Click on the candidate's name to view each candidate's election video.
Eric Vallille is running to be a CASG rep for law.
Eric Vallille is a third-year law student who said he wants to make information easy to access for students.
“I’d be really good at bringing stuff that goes on internally at CASG closer to the public eye, and keeping the people informed,” Vallille said.
Vallille said his main message is he wants to make sure students are informed about their programs, and make getting information as easy as possible.
“[I want to] put the information that directly effects the people that I represent right out there, in places that are easy to see. Instead of having a website where people have to go track it down . . . maybe have people from CASG set up an information table a couple times a year so we can tell people this is what’s going on.”
Vallille said he has been considering running for a position for quite some time.
“I heard about CASG last year,” Vallille said. “[I] didn’t know much about it but I was motivated to run this year because I thought it would be good to have some people in [CASG] who could get the message out.”
Getting the message out won’t be hard for Vallille, who said he is “Very outgoing, a very good communicator, [and] good with working with other people.”
Justin Manuel is running to be a CASG rep for public affairs.
For many Carleton Academic Student Government [CASG] candidates, this might be their first brush with politics, but this is not the case for first-year student Justin Manuel.
“During my high school years I was involved in a co-op with my local member of Parliament, Frank Klees”.
Manuel said, “I am eager to pursue a representative position which can both utilize my interest along with my hard work and dedication.”
“I find it misleading . . . to make promises of change to a campus [that] I’m still familiarizing myself with,” Manuel said.
Kaishi Thompson is running to be a CASG rep for political science.
Third-year political science student Kaisha Thompson said she is confident in her ability to represent her faculty.
“I bring a fresh and new approach to CASG and to the Political Science department,” said Thompson.
Thompson is also the vice-president (social) of Carleton Young Liberals, bringing experience and dedication to the table. If elected, she said she hopes to create a blog for political science students.
“Political science students are the kind of students that want to be involved, but they aren’t, said Thompson. “I think the reason is because they’re not in the know. A blog would link political science from the class to the campus”.
Thompson said she hopes with her in this position, students will realize that they have someone to go to if they have an issue with a professor or their faculty.
“I’m very assertive and confident,” Thompson said, knowing that this is a necessary quality for a CASG representative. “I have a strong voice and so I know that I can…voice [the student’s] opinions”.
Omar Bainto is running to be a CASG rep for public affairs.
Omar Bainto, a first-year public affairs & policy management student is going through quite a few changes.
Not only is he in the running for a position in Carleton’s Academic Student Government [CASG], but he is also brand new to the city of Ottawa.
Bainto just moved from Calgary, and says that the transition has gone extremely well. Bainto explained, “It hasn’t been as big a shock as people said it would be, and I love the city and the university.”
Bainto said he views being brand new to Carleton as a good thing due to the fact since he said he can relate to them.
“I can resonate with what other first years are feeling,” said Bainto.
The allotted time for campaigning is short – five days – but Bainto has come up with a creative way to get around the short time span: a facebook group made to help get his name and message out to potential CASG voters.
He said along with this creativity, he is also competent in relaying messages back and forth from the faculty and the students.
Bainto said he is “a good person to communicate issues between the [public affairs] council and CASG”.
Owain Devlin is running to be a CASG rep for social sciences.
First-year faculty of social science student Owain Devlin said he believes he can bring a new and valuable perspective to CASG.
“[There’s] a need for students to take part in their education” said Devlin, who took three years off after high school to join the working world.
“I know there’s a need for education because I’ve tried the whole working force thing.”
Devlin said he is enjoying university so far, but he wants to do more.
“I want to be involved in school now that I’m here”.
Devlin said he believes his unique life skills and experiences will set him apart from the other 53 candidates.
If elected, Devin said his plan is simple, “Just listen to what the people want.”
Owen Hovey is running to be a CASG rep for science.
First-year science student Owen Hovey said his decision to run for a position on CASG was influence by mentor, Vincent Kent Le.
“I’m with the Science Student Success Centre here at Carleton” said Hovey, where he met Le.
Hovey said he believes this experience and his previous involvement in high school clubs set him apart from other candidates.
“I was the head of the eco club,” describes Hovey, pointing out his leadership experience.
Hovey said he is extremely organized and knows what projects he can tackle.
“I will do my best,” said Hovey.
Ruba Khan is running to be a CASG rep for political science.
While most of the Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) candidates are interested in generally improving faculty/student relations, Ruba Khan is one of the few individuals that specifically has some changes in mind in order to make life better for Political Science students.
“Economics 1000 is not a pre-requisite for a poly sci degree, said Khan. “I think it should be because if you want to do your masters [in Poly Sci] you need Economics 1000.”
It’s attention to detail like this that may put Khan ahead of the fifty three student pack of hopeful CASG members that are panning for the votes of their peers.
Khan is a third year political science student who also wants to see more of a balance when it comes to the readings that are required of the students in her program.
“They give you an article and tell you to read through it critically, but I think we should also have an article against it. I think it’s good to get a well-rounded viewpoint.”
Khan said she is a well rounded person who meets with an academic advisor regularly and has good public speaking skills, is assertive and her level of participation makes her a great candidate.
Shamit Tushakiran is running to be a CASG rep for public affairs.
Shamit Tushakiran, a first-year journalism student, said he just wants to make student life easier.
“[I’ll] basically try to figure out what the students need, and how to facilitate those needs,” said Tushakiran.
Tushakiran is one of 53 students that hope to be elected in Carleton’s Academic Student Government [CASG] elections Sept. 27-30.
“[I’m] outgoing and love to meet new people,” said Tushakiran. “Now that I’m in university, it’s a whole new phase. I might as well take initiative.”
Tiab Koulmiey is running to be a CASG rep for public affairs.
“I’m going to be a bridge between students and faculty members, making sure that students have a voice when it comes to their academics,” said first-year political science student Tiab Koulmiey.
There are many things Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) members have to bring to the table if they want to excel in their position, and Koulmiey said he is “open minded and a good listener.”
One of his plans for CASG is to make getting involved more appealing to students, by making the system “less bureaucratic.”
Most of all, Koulmiey said he wants to let fellow students know that CASG does exist, and that there are groups outside of the well-known Carleton University Student Association, which are available for students to become involved in.
“I’ve always wanted to run for something and I see CASG as an opportunity to do good at Carleton,” said Koulmiey.