UTSU Vice-President University Affairs Carina Zhang announced her resignation to the UTSU Board of Directors via email on September 3. Zhang’s resignation is for personal reasons, and the UTSU is asking that her privacy be respected.
“I’m genuinely sad to see Carina go,” UTSU President Mathias Memmel wrote in an email to The Varsity. “Carina has been incredibly brave, and she’ll always have my respect. I’m also grateful for her willingness to work with me personally, despite our difficult history.”
Memmel headed the Demand Better slate during the 2017 UTSU elections. The slate won five of seven executive positions — Zhang being one of two non-Demand Better executives, and the sole representative from opposing slate We the Students.
Much of Zhang’s platform focused on international students, pushing for Ontario Health Insurance to apply to international students. Zhang also ran on the platform of eliminating the exam deferral fee and the exam remark fee.
“Carina is deeply committed to making things better for international students, and we’ll maintain that commitment moving forward,” Memmel said.
The Varsity has reached out to Zhang for comment.
