Candidates Debate:
Monday, March 27th at 6:00pm in ECS 116.
Join us for free pizza and a chance to get to know the candidates better and ask them your questions!
The Debate recording can be found at the link below. Videos from candidates who were not at the debate live are found below the full debate video.
Debate Recording: https://youtu.be/nk354DBzzbQ
VPX Candidate 2: https://youtu.be/dAMNcvMv7wc
VPX Candidate 3: https://youtu.be/47ZADOn2-xw
VP Student Life Candidate 1: https://youtu.be/9ZPazaycnEo
VP Events Candidate 2: https://youtu.be/SVPaMEOhvoE
Questions to the Candidates:
Sample questions were given to all the candidates, and their responses compiled and provided at the link. Please review their responses and their platforms below before voting.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WHU2oYBbRYnrXptpvh_TGtYu5kR-MpPLFMBp55M9Abw/edit?usp=sharing
Voting: Wednesday, March 29th to Friday, March 31 11:59pm
Voting link: webvote.engr.uvic.ca
VP Internal
Kelvin Lee
Personal Description:
Hello! My name is Kelvin Lee, and I am running for Vice President Internal to enhance the academic experience of students at Uvic. I am a first-year Biomedical Engineering student, I have already served as ESS Competitions Coordinator and Secretary, and I’m involved with the Uvic Environmental Engineering Club. My experience has taught me the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and leadership, which I’ll apply to my role as VPI. I will also be serving as a student representative in Uvic’s senate next year, enabling me to leverage connections and advocate more effectively for the engineering student body.
Platform:
As VP Internal, I’m committed to improving the lives of engineering students. Here’s my platform:
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability: I’ll ensure that these values are at the forefront of the ESS, creating an inclusive space where all students feel welcome and valued, and prioritizing sustainability in all ESS activities.
Collaboration: Collaborating with the university and faculty is key to achieving better outcomes for students. I’ll work closely with staff to advocate for students and address their concerns.
Advocacy: My top priority is advocating for all students, with a particular focus on historically underrepresented groups, like Indigenous students and women, and students who are often overlooked, like transfer students and mature students. I’ll make sure that their voices are heard, and their concerns are addressed.
Mental Health Support: Mental health support is crucial for student success. I’ll work to ensure that support is easily accessible to all students and that the ESS is a supportive and welcoming space for those who are struggling.
Diversity of Voices: I’ll maintain a diversity of voices within the ESS to ensure that all students are represented. This will involve actively seeking input from students in different engineering disciplines and addressing their concerns.
Networking: Building relationships with other student groups is important to create a more cohesive university network for student advocacy. I’ll work to connect with other groups to create a more collaborative and effective advocacy network.
Together, we can create a better ESS that truly represents and supports all engineering students.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
• Prioritize equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability
• Create a collaborative relationship between ESS and Faculty.
• Advocate for all students, especially underrepresented/oft-ignored.
• Ensure mental health support is accessible to all students.
• Maintain diversity of voices, recognizing unique concerns of different disciplines.
• Network with other student groups on campus to better work on student issues.
VP External
Jasper Halvorson
Personal Description:
Height: 6’
Weight: 5.75 slugs
Volume: 83.91 Liters
Surface Area: 22.32 ft2
Hobbies: Reviewing the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Projecting Vectors, PHYS 111, Frolicking in the park, VP External, etc.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- Connect with engineering communities at other universities in western Canada
- Engineer great events at UVic
- Create more opportunities for students to travel to other universities for competitions and events
Sarah Keegan
Personal Description:
Hey!! I’m Sarah, a second year BME student and I would be excited to be on council for my
third year. I was the First Year Representative and am currently the VP Internal. As VPI, I
attended the three main conferences (EM, AGMR, CELC), listened to general assemblies
between VPXs, and discussed policy changes with the UVic and other VPXs. I attended a
WESST meeting on behalf of UVic when our VPX could not attend and was a member of a
CELC conference selection committee. My experience with WESST, CFES, general
assemblies and conferences has prepared me for this role.
Platform:
My goal as Vice President External is to be an effective and approachable liaison between
UVic Engineering students, the regional and national organizations (WESST & CFES), and
other schools; to provide opportunities for ECS students to foster connections outside of our
organization; and to continue developing our own ESS run orientation (like in 2021!) and
ECS week by consulting VPXs from other schools.
I will accomplish this by choosing more inclusive & diverse conference delegations and
assuring that UVic is sending delegates that will benefit several engineering students (not just the ESS!) by working with our current VPX to finish the conference selection terms of
reference, a metric based, less biased selection method. I will develop a simple and
informative way for delegates to share their learning with the UVic ECS community and will
ensure that important changes at the national & regional levels will be easily accessible on
our website. I will effectively advocate on behalf of UVic ECS students to WESST, CFES
and other organizations by using my experience from advocating to faculty as VPI.
I will assure that UVEC is organized, run, and judged in an accessible and unbiased manner. I am committed to developing a competition similar to UVEC for CSC students and providing opportunities for CSC students to be involved with other schools/organizations. I will work with the VP Corporate & EGBC to restart our student-industry networking events and to support the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board in reviewing UVic’s programs
(something I did as VPI also!).
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- Effective liaison between UVic students, WESST & CFES, and other schools
- Inclusive & diverse delegation selection
- Method for delegates to share learning
- Accessible information about WESST/CFES
- Opportunities for ECS students to foster connections
- Assure UVEC is accessible & unbiased
- Develop opportunities for CSC students to be involved in other organizations
- EGBC: restart student-industry networking events
- ESS run orientation and ECS week
Samyukhta Prasath
Personal Description:
I’m Samyukhta, a second-year electrical engineering student and your future VP External! I have
experience with several VPX duties such as
• chairing the selection committee for a national conference,
• stepping up as head delegate with minimal notice,
• successfully leading a delegation of first-time conference goers and
• voluntarily attending WESST meetings and General Assemblies.
Through these experiences, I have developed meaningful connections which will facilitate my collaboration with national student organizations and have become well-versed in policy and procedure. My experience as Equity Officer and the Faculty’s EDI Representative will enable me to advocate for all students on a national level.
Platform:
Expand the VPX role to fulfill and develop all aspects of external relations.
- Inter/intra-school collaboration: Collaborate with other UVic student societies/clubs and ESS’s of other universities to work together on events, workshops and charity fundraisers.
- Conference takeaways: Develop a meaningful system for sharing knowledge gained at conferences with the student body.
- Engineering culture: Learn from other universities to develop ECS culture and community at UVic.
- Makerspace: Continue the efforts of the current VPX to follow-through with the implementation of the makerspace, working with and learning from other schools who have makerspaces.
Identify and address limitations in conference accessibility and create an unbiased selection process.
- Application process: Focus on advertising to members outside of the regular ESS in a way that showcases the importance and benefits of conferences.
- Interview and selection criteria: Work with the current VPX to assess the integrity of the selection process and address concerns with bias, developing a rubric to limit bias and focus on objective facts.
- Selection committee: Ensure impartiality of members and prioritize appropriate knowledge and experience.
Represent the views of the ECS community externally and advocate on their behalf.
- Representation: Continue developing methods of gaining student input to represent a more diverse demographic, such as a town-hall to identify large-scale issues.
- Advocacy: Advocate on behalf of all ECS students at conferences, applying Equity Officer experience.
- Delivery: Present ideas in a rational, concise and collaborative manner.
Above all, I will reinforce that WESST is BESST!
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
Expand the role to develop all aspects of external relations:
- Ensure inter/intra-school collaboration
- Establish makerspace
- Develop Engineering culture
Address limitations in conference accessibility and create an unbiased selection process:
- Improve application process
- Reassess selection criteria
Advocate for and represent the views of the ECS community:
- Represent and advocate on behalf of ALL ECS students
VP Finance
Julien Edwardson
Personal Description:
Hey! I’m Julien Edwardson, a second-year mechanical engineering student. I’ve been involved with student politics for over a year now, primarily as a director on the University of Victoria Student’s Society. For the past year I’ve been successfully fighting for engineering students, fighting for accountability, and executing large scale reform of the organization. I’m going to continue that success as VP Finance of the ESS, this time putting my energy to grow the organization, ensure accountability, supporting the computer science merger, and funding a makerspace.
Platform:
As VP Finance, I’m going to do the following:
• Fund a makerspace – this would be a huge achievement for the ESS. A place to have access to tools and materials to work on personal or school projects would benefit so many students. I’m going to work with council to make it happen.
• Continue my year-long track record of accountability – I was elected to keep the UVSS board of directors accountable to the student body for the past year. I have done that. I will bring this winning streak to the ESS and maintain the organization’s high reputation and standing among the ECS community.
• Support the computer science merger – not only will this allow CompSci students to participate in the ESS, but the increased membership and budget will open doors to expand the reach and abilities of the organization.
• Work with the faculty to expand events and services – by working with the faculty we could increase our capacity to run events, sell food, and connect students with industry. I have real experience working with the university administration and will work with the ESS VP Internal to get the support we need from the faculty.
I don’t just offer promises, I offer proof of a track record that shows I know how to get things done. If you want a new voice on council that can make real achievements, voting Julien Edwardson for VP finance is the way to go.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
• Fund a makerspace
• Continue my track record of ensuring accountability
• Supporting the computer science merger
• Work with the faculty to expand services and events
VP Student Life
Saad Nisar
Personal Description:
My first words were “VP Student Life”, I have been ready for this position before I was even
born.
Hobbies: Professional business major hater, tendency to disobey laws of physics, winning,
serving, acid-base equilibrium fanatic, and serving the people.
Platform:
I will engineer a strong engineering community.
I will engineer insane engineering events.
I will engineer better ESS Merchandise using input from our student body.
I will engineer more promotion for ESS clubs.
I will engineer a way to engineer engineers into engineered happy engineers.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
Vote me all the other candidates are doing this for their resume they don’t care about you. I
care about you, you are beautiful, slay.
VP Events
Jack Godefroy
Personal Description:
My name is Jack Godefroy. I am from Canmore, Alberta, and love to ski, hike, go to the gym, and stay active. I have had lots of previous experience planning events, including being on the event planning team of my school council, as well as a member of a leadership team with Kids Cancer Care in Calgary. There I planned a multitude of fundraisers that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also planned a gala that raised $20,000 for the Alberta
Children’s Hospital through their Youth Council. I believe this experience makes me viable for the VP Events position.
Platform:
I believe that the faculty of engineering is lacking in fun, accessible events for all students. If I am elected for this position, I will plan frequent events that fit with the busy schedule of engineering students.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- More frequent engineering events
- Events that are more accessible to students
- Fun and inclusive events
- Better advertising of events
Tavin Shamess
Personal Description:
My name is Tavin Shamess, currently I am a biomedical engineering undergrad student and have been a member of the ESS for a year. With great experience from previous involvement with events and drive to create a better community for the student body, I believe there is opportunity to make student engagement even better. School is not just a place of student but community as well, and I wish to help create that feeling.
Platform:
My one goal is to create encourage student involvement in events. I wish to accomplish this not through more events but by bigger events that can draw more of the engineering student body. Along with that I would like to create a new system for student engagement, possibly through a means of message boards or our own short news network that would present a weekly of the events that would occur.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
My one goal is to create encourage student involvement in events. I wish to accomplish this not through more events but by bigger events that can draw more of the engineering student body. Along with that I would like to create a new system for student engagement, possibly through a means of message boards or our own short news network that would present a weekly of the events that would occur.
VP Communications
Aaron Cohen
Personal Description:
I have been the ESS’s Graphics Coordinator for a term as well as a First Year Council member for two. As such, I have a good understanding of how internal and external communications work. In high school I did a graphic design course for three years, so I know how to make stuff look good for posters. I’m also a software engineer, so I’m good with technical stuff and coding, this means I’d be pretty good at maintaining the ESS website.
Platform:
If elected I will:
- Keep the posters looking good
- Increase ESS social media presence to improve outreach and event advertising
- Improve the ESS website design to be more modern
- Create better layouts to make pages more accessible
- Make important content easier to find (exam bank, order of pi, etc…)
Katelyn Dhami
Personal Description:
I am a 4th year software engineering student and have been an ESS Graphics Coordinator since September 2022. During this time, I attended the Conference on Diversity in Engineering and the Canadian Engineering Leadership Conference. I was also the Industry Night Coordinator this semester. My experience with the ESS has helped me learn about how the ESS works, including what we are doing well regarding communication with the student body and where we could improve. Additionally, my past software co-ops have given me experience with developing accessible and easy-to-navigate websites, which I hope to utilize in this role.
Platform:
Firstly, I’d like to update the ESS website to make it easier for students to find important information. My goal is to redesign the website with accessibility in mind and include event calendars that can be updated easily, so that students can access the website on any device to quickly find important information. I’d also like to work with the Director of IT to get our ess.uvic.ca domain name working again.
Secondly, I’d like to implement a schedule to ensure that communication about ESS events and other initiatives is reliable and predictable. This will engage the student body and increase turnout for events. I’d also like to expand some of the advertising that we currently do – for example, advertise charity events all over campus instead of just in ELW/ECS to help raise more money for charity, and advertise the ESS office space more heavily during the first few weeks of each new semester to encourage new students to get involved.
Finally, I’d like to provide ways for students to give us feedback on ESS events and services. Communication is a two-way street, and it is important for the ESS to hear student feedback so that we can make improvements that the student body wants. This could be done using online feedback forms or Instagram story polls.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- Facilitate consistent and clear communication between the ESS and the engineering student body
- Update the website to make it easier to find important information, include events calendars that stay up to date, and provide a better experience on mobile
- Provide ways for students to give feedback on ESS events and services, such as through online feedback forms
Equity Officer
Niaomi Peck
Personal Description:
I’m Niaomi, a second-year computer engineering student running for ESS Equity Officer. I have extensive experience with teamwork and communication, from participating as a Model United Nations delegate to volunteering to mentor students in my high school musical theatre group. I am passionate about advocating for people who need their voices to be heard, and I believe that my experiences as a trans woman in engineering give me a unique perspective on how to address EDI within our student body. I hope you will consider voting for me, so I can continue to advocate for everyone in our diverse faculty.
Platform:
As Equity Officer, I will take special interest in communicating with and promoting groups within engineering that work with minorities and marginalized groups. Being able to directly assess people’s unique needs is very important to me, and advocacy groups (such as Leadership Through Diversity) are vital for a diverse program such as engineering. I will also focus internally on the ESS, talking with members and Directors to address any EDI issues that we find. Making sure that every tier of the ESS understands and respects our commitment to representation and diversity is important, and I would like to continue improving things as much as possible. In addition, making sure that internal documentation is fully up to date is very important to me. This not only includes basic policies and current EDI incentives, but also making sure that our documentation uses inclusive language and remains accessible to a diverse set of needs and abilities. While working on all these initiatives, I will consistently be talking with and listening to students or groups that come to me with EDI concerns and suggestions. Making sure that everybody feels heard, respected and represented is a key aspect of the Equity Officer position and I would like to uphold that to the best of my ability.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- Communicating with and advocating for EDI groups and clubs
- Updating internal documentation to reflect current equity standards
- Working internally with the ESS to uphold our EDI commitments
- Talking with students and groups to find out and address EDI concerns and comments
VP Corporate Relations
Tim Al-Saudi
Personal Description:
As a second-year software engineering student, I’ve been actively involved in the ESS since my first year at UVic, volunteering and contributing to its success by organizing and running various events. Specifically, I’m proud to have co-led the UVEC team twice. With my diverse background, I’ve developed excellent interpersonal skills that enable me to connect with people from different cultures. Meeting new people is something I enjoy, and I believe that I can effectively represent the ESS as Vice President Corporate.
Platform:
If elected as Vice President Corporate, I am committed to advancing the ESS’s vision by focusing on several key areas. First, I want to help raise funds to make the makerspace a reality, a space that will provide our members with technology and tools to explore their creativity and innovation. Secondly, I believe that involving more corporate partners with the ESS is crucial to our success, as they bring unique expertise and resources that can enhance our programs and events. I also hope to increase the number of industry mixer events, providing opportunities for students to connect with potential employers and gain valuable insights.
Additionally, I recognize the importance of making computer science students feel included and represented in the ESS, especially given the merger plans with the computer science department. I aim to do my part in facilitating this transition by ensuring that computer science students have a voice in the ESS and feel supported by our programs and events. I understand the importance of securing co-op positions for students, particularly first-years, and I plan to hold workshops that will provide guidance on how to obtain co-op placements. I also believe that an anonymous co-op review board could be established to help students with their co-op choices.
To achieve these goals, I intend to work closely with both local and global businesses to foster strong partnerships and expand opportunities for our members. I will also encourage students to connect with their co-op employers and develop lasting relationships within the industry. By collaborating with the ESS executive team, I am confident that we can build a better student society.
Point Form Summary of Platform Description:
- Help raise funds for makerspace
- Involve more corporate partners
- Increase industry mixer events
- Improve event budget
- Support computer science students
- Hold co-op workshops
- Establish anonymous co-op review board
- Encourage student-employer relationships
MacKay McIntosh
Personal Description:
I’m MacKay AKA Maurice, I am currently a DAL who has helped with Order of Pi. I am new to the council but am excited to do more. I have been involved with UVic Environmental Engineering Club. I think VP Corporate Relations is a position that I can thrive in as I am good at making connections.
Platform:
I would like to strengthen corporate relation with the ESS and maintain current relations, to help with students and club activities. Increasing the number of companies that the ESS is in contact with, by reaching out to companies which have hosted ESS co-op students.