Zarifa Nawar is running for AMS VP academic and university affairs (AUA) on a platform that advocates for increased affordability, accessibility and equity.
A fourth-year student pursuing a bachelor of arts in gender, race, sexuality and social justice, Nawar enters the election race with experience serving within the AUS and AMS. From May to November in 2024, Nawar was the associate VP university affairs.
Nawar also already holds direct experience in this role. She was appointed as interim VP AUA in November after former VP AUA Drédyn Fontana was removed from the position.
“I want to be able to continue representing students with the confidence of the entire student body and not just Council,” Nawar said.
When she first came into the office in November, Nawar recalls the lack of administrative support she had and the deliverables she needed to quickly produce.
Since then, she said she has filled the vacancies in her office and sent in the Student Priorities for Operating Budget 2025/26 Submission.
Building on the success Nawar said she has accomplished as interim, she is campaigning on a platform divided into four sections: affordability, academic policy and career development, accessibility and equity.
One of her key platform points under academic policy is to create a formal report with recommendations drawn from the Workday Student Survey responses.
“I want to create a report with recommendations for what changes students are looking for, and then use that to advocate to the university,” Nawar said.
This involves advocating for changes involving a term-by-term calendar view, ability to download the timetable into personal calendars, and a return to registration times based on academic averages from the previous winter session, rather than the overall academic average.
Some of her other platform points involve working with senators to create an exam database for students and increase undergraduate research opportunities by the upcoming summer.
Usually, the VP AUA is also a UBC Senator, and though Nawar does not hold a position on the Senate, she believes her strong relationships with current student senators and continued dedication to keeping up with Senate materials will help her achieve her goals.
Nawar’s campaign also involves equity concerns surrounding environmental, social and governance considerations.
“My platform includes ensuring that UBC continues to prioritize social and environmental and risk governance principles in its responsible investment strategy,” she said.
Amid international conflicts and human rights violations, Nawar said she wants to ensure the university is held accountable for its investments, not just during her time in office, but as a long-term goal with tangible outcomes that exceed her time in the AMS.
With only a few months left until the end of the school year, Nawar believes this is a crucial time for students to elect an experienced representative.
To engage with students, she plans to leverage the VP academic caucus, a network where all VP academics collaborate to address student priorities, while also providing updates and fostering engagement with the broader community through social media.
“I'm very passionate about doing the job, and I know how to do it.”
This is part of The Ubyssey's VP AUA by-election coverage. Find more on The Ubyssey's news page.
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