Voting begins March 4 at 9:00 a.m. and closes on March 6 at 3:00 p.m.
Photo by Sabina Mendoza-Brown.
Outreach and University Relations
Katie King
Katie King is a second-year history major and is the current director of student affairs. She is running for director of outreach and university relations because, she said, over her last year as director of student affairs, she has become more curious about UVSS policy and lobbying the university, and is concerned about the ongoing state of accommodations for students with disabilities at UVic.
Beyond her current position on the board, King said she also did a lot of work for her student council in high school, and said she ran the majority of her high school’s clubs.
She said she also has experience with social media, having worked with it both in high school and in her current role.
If King is elected, she plans to focus on revamping the UVSS’’s decolonization policy with the help of the Native Students Union, and reviewing both the anti-racism policy and accessibility policy.
As a student with disabilities, King said she also plans to work on ongoing issues relating to UVic’s Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL).
Finally, she emphasized her plan to expand the Board’s social media presence on TikTok, hoping to reach more students.
She said she plans to hear student voices by “incorporating [advocacy groups] into the portfolio, because they represent so many more students than I could ever talk to personally,” as well as through social-media expansion.
King said she is in support of all four referendum questions. “I have officially endorsed all of them,” she said, “I think they’re all very important for students.”
Matthew Allen Curtis
Matthew Allen Curtis is a fifth-year software engineering major. He is running for director of outreach and university relations because he has a vision for the UVSS and the University that, he says, “would make a massive world difference in terms of student life.”
Curtis ran for this same role three years ago. After he did not win, he became president of the Engineering and Computer Science Students Society (ECSS) for eight months, where he is currently the vice-president internal.
Three initiatives Curtis would like to see happen at UVic are properly funding the food bank through a student fee referendum question, creating an at-cost grocery store on campus, and providing more support to course unions and faculty student societies like the ECSS.
“These are things that I see as simple, almost, ideas that could be implemented by anyone,” he told the Martlet.
He feels that more can be done to increase student input in decision-making, such as making it known that the director of outreach and university relations is available to talk and taking the director’s office hours outside their physical offices, to where students can more easily approach them.
Overall, Curtis put the biggest emphasis on the three initiatives he is campaigning on. “These … don’t depend on me winning,” he said, “I want to see them succeed, regardless of the outcome.”
Curtis said he is generally in support of the four referendum questions, specifically the increase to the Clubs and Course Unions fee, as it aligns directly with one of his three initiatives.
Campaigns and Community Relations
Norman Kaminski
Norman Kaminski is a fourth-year student in the Gustavson School of Business. He is running for the director of campaigns and community relations. He told the Martlet in an interview that he sees “affordability” as being the most important issue students face.
Kaminski said he wants to put “students before profits,” and make it easier for students to advocate for the issues that are important to them.
He told the Martlet he has worked for several years in UVic residences, and has also been elected for UVic Senate, where he has campaigned for improvements to the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL). Kaminski said he is also a part of the dining advisory committee, where he is pushing for an initiative to make nutritional information available for all of the food served at The Cove, along with at other campus food establishments.
If elected, Kaminski intends to push for discounted ferry tickets for UVic students, launch an investigation into the university’s usage of administrative expenses, and increase UVSS food bank funding.
He told the Martlet that, after raising food bank fees to $1.50 per student, he would lobby the provincial government and UVic administration to match the amount raised by student fees, and then “hopefully, we’ll have enough funds to create an at-cost grocery store where we serve or sell food for absolutely zero profit, so that students can have all their needs met.”
Kaminski stated that he wants to help students “advocate for the matters that matter most to them,” make sustainable change that will last long after his term.
“I essentially want to … create a toolbox for all students, so that they can receive the funding necessary [and] the education required to navigate the deeply intense bureaucracy, and also find like-minded students who are ready to also enact positive changes toward the university,” he said.
In his platform, he notes a particular intention to provide students with “better advocacy training,” and to work closely with the Society for Students with Disabilities, the Students of Color Collective, the Pride Collective, and the Native Students Union.
Kaminski said he is in support of increasing the Martlet’s fee, on the grounds that “improving access to information is incredibly important, especially for students,” and that he hopes it will lead to more participation from students in future UVic elections.
Gunner Leifsson
Gunner Leifsson is a second-year student, studying chemistry for the medical sciences. He is running for director of campaigns and community relations on a platform centred around collaboration.
In an interview, Leifsson told the Martlet that he wants “to make a change” and his platform states he loves “bringing people together.” He said has experience with running events and campaigns, as well as managing social media platforms.
“My priorities [in the role] would be making sure that what the UVSS is doing is being seen. I want to make sure the media relations are really out there. I want to make sure campaigns are seen as well,” he said, and would also want to ensure that students are active in the UVSS.
He stated that he would prioritize building relationships with first-year students who may not otherwise be aware of all that the UVSS offers to students.
Leifsson said intends to bring his creativity, communication skills, and passion for planning to the director of campaigns and community relations role if elected.
Leifsson’s stance on the four referendum questions is unclear.
Tam Aljundi
Tam Aljundi is a third-year political science student, who aspires to study law after completing his undergrad. In his platform, he said he intends to address issues of housing, access to mental health resources, fee transparency, inclusion, and accessibility for students if elected as director of campaigns and community relations.
According to Aljundi’s platform, he has experience leading advocacy campaigns that have “mobilized youth coalitions across three continents,” coordinating global affairs initiatives that have “[connected] 150+ students to policy action,” and organizing community projects in Victoria “that brought together diverse voices to address local housing and political concerns.”
In an emailed statement, Aljundi said he wants “UVSS to commit to public reporting and genuine student input that shapes decisions,” including “publishing regular updates on campaign goals, timelines, and results would help students see exactly what UVSS is achieving.
He also said he would like to see the UVSS conduct “structured consultations” clubs, course unions, and equity-seeking groups to ensure decisions are informed by student input, and provide clear updates so decision-making feels both more transparent and more participatory.
“Students shouldn’t think decisions are made in closed rooms,” he said.
If elected, Aljundi said in his platform he will help launch a housing database to connect students with “verified landlords and roommates,” “build on UVSS efforts like ReThink Mental Health [and] Housing Now! by partnering with advocacy groups, working with course unions, and establishing monthly town halls for accountability.”
Aljundi said that he would “set up a routine” for ensuring student concerns are heard and represented, such as “open-door time/meetings, listening sessions with course unions and clubs, and short surveys with public results.”
Aljundi said in an emailed statement he supports the Uni 101 and Martlet referendum questions, is “considering voting yes” on the UVSS CPI adjustment question, and “lean[s] yes” on the Clubs and Course Unions question.
Photo by Sabina Mendoza-Brown.
Events
Lainy Harper
Lainy Harper is a third-year history and Slavic studies major. She said she is running for director of events because she has experienced “big issues” as a club exec with previous directors of events related to communications, timeliness, and club complaints.
In her second year, Harper was an executive member of the UVic Tea Parties Club, and said this gave her experience planning and putting on events. In the past year, she has worked in the SUB for catering conferences, which she said has helped her to “get acquainted with the materials that UVic has that aren’t being used.”
If elected, Harper said she plans to prioritize the use of space, mentioning the potential for safe, affordable, and on-campus alternatives to nightlife for students. Specifically, she wants to revitalize Vertigo, which used to be a nightclub.
Additionally, she said she will focus on giving more attention to UVic’s clubs and what they do for the campus community. Harper said that only a fraction of the school’s clubs get shown off on club days, and that she plans to attend different clubs’ meetings and use social media to “properly show off what they do.”
Harper also proposes a Free Textbook Trade event, in which students can exchange textbooks for their upcoming courses at the start of each semester.
She also said that, as director of events, she would be much more responsive to students and clubs, ensuring that she is available when needed.
She said she is in support of the UVSS CPI Adjustment referendum question, and said she is in favour of contributing more money to clubs and course unions, but her position on the others questions is unclear.
“The more money that we put into the UVSS is the more money that we can give back to students, and put into events that are cost-cutting for students.”
Evangeline Kaye
Evangeline Kaye is a first-year fine arts student, hoping to declare a major in theatre and/or writing. She said she is running for director of events because she believes that some things are missing on the events side of campus, and more could be done to promote community.
“I feel like there’s just so much more space and opportunity for a lot of things to be put on, to be thrown, just to allow the culture on campus to become more connected.”
Kaye has a diploma from the UK in production-making, and said she has worked in events for about four years, which she said has helped her to learn the logistics of putting on and running events.
If elected, Kaye plans to prioritize bringing the diversity of the student body into event-planning. She emphasized the importance of ensuring everyone’s voices are heard, and having a variety of events that cater to everyone.
Kaye also said that she wants to prioritize working with the community outside of UVic to build a connection between the broader community and UVic students.
She said that reaching out to different student groups is a good first step, and, if elected, that she wants to “always have an open door,” so that she can really understand what students want to get out of events.
Kaye said she is generally in support of the four referendum questions, but does not have a strong stance on them.
Kade Leifsson
Kade Leifsson is a second-year student, currently transitioning between the science and business programs. He said he is running for the role of director of events because he enjoys putting on events, and said that he worked to put on events during his time in high school, specifically with sports teams.
A major priority for him is raising campus spirit, which he feels that UVic can sometimes lack, especially during the spring semester. Some ideas listed on his campaign platform include Frosh Fest (both semesters), St. Patricks Day events, a UVic homecoming event, student nights at nightclubs, sports nights, and more.
In addition, Leifsson listed a few events that he believes are important and intends to keep, such as Pancake Breakfast, Hot Lunches, and Puppy Playtime.
Leifsson said that he plans to reach out to many student groups, and he feels that “you don’t hear a lot of the voices of the clubs unless they’re doing events or something around campus.” He said that ideally, he could put on an event for each, or at least as many as possible.
Leifsson’s stance on the four referendum questions is unclear, but he said he’s in favour of raising fees that haven’t been raised “in a while.”
Mohan Selvarajan
Mohan Selvarajan is a fourth-year computer science and business major. He said he is running for director of events because he feels that there are a lot of things missing in the events side of campus, and he would like to fill that gap.
Selvarajan is the president of the entrepreneurship club at UVic, and has run his own window-cleaning business since 2024. This experience, he said, will help him with budgets, logistics, planning, permits, and more.
He has three major priorities to put in place if elected. First, he plans to put on bigger flagship events like the Students of Colour Collective (SOCC)’s Global Village, a year-end prom event, and a “festival-style” concert event. Second, he wants to plan more everyday events to improve campus life, such as pop-up markets. Finally, he plans to work more with student unions, clubs, and advocacy groups to help them organize their own events.
Selvajaran emphasized that he wants to provide more low-cost and low-pressure options for commuters, international students, and people who don’t drink.
He also said he wants to get student groups more involved in organizing events, assist them in getting funding, and help advertise their events. He is proposing a “mini-grant” system for student-run events, so these events can get “funding, space, and real advertising, not just an Instagram repost.”
“I take [my] work seriously…” he said, “and if people have an idea for an event, I want to try my best to help them make it real.”
He said he is generally in support of the referendum questions, but was unsure about the UVSS CPI adjustment question at the time of the interview.
Finance and Operations
Jayce Kusardi
Jayce Kusardi is a fourth-year statistics major, and says they are running to be the director of finance and operations because the UVSS has been a “fantastic resource” for them, and they want to help the society serve UVic’s student body. They currently serve as the Pride Collective representative on the Board of Directors.
In a statement to the Martlet, Jayce said they want to “increase funding and awareness of the UVSS Food Bank” and “work on the accessibility” of the UVSS’ Health and Dental plan.
“I had help with my coverage from a knowledgeable friend,” Kusardi said, “but everyone should know what they’re paying for and how to utilize their plan.”
“Food Banks BC reports almost 25% of BC suffers from food insecurity, a statistic that has been steadily growing since 2021 when Food Banks BC reported 15%,” Kusardi stated in their candidate platform. “As Director of Finance and Operations I would work with the University and other organizations fighting food insecurity to increase the Food Banks budget so they can better help our community while properly compensating their staff.”
Kusardi said they “strongly support” the referendum questions on raising clubs and course union (CCU) fees and tying yearly UVSS fee levies to the B.C. consumer price index (CPI).
“As the current Pride Collective representative I am very fond of all our advocacy groups and I think this will be a great help to keeping them running for next year’s students,” Kusardi said.
Mariah Luzon
Mariah Luzon is a third-year finance and economics student, and says she is running for director of finance and operations because she wants the UVSS to have “proficient oversight.”
In an emailed statement, Luzon said her “top priorities would be to ensure student fees are effectively distributed to our services like the Food Bank, Health and Dental plan, Peer Support, etc.”
“I recently completed a 12-month contract as a financial coordinator for a local construction company. In this role, I handled procurement for 10+ active projects, worked with our accountant to handle full-cycle accounts payable/receivable, and created a cost-code system for budgeting multi-million dollar developments,” Luzon said.
“If needed, I plan to implement tracking systems similar to those I built professionally for real-time budget oversight for transparency and operational efficiency.”
In her platform, Luzon states that her goal is to have “total fiscal transparency” and to ensure all student fees go towards services that are “thriving and accountable.”
“I will make sure your clubs and course unions have a clear and dependable system regarding our budget systems,” she states in her platform.
Luzon said she supports all four referendum questions. “Inflation affects services and we have to invest in these to keep campus life vibrant. As for the Uni 101 Fee, I support removal because we shouldn’t collect fees for non-existent programs. Financial integrity is the priority,” she said.
Photo by Sabina Mendoza-Brown.
Student Affairs
Mickey McDonald
Mickey McDonald is a third-year geography student, running for director of student affairs. In an interview with the Martlet, they shared that they used to serve on a non-profit board that ran consent-focused events for adults.
Last year, they ran to be the director of events, but realized student affairs allowed for more “boots on the ground” support for people in their communities, they said, enabling students to create their own spaces.
“I spent a lot of time in building community and talking about community building, and I think that community is super important,” said McDonald. “So I think my enthusiasm towards community is going to be really important in helping support the continuation of clubs and course unions.”
“I have three main points [relating to my campaign],” said McDonald. “It is community above all. I want to increase accessibility to funding, to how funding is distributed and acquired…. And I want to improve the Sexualized Violence Prevention Training that is provided to course union and club executives.”
McDonald also wants to improve the system for cheque requisitions. “It should not be [the] directors’ … job to spend the majority of their time each week approving cheque requisitions. The fact that that is the majority of what this portfolio has been doesn’t properly reflect what this portfolio should be.”
“I want to make sure that all clubs get a chance,” said McDonald. “Because I know that some clubs have more funding because more people are interested, and because the people who run the clubs have more capacity.”
McDonald stated that the director of student affairs should have more time to take on advocacy work, support clubs, and develop policy that keeps everyone safe.
McDonald said they support all four proposed referendum questions.
Joseph Diamond Noor
Joseph Diamond Noor is a second-year Business student. In an interview with the Martlet, Noor said he used to be the treasurer of the student union at his former University in Cairo, as well as the Financial Coordinator.
One reason Noor said that he’s running is that he wants to take a more hands-on, direct role on campus that would enable him to listen to students and enact change.
“I want make sure, and as I’ve met more and more and more diverse and beautiful people here, I want to make sure that the space is [more] inclusive, regardless of your religious views, your ethnicity, your sexual orientation, how you identify, regardless of all of that, I want to make sure it’s a safe and welcoming space,” said Noor.
“I’m committed to not only ensuring that all of us … are genuinely listened to, [we’re] supported with real action, accountability for promises, funding, advising, whatever it is, prioritization of our needs, but also ensuring within that scope that the UVSS and the SUB continue to be a safe and welcoming environment.”
Noor said that one of his priorities if elected will be listening to student feedback. “At the end of the day, I’m not in this position to do what I want, I’m there to do what the students want.”
“Because what I want us to do, if I’m elected, is to truly band together as one student body,” said Noor.
Noor said that he supports the Uni 101 and Martlet referendum questions, and only stands behind the CPI adjustment on the condition that the funds are implemented effectively. As for the Clubs & Course union fee increases, he said he supports additional funding for clubs and course unions but wonders if it can be done through rearranging internal finances, rather than increasing the amount collected by students.
Maddy Vanderhooft
Maddy Vanderhooft is a fourth-year political science student. She told the Martlet she found a love for community engagement and program coordination from her time working at a non-profit in Malaysia with UVic’s Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI).
Vanderhooft said she has been inspired to apply her experience to the UVSS.
If elected, Vanderhooft plans to prioritize clear communication between all the different groups, and incorporate feedback from students into the ways that events are run.
“I want to make policies and resources on campus, and through the UVSS, easily accessible for students to connect with … and I want to eliminate any barriers to … understanding the resources that are available,” said Vanderhooft.
She also said that she wants to make the club application process feel less intimidating and as seamless as possible, so that people do not feel left out or discouraged from engaging in organizing.
To hear feedback from students, Vanderhooft plans to work with students by hosting opportunities such as discussion groups and sending out surveys, on top of making herself physically available to hear student concerns.
“I really want to make and plan the CCU days for the fall and spring so that these events are fun, but also meaningful opportunities for students to connect and share their work, and also get involved on campus,” said Vanderhooft.
“I think it’s really important that all students feel like they have the support they need and they’re heard, and that they’re empowered to succeed, whether they’re involved in clubs, or wherever they may fall throughout campus,” she said.
“If I were to be elected, I want people to know that I am an approachable person who really values feedback and working with others to make changes, because I think that’s how change should be made.”
Vanderhooft said she supports all four proposed referendum questions.
International Student Relations
Julia Razok
Julia Razok is a first-year physics and astronomy student from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, running to be the director of international student relations.
In secondary school, she said she was an event planner and the president of the student council. Razok also said she participated in STEM challenges and led groups such as the Model United Nations club at her school and a mock NASA competition, which focused on programming lunar satellites; Razok said she advocated on behalf of their school to join the competition, making it the only one in the Arabian peninsula to participate. Razok has also volunteered as an academic tutor, particularly for students with autism.
If elected, she said her priorities would include creating introductory workshops to help international students with confusion about adjusting to student life. Razok shared her belief in the importance of peer-to-peer connections, and said she is also interested in creating online guides or an Instagram page for students to access.
“Like any other international student, when I stepped on campus, I was confused, I was clueless. I am someone who stepped in these shoes before, and I know what it’s like for any international student to experience any sort of problem.”
The feedback Razok has heard from the student community has concerned a lack of understanding about filing taxes, finding job opportunities, and acquiring study permits.
“I’m ready to help in every single aspect, whether it’s jobs, whether it’s mental health, whether it’s scholarships and financial aid problems,” she said.
Razok said she is currently in favour of all the referendum proposals, but said she is open to discussing them if students feel they are “controversial.”
Felipe Semedo
Felipe Semedo is a second-year political science major originally from Italy, running to be the director of international student relations.
Semedo is one of 10 student senators who were elected to the UVic Senate as of Feb. 19, 2026, in association with the Student Leadership Alliance (SLA). His platform for the Senate election describes him as “passionate about history and global affairs” and “particularly interested in how political systems shape societies.”
Semedo previously campaigned for director of student affairs for the UVSS in 2025 and ran a platform which emphasized “deep commitment to the democratic process.” During this campaign, he told the Martlet that he comes from a family background in politics, and plans to pursue a career in diplomacy.
“Studying political science has given me a clear understanding of representation, advocacy, and how institutions can meaningfully support diverse student needs,” he said in his platform.
“As an international student, I bring a perspective shaped by experiencing different political systems and adapting to a new academic and cultural environment.”
Semedo declined an interview with the Martlet due to scheduling constraints and did not state his position on the four referendum questions.
Cherop Lyoba
Cherop Lyoba is a first year economics student from Kenya, running for the position of director of international student relations.
Lyoba says she has been passionate about advocacy throughout her life, and has been involved in student government before, acting as a lead director at their previous academic institution for almost two years.
“I think it was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done, being able to advocate for almost 400 students of all ages, from little kids around six years old to students who were almost 20 years old.”
Lyoba said she has volunteered with the International Student Centre, Students of Colour Collective, and the Gender Empowerment Centre.
“Having those connections and rapport already will really help me work alongside different groups and organizations already at UVic to be able to deliver on the things I would like to do throughout my tenure.”
Lyoba hopes to prioritize building career networks and connections for international students. Her platform advocates for further integrating international students in decision making.
“I think that oftentimes, international students may feel alienated and fearful to share their thoughts and advocate for themselves,” she said. “That’s why I really am passionate about this role to advocate for those people who can’t advocate for themselves.
“I’m also really passionate about ground-up representation … I’m not going to be the one spearheading things, and I would like the ideas and initiatives to come from the people I’m serving. It’s not for me to come up with what I want, but [to] listen to what the international students want.”
Lyoba hopes to remain in advocacy work beyond their undergraduate degree at UVic.
“I plan to serve international communities specifically, where I would like to maybe work in NGOs or in international institutions to advocate for the betterment of people’s lives. I think the best way to start that is at a campus community.”
Lyoba said she supports all four of the referendum questions.
