Students to vote on three referenda during MSU presidential elections
Along with the approaching McMaster Students Union presidential elections, students will soon vote on three critical referenda that could impact campus life
McMaster students will soon vote on three referenda alongside the McMaster Students Union presidential elections, with the voting period running Jan 28. to 30. Depending on their outcome, these referenda could change the allocation of financial resources within the MSU. These referenda are for the Food Accessibility Initiative, Homecoming and Large Events and funding for Engineers Without Borders.
Food Accessibility Initiative
The Food Accessibility Initiative, proposed by current MSU President Jovan Popovic, seeks to combat food insecurity on campus by delivering a free soup and bread meal program to students. Initially presented in February 2024 with a proposed $5.00 increase to the MSU organizational fee to fund it, the first attempt at the referendum fell short of the quorum of 10 per cent, with voter turnout reaching 9.4%.
The updated proposal now requests a $6.50 increase, adjusted for the Consumer Price Index. If approved, the fee would fund the Soup & Bread Initiative, which would provide free soup and bread for two hours a day, four days a week, throughout the academic year in an effort to increase accessibility to food on campus.
The Food Accessibility Initiative, proposed by MSU President Jovan Popovic, seeks to combat food insecurity on campus . . . The updated proposal now requests a $6.50 increase, adjusted for the Consumer Price Index.
This initiative, modelled after the Loaded Ladle program at Dalhousie University, is projected to serve over 75,000 portions annually. When reintroducing the motion on Nov. 17, 2024, Popovic emphasized that the fee would be mandatory, with no opt-out option, to ensure the program's sustainability and maximize its benefits for students in need.
Kooper Zacharczuk is leading the campaign for the Food Accessibility Initiative. After learning about the proposal from Popovic last year, Zacharczuk became committed to addressing food insecurity. He emphasized the program’s affordability and universal benefit, pointing out that the one-time cost is less than the cost of a regular meal on campus.
Zacharczuk emphasized that supporting the initiative is a straightforward choice, describing it as "common sense" to vote yes. "We're just feeding students in need," said Zacharczuk, stressing that the program’s affordability and potential impact as a free meal service make it a solution to address food insecurity on campus.
Homecoming & Large Events
The referendum on Homecoming and Large Events proposes a $20.00 increase to the MSU organizational fee, also subject to Consumer Price Index adjustments. If approved, the fee is expected to generate over $500,000 in additional revenue annually, which would enable MSU to continue hosting large-scale campus events, such as homecoming which returned to campus in 2024 for the first time since 2019.
The referendum on Homecoming and Large Events proposes a $20 increase to the MSU organizational fee, also subject to Consumer Price Index adjustments.
The MSU aims to use the additional funding to maintain these events while ensuring affordability for students.
If passed, 50 per cent of homecoming tickets will be priced between $10.00 and $20.00, starting in Fall 2025 and continuing through Fall 2027. Popovic noted that the current $43,000 event allocation is insufficient to sustain the growing demand for such events.
McMaster Engineers without Borders
The third referendum concerns Engineers Without Borders' annual fee of $0.44. This fee supports Engineers Without Borders McMaster, which contributes $12,500 annually to EWB Canada's fellowship program. However, concerns over financial accountability have prompted the referendum. A November 2024 Student Representative Assembly review revealed that EWB McMaster's budget lacked clarity and did not include their actual spending from the previous fiscal year.
The third referendum focuses on the Engineers Without Borders' annual fee of $0.44 . . . A recent SRA review revealed that EWB McMaster's budget lacked clarity and did not include their actual spending from the previous fiscal year.
Additionally, funds allocated to the fellowship program are used to support students from other universities if no McMaster students are selected. While EWB representatives assured the SRA that financial oversight issues have been resolved, some members expressed their concerns about fees collected from McMaster students going to fund a fellowship program that does not always accept a McMaster student.
Jialiang (Kevin) Hu, leading the campaign to cancel the fee, emphasized these concerns, pointing out that EWB’s financial oversight issues include losing access to bank accounts and cancelled trips due to organizational restructuring. “This referendum sends a message that students will not tolerate the misuse of their money,” stated Hu to The Silhouette.
He argued that EWB McMaster could continue its activities, such as workshops and team-building events, through alternative funding sources like grants, sponsorships, or support from the McMaster Engineering Society, rather than relying on student fees.
Students will have the opportunity to cast their votes during the 2025 MSU presidential election period, deciding the outcome of these initiatives and their implementation on campus. Voting will occur online via the SimplyVoting platform from Jan. 28 to 30, 2025.