Elections are open for the next ECSS President!
The Presidential Candidate Debate will be held on Friday, October 13th, at 3:30pm in ECS 125. We hope to see you there!
Voting opens on Friday October 13th and closes on Monday October 16th at 11:59pm. Engineering students can vote online at webvote.engr.uvic.ca. Computer Science students will be able to vote in ECSS election starting in the Spring 2024 Semester, which is when the ESS-CSCU merger will officially be complete.
Read on to view the candidate platforms and decide who you will be voting for on October 13th!
Matthew Allen Curtis
![MATTHEW ALLEN CURTIS](https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/ess/wp-content/uploads/sites/5544/2023/10/MATTHEW-ALLEN-CURTIS-scaled.jpg)
Personal Description:
Hey all, I’m a 3rd year software engineering student, who has been involved in the ECSS for a little over a year now. I’ve helped run:
• UVEC (Fall 2022)
• Order of PI (Spring 2023)
o Raised over $4000 in donations for Children’s Health Foundation
• Bug Push (Summer 2023)
I’ve volunteered as:
• Director at Large (Fall 2022)
• Director of Outreach (Spring 2023)
• Clubs Coordinator (Summer 2023)
I ‘ve tackled these projects independent of my role:
• Scanning all exams in the exam bank (Summer 2023)
• Finding cheaper slushie mix (Summer 2023)
Platform:
Sponsorships:
I want to increase our sponsorship capability so we can afford to send everyone who qualifies to go to WEC, the following competition after UVEC. As well as looking into this, as a way we can increase services without costing students more, i.e., increase club funding or create travel pool funding. I will achieve this by working with VP Corporate Relations, to try and create targeted packages for companies that look for a specific type of engineering discipline and by examining what current services may be sponsored.
Transparency:
It can be very hard to know what is happening in the ECSS if you do not regularly attend meetings. I want to work with VP Comms to figure out a plan to summarize the meetings and put them in a digestible format for social media. In addition to this I want to investigate better solutions for keeping the student body updated on changes that affect them directly, i.e.: club funding and delegate fees.
Inclusion and Retention:
I want to work towards a more welcoming and diverse group of students actively participating in the ECSS, as well ensuring that students feel welcome back every time, they interact with us. This goes for general students and volunteers alike. I will work towards this by working with VP Equity, students, and past volunteers to find areas for improvement. For volunteers I promise to check in with new volunteers at least once a month, more frequent if they are taking on a big task.
Evan Maher
![EVAN_MAHER](https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/ess/wp-content/uploads/sites/5544/2023/10/EVAN_MAHER.png)
Personal Description:
Greetings! My name is Evan, and I am running for presidency to influence change in the Engineering Computer Student Society. With your guidance, I am determined and passionate in my intention to foster a culture of collectivity and innovation not just for the existing members, but as well as upcoming and future members. My primary goal is to help create the space to engage more aspiring students in the development of the Maker Space, specifically as to what machinery it will have, and the hours of operation.
Platform:
integrate students in the decision-making processes involving the Maker Space. This includes hours of operation, allocation of costs, etc. I believe that the students should be made aware of funding processes to ensure transparency and accountability. If elected, it is in my vision to see to it that the CSC merger comes to completion by Spring and expand the
ECSS. An incentive I can offer to actualize my vision is adding an espresso machine to the coffee table within 30 days of being elected. Finally, I would like to promote an environment where we can develop a sense of community, connection, and creativity. I will initiate a program such as an ESC Week potentially in January or February where we could have
design challenges, scavenger hunts, and have facilitated workshops. I would also love to hear ideas from you, the members and the rest of the student body, about what actions ECSS should institute for its development. If you would like to see my ideas, come to fruition, I would love to have your support and represent you on the ECSS.
Kai Richins
![KAI_RICHINS](https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/ess/wp-content/uploads/sites/5544/2023/10/KAI_RICHINS.jpg)
Personal Description:
I have previously served as a both a Director at Large for the UVSS, and the Director of Events for the UVSS. Alongside this I have also represented the student body as a whole for the UVic Senate. With these positions I have heavily lobbied, and made substantive gains, for the student body against the UVic administration. I will bring this experience to the ECSS, and continue to lower the pressure put on students by the UVic board of directors. I also have a degree in Political Science, which might help.
Platform:
I have two very simple goals for my term as president of the ECSS. First, and primarily, to support and advocate for clubs at every possible step. Clubs are what separate an online certificate from an in person education, and UVic clubs are far and away some of the best education resources on campus. Second, and what inspired me to run, is to lobby the university on behalf of students for the university to absorb the administrative costs of homework tools. As the ratio of professors to students continues to fall in every class, the quality of education declines and the profit extracted increases. Professors (their TAs) are now frequently unable to personally grade the assignments given to students, and as such students are now forced to pay costs to third party services like Pearson for the opportunity to do their required homework assignments. This arrangement does not support the students, their education, nor the professors and their ability to convey knowledge and understanding. A third party is directly profiting off of the already deleterious educational system the UVic board of directors is forcing on their professors. This is completely unacceptable, and this cost must be absorbed by the University, not by the already squeezed students. I will, at every single step, make this as painful and prolonged process for the UVic administration. I am only enrolled in three classes this term, so I have plenty of time to be a nuisance on your behalf, students :).
Rylee Rolstone
![RYLEE_ROLSTONE_1](https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/ess/wp-content/uploads/sites/5544/2023/10/RYLEE_ROLSTONE_1.jpg)
Personal Description:
I am a passionate, hardworking, 2nd year biomedical engineering student that values mental, physical, spiritual health and I am excited to run for the position of the ECSS president. Through my experiences in student organizations, I’ve honed my communication and teamwork skills, which I believe are vital for this role. In the past, I’ve been entrusted with event planning, advocating student needs, and fostering inclusivity. With the support of the engineering and computer science collective, I aim to create a welcoming space for students that focuses on well-being and increased communications within the faculty.
Platform:
I strongly believe that active involvement and input from the community as a whole is an important asset to a well-run student society. If elected, I would like to implement the following:
- Putting Bean bag chairs and a proper nap area in the ELW and ECS
- Make nutrition a priority for students by having more available free “pick me up” snacks, such as fruit, protein bars, and coffee to improve the mental and physical heath of students.
- Implementing a mentorship program for first year engineering and computer science students.
- Improve student and faculty negotiation with courses to increase academic representation.
- Increase voting opportunities to decide where the collective wants our fees to go
- Selling engineering and computer Science stickers to raise funds for the ECSS to offer more services for students.
- Increase relations with other faculties to organize multi-faculty events.
- More community building events, such as a fundraising ECSS Social every semester
- Offering free cookies after all exams.
- Ability to vote online for menial things – such as online polls and smaller events.
- Increase social media awareness and engagement from the faculty.
- Easier communications – more advertising for events and easier access to information.
- Increase opportunities for people to meet tutors.