Candidates for Council Representatives to CASG – Public Affairs and Policy Management

EmmettBisbee

  1. Whyareyourunningfor thisposition?

I amrunningfor thispositionbecauseI feellike Iwouldbeaneffectiverepresentative forArthurKroegerCollegestudents.Theopportunitytointeractwithfellowstudents andfacultyin anefforttobettertheacademicexperienceforCarletonstudents. Ifeelthatstudentgovernmenton theacademicside(theoperationsbehindthescenes)is oftenoverlookedin favourof theveryvisibleand popularstudentsocietiessuchas theCarletonUniversityStudents’Association(CUSA) andtheRideauRiverResidenceAssociation(RRRA). I amalsorunningto bringmoreawarenessabouttherole ofCASGto thestudentbody– itis notuncommonforstudentsto beunaware ofCASG, itsroleinuniversitygovernance,or itsimportance.TheacademicgovernanceatCarletonisultimatelyveryimportantforstudentsuccessandengagement intheprimarypurposeof theirtimeat university. Lastly,I amrunning togetmorestudentsinvolved intheCarletoncommunityandto expandtheirnetworksat theschool.

  1. What previousexperience do youhave tocontributeto CASG andtotheCarletonAcademicCommunityasa whole?

AtCarletonUniversity,I havebeeninvolvedwith a variety ofdifferentextracurricularactivities.I wasinvolvedwiththeUnitedNationsSocietyin myfirstyear,participating innumerousconferencesandvariousevents. Iwas also aparticipantwith theCarletonPoliticalScienceSocietyandits ModelParliamentthispastwinter.As forcommitteeinvolvement,I wasinvolvedwithcommittees ofthe RideauRiverResidenceAssociation(RRRA)in myfirstyear.Priorto attendingCarletonUniversity, Iheldleadershippositionswithinmyhighschoolmusicdepartmentandcurlingteam. I alsosat ontheBoardofDirectors ofthe InnisfilDistrictAssociation,a municipal affairsorganizationdevotedto ratepayers’interests, asastudentrepresentativeand participated onthe inauguralMinister’sStudentAdvisoryCouncilwiththeOntarioMinistryofEducation.Academically, I maintain ahighacademicaverage,havingbeennamedto theDean’sHonourListforthe 2015-16year.Myexperiences andpreviousrecordwouldservetobenefitmyabilityto serveeffectivelyon CASG,should I bechosen.

  1. What ideas do youhaveto bring toCASG as a whole?

Much ofwhatI hope tobringto CASGrevolvesaroundthe ideaofcommunicatingeffectivelywithstudents. Asmentionedabove, Ibelievethatthereis notenoughawarenessaboutCASGanditsmandate.NotonlywouldI committo reportingtherelevantdecisions ofthe boardsandcommitteesto myconstituency,butIwouldalsoensurethatopportunitiesforstudentinvolvementisalwayshighlighted. I wouldalsoseekwaysfor thereto morestudentconsultation onmattersofimportancethatarebeingdiscussed. Iwouldopenlyencourage myconstituencytoreachouttome andsharetheirthoughtsfor meto relay,or togetinvolveddirectlywherepossible.I wouldalsocommitto beingaverydedicatedrepresentative – Iwould notallowmyselftomissmeetingsor notfulfillmy responsibilitiesto exceedexpectations.As forCASG asa whole,I wouldlike toseemorepartnershipswithotherstudentorganizationssuch asCUSAandRRRA.

Efrem Berhe

  1. Why are you running forthis position?

IamrunningforthispositionbecauseIhavethepassionandqualificationstorepresentBPAPMandcontributetotheworkoftheCarletonAcademicStudentGovernment.Inthepastthreeyears,Ihavewitnessedtheimportanceofacademicservicesinenablingstudentssucceedacademically andintegrateintotheCarletoncommunityeffectively.ThePASSprogramandtheWritingTutorialServicesaretwoofthemanyacademicservicesthathaveenabled studentsovercomeacademicchallenges.Ibelievethatsuchprogramsshouldbewellsupported.IalsobelievethattheUniversityshouldstrengthenandexpandworkexperienceprograms,especiallytheco-opprogram.Workexperienceprogramsenable studentsdevelopworkskillsandexpandtheirnetworks.Ifirmlybelieveinsupportingtheseprograms,andthisiswhyIamrunningforthisposition.

  1. What previous experience do you haveto contribute to CASG and to the CarletonAcademicCommunity as a whole?

Ihaveservedasanexecutivememberonanumberofclubsandsocieties.Inaddition,Itakeactiveroleonconferences,debates,andforums.Inthe2015-2016 academicyear,IservedastheCo­ChairofWUSCCarleton.Aspartofmyposition,IworkedwiththeCarletonadministration,includingwiththeISSO,AdmissionsofOffice,andtheFinancialAidOfficetosponsorrefugeestudents.Moreover,Ihavebeenamemberof theUnitedNationsSocietyfor2years.Thissummer,Iwashonouredtoparticipatein the14thSessionoftheUnitedNationsConferenceonTraeandDevelopment(UNCTAD)in Kenya.Withotheryouth leaders,wepreparedaglobalYouthDeclarationcalling uponUNCTADMemberStatestoinvestmoreonyouthemploymentandyoutheducation.Givenmyadvocacywork,andexperiencedealingwiththeadministrationandstudentgroupsoncampus,Iwouldbeanexcellentcandidatefortheposition.

  1. Whatideas doyouhave to bring to CASG as a whole?

If elected,Iwould liketobringmorenetworkingandinformationsessions.For instance, manyCarletonstudentsgotolawschoolaftertheygraduate.BecauseCarletondoesnothavealawschool,findinginformationabouttheadmissionprocesstolawschoolisnotascleartomanystudents.SoIwould like toseeCASGworkwithacademicstudentgroupshostgraduateinfosession,eitherbysponsoringtheeventsorbycollaboratingwiththeacademicstudentgroupsintheplanningofsuchanevent.IwouldalsoencourageCUSA,GSA,andRRRAtorewardacademicwork. Whetherthatbethroughscholarshipsorbyfunding initiatives. Moreover,IwouldalsoadvocatefortheSenatetointegrateworkskillsintoacademicsasawaytoensure thattheacademicexperiencestudentsgain relatedtotheexpectationof theworkplace