By Christina Lépine – Staff Writer

On Wednesday, September 25 the Better Together: The Maple League’s VP Academics Assemble: Navigating the Landscape of Student Advocacy event took place online featuring the four Maple League’s Student Unions’ Vice-President of Academic Affairs. Bishop’s VP of Academic Affairs, Roser Rise, shared a panel with Benjamin Broadbent, VP of Academic and University Affairs at Mount Allison Students’ Union, Jacob Cruchet, VP of Academics at St-Francis Xavier Students’ Union, and Sam Taylor, VP of Academic and External Affairs at Acadia Students’ Union. This event was broadcast online through Zoom and advertised through the Maple League of Universities’ social media accounts. This panel was chaired and organized by Dr. Juan Carlos López, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Maple League of Universities. 

Background

Bishop’s University is part of a consortium of four universities called the Maple League of Universities along with Mount Allison University, Acadia University, and Saint-Francis Xavier University. All four universities have a Student Union composed of student leaders elected by their peers to represent their interests for a one-year term. All Student Union Executive Councils are formed of elected and hired positions including a President and a VP Academic. The Better Together series interviewed all four VP Academics to discuss their responsibilities, the challenges they are facing as student leaders, the skills they have developed, and the elements they enjoy as part of their job. This panel is new for the Maple League Student Unions as it is fairly rare for all VP Academics to have an opportunity to meet and compare the work they do. 

The VP Academics’ skills and challenges

All VP Academics, in a round of introductions, shared their responsibilities as Senators on their respective university Senates, meaning they are part of one of the highest decision-making bodies of their universities, their committee work with their university’s administration and faculty members, and their work to represent students with initiatives and projects.

Broadbent shared that a challenge he faces this year is getting more students involved on campus and increasing event turnout as he mentions more students could take part in initiatives. An important skill he has learned since the start of his term is to be persistent and confident in his decisions and suggestions when negotiating with his university’s administration.

Cruchet shared that he values and respects the role of student unions as “faculty members care about students, but sometimes they have their blind spots” and he knows he can help advocate for students’ interests and empower student voices. He enjoys the autonomy in his work and school environment, but he believes students should all be treated as equals as he often encounters students feeling like they are not taken seriously, a challenge he wishes to tackle this year.

Taylor enjoys empowering minority voices as part of his role and is very grateful for the experiences he acquired as VP Academic. A challenge he wishes to work on this year is supporting students’ voices and interests in initiatives and projects and ensuring as many student groups as possible feel heard and empowered. He believes this job has brought him great leadership and project management skills. 

Rise shared she enjoys working on committees with faculty members and the university administration but is challenged with bringing about changes in a system rooted in the long history of the university. She is, however, grateful for the time management and decorum skills she learns sitting in meetings. 

Working with students and faculty

An impression shared among this panel was the eagerness to hear about students’ opinions and ideas. The four VP Academics work for students’ interests within their Student Union and university Boards. They also shared their expectations for faculty members to want to engage more with students, to attend networking events and student initiatives, to hear about their realities and needs, and to be open to understanding and working collaboratively.