The Carleton University Students’ Association is holding online elections for its executives and councillors on Feb. 3 and 4. Students will elect six executives and 26 councillors, including six councillors for the faculty of engineering and design (FED).
The Charlatan asked each candidate running for FED councillor for a 150-word written profile. Profiles have been edited for clarity.
Adedotun Ilori
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My name is Adedotun Ilori and I’m a fourth-year student in civil engineering. I’m originally from Nigeria and moved to Canada in 2015 for school. I began attending Carleton in 2017 and have been grateful for the experience so far.
I have previously volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Port Hope, Ont., where I mentored local youth. I also served as an FED councillor last year, which I believe has equipped me to fulfill the duties of the position for 2021-2022.
I hope to be a voice for students by representing their best interests, along with making the university experience more engaging and enjoyable for new and returning students. Students should vote for me because I will be their voice on the ground and will be someone that they can relate to and confide in.
Cameron Davis
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My name is Cameron Davis. I am a third-year software engineering student and currently the president of the Systems and Computer Engineering Society. I am running for my third term as a CUSA councillor this year.
After taking a year to learn the ropes of CUSA council, I made sure to make my impact this year. I put forward the motion for the second FundQi referendum earlier this year and plan on putting forward a review of all ancillary fees in the coming months. I have also been working on a letter to the co-op office after having gathered many FED students’ complaints.
If you elect me, I will be committed to continuing to make positive changes for all Carleton students. This includes more transparency of where your money is going and ensuring students are deciding what they want to pay for.
Grant Wilson
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My name is Grant Wilson and I’m currently in my second year studying aerospace engineering. I am running for FED councillor to try and increase the voice of engineering and design students in CUSA.
I decided to run for councillor with the goal of increasing the level of communication between CUSA councillors and the engineering and design student body. As an elected representative, I will see it as my duty to represent the interests of those I am elected to represent. The best way to do so is to communicate what is going on within CUSA and getting students’ feedback.
I will make use of pre-existing organizations such as the Carleton Student Engineering Society, the Azrieli Architecture Student Association, the Carleton Industrial Design Student Association and the Bachelor of Information Technology Society to communicate and get students’ input, as these organizations already have established communication pathways.
I look forward to working to make CUSA more representative of the students it is supposed to represent.
Mohamed Faris Riazudden
My name is Faris and I’m a candidate for CUSA FED councillor. I’m in my second year of mechanical engineering. I hail from Dubai with Indian origins.
I’m running for FED councillor to bring much-needed change to how engineering students are treated. Since my first year, I was a member of the UN Society and a director at Student Energy.
This year, I’ve had the privilege of being a CUSA brand ambassador and serving as vice president (sponsorship) at Student Energy, vice president (external) at the Carleton chapter of the North American Association of Indian Students, and a director at Precious Plastic Carleton.
My policy focus is on the unsaid hurdles students face, especially people of colour and the Indigenous community on campus. Engineering students’ poor mental health goes without saying, on which I am pushing to increase resources and the hiring of racialized counsellors.
Engineering students have the burden of a heavy course load. Policies such as alternatives to expensive tools like Mastering Engineering and others put back money into students’ pockets. I believe these are the reasons I wish students vote for me—to help bring these policies to fruition.
Omar Fetouh
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As an international student, coming to Carleton wasn’t easy for me, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I’m forever grateful to be part of this wonderful community of hard-working Ravens.
I’m running for FED councillor to ensure that CUSA gives back to Ravens as much as they are adding to the community. I’m talking advocating for more funds, ensuring more SAT/UNSAT privileges are available and having a more transparent CUSA body.
As a Middle Eastern Muslim, I know what it’s like to not be accounted for. I care about inclusivity with every fibre of my body and having CUSA work for ALL students is what I strive to achieve as a councillor.
I was previously the vice president of Creative and Performing Arts in high school for three years, so I have experience in representing people in a student governmental body.
Saad Khan
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My name is Saad Khan. I’m a third-year communications engineering student who is running to be the next CUSA FED councillor.
I’m quite passionate about engineering and design and want to do my best to represent the FED. I am currently the Carleton Engineering Competition co-chair for CSES and a sponsorship co-head for the Carleton University Relay for Life.
In addition, I am a researcher for Cocoa Social Enterprise, an enterprise that is developing an app to reveal to the public the most ethical and sustainable businesses within the Ottawa region.
If elected, I will advocate for tutoring services for upper-year students to provide academic support, create networking opportunities to help students land their dream job, and work to improve mental health services and accommodations for all.
Furthermore, I’ll advocate for transparency, sustainability, accessibility and equity, and hold CUSA accountable to make sure they work in the best interests of students.
Make sure to vote Saad Khan on Feb. 3 and 4. Let’s move forward!
Sara Hubbard
My name is Sara and I’m in my first year at Carleton and graduated from high school in 2018. I am also a transfer student from Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. I grew up in Gananoque, Ont. and am very proud to come from a small town.
I am a part of Carleton University Women in Science and Engineering on campus as their engineering executive and running for CUSA council is a natural next step for me.
I hope to be a good representative for all students in the faculty, specifically the smaller programs, such as Sustainable and Renewable Energy and biomedical engineering. I also hope to make sure no one is left behind academically or socially, in particular those such as myself who have never experienced the Carleton community on campus.
Yahya Masalha
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My name is Yahya Masalha. I’m a sustainable and renewable energy engineering student here at Carleton. This is my third year here, so I have gotten a good idea of what needs to be improved for engineering students.
The engineering community is one of the largest and most active on campus and I have gotten to hear many of their concerns firsthand. I am running to implement the changes I believe are necessary for us to thrive as a whole.
Problems such as important lab experience students have missed out on must not be overlooked in the transition back to campus. Additionally, I have noticed that many professors do not act on the feedback given to them by students.
These are some of the major issues I plan to bring attention to if I am elected. Best of luck to everyone running!
Candidates Liam Kelly and Rami Dawud did not submit profiles in time for publication.
