A first-year biochemistry student, Carson Fischl said his primary concern is the welfare of his fellow students.
As a newcomer to politics, Fischl said he has made it his priority to familiarize himself with the workings and intricacies of CUSA to better understand the change he feels Carleton needs.
“I’ve spent the last three or four months going over the budget, attending and reading about council meetings— just generally doing my research on the activity of the council and what I feel that they are doing correctly or incorrectly,” he said.
Fischl said the focus of his campaign will be on budget cuts, with the primary focus being a cut to executive pay. The current CUSA bylaws state executives should receive an annual salary of no less than $24,960.
“I’d like to bring it back down to that amount which is a cut of about 25 per cent [compared to the current pay],” Fischl said.
He added that renovating Oliver’s Pub & Patio will mean another major change to the budget, using the entirety of the current year’s surplus to renovate the business.
According to Fischl, the business’ recent deficit in the last CUSA budget report was key to the decision.
“There’s no excuse for it to be running a deficit,” he said. “It’s a student bar on campus and selling cheap beer to university students should not be an issue.”
A series of other budget cuts are planned as well, he said, should he be elected as CUSA president.
Fischl also raised concerns regarding the integrity of this year’s CUSA council, promising more integrity to better serve the student body he will be representing.
“I feel that there’s a lot of positive change that can be made, and I feel as though it’s important that people have an alternative choice this election,” he said.
– Photo by Trevor Swann
