The Experience slate has set itself goals of improving student life on both of Concordia’s campuses, putting Loyola as a top priority and proposing several initiatives aimed at cultivating activities on the its campus. Two other key values are freezing tuition costs and developing more student space by taking action on the long-planned Student Centre. Also in the works are plans for a free CSU legal clinic, CSU help and info line and an ambitious second phase to Concordia’s sustainability project.
Experience is a new team that wants to continue governance based on the values set by the present CSU. They are running with the support of the current president of the CSU, Mohamed Shuriye, but maintain they are not a reformulation of the Evolution party. They aim to “build vertically instead of making a shift in values,” according to Experience’s presidential candidate, Khaleed Juma.
Experience team members have been on the following associations: Casa Cares Executive, Economics Student Society (President), ASFA Councillor, ASFA VP Internal, ASF Council Rep, Canadian Academic Roundtable Organizer, Volunteer Abroad Program (Director), AIESEC Global Village, and held the following positions in the CSU: CEO, Council secretary, Councillor of the Clubs and Space Committee.
Platform highlights include:
Introducing a CSU Info & Help Line and a new and improved, bilingual, CSU website.
Have a detailed breakdown of student’s grades available on their portal.
Fighting to keep tuition frozen.
A free CSU legal clinic.
Getting Concordia on a 4.0 GPA scale.
Supporting Fine Arts students with 10 artistic proposal bursaries of $500 bursaries each; provide more Studio space for FA students, and the “Art on Campus Project.”
Free museum and art gallery passes.
Free “Student Sections” at all Stingers’ Athletics games and monthly hockey tickets.
Ensuring student representation on all of the University’s committees.
Ensuring that the downtown gym is made available.
Improving student life on the Loyola campus by: building an outdoor basketball court, a skating rink and an eco-friendly heated bus shelter; opening a soup kitchen; re-opening the Hive sports bar; installing free phones and ensuring that the wireless network is completed; make more student parking available.
Q: In one sentence or less, tell us your vision for the Concordia campuses:
A Concordia that prides itself on the diversity and accomplishments of its student population.
Q: Will you increase or decrease funding to any group or association?
Experience will increase funding for all student clubs under the CSU umbrella and will increase CSU special-project funding for student initiatives. Experience will also lobby to increase funding for other students organizations like the Concordia International Students Associations (CISA) and John Molson School of Business Case competitions.
Q: What are the three biggest problems facing Concordia and its students this coming year?
Lack of student space on campus, education being affordable for all students and lack of CSU services at Loyola.
Q: What is your plan to tackle these problems?
1-To increase student space on campus, Experience will move forward with designing a downtown student centre to dramatically increase student owned space on campus.
2-Experience will fight to keep the tuition freeze in Quebec and will lobby the federal government to ensure that it makes a dedicated transfer to the provinces for education.
3-Experience will bring all of the CSU’s important services, like free phones, to Loyola and will ensure that all new CSU services that are introduced are introduced at both campuses.
Q: What problems have you seen with how the CSU has been run in the past?
There is a lack of CSU services at Loyola. Experience will work to bring all CSU services to Loyola and will ensure that any new services that the CSU introduces will be introduced at both campuses.
Q: The voting turnout in the CSU elections is embarrassingly low. How do you plan to get students more involved in politics?
The last three years have seen the three highest CSU election voter turnouts in CSU history. Experience plans to build on this success to ensure that in future years more students are involved with their union. Experience will simplify the CSU’s voting process and will make the CSU more accessible to students.
Q: If forced to choose, would you rather fund innovative ideas or more proven ones?
Experience would love to fund innovative ideas that contribute to student life at Concordia and benefit undergraduate students.
Q: What are three qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the position you seek within the CSU?
Experience is built upon a strong foundation of both internal and external experiences, drawing from all corners of the university. The team has also found strength in our diversity allowing us to truly hold a greater understanding of the CSU and its all encompassing reach. Finally, experience is a team built of dedicated student leaders who are committed to expanding the realm of Concordia.
Experience
Khaleed Juma, President
Saleena Hussein, VP Finance
Angelica Novoa, VP Clubs and
Services
Anika Henry, VP Academics
Mark Small, VP Student Life
Justin Levy, VP External
Taylor C. Noakes, VP Campus
Relations
Earl Freidberg, VP Logistics
For the complete Experience platform visit www.voteexperience.ca.
