Candidates seeking election to vice-presidential roles in the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) campaigned to CUSA council on March 3 in the first segment of the association’s annual members meetings.
Nine candidates are running for three of CUSA’s four vice-presidential positions: vice-president (internal), vice-president (student life) and vice-president (student issues).
Vice-presidents will be elected by outgoing and incoming councillors at the next annual members meeting, hosted on March 9.
A candidate for the fourth vice-presidential role — vice-president (finance) — will be selected by a nominating committee before being recommended to council to be voted in, as per CUSA policy.
At the meeting, each candidate gave a short speech on their qualifications and key priorities should they be elected.
Here is what the candidates had to say.
Vice-president (internal)
The association’s vice-president (internal) oversees CUSA’s governance and transparency, CUSA clubs and the administration of CUSA council. Working full-time during the academic year, the vice-president (internal) will make an estimated $43,000.
This year, there are four candidates running for the position.
Maxwell Heroux is a third-year political science student and was recently elected as a CUSA councillor for the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs. He said pushing for more transparency and updating CUSA policies, like its electoral code, would be his key priorities.
“I don’t know if you’ve read some of the CUSA policies, but there’s a lot that are very confusing,” Heroux said. “Throw in the electoral code and you’ll be begging for some policy reform.”
Sama Oumari is a third-year law and communications student and current co-ordinator at CUSA’s service centres. She said her priorities would be to improve clubs’ policies, communication with clubs and advocate for better club funding.
“Clubs are the heartbeat that keeps Carleton running. They’re essential to students’ sense of belonging,” Oumari said. “Why make it harder for them to run?”
Aryan Singh is a third-year systems and computer engineering student and was recently re-elected as a CUSA councillor representing the Faculty of Engineering and Design. As vice-president (internal), he said he would push for increased collaboration between clubs and CUSA’s service centres, use AI for better record-keeping and improve CUSA’s knowledge transfer.
“In the recent past, we have lost some of our valuable full-time staff members and getting through that transition is a huge task,” Singh said. “Having the overall network that keeps the records of the whole organization in a more efficient and organized manner is going to save time for all of us.”
Jahnelle Woldegiorgis is a third-year global affairs and communications student, as well as CUSA’s associate vice-president (executive relations) for the 2024-2025 year. She promised to be a good listener and push for better communication and governance in her tenure.
“I’m committed to making sure that CUSA not only listens to you, but values you and, most importantly, acts on your word,” she said.
Vice-president (student life)
The vice-president (student life) is responsible for planning CUSA’s events, programming and student-led initiatives, like frosh. The vice-president (student life) works full-time during the academic year and will be paid an estimated $43,000.
This year, there are two candidates running for the position.
Kiara Gibbs-Cawker is a third-year global and international development student, as well as CUSA’s associate vice-president (student experience) for the 2024-2025 year. As vice-president (student life), she promised to strengthen CUSA’s connections with student clubs and service centres, support volunteer team Chonk Nation and expand the association’s diverse and inclusive programming.
“Carleton should be a place where students don’t just study, but thrive, engage and create lasting memories,” Gibbs-Cawker said. “I believe in building those experiences [and] strengthening our student community.”
Cass McIsaac is a third-year developmental psychology student and was recently re-elected as a CUSA councillor for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. If elected, they promised to use their experience as the Chonk Nation team leader to promote diversity and inclusion, as well as protect CUSA’s service centres if the association’s referendum to increase the student levy fee by 90 per cent fails.
“CUSA is an amazing student organization that has faced a lot of issues in the past,” McIsaac said. “My goal is to help support the student experience no matter how [the referendum] goes.”
Vice-president (student issues)
The vice-president (student issues) represents and advocates for student concerns and social issues to the university, community organizations and policymakers. Working full-time during the academic year, the vice-president (student issues) will make an estimated $43,000.
This year, there are three candidates running for the position.
Nir Hagigi* is a third-year global and international studies student, as well as a two-term student senator and founding president of Independent Jewish Voices Carleton. If elected, he promised to create a student advocacy committee, launch emergency funds and programs to support students in crisis and push for a student bill of rights at the university level.
“I believe that advocacy should be both proactive and student-led, that programs should directly address the struggles that students face and that partnerships should be used to build real and long-term student power,” Hagigi said.
Aidan Kallioinen* is a third-year journalism and political science student and two-term associate vice-president (government relations) at CUSA. As vice-president (student issues), he said he would create a club’s advocacy roundtable, host speakers on student issues and restructure CUSA’s advocacy-centred policies.
“I’m not asking for your vote,” Kallioinen said. “I’m asking for partnership, a chance to work with you, support you and create an environment of collaboration and trust between CUSA council and the wider student body.”
Sophia Exile, a first-year economics student, did not attend the meeting. According to her candidate profile on CUSA’s website, she would work to improve academic support, mental health resources and campus inclusivity as vice-president (student issues).
“I believe in real solutions, open communication and action-driven leadership,” Exile’s statement reads.
*Nir Hagigi and Aidan Kallioinen have previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured graphic by Alisha Velji
