The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) council elected a new vice-president student life on Oct. 5 after an August resignation left the position vacant.
Akua Antwi-Adjei won the election with 12 out of 17 ballots cast.
Antwi-Adjei is a fourth-year law student and current associate vice-president of student experience at CUSA. In her Oct. 5 speech to CUSA council, Antwi-Adjei promised to “enhance student experiences” on campus through collaborative and diverse campus programming.
“I believe I can help create a more vibrant and inclusive campus community,” Antwi-Adjei told CUSA council before the election.
CUSA’s vice-president student life is responsible for planning events and programming for Carleton undergraduate students.
Antwi-Adjei said she plans to organize cultural festivals, skill-sharing workshops and community service projects. She also pitched an idea for a market featuring thrifted and handmade clothing items to promote sustainability on campus.
Though Antwi-Adjei shared concerns about working on shorter timelines because of her late start in the role, she promised to listen to student ideas and concerns.
In an interview with the Charlatan, former vice-president student life Nawaila Imtiaz said she hopes her successor remembers the “sole purpose” of the role is to serve students.
“That’s what we need to keep in mind as student leaders … [do] not get lost in the noise … [and] the politics around you.”
Imtiaz resigned from her CUSA position on Aug. 12.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that I got to serve as vice-president student life at CUSA,” Imtiaz said. “Unfortunately, I just felt like the politics and dynamics of a student government just made it difficult for me to grow and sometimes even do my job.”
Imtiaz added that she recently took on a new job at the House of Commons, another factor contributing to her decision to leave CUSA.
“I really want my successor to have the positive and productive experience that I personally wasn’t able to have in this role,” Imtiaz said.
Antwi-Adjei said that since she is in her final year of studies, she wants to take any chance she can to make an impact on the student community.
“I genuinely love being around people,” she said. “[I take] great joy in just making others happy.”
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi
