Hello Students,Alberta just entered one of the most exciting elections in the past 40 years. There are new parties, new leaders and new opportunities for students to get engaged in the electoral process. To show that students care about voting, the University of Alberta Students’ Union is teaming up with its partners at the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge to get out the student vote.From now until the end of the election, we are encouraging students to pledge to vote through our website www.getoutthevote.caor with volunteers who will go around campus to talk to students about the campaign. Students who pledge to vote and provide their contact information will be sent a reminder during the polls to make sure that they get to vote.
Additionally, as part of our Get Out the Vote Campaign, the Students Union will be holding events on campus to provide students with information about the campaign and to show the greater community that students care about this election. Below is a list of some of the events that will be occurring:
2) Edmonton-Riverview Candidates Forum – Tuesday April 10 (www.facebook.com/events/
406319502730036/?__adt=8 )
3) Edmonton-Strathcona Candidates Forum – Monday April 16
(www.facebook.com/events/261826833906594/ )
4) Advanced Poll Vote Mob
5) Election Day Get Out and Vote – April 23 (www.facebook.com/events/259363730823598/ )If you would like to get involved with the campaign, please email justin.williams@su.
ualberta.ca to be added to the volunteer mailing list.Thank you,
Farid Iskandar, Vice President External
Students’ Union, University of Alberta
Get Out The Vote
One More Board Member
Please help the 2012-2013 CBAS executive fill its board!
We are still looking for candidates for the Volunteer Coordinator!
Join us for the By-election on Wednesday April 11 at noon in the Humanities Fishbowl to vote in the candidates or run for a position yourself!!
Simply fill out the CBAS 2012 BYELECTION NOMINATION PACKAGE
There will be free refreshments and lots of laughs so be sure to join us!
Meet your Candidates for the 2012-2013 year!
Internal Communications
-Katherine Speur
“Hey everyone! My name’s Katherine Speur, and I’m a second-year English major and a proud arts student. In my spare time, I love watching Breaking Bad, eating Cheetos (only the puffy ones), babysitting dogs, and listening to weird music. My involvement at the U of A goes far beyond the classroom walls. I’ve been involved in several extracurricular activities on campus, including volunteering at the U of A’s official student newspaper The Gateway. As a volunteer staff writer, I contribute articles on a weekly basis. My involvement with the newspaper and overall interest in writing has given me the opportunity to master my communication skills.
I believe my creativity will bring a lot of energy to CBAS, and make it an exciting and interesting place for you, the students. Like many of you, I love to procrastinate on Twitter and Facebook. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a tweet freak and a shameless Facebook addict.
Social media is an important way of communicating with students. My passion for social media and my strong communication skills will ensure consistent and clear communication from CBAS to arts students across campus. Working in Internal Communications for CBAS requires commitment and responsibility.”
Financial Coordinator
-Murtaza Jamaly
“Murtaza Jamaly is currently running for Financial Coordinator for CBAS. He is studying political science and economics and calls Lister his home. He is the current Financial Coordinator of the Collective Body for Arts Students. As such, he has allocated more funds for individual grants and events as well as lowered locker prices. His priority has been to ensure that your money has been spent wisely. Murtaza believes that financial accountability is an important issue amongst students. Ensuring that student and faculty associations’ financial practices are enforced is one of his main priorities if elected. This year Murtaza has implemented new and better filing procedures as well as new accounting software. Murtaza has a unique leadership style that facilitates the development of ideas. He is an enthusiastic champion of student’s interests, and wants CBAS to serve the student body in the most effective way possible.”
External Communications
- Emma Tunney
“My name is Emma Tunney and I am running for the position of External
Communications for the 2012-2013 academic year. I am currently in the third year
of my degree, pursuing a double major in political science and German.
I am motivated to run for a board position with CBAS for a number of
reasons. Chief among them is my belief that involvement with campus groups is an
important part of the university experience. I have volunteered with Orientation,
CBAS, and the Political Science Undergrad Association and enjoyed my experiences
with each. Through volunteering I have gained many practical skills that I hope to
develop further by taking on a larger role within CBAS.
I am running for the External Communications position because I believe in
representing the concerns and desires of students to the faculty, the SU, and other
bodies. As the director of external communications I also want to improve
relationships between the faculty association and the department associations. The
array of issues facing students requires strong representatives. In representing arts
students I want to ensure that students receive the best university experience
possible.”
CODA (Council of Departmental Associations)
-Samantha Joseph 
“Samantha is in her fifth year of a Human Geography degree.During her time at the U of A, Sam has been extensively involved with theCollective Body of Arts Students. She has served as a Member At Large for theCBAS during for the periods of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. During her time withthe CBAS, Sam has been a general volunteer, as well as sat on numerouscommittees such as: the Arts Teaching Learning & Engagement Committee, ArtsFaculty Counsel, Academic Affairs Committee, Academic Appeals Committee, as wellas the Individual Granting Committee that is chaired by the CODA coordinator.”
As CODA Coordinator, Sam would like to help promote theindividual and events grants available for students and groups, and publish thedeadline in advance so the information is more readily and easily available forstudents
Sam wants to help promote opportunities for Arts students sothat you can make the most of your degree!”
-Kelsey Mills
“Originally from Calgary, I came to Edmonton in the fall of 2009 to attend
school at the U of A. I love being involved in organizations that encourage people to
be engaged in campus events, no matter what their prior experiences are. As such, I
joined Delta Gamma, which is a women’s fraternity here on campus. Last year I was
elected to Students’ Council as an Arts Councilor and was a member of the Council
Administration Committee. I am a third year student majoring in Economics. As
the Council of Department Associations Coordinator I will work to support these
organizations and other arts related student groups.”
Events Portfolio:
-Andrew Douglas
“My name is Andrew Douglas and I am seeking the position of Events coordinator with the CBAS board. I’m a third year Political Science Major and History Minor. I am a committed arts student and would like to see the role of a liberal arts education rise in prominence within the university. If elected to this position, I would advocate for the CBAS to be more active in supporting progressively focused events within the university community, possibly in concordance with other organizations.”
Join the CBAS Executive Board
DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!
It’s election season! Run for a CBAS board position by submitting your application to the office in 2-10 Humanities by Tuesday, March 13 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
Questions? email fadro@thecbas.ca
Read the postings below to learn what holding each portfolio is like, or come to our office and see firsthand!
Have you been inspired by watching the Students Union elections? Want to get involved in student governance, make new friends, overload your resume with new skills, or just have a place to go hang out in between classes?
- you will be responsible for providing services to arts students like locker rentals, student group and individual grants, events, grad photos, and grad rings.
- you can support arts students and arts student groups by promoting and funding departmental associations, and their events.
- you can sit on a wide variety of arts- specific committees and represent arts students as a whole on campus-wide committees to gain a thorough understanding of how the faculty of arts functions and fits into the greater community.
- you get to engage with other students and faculty staff, including regular meetings with the dean of arts and associate deans about how to improve student experience in the faculty of arts and enhance the value of an arts degree
- get first hand knowledge of the learning opportunities, research opportunities, volunteer opportunities and career opportunities available for arts students, share these opportunities to as many students as you can, and capitalize on them yourself!
Why Run For Financial Coordinator, from Murtaza Jamaly
Why did you get involved with CBAS? As an Arts student I didn’t feel like I had done enough for my faculty, and CBAS seems like the natural fit for making a solid change in the Arts.
What surprised you about your role as a board member? How much the CBAS provides for their students. As a student I didn’t realize how much CBAS provided and being a board member really familiarized me with how much CBAS does and be an active member in providing these services.
What new skill did you get to put on your resume from working with CBAS? I’ve really been able to market my improved skill with financial documents. I’m proud to say that I’m able to remain accountable to students and hopefully have established better means for future financial coordinators to remain accountable.
What was the biggest learning challenge for you when starting as a Board Member? Getting to know the complexities of a faculty association can be very challenging, understanding the sophisticated relationship that Faculty Associations have with their students, faculty staff, and Student’s Union.
What was the best perk you got from working with CBAS? In wintertime it’s really nice to have an office to hang your 10-pound coat in, and free grad photos is not a bad thing.
How did you try to defeat the mice in humanities this year? Stomped on ‘em.
What makes your portfolio cooler than the other ones? dolla’ dolla’ bills yo! (Nah, it’s really that I get to sign the cheques).
Why Run For Events Coordinator, from Kathryn Orydzuk
Why did you get involved with CBAS I saw a hot guy standing at the table at Clubs Fair so I thought I’d join. That guy turned out to be the former External Communications Coordinator and Financial Coordinator.
What surprised you about your role as a board member The amount of gratification you get out of holding successful events!
What new skill did you get to put on your resume from working with CBAS? Coordinating and planning events and learning how to engage students.
What was the biggest learning challenge for you when starting as a Board Member? Understanding the levels of student governance and how the events portfolio fits into that.
What was the best perk you got from working with CBAS? All the friends I made!
How did you try to defeat the mice in humanities this year? I was the official corpse finder (we laid out traps and poison in the office).
What makes your portfolio cooler than the other ones? I plan the parties.
Why Run For External Communications, from Rebecca Taylor
Why did you get involved with CBAS? I wanted governance experience and the cbas seemed like a friendly place to start getting it.
What surprised you about your role as a board member? How different all the various faculty associations are and how different their relationships with their respective faculties are.
What new skill did you get to put on your resume from working with CBAS? Improved communication skills and proficiency in analyzing bylaws and policy.
What was the biggest learning challenge for you when starting as a Board Member? Learning about all the terminology, rules, and relationships of the university and student governance.
What was the best perk you got from working with CBAS? Connections across campus and a sweet office to hang out in.
How did you try to defeat the mice in humanities this year? I was the official corpse remover (aka mouse repo unit).
What makes your portfolio cooler than the other ones? You make high profile contacts across the university.
Why Run For Internal Communications, from Courtney Edwards
Why did you get involved with CBAS? I wanted more friends on campus and figured getting involved was the easiest way to do it!
What surprised you about your role as a board member? How quickly after my term started I had to begin performing my responsibilities, and that the pace kept up all year long.
What new skill did you get to put on your resume from working with CBAS? Managing and planning using communication tools.
What was the biggest learning challenge for you when starting as a Board Member? Learning how to email people with confidence in the authority of my role, and feel comfortable asking for information under particular deadlines.
What was the best perk you got from working with CBAS? Having a place to leave your coat and backpack, charge your phone, store your lunch and decompress on campus makes it so much more comfortable.
How did you try to defeat the mice in humanities this year? I actually think mice are cute and wasn’t in favour of killing the ones in the office. I kept playing cute youtube videos of mice for the rest of the board to convince them otherwise (it didn’t work).
What makes your portfolio cooler than the other ones? Having control of the social media. You definitely power trip on being allowed to post your jokes on public spaces!
Why Run For C.O.D.A. Coordinator, from Dorothy Roberts
Why did you get involved with CBAS? Because I think the way you can only make a difference on campus is to get involved.
What surprised you about your role as a board member Interacting with the Department Associations, I was expecting to meet a lot of engaged people but not nearly as many as I did, and I was surprised at how many people go out of their way to support and help us [CBAS] and help me perform my role.
What new skill did you get to put on your resume from working with CBAS? I would say managing multiple responsibilities and conflict resolution.
What was the biggest learning challenge for you when starting as a Board Member? Overall, learning how to interact with other board members in the context of all our responsibilities.
What was the best perk you got from working with CBAS? Definitely getting to work with the other board members!
How did you try to defeat the mice in humanities this year? I didn’t come to office when the mice were around, and I participated in a temporary food ban by not bring in baking one week.
What makes your portfolio cooler than the other ones? I get to give money and hang out with lots of cool people like the Fine Arts Collective.