Mathias Memmel is running for President. He is currently the VP Internal and Services and is in his fifth year. He has a degree in Music from U of T and is currently pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Political Science.
In his current role, Memmel cites the changes in the health and dental plan and the resource bank, which allows for clubs to borrow equipment from the UTSU, as some of his achievements. He was also involved in the overhaul of the clubs funding system, which includes a minimum funding guarantee for Level Three clubs, and the review of campus police involvement.
Memmel believes that while the UTSU is “fundamentally broken,” it can be saved through a “complete restructuring.” He intends to give more agency to UTSU board members and to rein in spending on staff costs. He says that the UTSU has been operating under the assumption of a single campus community. He thinks that this perspective ignores the diverse communities that make up the university, hinders the UTSU’s advocacy efforts, encourages bloated costs, and fosters a culture of self-servitude.
“The UTSU is a place so dysfunctional that we really can’t do anything that is actually meaningful for students because it is so chronically plagued with dysfunction. It’s the type of thing where I think if the office were to burst into flames it would burn for days because I don’t think anyone would bother putting it out. That being said, I do think the UTSU is worth saving,” he said.
— With files from Rachel Chen and Tom Yun
