You can have more if you choose to

Garry Sran
Presidential Candidate

My name is Garry Sran, and I’m running for president of the University of Manitoba Students’ Union on the Choice for More slate along with four other very capable, experienced and hard-working students.

I must confess, I’m not just writing this article for my own benefit: I want you to choose to be involved in your students’ union, to choose to vote in the UMSU election, and to choose to vote for me and our slate. And I hope this choice is made by taking the time to learn about the candidates, their platforms and who you think can best represent us as students.

UMSU exists to defend and promote the interests of students. For UMSU, this means offering student services and advocating for individual and collective student issues. As UMSU represents students to both the university administration and all levels of government, it’s important that students choose wisely on election days.

First, the Choice for More slate has experience and credibility in representing students’ rights to the university administration and all levels of government. We believe that the only way to accomplish our goals with the university or government is through a joint approach of meetings and credible research, and by demonstrating mass support for our message from students.

UMSU’s job is not to simply befriend the administration or government, it’s to represent and engage students. Many times, UMSU’s interests will match the administration’s, but on some key points, it’s only expected that students and the administration or government will not see eye to eye. At these times, UMSU must not be afraid to stand up for students’ rights.

It’s also important that we have a clear stance on the issues. UMSU must work to make the U of M even better, and the Choice for More slate has some practical ideas for doing so. We believe students deserve a high quality of education and that students must work together to secure more federal funding. We will continue to put pressure on Ottawa to restore $4 billion in funding, and to work with the university, province and other students’ unions to send this message.

We also believe that university education must be accessible, and thus we will continue to lobby the provincial government and the Board of Governors of the university to keep the tuition fee freeze, stop ancillary fee increases, and include graduate, professional and international students’ fees in the freeze.

We have a number of ideas for providing better and cheaper services for students, including improving the health and dental plan through expanded coverage (such as optical coverage) and offering one-time opt-outs online, providing cash back at UMSU businesses so you can avoid high ATM fees, and ensuring that environmental sustainability in UMSU’s operations is a priority.

In addition, we will negotiate more student control of University Centre, for more student jobs, better events and better services, including food services. Caring for our academic needs is also an important focus of UMSU, and we will lobby for a long-overdue publication of exam schedules in advance.

We know that transportation to campus is difficult, including parking once you get here, so we will negotiate four and eight month discounted bus passes and more park and rides close to campus. In addition, we will sell bus passes at locations other than Answers (so you can avoid the long line-ups).

On food services: we will submit a bid (as Aramark’s contract is going to an open bid process this summer), and work with the university and students to improve food on all campuses, including Bannatyne and Inner City. Other students’ unions across Canada have done this, and we can too!

Improving life and culture at all the U of M campuses is also a priority. We will increase funding and support for student groups and existing activities, including Bison Sports ticket giveaways and other initiatives to improve the fan base. We will host more interesting and high-profile speakers, cultural events and events showcasing student talent. We will work with residence students to re-open the auditorium, and brighten up campus space with art and murals.

As you can see, we don’t have a single magic bullet for winning your vote. The Choice for More slate will work hard in many areas and prioritize hearing your ideas for UMSU. We think the Choice for More platform is broad and achievable. But you get to be the judge.

I’d like to close by emphasizing the importance of something I call “continuity of change.” I want UMSU to keep changing, but not just in any old direction.

UMSU manages a budget of over $10 million — mostly students’ money — and represents more people than many Members of the Legislative Assembly. As a student in statistics, as the former president of the Arts Student Body Council and as an avid volunteer around UMSU, I am familiar with our campus and with ways to improve it.

Each candidate on the Choice for More slate brings unique experiences and perspective, and all come from the same ideology of believing that UMSU exists to work for students, contribute to the community, and make students’ lives easier. We have all had a variety of experience with student groups, advocacy issues and working with the university to better the lives of students on this campus.

This election, make a Choice for More! and choose candidates with the right experience and motivations to get the job done. Most importantly, get out and vote. UMSU is only as strong as the participation of its members.

Vote March 1 to 3 at any polling location on campus. Visit www.choosemore.ca for our full platform, or stop by our information table in University Centre.

Garry Sran is the presidential candidate for the “A Choice for More” slate.