John Aruldason
SCSU involvement: Current VP campus life.
Year and major: Third year, double major in political science and history.
Platform: To improve the efficiency of services SCSU already offers (like Metropasses); increase access to board information to ensure accountability; continue the success of campus life events; additions to clubs funding; push for alcohol on campus; a revamp of Rex’s Den.
Role in Zuhair Syed’s impeachment: Not very involved, save for a reminder to coworkers at an emergency board meeting: “I think you have to remember that we’re talking about the president of the SCSU, not the President of the United States.”
Aisha Khaja
SCSU involvement: She was humanities director last year until she was elected VP academics in the spring executive elections with 664 votes, almost twice that of her nearest opponent. For 18 days, Khaja was interim SCSU president and CEO.
Year and major: Third year, French specialist and English major, part of the French Concurrent Teacher Education Program.
Platform: Increased study space in the new athletics facility proposed as part of the 2015 Pan Am Games; expanded food options; more grants and bursaries; a change to UTSC identity; more support for clubs and departmental student associations; awareness and maximum use of resources.
Role in Zuhair Syed’s impeachment: Khaja accused Syed of threatening her for joining a Facebook group that wanted Syed impeached and encouraging others to join. She said she didn’t feel safe and reported the incident to campus police. Syed denies that he threatened Khaja but apologized for his unprofessional tone. When Syed was elected president in the SCSU fall by-election for the 2008-2009 year with only 212 votes (at a campus of 10,000 students), Khaja was one of the six directors who voted in favour of ratifying Syed as president. Six other directors chose to abstain.
Imran Khan
SCSU involvement: Current chair of the board of directors and two years as social science director. Khan ran for the VP external position in the spring 2009 executive elections, but lost by just over 100 votes.
Year and major: Third year, double major in political science and psychology.
Platform: A long list of goals, including advocating for more study space; around-the-clock coffee and food service; more campus jobs and a centralized job search engine; better payment options for Metropasses and vendors; better wireless access; more SCSU hours of availability; improved campus life in the student centre; more web-based course options; a student centre expansion; more club resources, funding, and student activity space.
Role in Zuhair Syed’s impeachment: Khan says he was also threatened by Syed but didn’t take it as seriously as Khaja and did not speak to the police. He is also one of the six board members who voted to ratify Syed’s election victory in October 2008.
Maryann Raby
SCSU involvement: Current humanities director and chair of the SCSU subcommittee for clubs funding. She ran for VP academics in February 2009 and lost by 347 votes to Khaja.
Year and major: Fourth year, philosophy and political science.
Platform: Based on one-on-one student interaction and improving student services: extended hours for campus food vendors; improved efficiency for Metropass sales; better e-resource access to the anti-calendar, exams, and course syllabi; better marketing of SCSU job opportunities; increased equity training for directors and UTSC students.
Role in Zuhair Syed’s impeachment: Raby has been outspoken about Syed’s performance throughout the year. She also pointed out a potential conflict of interest between Syed and Khaja, causing Khaja’s removal as interim president.
Information compiled from the SCSU website, Facebook pages, and Varsity archives.
All photos by Jessica Lee.
