At the VP academic and university affairs (AUA) debate last night, the three candidates discussed affordability tactics and spoke to their differing levels of experience.
New to UBC governance, candidates Joe Vu and Renee Hui emphasized the importance of student affordability to their platforms, with Vu vowing to promote open education resources and Hui promising to make course materials like textbooks less expensive. Both candidates additionally said they would advocate for more funding for student housing.
Candidate Zarifa Nawar also said she’d incorporate affordability into her platform, promising to prioritize low cost, high density housing and to advocate for the creation of a month-to-month off-campus rental bursary.
As the AMS associate VP university affairs and interim VP AUA since November, Nawar said she would use her experience in the AMS to further the progress she’s already made.
“I know how to get the job done,” Nawar said, and cited securing $250,000 for undergraduate research in her two months as interim as an example of competency. If elected, Nawar said she would focus on ensuring the availability of those funds for all faculties.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, Nawar said UBC administration verbally agreed to the undergraduate funding on January 16, during a meeting between VP Research and Innovation Gail Murphy and members of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Expansion Steering Committee.
When asked how and whether the candidates would use the results of the record-breaking Workday survey that was issued over summer, Nawar again relayed her experience in her answer.
“I'm very proud to say that I was part of the office that created the Workday survey,” Nawar said. She then explained she would create a report from the survey data to isolate the changes students want and present them to the university.
Hui agreed the gathered data should be used, but didn’t clarify how and moved on to say she would advocate to extend UBC’s add/drop deadline and to make course registration through Workday an easier process.
Similarly, Vu also said he would advocate using the survey’s results. However, despite all candidates being asked multiple times to speak directly into the microphone, Vu failed to do so. This led to a lack of clarity and ability to hear or record how Vu expanded on his statement.
When asked whether candidates would advocate for environment, social and governance (ESG) informed investment and divestment to UBC, Hui seemed to misinterpret the question.
“I hope to create more student workshops to make this information more accessible for our students,” Hui said.
Vu responded that advocating for divestment could have financial repercussions and said he would want to conduct surveys to gather more data before taking any action.
Nawar said she is deeply committed to ESG informed investment and divestment and that she will work to ensure UBC makes “tangible progress” rather than saying they will “for the sake of saying it.”
In closing, Hui stated that while she might not have as much experience, she will be able to use her enthusiasm and outgoing personality to quickly build connections.
As he was not speaking into his microphone, The Ubyssey could not hear Vu’s closing statement.
Nawar noted that with only three months left in the term, it is important for students to elect someone with a track record who will hit the ground running in their advocacy.
By the end of the debate, Nawar remained the only candidate to have requested more time to speak in open discussion, an option that had been offered after every question.
This article was updated at 6:16 p.m. on January 21, 2025 to include further details from Nawar regarding undergraduate research funding.
This is part of The Ubyssey's VP AUA by-election coverage. Find more on The Ubyssey's news page.
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