Keanu Chan, a first-year student in the Science One program, is running to become one of five student senators-at-large.
Chan said he is not running “to get a position that looks good on a resume” but because he believes “that everybody at UBC deserves to have their voice heard, but not only heard, but also acted upon.”
His platform focuses on student engagement and representation in decision-making. “There is no point in me making decisions based on what I think people want instead of what they want,” said Chan.
“I will prioritize acting on the students’ behalf by using their feedback to actively make changes.”
Chan plans to achieve this by implementing faculty and class-wide surveys and personally reviewing student comments and concerns.
Acknowledging that the student body is diverse, he plans to tailor surveys to different faculties and classes to gather specific feedback.
However, UBC already runs a student experience of instruction surveys and Chan did not specify how he would implement this or how his survey would differ.
“I want the concerns of UBC students to be brought to the highest levels of UBC leadership,” said Chan. “In order for those surveys to work, it can’t just be a couple of students answering. I need to find a way to increase awareness of what the UBC Senate has the power to do.”
On prior experience, Chan said he represented Canada at the world’s largest science fair, where he engaged in discussions on entrepreneurship and community engagement, which taught him valuable skills. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “I took a problem, broke it down to its bare little bits, and created a solution … I found that I was able to be a leader.”
Chan is also focused on costs and wants UBC to be more "accessible" and "inclusive."
He acknowledged other barriers students face is financial challenges. Chan said the limiting of the cost of online resources for students was a step in making UBC more accessible. He emphasizes the need for similar initiatives to ease financial burdens on both current and prospective students
On challenges facing the role, Chan said having to make “sacrifices” on certain things.
“I like the idea of community engagement. I want to make decisions that will benefit all of UBC, but that can’t always happen,” he said.
Recognizing that not every decision will please everyone, Chan said many student issues are complex and require thorough analysis to find effective solutions.
Chan said his approach is not just about advocacy, but about enacting real change and believes this sets him apart from his opponents. “As a student, I feel that my voice is not heard and that changes are not being made. I feel that my peers and I are unable to voice our concerns,” he said.
“I will make the necessary changes so that all UBC students can be heard and have changes made on their behalf.”
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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