Arts and science students are encouraged to come out to the ballot box for the ASFA Annual General Elections from March 4-6 to vote for the 2014-2015 executive team.
From 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. polling booths will be up at Sir George William Campus in the first floor of the Hall building and in the Library building lobby; and at the Loyola Campus in the Vanier Library lobby and the atrium of the SP building.
The Arts & Science Student Association (ASFA) is the largest student association representing nearly 18,000 students. ASFA is made up of member associations who represent the individual departments of the arts and science faculty.
ASFA is responsible for organizing events, for managing their member association’s funds and for trying to engage in various initiatives to better the experience of arts and science students at Concordia.
While 700 students voted in last year’s general election, ASFA’s Chief Electoral Officer, Trevor Wilkinson, would like to see that number increase:
“Voting, for me, is like a statement to the organization and the University about who we believe is best suited for the job of representing our rights, managing the funds we give them, and ensuring that our interests and voices are heard.”
Beyond voting in student elections Wilkinson suggests students should take the opportunity to get involved in student life.
“There are multiple advantages of joining a student executive like ASFA. For one, it provides those who are successful at acquiring the position a chance to effect change, which can benefit their fellow students. For another, the steep learning curve required of first-time executives as well as the ability to manage one’s studies, the executive position, and work outside of school as many of the current executives do, provides one with a set of skills that many employers look for in recently graduated students.”
Paul Jerajin, ASFA’s current president, is running for re-election for the second year in a row with no competitors. Jerajin explains that his favourite part of the job is seeing fellow executives and councilors get together and discuss change they want to implement in the university and then actually working together to achieve it.
“The multidisciplinary aspect of ASFA is unmatched. Having so much diversity within a faculty is a great way to see many opinions and expertise come together and have a critical yet constructive discussion on various topics,” said Jerajin.
Jerajin explained that working for ASFA has been not only essential to his university experience, but also to his life experience.
Candidates for the 2014-2015 ASFA Executive
President
Paul Jerajin
VP Internal:
Jenna Cocullo
Veronic Godbout
Peggy Kabeya-Honeyglow
Pauline Sarah Pfingsten.
VP Finance:
Melina Ghio
Parisa Mehrabi
VP Communications:
Justin Caruso
Haroon Mohar
Tiffany Thompson.
VP Social Affairs:
Farhana Jumki Haque
Sean Nolan.
VP Academic & Loyola Affairs:
Patricia Martone
VP External Affairs & Sustainability:
Charles Bourassa
Damian Skulic
There are eight students running for five independent councilor spots:
Crystal Harrison
Léa Lacroix
Alex Longinotti
Basma Ben Moussa
Justin Occhionero
Javier Eduardo Valbuena Ramírez
James Vaccaro
Nikitas Vekris
For more information on the candidates visit www.asfa.ca/asfa-general-elections-get-to-know-the-candidates.
