Simon Mills’ MSU presidential platform aims to create a more connected, inclusive and supportive McMaster community
Simon Mills, a candidate for the 2025 McMaster Students Union presidential election, is running with goals of strengthening and building McMaster's student community, improving student life and addressing issues such as mental health support, athletics and student rights.
Mills, who has worked at TwelvEighty Bar and Grill for several years, has a platform focusing on five core pillars, which are student life, athletic events and support, club engagement and on-campus well-being and safety.
Mills' vision for student life at McMaster involves revitalizing popular campus events and spaces. His platform mentions enhancing Light Up the Night, an annual campus event, by bringing in more "dynamic and engaging" performers, improving crowd management and expanding food truck offerings.
Mills also expresses a desire to revitalize TwelvEighty and Union Market, suggesting that they are underutilized spaces on campus. He plans to introduce consistent student events like karaoke, trivia and live music at TwelvEighty and stock Union Market with healthier food options and improve its look with student art.
Mills platform proposes adding additional elements to Homecoming, such as interfaculty games prior to the main football game and beer gardens. He also proposes a four day long "MSU Cup" event, which he describes as being like a "faculty olympics," as students would compete in various sports representing their faculties.
In an effort to boost student engagement with athletics, Mills wants to create more exciting game-day experiences. He wants to introduce giveaways, raffles and tailgating to attract more to sports events. Proposing to collaborate with Athletics and Recreation, he hopes to make game days more engaging with "interactive fan zones" and celebrations for important events.
Mills is also advocating for better support for student-athletes. He proposes organizing opportunities for current student-athletes to network and learn from alumni who were student-athletes. Mills also proposes organizing academic support for athletes specifically, including tutoring and study sessions and workshops to help them balance their schedules.
Mills believes that clubs play a crucial role in student life. He proposes creating a "Club Vision Program," a matchmaking tool to help students connect with clubs that align with their interests. He also calls for more frequent club fairs, two to three per year, to ensure students have ample opportunities to engage with clubs beyond the first semester.
Mills states he wants to streamline the event planning process and simplify the event health and safety approval process, ensuring clubs can organize events more efficiently. Additionally, he indicates in his platform that he wishes to collaborate with Bounce to better the ticketing system for club events.
Mills platform iterates the importance of safety and well-being for students, particularly in terms of mental health and physical safety. His platform calls for more advocacy for increased mental health resources on campus to reduce wait times for appointments with the Student Wellness Centre. He also wants to advocate for better lighting in parking lots and pathways, increased funding and new equipment for the student-run Emergency First Response Team and additional emergency call stations.
Additionally, Mills wants to advocate for online information on parking availability and shuttle bus trackers to make commuting easier for students.
Mills' platform proposes advocating for students on the issues of housing and parking enforcement. He plans to advocate for the permanent implementation of Hamilton's Rental Housing Licensing Pilot Program to increase the quality of rental conditions for students. Mills also wants to advocate against what he claims to be "predatory" and disproportionate parking enforcement in the areas near McMaster.
Mills platform also mentions creating a new service that would be called the "Academic Integrity Guardians," whose role would be to support students accused of inappropriately using AI in their course work.
Mills additionally proposes collaborating with McMaster Library services to enhance library study spaces by increasing the number of power outlets and desktop monitor accessibility.
Finally, he also plans to collaborate with Hamilton Bike Share to establish more bike rack areas outside of and near the university with high numbers of students.
Simon Mills' platform focuses on enhancing student life, supporting athletes, improving campus safety, and advocating for better housing and parking policies.
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.
Amir Shirazi named athlete of the week for his outstanding performance against Brock Badgers
The men's soccer forward for McMaster University, Amir Shirazi, was selected athlete of the week following his strong performance on September 1st. Following a difficult 2 to 0 setback to the York Lions on Friday, Shirazi was a major factor in McMaster's 2 to 0 victory against the Brock Badgers on the night of Sunday Sep. 8 at 8:15pm, securing the Marauder's first victory of the season by scoring both of of the two goals.
When asked about the honor, Shirazi replied with humbleness. "It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better," said Shirazi
It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Between the two games, Shirazi played for 173 minutes, showing his stamina and determination. It can be exhausting to play back-to-back games, but Shirazi explained how he remains prepared. “Last year, I played a lot of minutes during doubleheaders, so I knew what to expect. It’s about preparing well, resting after the first game, and getting mentally ready for the next one,” said Shirazi.
While describing how he scored the first goal, Shirazi mentioned that it was a tactic he had already practiced with teammate Carlos Spiro. “Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming,” said Shirazi.
Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Shirazi received a free kick which led to his second goal. “In the game against York, I had a free kick from the same spot, but it hit the post. So, when I got the same chance against Brock and scored, it felt really good,” said Shirazi.
Although the team was frustrated by the outcome against York prior to facing the Brock Badgers, Shirazi clarified that they saw it as a teaching moment. “We made mistakes in the first half, but we created a lot of chances. We just couldn’t finish them. We took what we learned from that game and brought it into the next one, and we got the win,” said Shirazi.
In addition, Shirazi attributed his success to his colleagues. “The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort,” said Shirazi.
The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Despite his achievement this past game, Shirazi is more focused on the group's future performance than on individual awards. “Every year, we aim to win the OUAs and qualify for nationals. That’s still my goal. I just want to help the team finish in the top two and do well in the playoffs. My job as a striker is to score goals, and I’ll keep doing that to help the team win,” said Shirazi.
As the Marauder's continue their season, Shirazi will be a key player to watch as the team pushes for a strong finish in the OUA standings.
The McMaster Athletics and Recreation department organizes in- game events to highlight the importance of Black History Month
Observance of Black History Month holds great significance globally, and in Canada, it is observed in February to pay tribute to the contributions of Black communities across the country. This celebration presents a unique opportunity for people to acquaint themselves with captivating stories accounts of Black history.
Albeit the thorough controversies surrounding the university and their treatment of Black athletes over the years, McMaster University sports community took time this month to reflect and uplift the Black voices and stories. The Athletics and Recreation department organized a range of events such as in-game occasions to celebrate the month and to honor its Black athletes across all sports.
On Feb. 1st, the Marauders cited that “With a focus on Black Excellence: Maintaining the Momentum, McMaster will kick off the month with a day-long Black Expo in the Student Centre atrium”.
At the beginning of the month, it was announced that there would be a couple Black History Month games across the department, with various varsity teams participating. The objective of these games would be to promote the cause and provide McMaster clubs with the opportunity to host booths during half time intervals. On Friday, Feb. 3, the men's and women’s volleyball teams started off the first two games for the event.
In an impressive display of athleticism, the men's volleyball team dominated their opponents, the Royal Military College Paladins, with a resounding victory of three sets to none (25-16, 25-8, 25-6). This win added to their already impeccable record of 15 consecutive OUA wins at the time.
The women's volleyball team also shone in their game against the same opponents, achieving another sweep to cap off the first two games of the Black History Month event. Both teams showcased their strength and skill, leaving fans in awe of their performance.
For the second set of games, the maroon colors were defended with pride by the men's and women's basketball teams as they took on the Waterloo Warriors. The men's team proved their mettle on Feb. 17 with a decisive 83-64 win, further solidifying their position in the OUA table.
The women's team followed suit with an impressive 81-61 victory, concluding the highly successful Black History Month games that took place on campus. Fans were excited by the teams' displays of skill and teamwork and the university community rejoiced in the celebration of Black excellence and culture.
In addition to the games taking place, the Athletics and Recreation department partnered up with the Black Student Athlete Council to create space for various clubs such as Mac Africans, Black Space, MACaws to host stands at the game settings and promote the event.
Just like every other year, the McMaster athletic community did not miss out on the chance to honor Black athletes and their accomplishments throughout the campus. In addition to publicizing the observance and paying tribute to the athletes, the Athletics and Recreation Department enticed the student community to the events around campus by hosting four different Black History Month games, whilst providing an opportunity for different clubs to take part in the initiative with their booths at the games.
After the scandalous controversies that were surrounding the sports scene at McMaster with allegations of racism among other problems, this is the least that the Marauders can do for their Black students in their path to corrective action.
Deja Vu hits as the basketball team joins the football team as the second McMaster victims to forfeiture
It’s official, the men’s basketball 101-56 blowout win against the Algoma Thunderbirds from Jan. 21 has been overturned as punishment due to the appearance of an ineligible player in the matchup. Their Jan. 18 game against the Brock Badgers also featured the ineligible player, but as a game that was already lost, the result will remain as is.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
This story may sound familiar to some after the department released a similar statement about the football team this past September, who also forfeited two games due to an ineligible player, though with a different ineligibility violation, before narrowly missing the playoffs.
The basketball team was in the midst of a hot streak, having won eight of their last nine. Following the forfeiture of their biggest win of the year and a one point loss to the Windsor Lancers on Saturday night the team has fallen into a slide, losing three of their last five. On the season they now hold a record of 10 wins and eight losses.
