On Thursday February 22, Arts students came together for the Arts Undergraduate Society’s elections debate. Students running for positions on the AUS executive, as well as representative and senator positions, had an opportunity to share their platforms publicly and respond to questions from potential constituents.
Voting for the AUS election opened online on Thursday February 22, and will close on Thursday March 1.
Below are descriptions for the positions of President, VP Academic, VP Communications, VP External, VP Finance, VP Internal, VP Social, as well as for Arts Senator and Arts Representative to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU):
President
The AUS President is the chair of the executive committee, as well as the official spokesperson of the society. The President leads the daily operations of the AUS, including legal obligations and general governance. They are also the chair of the Computer Lab Fund Committee and the Constitution and By-Law Review Committee, and have a non-voting seat on all AUS committees. The President is in charge of appointing the Secretaries General for the AUS and maintaining the AUS’ Human Resources practices. They are also in charge of pursuing any projects that can help fulfill the needs of Arts Students.
Maria Thomas, a third-year student studying International Development and Sociology, is the sole candidate for the position.
VP Academic
The VP Academic heads everything in the domain of academic, educational, and curricular activity. They work in collaboration with the Dean of Arts and the Faculty of Arts as a whole, as well as in partnership with the McLennan-Redpath Library. The AUS Essay Centre, Publications Commission, and Peer Tutoring outlets are also within the VP Academic’s portfolio.
The candidates for VP Academic are first-year student Andrew Chase, and U1 student in Sociology and Gender Studies, Chloe Kemeni.
VP Communications
The AUS VP Communications broadcasts information about services, events, and activities relevant to the Arts community. The AUS online presence, including the website, listserv and all social media are managed by the VP Communications. They chair the Francophone commission and the Fine Arts Council, which pertains to photography and fine arts.
The candidates for this position are U2 Alexandre Monnier, first-year Meera Raman, and Jamal Tarrabain, in his second year.
VP External
The VP External is in charge of relationships with groups outside of the AUS. They hold a seat on the SSMU Legislative Council and work with the Arts Community Engagement Committee. They lead the execution of events like Work Your BA, and liaise with the Montreal community when necessary. The VP External portfolio also includes International Affairs and sponsorship.
The candidates for VP External are U2 student Romain Bouan du Chef du Bos, Samuel Lottes, in his second year, and Rebecca Scarra, in her third year.
VP Finance
The VP Finance is tasked with managing the annual budget for the AUS, approximately $800,000 annually. This includes developing the budget, helping with the annual audit, and ensuring that the AUS adheres to financial regulations. The VP Finance is also the chair of the Financial Management Committee and the Arts Undergraduate Improvement Fund Committee.
The VP Finance candidates are Adam Gwiazda-Amsel, in U1 Economics and Philosophy, and Mia Trana, in U3 Economics and Psychology.
VP Internal
The AUS VP Internal handles departmental associations within the AUS. They oversee room bookings, liquor permits, and environmental initiatives in collaboration with the AUS Environmental Council. They are in charge of first year affairs until FEARC, the AUS First-Year Arts Council, is elected, and then they become the primary overseer of FEARC. In the event of the AUS President’s absence, VP Internal takes over the presidential portfolio.
The VP Internal candidates are Christina Venegas, in second year International Development, and Kevin Zhou, studying Political Science and Economics.
VP Social
The VP Social leads the organization of all Arts social events. These include Arts Frosh and Bar des Arts. VP Social is the chair of the events planning committee, EPiC, and supports the events planned by departmental associations as well. They also work with the SUS to run Grad Ball each March.
The candidates for this position are Laine Lubgans and Kim Yang.
Arts Senator
The Faculty of Arts chooses two students to serve on the Senate, the highest governing body at McGill. Senators attend caucus meetings with the SSMU VP University Affairs each week. Senators also sit on committees that work in areas such as curricular evaluation methods and student mental health. Senators are also encouraged to take on personal initiatives and work towards a project in an area of their choosing.
The candidates for Arts Senator, of whom voters may select two, are Ommu-Kulsoom J. Abdul-Rahman, Maeve Botham, Sébastien Oudin-Filipecki, Anisah Shah, Madeline Wilson, and Kaitlin Wong.
Arts Representative to SSMU
Three students are chosen as Arts Representatives to SSMU. Arts Representatives sit on the legislative councils of both the AUS and the SSMU. They are tasked with advocating for the needs of Arts students within SSMU. Arts Representatives can also participate in committees pertaining to various areas of the AUS and SSMU in order to further the interests of Arts students.
Students may vote for 3 of the candidates for Arts Representative, out of Katerina Busuttil, Andrew Figueiredo, Garima Karia, Ana Paula Sanchez, and Ashley Schulman.
Students in the Faculty of Arts are encouraged to vote in the AUS election until 5pm on March 1.
