AKIN FOR PRESIDENT

Impact Focused Services

In my conversation with many students on campus, many of them fall into 2 major categories:
1) Those who don’t know what the USSU is about and the fact that they pay $600+ into it every academic year and
2) those who know but don’t care about the union.
The fact that most undergraduate students fall into either of these categories is an indicator of the lack of impact of the union in the lives of its students. As USSU president I want to turn this narrative around. I don’t just want to make students more engaged in the USSU for the sake of it. I want to focus my tenure on making meaningful and impactful services in the lives of our students. Because that’s what students need from their union. I hope to achieve this by working closely with student groups and seek better collaborations and to provide them with the adequate support they need (such as better funding opportunities, better promotions, and promotional platforms) to carry out their objectives. Another means of making an impact in the lives of our students is by addressing issues that impact them. The major issues of our times such as climate change and sustainability, the tuition rates on campus, food insecurity amongst our student population and now with the Covid-19 outbreak health is also an issue of great concern for students. As USSU President I’ll make sure the union addresses such issues and much more for students practically and strategically first which will be creating awareness and proper education about some of them.

Transparency and Accessibility

One of my core values when it comes to leadership is transparency. I believe leaders should be held accountable for their every action and decision. The USSU has so much resources and power that if students don’t hold it in account it could very easily loose touch with its members and their needs. However, our students can’t hold their Union in account nor engage fully because there are simply too busy and the USSU increasingly seems less transparent. When students have classes, labs and side jobs and volunteer positions they simply can’t make out the time to pay attention to or even take full advantage of the serves of the USSU. That’s where my solution comes in; that solution is accessibility. Since we are in the age of technology and everyone seems to be on their phones these days regardless of how busy they are. As President of the USSU the first project I will work on is creating a USSU’s student app; with this we will be literally putting the Union at the finger tips of our students. Speaking of accessibility; it couldn’t get any better than that. First thing this will do is eliminate the long queues in front of the USSU office at the beginning of every semester for buss passes; with a USSU student app students can have their buses passes on their phones hence it more easily updated and convenient for them. With a USSU student app students can: easily track the latest decisions in the student council, find out the budget and how their monies are being spent, very easily access and chat up their executives and managers and staff. More importantly to access the events and services by the USSU, so also the events from their student groups and as student leaders share their student group events, and recruit members. Students could also apply for volunteer, and job positions when available just at their finger tips. This will put the union in the reach of its students and make it as convenient as possible for students to engage and enjoy their union. Development of this app should begin latest by June and realistically it should be ready for use and fully operational by August and latest by September 2020 for the new academic year.

Continuation of Authentic Reconciliation

Reconciliation is an issue that concerns all students on campus because I believe we are all Treaty people. Our knowledge of the real history of Canada has taught us that Canada has and continues to break its treaties with indigenous peoples and reconciliation means efforts to try to restore the relationships, spirits, and intents of those treaties. Students especially those that identify as Indigenous need to see this work go on on the campus and they need their union the USSU to show commitment and practice authentic reconciliation. However, I recognize that the USSU through some of its past leaders have done some good work on reconciliation thats why I say “Continue” reconciliation. A major part of my volunteerism this academic year was with the Office if Treaty Commissioner (OTC) as a member of the youth council. During my time serving at The OTC I have worked closely with Commissioner Mary Culbertson The current Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan. I have also worked with fellow youths many of whom are indigenous; together we attended and organized events across the province to promote and create awareness and strategies to carry out reconciliation in our province. We have also visited indigenous reserves and tried to reach out to those abandoned communities to get their voices, stories, and concerns out in order to help proffer solutions to their challenges. I have also worked and learnt a lot from the elders during this period. This has granted me a handsome degree of experience and knowledge about issues of indigenous peoples and how to carry out reconciliation. However, I don’t still consider myself as an expert on the subject; rather I plan to work closely with indigenous students and the elders and follow due traditional protocols in my practice of reconciliation. I believe indigenous cultural protocols must be followed in order for proper learning to take place.
As USSU President, I’ll continue events that promote reconciliation on campus and I plan to involve the Office of Treaty Commissioner (OTC) because they are the experts. However, I feel more importantly is to work with colleges on campus to encourage them to provide their students with indigenous knowledge courses, but not just in the class but they should modify these classes to involve more indigenous cultural practices. Such as, taking a trip to a reserve, attending a sweat lodge, a project to make a tipi on campus, attending a Kairos blanket ceremony.
So as to ensure our students have a real experience and taste of indigenous culture. I don’t see a better way to eradicate racism and create more allies on campus.
Speaking of allies I believe new comers could be a real asset for the course of reconciliation on campus if taken seriously.
Most times when new comers come into Canada they usually get introduced to the negative stereotypes about indigenous peoples. As USSU President I will ensure proper orientation of international students so that they will not continue to perpetuate such false stereotypes but rather get a proper perspective of Canadian history and the true perspective of indigenous peoples.

Inclusion and Diversity

Although diversity is a worthy ideal; inclusion is where the rubber meets the road to begin the journey towards diversity. Students increasingly need their union to be more inclusive and reflective of the diversity in the student population. For instance currently in the USSU there are barriers that make it difficult for international students, some students with student loans, and indigenous students sponsored by band scholarships; to assume executive positions in the USSU. That is simply not fair! As President first off I will be the embodiment of a more diverse union since I would be the first black president of the union and first ever non Canadian citizen or resident to be in the role and possibly of any executive position. I will review all by laws and policies and negotiate with university administrations and appropriate government officials to ensure there are no barriers to any group of students from having equal opportunities in their union. As President all students regardless of their background, race, religion, sexuality or nationality will feel equally welcomed in their Union.