Dennis Bayazitov | Assistant News Editor
Undoubtedly, you’ve noticed the posters by now—perhaps, you’ve even been approached by a campaigner. The 2018 York Federation of Students (YFS) elections will soon be underway, with voting set to begin February 13.
This year features three slates: UniteYU, Team ABC, and Momentum. The candidates running for YFS executive positions this year are as follows.
President: Chief in command and head of the YFS, the President is responsible for managing and supervising the affairs and operations of the entire organization.
Sidra Saeed (Team ABC)
Saeed’s three central goals for the student body are to make student life more affordable, to provide better academic resources, and to ensure safety and support on campus.
Rawan Habib (UniteYU)
Current YFS President Habib’s platform centers around increased transparency and accountability. She intends to lobby York to divest from all weapons arms manufacturers, investigate the feasibility of a Nap Room, lobby York to extend course drop deadlines, and host a Racialized and Indigenous Student Experience Summit.
VP Campaigns and Advocacy: The VP Campaigns & Advocacy is responsible for political and equity-based campaigns on issues regarding undergraduate students. They lobby the York administration and the three levels of government on behalf of YFS members.
Zoha Salim (Team ABC)
Salim wants to create inclusive-based campaigns, to advance mental health advocacy commitment to inclusion of all communities, and to advocate for York to retrofit the campus to become more environmentally conscious.
Sajeth Paskaran (Momentum)
“The Momentum platform consists of the advocacy of ending student debt, tackling systemic issues of high tuition costs, affordable housing, transportation costs, and food sustainability on campus,” says Paskaran. It goes into the demand for the York administration to divest from weapon manufacturers and fossil fuel companies, as well as making accessibility a priority from access to affordable education with textbooks and expanding disability advocacy through different means of bringing awareness and implementing systemic changes.
Sebastien Lalonde (UniteYU)
Lalonde intends to develop a campaign to combat sexual violence. He wants to lobby for a U-pass, is against requiring doctor’s notes for missing exams, and wants to fight for free education and increase club funding.
VP Equity: The Vice President of Equity is responsible for ensuring that YFS activities follow their anti-oppressive mandate, while also promoting campaigns and events designed to raise awareness of discrimination on campus and in the York community.
Chanpreet Kaur (Team ABC)
Kaur wants to enhance accessibility for students with disabilities on campus. She wants to make York the leading university in outreach to Indigenous communities—one with better support for minorities and the LGBTQ+ community.
Aminat Arigbabu (UniteYU)
Arigbabu plans to introduce Know your Rights programming and toolkits, launch a Consent Culture Forum, lobby the university to implement equity training for staff and faculty, host an International Women’s Day Conference, and launch an Anti-Racism Campaign.
VP Campus Life: The VP of Campus Life plans and organizes events for the YFS, and recruits volunteers to assist with events throughout the year.
Markian Plawiuk (Team ABC)
Plawiuk wants to create a more club-friendly environment, to improve outreach to first-years to create school unity, and to organize more creative social events at York.
Anthony Fernandes (UniteYU)
Fernandes intends to launch a student survey on accessing and utilizing spaces, introduce DIY workshops, host a fall soccer tournament, establish a
more holistic mental health training for student leaders and clubs, and host Winter Games with Indoor and Outdoor Competitions.
VP Operations: The VP of Operations oversees the financial status and budget of the YFS and ensures the YFS fulfills its contractual obligations and that they deliver high-quality services to students.
Syed Atif (Team ABC)
Atif wants free and affordable transit passes for York students, to expand study and academic resources, and to implement weekly puppy therapy.
Jordan Medeira (UniteYU)
Maderia wants to work to eliminate the GO Bus to TTC transfer free, host an end-of-year clubs gala, guarantee a balanced budget, conduct a student survey on services needed on campus, and introduce financial literacy courses.
