Farah Ahmad (Connect UTSC)

Farah Ahmad is a fourth-year student majoring in public policy co-op with a double minor in economics and public law. She is running to be vice-president external of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) under the Connect UTSC slate. She is currently the president of the Political Science Students’ Association and an editor for Margins Magazine, the Women’s and Trans Centre’s online publication.

Ahmad feels that, as a senior student who’s been part of various groups on campus, she has found “a lot of people reaching out” to her for support in learning about and accessing their resources. “I found that I was in a unique place where I can use my connections and my experiences to really help students,” she said.

Her top priorities, if elected, would be to provide more mental health resources for students, improve the existing resources, strengthen the SCSU’s current Education For All Campaign, push for “safe and reliable” transit to campus, and lobby for more “safe and affordable” housing options for students.

Ahmad would also prioritize building relationships with local politicians “not only for the year that [she] would be serving as elected but also future years.”

“There’s also the possibility of [a federal] election this year. And if an election does happen, like all other SCSU terms, I would want the SCSU to be at the forefront of the election, and be able to host town halls… and encourage students to vote,” Ahmad added.

Tinasri Ismail (MOTIVATE UTSC)

Tinasri Ismail is a fourth-year student majoring in health studies with a double minor in psychology and urban public policy, and she is running under the MOTIVATE UTSC slate. If elected, she would focus on increasing accessibility of transport and housing for students.

Ismail has been working at U of T for all four years of her undergraduate degree, beginning as a supervisor for Athletics & Recreation. She has also worked as an ambassador to the Health & Wellness Centre. 

“I’m trying to make things more affordable to students and more accessible and… more competent [for the] commute back and forth,” Ismail said in an interview with The Varsity. She would accomplish this by making parking more affordable, reprioritizing the completion of the Eglinton East light rail transit (LRT) — a proposed extension of the TTC’s Line 5 that would pass through UTSC — and providing students with better bus stops. 

Ismail added that she would communicate consistently with the vice-president operations to maintain an updated program of volunteer opportunities, as well as start a housing rights campaign so that students can advocate for safer, more stable housing. 

The voting period for the SCSU elections will be held from March 2–4.