The 2021 Carleton University Students’ Association election will take place online Feb. 3 and 4. Students will elect six executives and 26 councillors, including one vice-president (community engagement).
The Charlatan profiled four of the candidates running in this year’s election for the vice-president (community engagement) position.
Callie Ogden, Ravens United
Callie Ogden, a fourth-year human rights student, is running for vice-president (community engagement) as part of the Ravens United slate.
Previous experience
Ogden was a volunteer coordinator for fall orientation in 2020 and is also currently the director of advocacy for the Carleton Human Rights Society.
Reasons for running
Ogden said she wasn’t very interested in politics in her first few years at Carleton, but as she became more involved in frosh and other campus programs, she connected with more people who wanted to make a difference.
“I started realizing there was a need for a change to happen because the Carleton I was attending wasn’t exactly the Carleton that I thought it was,” Ogden said.
As a human rights major, Ogden said she wanted to make sure all students feel equal, safe and important on campus.
“Community at Carleton is very important to me,” Ogden said. “It’s bringing what I think is the frosh community into the whole Carleton community.”
Slate or independent?
Ogden said it is sometimes hard for independents to gain traction in elections and being part of the Ravens United slate makes it more likely for their goals to be accomplished.
“Having that group of six people who all bring something different to that group, who all have different experiences and different ideas, it helps in creating more of a sense of … identity,” Ogden said.
Campaign goals
Ogden said she wants to create an alumni network of former club executives to mentor current executives and improve clubs. She also said she would work with the vice president (internal) to improve diversity and anti-sexual harassment training for club and society executives.
“The training has decreased in the past couple years and that shouldn’t be happening,” Ogden said. “Why aren’t we teaching people how to handle these situations or prevent these situations from happening?”
Ogden said she also wants to create a leadership coalition with the University of Ottawa and Algonquin College to give students a voice on issues in Ottawa.
She said she would work with other executives to revamp frosh and co-ordinate more with the Student Experience Office.
Final pitch
Ogden said she wants to use training for clubs to make it more clear “what it means to be a Raven” and address issues in the Carleton community. She said she also wants to advocate for student interests in Ottawa.
“I’m so passionate about these things that I just want to tell you more and more,” Ogden said. “It’s hard for me to limit it to something short.”
Divine Oluah, independent
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Divine Oluah, a first-year cognitive science student, is running for vice-president (community engagement) as an independent.
Previous experience
Oluah said he is from Inyishi, Nigeria. In high school, Oluah was nominated house captain and participated in school projects. Oluah was the campaign manager of a project to distribute laptops to high schools and teach students how to use them.
Oluah said he was also the president of the youth fellowship at his church.
Reasons for running
Oluah said he is a “born fighter” and wants to bring that energy to CUSA.
“I see the opportunity to really explore and get to develop myself as an individual,” Oluah said.
Campaign goals
Oluah said he wants to improve the relationship between students and Ottawa communities by facilitating volunteer opportunities in the city, like the laptop program Oluah was involved with in Nigeria.
“I want to engage every student that doesn’t have the means to attend college or high school,” Oluah said.
Final pitch
“I want you to vote for me because I really have this vision of bringing the Ottawa community and Ravens together,” Oluah said.
Michael Isa, Students First
Michael Isa, a fourth-year communications engineering student, is running for vice-president (community engagement) as part of the Students First slate.
Previous experience
Isa has been a faculty of engineering and design CUSA councillor and vice-president for the Carleton University Nigerian Students’ Association (CUNSA). He is currently president of CUNSA.
Reasons for running
Isa said he found his voice as a student leader this past year through the COVID-19 pandemic and the End SARS movement, an effort to end the police brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria.
“It became my responsibility to organize the protests, organize Carleton students and get them out,” Isa said. “That’s where I found my voice.”
Isa said the platform he’s running on represents his values and vision for Carleton.
Slate or independent?
Isa said everyone on the Students First slate works hard and shares in the same vision.
“I’m running with a team that not only understands me, but also has their own vision for Carleton,” Isa said.
Campaign goals
Isa said he wants to help students connect with CUSA service centres and help them find and amplify their own voices. He also said he wants to serve as a community leader and keep students aware of the struggles others are going through.
“I want students to empathize with their brothers and sisters,” Isa said. “Things are happening in the world, so I want to shed light on that.”
If elected, Isa said he wants to showcase different cultures represented on campus through social media.
Another one of Isa’s goals is to promote the idea that “health is wealth.” Isa said he used to go to the gym every day before COVID-19 and wants to host campaigns and challenges to keep students healthy.
Final pitch
Isa said he hopes to create a Carleton where everyone is ready to help others. He also said Students First will work hard for students.
“Each and every one of us actually loves and has a dream for Carleton,” Isa said.
Sydney Holley, independent
Sydney Holley, a third-year law student, is running for vice-president (community engagement) as an independent.
Previous experience
Holley has been active in cadets for many years and is an officer in the program. For more than a year, they ran their cadet squadron.
“I’m very used to being in a leadership role,” Holley said.
Holley said they have been involved in clubs and societies throughout high school and university, including the Carleton Quiz and Trivia Association.
Reasons for running
Holley said they’re running because they recognize there are things they could do to improve the Carleton community.
They said they want to help restore Carleton and CUSA’s sense of community in-person once the pandemic has abated.
“I want to be here to help out with that transition because I have helped transition my squadron to be from in-person to online classes and events,” Holley said. “I hope I can help a little bit with [CUSA].”
Slate or independent?
Holley is running as an independent candidate because they said they feel it is important to be true to their beliefs.
The existing slates already have their own way of doing things, Holley said. They said they want to offer a fresh perspective and that they are more likely to accomplish that as an independent candidate.
Campaign goals
One of Holley’s primary goals is to create more student jobs on campus. Holley said they struggled to find work during the pandemic and has witnessed their friends struggling in the same way.
They also said they want to find ways to make the campus more sustainable.
“I want more opportunities for online [advertising] and other ways to advertise rather than just paper clogging up the tunnels,” Holley said. “That’s very wasteful and there’s more effective ways [of advertising].”
Holley said they disagree with plans to revamp frosh. In their first year, Holley loved frosh but said they would like to see more engagement opportunities for upper years as well.
Final pitch
Holley said students should vote for them because they haven’t served in a political role at Carleton before and can bring new ideas to CUSA.
“I feel like I’d be a great asset to the team,” Holley said. “We need something new and innovative and I feel like that could be me, as a fresh pair of eyes to the Carleton executive team.”
Holley said this year is the time for students to seek new perspectives in CUSA because of unique changes from years past because of COVID-19.
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Independent candidate Tiana Thomas dropped out of the campaign Jan. 28. Independent candidate Ibrahim Dokhan could not be reached for an interview.
