Campaign Platform

If I am elected as Vice President External, there would be a variety of goals and strategies that I will plan to implement during the 2025-2026 position:

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1. Seeking financial support: I am committed to strengthening the Faculty of Arts Student Association (FASA) in terms of pursuing scholarships, applying for grants, and identifying funding sources to expand resources and enhance the association. This can include working with local businesses to propose mutually beneficial sponsorship opportunities within FASA in exchange for funding, reaching out to corporate businesses in doing the same, and applying for external grants by nonprofit foundations or government programs in emphasizing FASA and their mission, goals, and community impact.

2. Establish a strong relationship with Faculty of Arts staff: In terms of building stronger relationships within FASA, I, alongside the president, would communicate and establish stronger connections with professors and staff within the Faculty of Arts in order to not only bolster support, but to also increase participation in regards to FASA related events and projects for this upcoming 2025-2026 position.

3. Establish a strong relationship with Faculty of Arts clubs and associations: One of my main policy priorities is to empower and organize support for clubs and associations in the Faculty of Arts. I intend to do this in multiple ways:

   1. In terms of the previous VP External and their Department Association Policy, I would support this policy in giving FASA a unified voice by reaching out to current clubs/associations in recommendations for department representatives.

   2. I would push for more clubs to become associations within arts departments in order to create better and more cohesive representation within the Faculty of Arts. This can include reaching out, communicating, and establishing strong relationships with clubs that are conducive to departments and giving them the resources and support they need to become an association. I would help them create a simple but comprehensive policy for clubs hoping to become associations with help from the Student Union (SU). 

4. Introduction of a FASA and Faculty of Arts Mentorship Program: Currently, FASA has no mentorship program in the works and with the high number of first-year students within the Faculty of Arts, if elected, I would introduce a FASA mentorship program to help foster better community and connection for first-year students who are in the Faculty of Arts. This would include:

   1. Peer-to-peer undergraduate mentoring by matching first-year students to more experienced and higher-year students for support and mentorship in areas of leadership skills, navigation of their degrees, and introduction to FASA.

   2. I would include department associations and clubs to also facilitate mentorship towards first years, helping them grasp and reach out to the university atmosphere and community. Department associations and clubs could offer mentors, opportunities, and connections to like-minded peers for their first year to be smoother and much more engaging.

   3. Create applications and match-making processes for mentees and mentors for both parties to be comparable to each other to create a smoother process. This can include creating forms, having directors and myself go through applicants matchingin degree format, hobbies, and interests to create a strong program.

5. A more streamlined scholarship process: In order to have more Faculty of Arts students apply and to create a more streamlined and feasible process, I would do the following:

   1. Start the scholarship process earlier, market it around campus and communicate with Faculty of Arts staff frequently in order for more individuals to know about this scholarship and to also create more financial support and make it known to others that FASA is committed to strengthening and supporting students.

   2. In using financial support (in which I would commit to finding grants, sponsorships, and other funding resources), I could increase the scholarship prize amount and better award those for their commitment to the Faculty of Arts and their respective programs whilst overall increasing the FASA budget for the 2025-2026 year.

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Overall, If I am elected for the Vice President External position, I would commit to bolstering FASA in terms of better connection and communication with the Faculty of Arts and its students, commit to the creation of a mentorship program and the department association vision as well as streamlining a better process for scholarships.