What it takes to be part of the SAC

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: STUDIO NOSTALGIA
Current FSU president Alan Bushell is also a previous SAC representative.

For those who want to make a change in their school, the Student Administration Council (SAC) is a perfect place to be. At Fanshawe the SAC is in charge of pushing for policy changes and improvements throughout the school.

Interrobang had the chance to speak with Alan Bushell, Maria Nikides and Amy Van Es – three past SAC members – about their time on the SAC and the electoral process.

Alan Bushell is a previous SAC representative, former VP of Athletics and Residence Life, and the current FSU president.

Q. What do you wish you had known before becoming a SAC member?

A. I wish I had known the scale of difference you could make with the position. All SAC members are on a board that decides important issues like approving the budget and voicing official concerns with on-campus issues.

Q. What tips do you have for students who choose to enter the election this year?

A. I would encourage actively participating in the Fanshawe community and contacting the Fanshawe Student Union to get additional information about the role. Maria Nikides is a previous SAC member and current VP of External & Academic Affairs.

Q. What do you feel enabled you to gain so many supporters?

A. My confidence to be part of something bigger and having the support from my friends to keep going. I found that just showing that you care and that you will be their [the students’] voice is all you need to do.

Q. What do you feel made you stand out from the other candidates for the School of Human Services?

A. I found what made me stand out was the fact that I put a lot of effort into making multiple posters, which made me more unique.

Q. What tips do you have for students wanting to run this year?

A. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and speak in front of your class or in front of the cafeteria, it’s the way to show your confidence.

Amy Van Es is a previous SAC member and long-time contributor to Interrobang.

Q. What do you feel was the most challenging part of the election process? How did you overcome it?

A. I think the most challenging part was actually taking the plunge. Everything else gets easier once you make the decision to do it. It’s all up-hill from the first time you stop someone in the hallway and ask them to believe in you. The first thing you have to do is get a bunch of signatures from the student body, so that quells any sort of performance anxiety you may have about speaking to your peers, or professing that you have some ideas about how things could be better, something that is strangely intimidating.

Q. For students unsure about whether they want to run for SAC, what would you tell them to encourage them?

A. I’m going to go full cliché here. It is the most direct way to make change within our little Fanshawe bubble. There are so many wicked things about our school, but there are also some important aspects that can be improved upon. If you’ve got some ideas about how to make us a stronger unit, sign up for the students. If you want to hang out with engaged, [awesome] people, sign up for yourself. If you’re smart, you’ll sign up for both.

Q. What will you miss the most about being a SAC member?

A. Catered board meetings, having an excuse to carry around a noisemaker and helping the students’ idea of Fanshawe be realized.

You have the chance to make a difference and the opportunity to create change. Becoming a member of the SAC can be a stepping-stone to further political involvement or simply a way to make your college years engaged and exciting. One thing is for sure you will not regret it.