former SAC directors as he spoke about the need to counter misspending and apathy with accountability and activism.
Trinity College student Mark Freeman said “SAC needs to put money back in the community…. SAC does not have a mandate to dictate.” After extolling the virtues of community, Freeman won raucous applause for warning “we can’t hop in bed with the administration.”
Justin Kim took the stage as the best-dressed of the five, wearing a suit and tie. But the beginning of his speech was marred by a cheap stunt—a staged cellphone call. “One of my girls calls during class. Thirty-five cents per minute doesn’t cut it,” Kim said, promoting a discount airtime package for the hordes of U of T students who live life with a cellphone glued to one ear. “Diversity is our strength,” Kim said, referring to comments made by university president Robert Birgeneau that some students thought showed complacency on diversity issues. “He must be joking. People don’t see it as a joke.”
Engineering student Ashley Morton touted his ideas for an expanded health plan that would offer students eye care and prescription drug coverage on an opt-in basis. “We’ve accumulated an outstanding ticket.” Morton said, adding his running-mates on the “Student Potential” ticket “have so many outstanding sets of experience.” He also touted his ideas on a student media centre for clubs, and a bailout for student newspapers trying to quit their tobacco advertising habit.
The presidential candidates were polite to each other, but did not really get a chance to criticize each other’s ideas due to the structure of the debate.
Next up were candidates for vice-president operations. SAC’s external commissioner, Alexandra Artful-Dodger, who is running on the “Students United” ticket, faced off against the current vice-president operations, John Lea, a candidate on the Student Potential ticket who is running for re-election. “I’ll always be accountable to the Board of Directors,” Artful-Dodger said—an attack on Lea’s role in the series of parties SAC hosted this year. Critics say the parties were expensive, poorly planned and promoted, and were not approved by the Board of Directors. Artful-Dodger promised to hold more public meetings, and to make budgets and agendas available online for public scrutiny.
Lea countered the attack on his management, saying “allegations that money was spent without authorization are completely false.” He said over $100,000 was raised during his term of office—money that went towards paying for the parties so students wouldn’t be caught holding the bag.
Photograph by Simon Turnbull
