CREDIT: FSU PUBLICATIONS DEPT.
2019 FSU presidential candidates (left to right): Julia Brown, Ben Clements, Amanda Meunier and Keren Nanneti.

It’s time to choose your Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) president for the rest of the 2019/2020 school year.

For the first time ever, the FSU by-election will elect a full-time student to take over a part-time presidential position. The by-election will also round out the Student Administrative Council (SAC) Board of Directors.

The FSU by-election comes after former FSU president Abdullah Qassab appeared to have abandoned his position, as first reported in an Interrobang article published on July 23. Finance coordinator Julia Brown then became interim president and remained finance coordinator for the FSU.

Campaigning began on Oct.2 and will continue until Oct. 10. Speeches and presidential Q&A were held in Forwell Hall on Oct. 3 and livestreamed to the Downtown Campus’ Amphitheatre on 130 Dundas St. and on the FSU Facebook page.

Interrobang contacted the four FSU presidential candidates to ask about their goals, how they’ll balance school with the position should they be elected, and why students should care about the by-election. All interviews were done via email.

Julia Brown

Brown said she’s enjoyed talking to students from a variety of programs as acting president. She said her accomplishments include providing greater support to the Red Squad volunteers and to the students at Fanshawe’s Downtown and London South Campuses, the Aviation Centre, and the Centre for Applied Transportation Technologies.

Since Brown currently juggles her studies and her roles as acting president and finance coordinator for the time being, she’s aware the role requires organization.

“I won’t sugar-coat it and say it’s easy; it’s not. You need to have self-discipline and a good sense of time management,” she said. “This role requires you to physically be in meetings so students have a voice at the table.”

If Brown were elected FSU president, a new finance coordinator would be hired.

“Students should care about this election because frankly, it’s their money and their student life experience,” she said.

Ben Clements

Clements grew up in London and said that he’s always wanted to be part of Fanshawe College. After serving in the Canadian Forces, he is studying human resources on the basis of the Veterans Affairs’ Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

Clements is confident his work ethic will help him balance his academics and the FSU president role.

“I spend the majority of my time on campus and am maintaining [an] above-average grade point average,” he said. “As a return-to-learning student I have a high level devotion and already treat my time as a student as a career.”

If Clements were elected, he would first send out a survey asking what students want to see for Fanshawe.

He would also like to implement a student insurance program and what he called a “Fanshawe Points system” so students earn rewards from on-campus purchases.

He would like to see his fellow students raise their voices by casting their ballot.

“The FSU does so much for students and it is a great democratic institution — and everyone should be aware and participate with their vote.”

Amanda Meunier

Meunier said that throughout her post-secondary career, she’s been part of several clubs, attended plenty of events, and advocated for her classmates as a class representative. She said she’s determined to balance her academics and her role as president, should she be elected, as she organizes her schedule with daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, along with self-care routines.

If she were elected, she would ensure students would have greater access to student representatives, particularly the directors and the president.

“While students may have other routes to relay this information,” Meunier said, “I think it is important that executives of any organization are well-known and physically accessible to students.”

She would continue wellness initiatives and expand community outreach. The wider outreach would include other regions connected to Fanshawe.

“It was inspiring earlier this year to learn about the efforts the union put forth to help students who were affected by Hurricane Dorian,” she said. “And I hope to facilitate similar efforts upon election.”

Meunier encourages her fellow Falcons to follow the by-election and vote so the president elect can look into issues impacting students and problem-solve.

Keren Nanneti

Nanneti said that her life purpose is helping others whenever possible, and that taking on the role of the FSU president would let her continue to offer her helping hand. Currently in the business analysis program at Fanshawe, she had a student presidential role while working towards her degree in computer engineering in India.

Nanneti said her overall goal is to address the students’ concerns and put her best foot forward for the students.

“My focus is to increase volunteer opportunities with companies related to their career paths and facilitate alumni workshops that would provide an understanding of what the companies are looking for from graduates.”

Nanneti said it’s crucial that students vote in the by-election.

“Students are instrumental in this decision as it defines the future initiatives of the FSU,” she said.

Where can I vote?

You can vote from Oct. 7 to Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. on Fanshawe Online (FOL).

By-election results will be announced on Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. in The Out Back Shack.

For more information on the election, including information about the candidates, visit fsu.ca/elections.