After being elected to the SA Board of Directors on March 4, Sara Grainger is one of three candidates battling for the position of president.
Originally from Barrie, the 21-year-old tourism and travel student may be new to Ottawa, but she is no greenhorn when it comes to student government.
Back in high school and at Georgian College in Barrie, Grainger seized many opportunities to be involved with student council and politics.
“I am just one person, and what I want to see is going to be totally different from what someone else wants to see,” Grainger said. “So really my foundation is going out and talking to students and finding out what they want.”
But Grainger also has ideas and concerns of her own.
“Personally, I am not a huge fan of the way the eText program is run,” she said. “Maybe we can re-evaluate that Vital Source portal and maybe arrange an opt-out.”
One of the biggest issues next year will be adjusting to the U-Pass. Grainger acknowledged the backlash the SA has received – particularly from students who live in residence – but she also knows that it’s impossible to accommodate everyone.
“It’s looking at what we can do, compromising,” Grainger said. “It may not happen right away, but seeing how we can move forward.”
She also wants to encourage students to connect more, especially those who do not live close to the campus.
Her goal is to look into more day-time events, increase face-to-face interaction and get more information from the students using social media, group meetings and classroom visits.
“We have great services, but students are paying for things and they don’t know where their money is going,” Grainger said. “So it’s making sure they know where their money is going and that they get use out of it.”