MSU presidential candidate platform critique: Simon Mills

Simon Mills' presidential student-engagement-oriented platform raises some concerns about financial and logistical feasibility

Simon Mills, a candidate for the 2025 McMaster Students Union presidential election, has a platform focused on enhancing student events, supporting students, addressing affordability and various advocacy issues. However, aspects of his platform could benefit from additional clarity, structure and insight.

Funding

Mills shared with the Silhouette that his proposals for Light Up the Night, his proposed "MSU Cup," and integrating more campus-wide events depend on the upcoming referendum vote on Homecoming and Large Events to increase student fees by $20.00. Considering this, these points of his platform rely on the passing of a referendum, which has yet to be determined one way or another.

Mills claimed that the $20.00 fee increase for Homecoming would secure funding for the next five years. He also suggested that the MSU has the option of generating revenue through corporate sponsorships, for example, with Tim Hortons. However, he did not clarify how this partnership would be structured or outline a plan to generally increase advertising efforts. "We could potentially get Tim Hortons in here to advertise,” said Mills.

Mills himself acknowledged that the financial model for many of his proposals is still unclear. “I don’t know exactly the current financial state of everything,” said Mills. Recognizing this uncertainty of his own campaign points, his platform could benefit from greater consultation with the MSU accounting department or Vice-President (Finance).

Mills' proposal to revitalize TwelvEighty by creating a more social and vibrant space with events like karaoke and trivia nights aims to encourage students to gather. However, this idea could also benefit from further details on funding and sustainability. Mills suggested that student volunteers could help revamp Union Market by painting murals, which he argued would be a cost-effective way to add vibrancy.

Services

Mills' platform also focused on mental health support. He has promised to advocate for reducing the current wait times for non-life-threatening issues, which can range from two to three weeks. While Mills’ goal of advocacy for mental health is commendable, his approach to addressing the wait times lacks specific, actionable details.

Sean Van Koughnett, Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs, provided important context about the limitations of increasing staff. He mentioned that while McMaster has more mental health professionals than the surrounding community, "Increasing the number of mental health professionals requires fee increases beyond CPI adjustments, which must be approved by the Student Services Advisory Committee and the SRA," stated Van Koughnett.

Mills also raised concerns about the feasibility of peer support services, claiming past failures where volunteers were not properly trained to handle critical situations. His approach seems to be centred on professional staff rather than student volunteers. While his concern is valid, additional clarity on how he would collaborate with the university to secure the necessary funds for this initiative would strengthen his platform.

In his platform, he also mentioned his hope to work with library staff to increase the number of electrical power outlets and optimize study spaces. Lynne Serviss, Associate University Librarian, shared her insights on this in an email to the Silhouette,

"While the library cannot add additional outlets, we can work on optimizing access to the existing ones. The Libraries are willing to collaborate with Simon to explore ways to enhance easy access to chargers and electrical outlets," stated Serviss.

Club and Events

Mills also suggested that his proposed "MSU Cup," a team competition sorted by faculty, and smaller events like scavenger hunts could be held as a new annual event.

Keenan Jeppesen, the Athletics and Recreation Director, supported Mills' vision, noting that tailgating and giveaways at sporting events could generate excitement. However, he also cautioned, "Logistically, implementing such programs would require careful coordination with teams, facilities, and schedules," stated Jeppesen. This highlights the need for more strategic planning to ensure inclusivity and participation in campus events.

Mills acknowledged the challenge of engaging commuter students, who often feel disconnected from campus life. He suggested that supporting increased club involvement could help bridge this gap, providing commuters with a sense of community.

Mills proposed a new "Club Vision Program," a matchmaking questionnaire that pairs students with clubs that align with their interests, cultural and religious identities, or other preferences. It would serve as a tool to increase club membership numbers. Rene Hares, MSU club admin, stated that a program can be implemented after internal discussion and financial budgeting.

This approach also raises concerns about streamlining communication between clubs. Mills suggested increasing the use of Bounce and providing increased training for clubs.

Despite this being central to his goal, Mills did not fully provide details on how club events could be tailored to the unique needs of commuters or made more accessible for students who face logistical challenges attending after-hours events. For example, event times could be adjusted, and virtual participation options could be offered. Additionally, addressing transportation or parking challenges might also improve accessibility to club events for commuter students.

Simon Mills’ campaign for MSU President offers a passionate vision for McMaster’s student life. Mills' proposals have potential, though he has done little to clarify how we would approach logistical and financial considerations. Mill's platform could overall benefit from better addressing these considerations and collaborating more with key experts who would be involved in his proposal implementations.