Abigail Epstein – Layout Editor

With six of the nine director positions filled in The Board of Student Representatives (BSR), the SRC governing body looks to fill the remaining three seats. Students will have the opportunity to vote between five candidates: Emmy Mugisha, Shine Valliyanayil, Chouette Irebe, Forest Riddington, and Gabrielle Bessette. 

Emmy Mugisha is a second-year business management student, who draws from his experience on his high school’s student council. Among his key priorities are supporting student mental health and wellbeing, as well as creating more diverse and inclusive spaces. “I want services and events that are welcoming to everyone, with clearer information on where to get help,” Mugisha says. He intends to “organize regular ‘Meet the SRC’ events so students can connect directly with representatives and share concerns,” in addition to collaborating with clubs and on-campus services to run well-being events that are “low-barrier” and “inclusion-focused”. 

Shine Valliyanayil is a second-year international political economy student, previously an Events Aide for the Politics and International Studies Association. As a director, he hopes to address the “lack of student motivation and engagement” he sees on campus through “activities and policies that can hopefully engage with students’ individuality and enrich them”. He advocates for the representation and defense of student interests, hoping to find “viable solutions” for the issues he identifies.

Alongside the new candidates, two new features are introduced to this election, in accordance with the new structure and board policy of the BSR. Karen Dymond, who is Secretary General of the BUSRC, elaborates on the two: campaign agents and slates. Campaign agents “help shape [candidates’] campaign and promote their candidacy”, according to Dymond. Three of the five campaigns feature these agents. A slate, on the other hand, is “a group of two or more individuals who affiliate for the purposes of campaigning”, which is allowed for by the new board policy. “The BSR felt that adding slates and campaign agents would allow for greater participation from the student body, offering more diverse opportunities to engage in SRC Elections,” Dymond adds. “Both of these elements inject energy into student elections and also allow students to have a more realistic feel for what being involved in a political election might be like”.

Those involved in this election highlight the importance of student engagement. For Dymond, “the SRC is ‘by students, for students’, and is charged with assessing, advocating and acting upon students’ interests”; moreover, “students should have a say on who represents them,” says Mugisha. Valliyanayil follows in this sentiment: “Everything that the SRC does is for you… it is about you protecting your rights, advocating for it, fighting for it, so that this school can flourish with you in it”.

Students will have the opportunity to attend a Debate Night held on Thursday, September 18, at 6:00 pm in The Gait. Free tickets can be found on Bounce for those looking to participate in the flow and exchange of ideas and questions, and a cornerstone of lively student democracy. Everyone is also invited to the Live Announcement Event in The Gait on Tuesday, September 23, from 8:00 – 9:30pm.

Voting will be held from 9:00 pm on Sunday, September 21, until 9:00 pm on Tuesday, September 23. At the start of voting, you will receive an email to your BU email address with a secure link to cast your vote.