2016 Election Candidate Statements

​The 2016-2017 AVSSU Elections have begun! Below are the list of your candidates for the upcoming school semester.

President: Christine Song
VP of Architecture: Nirvika Tugnait, Jaime Ahn
VP of Visual Studies: Sky Ece Ulusoy
Senior Representative of Architecture: Eric Brandon Wang, Sonia Ralston
Senior Representative of Visual Studies: Robert Raynor
Events Coordinator: Yasmine El Sanyoura
Treasurer: Elif Ozcelik, Queenie Dang, Taylor Urbshott, Veronika Potylitsina
Social Media/Outreach: Hasnain Raza Akbar, Ous Abou Ras, Tian Li, Leah Smith

President
 
Christine Song
Hey Architecture & Visual Studies Peeps! My name is Christine Song and I’m running to be your next President for AVSSU 2016-17. I’ve been serving you through AVSSU for two years as both your Junior Rep and Treasurer. You may also recognize me as your Junior VP of AALD, barista at Cafe 059, frosh leader, or teammate from intramurals.
Through my time as Jr. Rep, I’ve understood the issues that concern you and as President I want to make those changes!
My goals are:

• to create a better network with both the students and the faculty so that your voices are heard and understood
• to produce more opportunities for you to build on your portfolio
• to promote a healthier environment
• to strengthen our bond as a faculty
• to work closely with the VP and the rest of the team
• to ensure that we as a union are working in your favour.

VOTE FOR CHRISTINE AS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT! YOU CANT GO WRONG WITH CHRISTINE SONG! (I’ll make the other faculties go dammn Daniel!) #SONGNEVERWRONG 


Vice-President of Architecture
 
Nirvika Tugnait
Hello Arch. & Vis. fam, I’m Nirvika Tugnait and I am hoping to be the Vice President of Architecture 2016/2017! As your current AVSSU Treasurer I’ve ensured our budget works for YOU, by working hard to create highly successful events and services, like e-transfers, to make your life a tad bit easier! From working closely with the VPs and President, I understand the importance of having a positive relation between the student body, union, and faculty. As a frosh leader and Chestnut Council member I’ve understood the excitements and concerns students face - I’ll work hard to find solutions and put those into action!

My aim is to:
- Create positive, healthier and efficient workspaces
- Be a liaison between the students and faculty, and get students more involved in decisions taken
- Work with the Events Coordinator to have a variety of events that meet the needs of different personalities
- Never stop improving the union, to assure your needs are met

VOTE NIRVIKA FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ARCHITECTURE!

​
Jaime Ahn
A message from the dystopian future:
 
If you are reading this, there may still be a chance. You must elect Jaime Ahn for Vice President of Architecture in the upcoming Executive Council Elections. If you don’t, I’m afraid you will set off a catastrophic series of events that cannot be stopped.
 
Desperate times are coming:

• We must reaffirm and expand our rightful claim to resources and space.
• Studio must become a better place for all students to work. The culture needs to be supportive and energizing lest we risk falling victim to our future once again.
• There needs to be strong leadership going forward. Competition is fierce, and someone must be there making sure the undergrads get what they deserve. 

 
I have witnessed the same events happen time and time again, but I believe in you… We can no longer afford to put faculty and union politics above the students. We are Daniels!
 
Vote Jaime Ahn for Vice President of Architecture and save the world.
 
请小伙伴们投票支持Architecture VP候选人Jaime


Vice-President of Visual Studies
 
Sky Ece Ulusoy
Hi to you all Daniels students! I’m Sky and I’m majoring in Architectural Design and Visual Studies and minoring in Art History. You might know me as the Visual Studies Representative or as a Frosh Leader or through my involvement in intermural games/tri-campus volleyball last year or maybe you’ve seen me before at café 059 hanging out with friends or at the studio going crazy the morning of my critique. I’ve decided to run in this year’s election in hopes to be your next VP for Visual Studies. I’ve had a great time being Junior Representative for AVSSU this year and I think I am ready for more responsibility as a VP of Visual Studies. I would like to keep being involved with Daniels Faculty and be your voice in AVSSU. I want Visual Studies to be as important as Architectural studies in the Daniels Faculty. I would like to collect your wishes and suggestions and use those to further our community. I’m here to help, listen or just even to engage at all times so don’t be shy to come and say hi! Vote for me Sky Ece Ulusoy if you want your voice to be heard! If you vote for Sky, the sky is the limit!


Senior Architecture Representative
 
Eric Brandon Wang
Hello! I’m Eric Brandon Wang, and I’m running for Senior Architecture Representative! I’ve gotten to know a lot of you these past years and every individual has impacted me in every positive way. I want to bring attention to the dedication that YOU have put into your work, whether it’s from those treacherous hours at studio or lugging a gigantic piece of foam core around. I am dedicated to the art-chitecture community, as I was a consultant of Shift Magazine as well as a volunteer, serving coffee to many lovely faces at CAFE059.
My goal is to continue to build our community together by promoting equity, mental health and environmental sustainability initiatives. Fighting for better and improved student spaces and services. As well as bridge the communication gap between visual and architecture students. As Senior Architecture Representative, I will be your port into helping our community blossom into a beautiful butterfly! I will work hard to ensure that your voices are being heard!


Sonia Ralston
My name is Sonia and I’m a 3rd year Architectural Design major, and I’m running to be your Senior Architecture Rep! I have met great people in the program who do excellent work, but who are also frustrated with the resources afforded to the undergrad program. I want to focus on short-term solutions to improve access to studio resources, as well as foster AVSSU into a body that is more connected to the university at large and actively advocates for social justice issues on campus. I promise to:

• Focus on quick fixes to studio, such as: push the faculty to provide basic shop tools, create space to use toxic sprays, and make blade recycling
• Develop a “How To Survive Architecture” guide with seniors to inform juniors about buying materials and tools
• Move to connect the disciplines of Architecture, Visual Studies, Geography, Urban Studies, and Art History
• Push AVSSU to endorse social justice groups on campus, as well as create committees for equity-seeking groups in AVSSU

Senior Visual Studies Representative
 
Robert Raynor
As an Arc Design + Visual Studies double major, I understand firsthand the disconnect between the two undergraduate facets of the Daniels Faculty. How can we banish the “way out there in VIS land” mentality and bridge the gap between architecture and art? With consistent communication and top-notch organizational skills, that’s how! I will do everything in my power to listen intently to your thoughts about this major that’s so dear to our hearts, and foster an environment of discourse conducive to the lively, dynamic Visual Studies community. The ability to freely and effectively communicate your feelings for the program’s current state and ideas for that of its future is among our strongest democratic power in our educational careers, and as Senior Representative for Visual Studies, I plan to facilitate that flow of information as effectively as is humanly possible (that’s right, as is humanly possible – a tall order, but I’m pretty tall and lanky so I think I’m up to the task).


Events Coordinator
 
Yasmine El Sanyoura
I am Yasmine and I’m running to be your Events Coordinator. I believe in creating a strong community at Daniels for a more unified and engaged student body! If elected, I plan to focus on finding a balance between small events (pub nights) and larger ones (formals, international trips) so you benefit without hurting your bank account. I will also use online ticket systems and hold events to connect Architecture and Visual Studies students. I hope to promote other Daniels platforms like SHIFT to hold launch parties, and work closely with Student Representatives so you have a voice in events! My experiences as a FROSH leader and Head Stylist for a fashion show gave me the skills to lead large groups of people and plan events with a team. Finally, planning the successful Bauhaus Bash formal as a member of the Social Committee allowed me to engage with students and professionals to learn about planning major events; I hope to apply these lessons in the future for all of you!


Treasurer
 
Elif Ozcelik
Hello to all my Art-chitecture comrades!
 
My name is Elif Ozcelik and I am running for AVSSU Treasurer!
 
The past two years at UofT has been an amazing experience and it’s all thanks to the efforts of our AVSSU. I want to be part of the 2016-2017 chapter to ensure that every dollar in your tuition that reaches our students’ union is accounted for. We can work together to create a transparent system so that you know how your money is spent. 
 
Together with my experience in the AVSSU social committee and the highly dangerous position of being the bank and safe of my family amongst 3 brothers I know I have what it takes to bear the responsibilities of Treasurer. 
 
Vote Elif The (Money) Oz!
 

Queenie Dang
Hi! I’m Queenie Dang and I’m excited to be applying to be the Treasurer for the 2016/2017 school year. I've been working part time since I was 15 which has granted me experience in the work field. On top of earning money, I also gained insight on how to properly calculate, manage, and save money. Currently, my job requires me to calculate the net profit of the store, the differences made in sales vs. how much we actually have in the register, and what our total number of losses are. A treasurer’s job is to keep track of expenses, spendings, and profits, and I believe I have the necessary skills to fulfill the required duties. I also have a lot of experience in planning events such as prom, and trips to places like Florida where I was given the task of sorting out all the expenses of the event while also keeping in mind the budget of the students. Lastly, I am very positive and hardworking which I believe are characteristics that AVSSU members possess and thus look for in future members.
 

Taylor Urbshott
Hello Arch & Vis students! My name is Taylor Urbshott and I want to be your AVSSU Treasurer for the 2016-17 term. I feel that I can create a positive impact on the team & make your fees work to their fullest potential within the to-be-planned budget.
I feel that I am a reliable choice for this position as I have excellent organizational and financial skills. Through this I am able to determine the best distribution of the budget through the input of elected representatives & individuals of the student body.
Achievements I am aiming for within AVSSU are: establishing networking opportunities for current undergrads, further easing the transition for first year students, & the continuation of social events to advance our Faculty’s close-knit community.
I also feel an urgency to establishing a more transparent budget through public notice, allowing students to know how their fees are being put to use & voice any opinions regarding possible budget changes.
Vote Taylor to work in your favour.
 

Veronika Potylitsina
Hello everyone! My name is Veronika Potylitsina and I would be honoured to be your Treasurer on AVSSU. With my experience working as Communications Representative on my floor’s council at Chestnut Residence, interning at an architecture firm, as well as running and campaigning in the UTSU elections, I believe I am the ideal candidate for this position. As Communications Representative, I was in charge of hosting several events which required me to actively plan and budget my spending. My time over the summer was spent interning at an architecture firm, where I was trusted with handling money for the firm. During my time running and campaigning for Architecture Director in the recent UTSU elections, I had to budget not only my time, but also how much was spent on my campaign. As Treasurer, I plan to ensure AVSSU’s spending is controlled and optimized in the best interest of the student union’s members. Vote Veronika Potylitsina for Treasurer of AVSSU!


Social Media / Outreach Director
 
Hasnain Raza Akbar
I (Hasnain Raza Akbar) believe I have the capabilities of being a social media director of AVSSU, as I have spent time trying to organize groups for different courses on Facebook. Moreover, it is about time that AVSSU attempts to fill in the communication gap between the Student Union and students itself. Hence, if given the opportunity, I would like to aid in bridging this gap via the use of social media. Similarly, AVSSU also needs to update frequently their social media to keep the students up-to-date with Daniels related events, which I know I can do with the help of the executive team. In addition, I would also like to propose to post student work and latest architecture news weekly, which would help students indulge more with the AVSSU social media pages. If given the opportunity, I would personally try to accomplish all this in addition to the requirements of the faculty and AVSSU itself.
 

Leah Smith
Hey Daniels! My name is Leah Smith and I am happily running for Social Media/Outreach Director. I’ve been a Volunteer in our Architecture Building’s Café 059 for two years, and a Frosh Leader this past fall. Outside of Daniels, I am a general member of NSBE, U of T’s National Society of Black Engineers. Call me a traitor, but I think it is important as an Executive of any council to immerse yourself in a variety of disciplines, not just your own.
To me, this position means more than simply keeping us Undergrads informed about events and communications within U of T. If elected, I want to highlight career and volunteer opportunities in our city. More importantly, I want to help foster an architecture and visual studies community in Toronto and between universities where we all can be informed of opportunities for personal growth. We’re all students all on this academic journey and should recognize the value that comes from learning from our peers, within our schools and outside of them.
 

Ous Abou Ras
Hey! My name is Aws; it rhymes with House. Houses are built by architects and as we learned in JAV132/ARC132, architecture is popularized through the media. I want to take AVSSU social media to the next level and use it to popularize the Union and the students in UofT (maybe Toronto) by adding new ideas such as:

• Adding and sharing posts of historic and new architecture to inspire your next studio design on Facebook and Instagram on a daily basis.
• Sharing cool architectural and aesthetic spots on campus through an AVSSU Snapchat where many students will have access to the account to post their favourite moments.
• Creating a platform (or a Facebook page) for sharing your studio designs and showcasing the best projects in a monthly Arch Battle.
• And much more if you vote for me!

Past experience:

• Maintaining Liwan Gulf Engineering Consultancy LLC Facebook Page
• Being the Media leader in my high school Student Council

 

Tian Li
This first year has been quite an experience, from meeting new people to pulling all nighters because too much time was wasted on social media. Although procrastination through social media is usually negative, being the Social Media Director will allow me to channel this social media obsession for a more purposeful cause. After being on the AVSSU Social Committee I have realized how important social media can be in informing my peers about events that are happening such as semi-formals. This coming year I want to make information more readily available to everyone creating a interconnected Daniels.