On December 13, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) announced on Instagram that it had opened applications for its vice-president (VP) equity position. The announcement came after former VP Equity Denise Nmashie resigned over the weekend. 

Nmashie explained that her resignation came into effect on December 11. “I stepped down just to follow academic pursuits,” she wrote in a message to The Varsity. She noted that, according to the SCSU bylaws, executive members can only take up to 1.5 credits per semester, but she wanted to take more than three classes.

Back in March, Nmashie campaigned unopposed for the position. In an interview with The Varsity ahead of the election, she described herself as a “change maker” and highlighted her experience as president of the UTSC African Students’ Association. 

During her time as VP equity, Nmashie reported that she’d helped advance multiple SCSU projects, including with a collaboration with the International Students Association and the Women and Trans Center to provide programming for Queer Orientation. She also served as part of a committee hiring a new Indigenous and Black counselor for UTSC’s Health and Wellness Centre as a part of the SCSU’s MY HEALTH MATTERS campaign. 

Nmashie engaged with Black student groups with the hope of addressing the disproportionate dropout rate among Black students at UTSC. Alongside VP External Khadidja Roble, she also serves on the Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion Advisory Committee, which advises UTSC’s executive team, including Vice-President and UTSC Principal Wisdom Tettey. 

“It has been an amazing [eight] months with SCSU,” wrote Nmashie. “I look forward to the amazing work SCSU and the new Equity will achieve.”In an email to The Varsity, Amrith David, president of the SCSU, wrote that the union “thank[s] Denise for her time with SCSU and wish[es] her well in her future endeavors.” He also wrote about the short turnaround for the position: “My team is eager to have the position filled as early as possible…we are hopeful that students will be able to apply by the deadline, but if need be can extend it for more applications”.

Applications for the position will remain open until January 2. Students registered in a UTSC full-time undergraduate program and not taking more than 1.5 credits in the upcoming semester  can apply for the position.

According to SCSU bylaws, the executive team will interview candidates and choose at most two candidates to present to the January Board of Directors meeting, who will elect the new VP. The date of this January meeting has not yet been determined. The new VP is then slated to begin their term on January 15.

Editor’s note (January 16): This article was updated with comment from Amrith David, president of the SCSU, and with details about the January Board meeting.