The BHSS General
ELECTIONS
Meet Your 2020-21
CANDIDATES
2nd Year Representative
WILL PEREIRA
There truly is a lot to be excited about heading into second year. As much as this program is scrutinized for its proverbial competitive culture, I found that the connections I made with people gave me no feeling of toxicity or rivalry. As our academic challenges will only heighten heading into September, I want to make sure that this continues to be a strength for our cohort that drives us through academic and personal success, rather than separate us.
As a representative, one of my objectives is to represent your desires as well as your complaints. When we talk about transparency, we often imply transparency from the representative to the student body. For me, I feel I can optimize my role by inverting this, and implementing systems which allow you to be fully transparent to the representative. I want not only to ensure satisfaction within the program, but to allow people to be my biggest hater without retribution.
When I sit down and think about second year, I try to think of how I can apply the things I have learned in first year to adapt to the challenges of second year. Being second year representative, this a question I would like for our cohort to answer together. However we may choose to answer this, it will boil down to embracing the challenge. We shouldn’t run away from this new page of our lives, we should meet it together.
3rd Year Representative
SHANGARI VIJENTHIRA
Hi second years!! My name is Shangari (but call me Shangi!) and I’m running to be your third year representative.
It’s hard to believe that we’re already halfway through our time here, but I have been proud to be part of a cohort that is so diverse and so loving. Next year, with fewer classes together, I hope to emphasize bonding events to stay connected. A number of us are planning to apply for professional school soon, making next year possibly our last all together. I plan to prioritize wellness in part because of the stress of applications. Our year’s council is near and dear to my heart, having been one of the logistics coordinators in first and second year. I hope to lead it with a platform around inclusion, wellness, and accountability. Here’s a brief summary of what you can expect from me:
Representation in BHSS
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Creating a feedback and suggestion form open year-round, with the option for submitters to be anonymous or not
Third Year Council
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1-2 members responsible for each of: social, academic, marketing, wellness, logistics, and treasury
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Priorities: social events, wellness, academic workshops, affordable merch
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Transparency with open meetings and minutes
Social events
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Monthly events to ensure we all get to spend time together
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Variety in the kinds of events and energy levels (e.g. hikes, movie nights, club nights) to be inclusive to all interests
Wellness
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Sharing resources (SWC, SHEC, etc.)
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Programming based on student interest (e.g. nutrition workshops, destress events)
<3 Shangi
4th Year Representative
ZAHRA ABDALLAH
Hello!!!
My name is Zahra Abdallah and I’m running to be your fourth-year representative! I’ve had the honour of serving on first, second, and third year council and have truly enjoyed spending time as marketing and social leads on these councils. I’d love to use the lessons I’ve learned over these years to put together a council that’s dedicated to addressing the cohort’s interests and needs!
Fourth year is a busy year for everyone – we’re all beginning to wrap up our time here at McMaster and BHSc. As your fourth-year representative, I’m aiming for a balance of large-scale and small scale-events, since people won’t always have time to book off an entire afternoon/night for an event. More than anything, I want the cohort’s opinion on our council’s activities, so I’ll regularly create polls for people to partake in so that our events aren't heavily focused on the interests of myself and the council members.
As well, I plan on collaborating with other BHSS committees, such as the Academic committee, to hold career-planning events, such as drop-in sessions with alumni, which will serve as networking events and great opportunities to gain some advice!
If I could summarize the purpose of my platform, it would be maintaining community. My goal is to help the cohort de-stress through fun events, while providing resources/opportunities that will help them navigate through some challenges fourth year may pose. Together we can support each other, make wholesome memories, and end our journey on a high note!
Social Coordinator
ARANI KULAMURUGAN
Hey wolfpack!! My name’s Arani, and I’m beyond excited to be running to be one of your social coordinators! My favourite thing about the wolfpack is how tight-knight and supportive the community is, and as social coordinator, I hope to give the community as many opportunities as possible to get together and have a blast.
Here is a brief summary of my three main campaign points:
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Inclusivity - To increase inclusivity, a wide range of events will be held so that all students have a chance to attend events that are of interest to them.
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Affordability - To increase affordability, especially for formal, I hope to implement a “dinner + dance” ticket or “dance” ticket option (as done by the Arts & Sciences faculty) which gives students a chance to save money, and makes formal more accessible.
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Transparency - To increase transparency, the social committees budget sheet will be made available to the student body so that students know exactly what their money is being spent on, and why tickets are priced the way they are. In addition, meeting minutes will be shared so that students are informed of upcoming events being planned!
As FYR and SYR for the 2022 cohort, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside FYC and SYC to host club nights, to movie nights, to destressor events, and I really hope to get the chance to bring all the skills I’ve learned back to BHSS as social coordinator in the fall!
Check out my Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/VoteAraniForBHSSSocial/
Internal Coordinator
SAMMAH YAHYA
Hey Health Sci!
I’m Sammi, a first year student running for the position of BHSS Internal Coordinator.
I find that sometimes, we do too much writing and not enough talking. While this blurb was supposed to be an insight view on my platform and what I want to bring and enhance to the position- I would rather tell you all in something other than a paragraph.
Instead check out my facebook page @samminternal to find more about what I plan to bring to this position. :)
Yours Truly,
Sammi Yahya
External Coordinator
LIAM SANVIDO
Hi everyone! My name is Liam Sanvido and I am running to be the External Coordinator of BHSS. Please have a look at my platform points below.
Firstly, as a co-Mental Health Representative for the BHSS Second Year Council, I have been working to increase mental health awareness and accessibility across the cohort. I want to apply this on a more widespread scale as External Coordinator by collaborating with various MSU clubs that share the same vision. As such, we will be able to facilitate prominent mental health initiatives that will benefit students across all faculties.
Furthermore, as BHSS External Coordinator, I would facilitate a “BHSc Student Housing Group”. This program intends to navigate first year BHSc students through the challenging house-hunting process. This will run as a Facebook group that encompasses upper year BHSc students (2nd, 3rd and 4th year students) listing their houses through this group to 1st year BHSc students. Upper year students who join this group will be expected to help guide the 1st years throughout the entire process, such as signing a lease, meeting the landlord, paying rent, cleanliness, etc.
Lastly, I want to develop inter-faculty fundraisers and food/clothing/school supply drives for underprivileged pockets in the Hamilton community. As McMaster students, regardless of faculty, many of us share this desire to give back. In particular, I want to propose a “School Supply Drive” event whereby all faculties can collaborate to provide disadvantaged elementary and secondary students with school essentials
Academic Coordinator
Academic Coordinator
ANGAD SINGH
Hello, my name is Angad Singh and I am a third year BHSc student. I am running to be your academic coordinator in the upcoming school year. My goal is to strengthen your access to resources and opportunities in three ways:
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The first step is to compile academic resources (e.g. course notes) into a freely accessible and secure database. This has been proposed by many candidates in the past, but there has been a lack of transparency about their progress. I intend to keep you posted about our progress and release resources on a rolling basis.
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I aim to assemble committees from a diverse group of students to implement and improve academic supports such as review sessions and prep materials.
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Following the cancellation of poster day for students in project courses, I aim to host more events for you to share your research experiences and be exposed to new opportunities.
Communications Coordinator
NINGLU WENG
Hi friends!
My name is Ninglu Weng, and I’m again running to be your BHSS Communications Coordinator. Surprise! :)
Especially now given my experience, I’m passionate about further improving the presentation, quality, and accessibility of information. Throughout the last two semesters, I’d been very committed towards editing and sharing the meeting minutes; redesigning and adding new features to the BHSS website; attending IT meetings; and of course, executing my platform points. Granted the opportunity, I’d love to continue pursuing such responsibilities, and fulfilling a greater vision in developing/designing the website.
My platform this election consists of three main initiatives:
My first idea is to form a “Communications Team”, dedicated towards capturing BHSc-related photography or videography for website display. Not only will the website become more visually engaging, but it’ll also better reflect the immense diversity and present-day spirit of our program.
My second goal is to create a student portal, and grant access to a LearnLink-esque library of academic resources. That way, it’ll be much easier for students to browse for specific files, and to explore course content.
My final goal is a continuation of last year’s, and that’s brainstorming ways to make the site a more integrative one-stop resource. Some ideas I have are:
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Creating a space for upper-years to easily advertise and pass on their off-campus housing to 1st-years,
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Forming a database for event photos, and
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Compiling all helpful links (i.e. shared on Facebook by TAs) for required courses
Thanks for reading!
Financial Coordinator
NICHOLAS HUA
My name is Nicholas and I am a second year BHSc student and current BHSS Financial Coordinator! I am once again asking for your support. I am running to be your Financial Coordinator. Here are some points about my platform:
Maintenance
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Spending was monitored and kept within the budget
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Club funding allotment was kept very high
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Even though opt-out reduced the budget by 35%, there was no net loss of money due to financial responsibility
Advocate of BHSc
The entire purpose of BHSS is to serve the BHSc students and this should be the principle for all executive decisions. As Financial Coordinator, I will always be taking into consideration the interests of the student body. Such actions include:
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Controlling costs of large events; essentially the money which comes from your pockets
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Increasing club funding
Oversight and Security
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For large expenditures, it is crucial that spending is contained and assessed for its cost-effectiveness
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Leftover money placed in a reserve fund
Transparency
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I will display timelines on the BHSS website (i.e. upon submission of a proposal request, how long it may take to receive the cheque + the process of proposal review)
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I created midterm budget reports this year, and they will continue to be produced
Financial Support
I am once again offering you financial support by posting monthly graphics explaining:
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How much funding clubs are eligible for
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Sponsorship package creation
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Sponsorship email creation
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List of sponsors that may support the BHSc community
Funding request tutorial
Chair
Chair
DUAA YAHYA
Hi folks, I'm Duaa and I’m honoured to be running for your BHSS chair. In the upcoming year, I want to focus on spicing things up to increase student engagement and wellbeing, expanding on some of the initiatives that were implemented this year, and just having a good time.
My platform is BDE: build, deliver, and energize; each of these points revolves around improving the engagement between the bhss and the student body, as well as enhancing the lounge to reflect our community.
vote duaa for chair: just duaa it