Graduate Students Head to the Polls

Vice-president (internal) and 3 senators to be elected in GSA byelection

Simon Neufeld

From October 17 to 19, graduate students will be voting to elect four positions in the Graduate Students' Association (GSA). Three senator positions are vacant due to students graduating. A new vice-president (internal) is being elected due to the resignation of Fisal Shibley, who was elected in last year’s general election.

Graduate students should realize the importance of voting in these byelections. The GSA has signed an autonomy agreement with UMSU and now controls a budget of roughly Sun$170,000. In addition, the GSA advocates for graduate students to governments and university administration on important issues such as tuition fee restructuring. A GSA that is democratically elected is a GSA that is accountable to students.

The vice-president (internal) is primarily responsible for the financial aspects of GSA operations, including the budget and the disbursement of GSA grants. Xuping Sun is running uncontested for this position. Senators sit on the university senate, or academic governing body, and ensure that the needs of graduate students are well represented. There are six candidates running for the three senator positions.

Each of the candidates has submitted a short statement.

—Simon Neufeld is GSA Chief Returning Officer. He can be contacted at cro@gsa.ca.

VICE-PRESIDENT (INTERNAL)CANDIDATE: Xuping Sun

Hey, I am Xuping Sun, from China, a master’s student in education. Running for the vice-president comes from my willingness to serve all the graduate students and my belief in myself. Given me a chance, I can make your voice heard, your ideas exchanged, and your opportunities to meet new people enlarged. Join me. Join the Graduate Students’ Association. Your life will be different.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Helena Baert

I’m Helena Baert (BPE, BEd, MSc student in the faculty of kinesiology and recreation management) and your choice for “GSA senator.” As an educator and former international student, I am sensitive to and will focus on the diverse needs of graduate students, which include funding, fee restructuring, academics and leading a healthy and active lifestyle.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Adam Briand

As senator I intend to provide graduate students with strong and equitable representation by contributing sound ethical and moral values and attention to campus sustainability and diversity sensitivity. My political background provides me with the necessary capabilities, and I would appreciate the support of my fellow students in achieving these objectives.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Farah Chowdhury

I can represent unified voice on senate for graduate students as I am present on both campuses — studying community health sciences on Bannatyne and working at Fort Garry. If elected, one of the things I feel strongly about addressing is increasing the student retention rate. By making this a priority, we can help ensure we have the best faculty and the brightest students.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Abas Sabouni

Abas holds a BSc and an MSc in electrical and computer engineering and is currently completing his PhD in electrical engineering at the U of M. He has recently worked as a research associate at CancerCare Manitoba and in R&D at the PartoDadeh Company. Abas brings understanding and enthusiasm, as well as an international perspective, to the senate committee on academic computing.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Pawan Sharma

I am Pawan Sharma, currently enrolled as a PhD student in the department of physiology. I am seeking your vote and support for the senator position in Graduate Students’ Association byelections. As a senator, I would like to represent the interests and concerns of all the graduate students including international students in the university.

SENATOR CANDIDATE: Chandra Bhan Singh

I am Chandra Bhan Singh (CB Singh), a PhD student in biosystems engineering. During my master’s program at the IIT-Kharagpur in India I served as an elected president of one of the students’ residences. Currently I am an elected president of biosystems engineering Graduate Students’ Association. I am contesting for the senator position with an objective of better serving the needs of the graduate students.





Volume 95 Issue 9	The Official University of Manitoba Students' Newspaper Website	October 17, 2007

Home About Us Advertising Rates Contact Staff Current Issue PDF Employment Letters to the Editor Meet the Staff Online Archives Volunteer Online Classifieds St. Vincent's Academy Diaries	Font Size Respond Email Print-Friendly Graduate Students Head to the Polls Vice-president (internal) and 3 senators to be elected in GSA byelection Simon Neufeld From October 17 to 19, graduate students will be voting to elect four positions in the Graduate Students' Association (GSA). Three senator positions are vacant due to students graduating. A new vice-president (internal) is being elected due to the resignation of Fisal Shibley, who was elected in last year’s general election. Graduate students should realize the importance of voting in these byelections. The GSA has signed an autonomy agreement with UMSU and now controls a budget of roughly Sun$170,000. In addition, the GSA advocates for graduate students to governments and university administration on important issues such as tuition fee restructuring. A GSA that is democratically elected is a GSA that is accountable to students. The vice-president (internal) is primarily responsible for the financial aspects of GSA operations, including the budget and the disbursement of GSA grants. Xuping Sun is running uncontested for this position. Senators sit on the university senate, or academic governing body, and ensure that the needs of graduate students are well represented. There are six candidates running for the three senator positions. Each of the candidates has submitted a short statement. —Simon Neufeld is GSA Chief Returning Officer. He can be contacted at cro@gsa.ca. VICE-PRESIDENT (INTERNAL)CANDIDATE: Xuping Sun Hey, I am Xuping Sun, from China, a master’s student in education. Running for the vice-president comes from my willingness to serve all the graduate students and my belief in myself. Given me a chance, I can make your voice heard, your ideas exchanged, and your opportunities to meet new people enlarged. Join me. Join the Graduate Students’ Association. Your life will be different. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Helena Baert I’m Helena Baert (BPE, BEd, MSc student in the faculty of kinesiology and recreation management) and your choice for “GSA senator.” As an educator and former international student, I am sensitive to and will focus on the diverse needs of graduate students, which include funding, fee restructuring, academics and leading a healthy and active lifestyle. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Adam Briand As senator I intend to provide graduate students with strong and equitable representation by contributing sound ethical and moral values and attention to campus sustainability and diversity sensitivity. My political background provides me with the necessary capabilities, and I would appreciate the support of my fellow students in achieving these objectives. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Farah Chowdhury I can represent unified voice on senate for graduate students as I am present on both campuses — studying community health sciences on Bannatyne and working at Fort Garry. If elected, one of the things I feel strongly about addressing is increasing the student retention rate. By making this a priority, we can help ensure we have the best faculty and the brightest students. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Abas Sabouni Abas holds a BSc and an MSc in electrical and computer engineering and is currently completing his PhD in electrical engineering at the U of M. He has recently worked as a research associate at CancerCare Manitoba and in R&D at the PartoDadeh Company. Abas brings understanding and enthusiasm, as well as an international perspective, to the senate committee on academic computing. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Pawan Sharma I am Pawan Sharma, currently enrolled as a PhD student in the department of physiology. I am seeking your vote and support for the senator position in Graduate Students’ Association byelections. As a senator, I would like to represent the interests and concerns of all the graduate students including international students in the university. SENATOR CANDIDATE: Chandra Bhan Singh I am Chandra Bhan Singh (CB Singh), a PhD student in biosystems engineering. During my master’s program at the IIT-Kharagpur in India I served as an elected president of one of the students’ residences. Currently I am an elected president of biosystems engineering Graduate Students’ Association. I am contesting for the senator position with an objective of better serving the needs of the graduate students.


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