Political science student Jasper Lorien is running to be part of UBC’s Board of Governors (BoG) on a platform of “affordability, housing and ethical treatment.”
Lorien is currently an elected representative on the UBC Senate, an experience they said has allowed them to build the necessary connections and knowledge needed to provide “tangible wins for students.”
Lorien is also co-president of UBC’s Disabilities United Collective — where they’ve said they’ve advocated for funding and significant policy changes to UBC’s Centre for Accessibility. Lorien also sits on AMS Council as the Senate representative and said this has given them connections with AMS executives which would help them coordinate advocacy on behalf of students, if elected to the BoG.
“I know how to accomplish things. I am accomplishing things,” Lorien said.
Other than advocating for funding and building connections, Lorien did not provide other examples of their accomplishments.
Lorien’s top priority is affordability, and they said an important part of this is fighting for a tuition freeze.
The Board of Governors recently passed a tuition increase for the 2025/26 academic year of 2 percent for domestic, 3 percent for returning international students and 5 per cent for incoming international students.
Other affordability issues that Lorien intends to address include increasing needs-based aid, supporting student workers and addressing food insecurity.
“On the Board, I really, really will fight to ensure that [food security funding] is continued and even increased to account for inflation.”
The AMS secured food insecurity funding from UBC, totalling $2.4 million over three years in 2024. However, Food Bank usage continues to grow and food insecurity remains a pervasive issue.
With regards to housing, Lorien intends to work on implementing off-campus housing bursaries and increase the number of student beds in residence at the university. Lorien also said they are committed to fighting for UBC’s compliance with the BC Residential Tenancy Act, making sure that UBC residence rent does not increase at a rate greater than allowed provincially.
The increase in UBC residence rent amounted to 5-6 per cent during the 2024/25 academic year, greater than the provincial limit of 3.5 per cent.
Lorien also said they would advocate for “divestment from companies complicit in human rights violations” if elected, as “[divestment is] something we’ve seen a huge appetite for from the student body.”
Lorien added UBC’s budget is tight and that they would fight to prevent student services, such as regular library hours, from being cut.
“The administration is looking for opportunities to make cuts in places that students don't fight them on,” Lorien said. “We have to … be in that room [to] tell them they're not allowed to cut these things that are vital to students' success.”
Lorien ran for the BoG last year and ranked third place of the two seats.
“The fact that I was able to get that close, I think, is really a testament to the fact that a large portion of the student body shared my vision,” they said.
“It is very, very clear the things that I'm running on need to happen, and I think I'm the right person to get that done.”
This article is part of our 2025 AMS Elections coverage. Follow us at @UbysseyNews on X (formerly Twitter) and follow our election coverage starting March 3.
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