[su_heading size=”21″] Julian Jasniewski, York Federation of Student’s vp campus life, was seen campaigning for the U of T Voice slate in the recent University of Toronto Student Union elections.[/su_heading]
According to The Varsity, on March 11 and 12, Jasniewski was seen encouraging students to vote for the incumbent slate in the Sidney Smith building.
But Jasniewski was not alone, as Melissa Palermo, president of the Ryerson Students’ Union, and Rajean Hoilett, RSU’s vp equity, were also seen campaigning for the incumbent slate.
When asked about his involvement in the UTSU elections, Jasniewski says he took a vacation day to help out a friend.
“I am entitled to vacation days, and what I do on my personal time is up to me to decide,” says Jasniewski.
“The timing was unfortunate,” says Sheila Shahrokhi, who ran for president with the YU First slate in the most recent YFS elections, “as the shooting in the Student Centre had occurred less than a week before U of T’s campaign period.”
“It makes me questions YFS’s values and whether they are here to support students or to support fellow incumbent slates [at other universities] in winning their seats,” she adds.
The vp campus life for the YFS is paid about $30,050 yearly, and their main duties are to focus on developing events and programs, recruiting and coordinating volunteers, as well as serving on various committees and task forces.
There is a long history of YFS execs campaigning in the UTSU elections.
Alastair Woods, last year’s vp campaigns and advocacy, was involved in campaigning in the UTSU elections last spring.
This did not occur without controversy, however, as Sana Ali, a candidate with the 2013 Renew slate, withdrew from the race, citing a lack of control over her own platform due to the involvement of Woods and other non-U of T student union executives as a reason.
Hamid Adem
News Editor
