With the WUSA 2025-2026 general election approaching, you may wonder what exactly the roles of the WUSA officers entail. Each officer plays a unique part in ensuring that WUSA operates effectively, advocating for students, and representing our voices at different levels. Here’s a detailed guide to help you understand what each candidate is running for and their responsibilities. 

President: The Big Dawg 

The President is the face of WUSA, the big boss, the main spokesperson. They are the primary representative of WUSA to university administration and governance bodies. This includes working with senior WUSA staff to implement strategic goals and advocating for student interests. Additionally, the President leads the creation of the annual plan, setting the direction for the organization for the year. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Be the face and voice of WUSA. 

• Lead the Board of Directors and keep them on track. 

• Represent student concerns to the university. 

This year’s candidates are Alex Chaban, Damian Mikhail, and Friday Saleh.  

Vice-President: The Diplomat 

The VP is primarily the President’s right-hand person and the go-to person for dealing with governments at all levels—municipal, provincial, federal. When the President is out of reach, the VP steps in. They also share the load when it comes to advocacy and making WUSA look like it has its act together. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Represent WUSA to the government because students need their voices heard. 

• Keep the gears of WUSA running smoothly. 

• Step in as President if needed. 

This year’s candidates are Onella Kulatunga and Remington Zhi. 

Directors: The Think Tank 

Directors sit on the Board of Directors, where they bring diverse perspectives to decision-making. Their primary role is to ensure that the Board’s decisions reflect the needs of the student body. Directors advocate for WUSA’s stances to the university and other organizations, sit on committees, bringing fresh perspectives and contribute to setting WUSA’s strategic direction.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Advocating for WUSA’s stances to university leadership and external bodies. 

• Supporting Board decisions and maintaining their legitimacy. 

• Shaping WUSA’s annual plan and ensuring its successful execution 

This year, there are 11 director positions available, with 21 candidates running, including Nick Aboagye, Ayra Ali, Kashish Arora, and Friday Saleh. 

Senators: The Degree Defenders 

There are eight undergraduate student senators: one for each faculty and two at-large senators who represent students from any faculty. Most senators, including the at-large senators, serve for two years. Senators attend monthly Senate meetings to represent and advocate for student interests on important academic matters. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Appointing the university chancellor. 

• Defining qualifications for degrees and diplomas. 

• Approving faculty appointments and tenure. 

• Conferring honorary degrees and addressing other academic matters. 

This year, Nikolai Jablonka and Rida Sayed are running for the two-year engineering role, while Catherine Dong and Misha Khan are competing for the one-year at-large position. 

The General Meeting: Team Huddle 

At the end of the day, all these roles—president, vice-president, directors, and senators—connect in one big event: the General Meeting. This is where everyone gets on the same page to ensure that student voices are heard and amplified. Consider this event as the ultimate team huddle, where the entire membership, including students, comes together to make big decisions, hold the Board of Directors accountable, and steer WUSA’s direction. But before we get there, there’s one crucial step: you need to vote. The General Meeting is only as strong as the people representing you, so take the time to decide who you trust to advocate for your interests.