Sam Aboul Hosn
Sam Aboul Hosn, a second-year student double majoring in biology and psychology, is running for the position of University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) President on the Change UTM slate.
Aboul Hosn was elected a member of the UTMSU Campus Affairs Committee in his first year and was previously an event coordinator for the Lebanese Student Association. He was also the head of the outreach department for his high school student union.
In terms of his platform, Aboul Hosn hopes to create an online portal where students are able to voice their opinions and stay informed about opportunities and ongoing services. He also hopes to connect with students by hosting biweekly meetings and monthly town hall meetings, as well as by sending out newsletters to update students on union activity.
Moreover, he wants to review the UTMSU budget to see where it is able to “decrease or eliminate some unnecessary incidental fees” for students. Finally, he hopes to start conversations with local transportation systems across the GTA to make commuting more accessible for students who rely on transportation systems like MiWay.
Lastly, Aboul Hosn would like to look over U of T’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment to make the reporting process easier and more anonymous for victims.
Maëlis Barre
Maëlis Barre, a third-year student double majoring in astronomy and physics with a minor in mathematics, is running for the position of UTMSU President on the Inspire UTM slate. She is currently the vice-president external.
She started volunteering with the UTMSU in her first year and was hired as a volunteer coordinator in her second year.
Barre was part of the Academic Affairs Governing Council, where she was able to get in contact with many students from different backgrounds who have different experiences on campus. Through these positions, Barre said she has witnessed the issues students face and what they would like to see improved.
Barre’s passions include advocacy for free and accessible postsecondary education for all students, both domestic and international. She would also like the university to provide tuition fee refunds for the last two years because she believes quality of education has decreased during the pandemic.
“I think something that’s really important is making sure that we have a cohesive student body at UTM,” Barre said. “I want to make sure that we’re all being brought together for group events and initiatives of campus groups… I think that would be something that’s really important, and I would place a lot of value on.”
The voting period for the UTMSU elections is from March 15–17.
