Meghan Wing: Academic & University Affairs
Why are you running for the academic and university affairs commissioner position?
I’ve made it my mission throughout the past three years to get involved with various student council initiatives…Through that, I have learned the conversations that take place, and the language that’s used, and the outlets that serve to help students and allow students to give their opinion when making decisions…I’d love to continue those conversations and make some cool things happen.
You are the only candidate who is not studying an art or humanity—you’re studying a science. Do you think that being part of the College of Biological Science and being part of the science aspect of the university hinders you in any way?
I wouldn’t use the word hinder…I think that it provides an opportunity for growth, in the sense that I know, fundamentally, how curriculum processing works, and I know that that’s applicable to multiple colleges…I know how certain students feel about [science] courses, but I wouldn’t know how a student would feel about their courses…I think that’s going to be a huge thing for me…having that constant communication…I haven’t exactly figured out how that’s going to happen yet.
What are some of the issues that you’ve noticed that are affecting students in regards to your particular portfolio?
My whole platform is wrapped around the smaller things that are still significant that will help students a lot throughout their academic journeys at the university. For example, the library…I personally believe that our library can increase its accessibility a lot to students…I would love to do anything that I can to make that easier for them, and make it easier for them to succeed.
What other on-campus student organizations or other on-campus organizations, are you apart of?
I’m on the [CSA] board of directors right now, as the alternate appointed member for the CBSSC…I’m also part of the Biomedical Science Student Association…I have been a LINK partner in the past.
How do you feel that you would reach students as their academic and university affairs commissioner?
A big part of my platform is having conversations…I think there are a bunch of great ways to engage students, as long as we are being respectful of their time…Things like focus groups are highly used in research and have proven to be highly effective…I would also love to collaborate with the communications and corporate affairs commissioner to see any ideas.
How do you feel that students should get involved with their CSA and with their on-campus student governments?
The CSA has a bunch of part-time staff [positions]…There are still a bunch of at-large director positions on the board of governors that haven’t been filled…A lot of our services have volunteer positions as well, in addition to paid positions.
Would you like to speak to the lack of individuals who ran for the local affairs commissioner position?
To be honest, I was completely shocked that there was not a candidate for that position…I learned how important the CSA was this year…I think what I would like to focus on is just outreach in the fall for bi-elections, and making sure that students are aware of the cool things that they can do by taking on an executive commissioner position…I was definitely very surprised to see that there was no one running for that position.
What do you feel is the role of the CSA at the University of Guelph?
I do truly believe that the CSA is a great opportunity for students who wouldn’t normally have a voice to come and have a voice…the CSA also holds a lot of potential in the sense that they sit on a lot of these decision-making bodies that are responsible for making a lot of decisions for pretty much the majority of the undergraduate students. In there lies a lot of opportunity and a lot of potential to do some really great things for students.
How do you plan on working with The Ontarion as the CSA’s academic affairs commissioner?
I’m a big believer in transparency…I think there’s a really great opportunity for a working relationship between The Ontarion and the CSA, to promote things that we’re doing and things that are happening around campus as well…I don’t think I’ve ever seen it happen…I think that collaboration is possible with a lot of different things, and so I would love to collaborate with The Ontarion next year.
Final statement from Meghan Wing:
I just really want to hear what students think about the decisions that are being made around them on campus…A huge thing for me is just that I’m not afraid to put in however much time it takes to ensure that student perspective…I have the professional experience to get things done, but I want to know what you want to get done because you’re the students here.