UTSU elections have been non-events in recent years, with student union insiders running unopposed. This year, at least two full slates are facing off. Jason Marin of New College is challenging incumbent Sandy Hudson for the presidency. Marin’s message is, predictably, change, while Hudson will run on her long record with U of T’s largest student union.

“We are building upon what we did last year,” said Hudson. “What we want to do is keep focusing on clubs and campus life as our advocacy—campaigns and services have done a fantastic job.”

Clubs

Both parties agree that the state of the Student Commons (a new student centre for St. George) and clubs funding are significant issues. Hudson proposes working around the existing system to address club-funding concerns and continue lobbying efforts to facilitate room bookings.

“The university allows UTSU to book space on campus and we believe clubs should also be able to do that. We are going to advocate on that. We’ll even book the space if [clubs] want us to do that,” said Hudson.

Marin wants to create an online database of campus spaces where individual clubs can make bookings. He also proposes to increase base funding for student clubs by 20 per cent and include allowances for space booking.

Campaigns vs. services

Every student union has to decide how much of its time and resources should be focused towards advocacy campaigns, like dropping tuition and ancillary fees, rather than student services.

Hudson maintains it isn’t an either/or choice. “We need to make sure we are doing everything to save students money,” she said. “When we are talking about tuition fees we aren’t just talking about tuition fees, we are talking about funding for education. Class size is directly related to a lack of funding for post-secondary education.”

Marin thinks some new tactics could make UTSU’s advocacy more effective.

“By effective action, I mean reaching out and bringing student and faculty to the table, and starting out with what you agree on and working backwards,” he said. “Over last few years, unfortunately, the UTSU has engendered a culture of us vs. them.”

CFS

Hudson and the rest of the current executive have maintained close ties to the Canadian Federation of Students, the umbrella organization to which UTSU belongs. Marin would be less enthusiastic in his support. He does acknowledge that the CFS works on important issues like making education more accessible.

“However, I would qualify sometimes the tactics and strategies they use in addressing those issues,” Marin said. “I do support work CFS does in the grander scheme of things, but when engaging them in issues that pertain to U of T, I will make sure those issues are tailored to what our students need and want.”

Transparency

UTSU’s current executive has been criticized for not making meeting notes easily available.

“I think that at our AGM [Annual General Meeting] this year, students made it clear that they were concerned about communication and transparency,” said Hudson. “What we’ve done thus far is created a working plan to make sure we can put minutes online as well as budget and policies online.”

Hudson promised that minutes will appear online in a secure format where students can access them using a password-login system.

Marin said more can be done to ensure open governance. In addition to posting minutes online, he proposes holding weekly office hours and publishing quarterly report cards so students can monitor the union’s progress.