By Chiara Bondi – Junior Copy Editor

On Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m., students gathered in the Gait to observe the annual Student Representative Council (SRC) executive elections debate. The debate lasted nearly three hours, providing candidates ample opportunity to speak on their campaign platforms and to interact with the audience.

The audience heard from Matéo Cambolive (@mateo4srcprez) and Drew Henkel (@drew4srcpres), who are putting their names forward for SRC president. Alongside the presidential candidates on stage were Lacey Baillairgé (@lacey_for_vpsl) and Jacob Van Duynhoven (@vote4jacobvpsl), both vying for the position of vice president of student life (VPSL). The audience also viewed a campaign video submitted by the sole candidate for the vice president of academic affairs, Roser Rise (@vote_roser), who was not physically in attendance for the debate. 

Renée Rosteius moderated the debate, guiding candidates to introduce themselves and their platforms. Presidential candidate Matéo Cambolive is an arts administration student heavily involved in organizing the BU Arts Fest during his time on campus. One of his main objectives is to help art students “get themselves represented in the school and the local community”. He contended there was a lack of “two-way communication” between the SRC and student body and proposed disseminating simplified Board of Student Representatives (BSR) meeting outcomes. Drew Henkel, a master’s student in the brewing science program, believes his current role as the Indigenous students representative on the BSR will serve him well in the presidential role.  If elected, he pledges to plan for the future, increase inclusion and accessibility on campus – noting the absence of automated doors leading to some academic halls after students got off the elevator – and improve communication between the SRC and the student body. He cited challenges accessing student fee breakdowns.

Lacey Baillairgé, VPSL candidate, is a business and pre-med student at Bishop’ simultaneously playing for the women’s rugby team and working as a resident assistant (RA) – a balance she says has trained her to manage her time and responsibilities. In her role, she would like to implement 24-hour study spaces and programs that foster “soft skills such as leadership and management”. She also discussed the potential of social “third space areas” separate from the workplace and home. Jacob Van Duynhoven, also seeking the VPSL position, is a business and sports studies student who describes himself as “very easy-going” and adaptable to any situation he is put in. He campaigns on increasing mental health outlets, continuing the newly implemented menstrual equity project established by the current VPSL Olivia Woods and improving the Gait nightlife. When Rosteius asked candidates about how they would address accessibility, Van Duynhoven proposed conducting a comprehensive accessibility audit on campus.

Roser Rise, the vice president academic affairs candidate, is currently the first-year representative on the BSR. Rise wants to advocate for students while making academic resources more accessible and visible for students. 

One topic of the evening was the upcoming student referendum proposing a mandatory Student Safety Fee of $4.50 in each of the fall and winter semesters to support the Safe Drive project, the Menstrual Equity Project and the creation of a Community Health and Safety Fund. Cambolive says that the fee increase “is justified and put in place for a good reason”. Henkel said he had initial reservations about Safe Drive but after visiting the “Yes” committee table in the SUB, he was now able to fully endorse the referendum. For Baillairgé, the referendum is “worth every penny” because she believes it will bring many benefits to the student body. Van Duynhoven also encouraged the referendum, stating that the increase is “super beneficial to the student population”.

After the candidates finished answering the prepared questions, the floor was opened for questions from members of the student body and the current SRC. They inquired about how the representatives would balance personal goals with the SRC strategic plan and extraordinary curveballs like the tuition hike, potential support for club leadership transitions and how to make executive positions more attractive. Not all in attendance enjoyed the active participation of the current SRC executive team, with fifth-year student Justin Gobeil stating, “It was a bit unfortunate to see the current SRC representatives using this platform to grill future candidates instead of supporting them. . . . Using the platform where students are meant to ask questions is disheartening”.

Sophia Stacey, the current SRC president, said that it was “an honour to attend the executive debate for the slate of candidates for the next year” and that the executive team “prioritized creating questions for the candidates that were reflective [of their] experiences in office to facilitate dialogue that students at large might not think to ask”. She also “encourages all students to hit the polls in person in the SUB, or online via email”.

Bishop’s students eligible to vote, including those graduating in 2024, will receive an email with a link to vote on Monday, Feb. 19. Voting will close on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 11:59 p.m.