Despite well researched and expansive, Popovic's platform does not properly account for the needs of students with dietary restrictions
Jovan Popovic's campaign platform is an extensive one which aims to alleviate food and housing insecurity faced by students, improve the MSU's engagement with students, and improve the experience of commuter students. However, it falls short with its insufficient consideration for students that follow unique diets and it lacks environmentally-mindedness in aiming to make driving more accessible for more students.
Popovic is the current MSU President and is running for re-election. His 2023/2024 campaign discussed enhancing entertainment at sports events, bringing back on-campus homecoming and enhancing student engagement for commuter students. During his presidency, Popovic was able to address some of his campaign points, including increasing MSU clubs budget and improving the Welcome Week experience.
Soup and bread initiatve
Popovic’s proposed soup and bread initiative cannot be faulted for the purity of its intention. Students are undeniably suffering under the strain of rising food costs and one free meal a day, could without a doubt, greatly assist students and reduce financial-related anxiety.
However, Popovic’s campaign platform fails to include mention of how the program would accommodate the diverse student body it would aim to serve. Whether it be for health, religious, or ethical reasons, students possess a diverse array of dietary restrictions, with some not eating all or certain meats, dairy, as well as other specific ingredients. Popovic’s campaign could have demonstrated more care for certain groups of students which do not consume meat and/or diary by considering, in advance, the nutritional adequacy of the vegetarian soup options to be provided.
In an interview with the Silhouette, when Popovic was pressed on this question, he answered that himself and McMaster Students Union Kitchen Manager, Wesley Chaplin, have a vision of having two options of soup, with one being vegetarian, each day. Popovic did not make specific mentions of what the vegetarian option would be and if he had taken into consideration what the vegetarian options should be in order for them to be just as nutritionally fulfilling as the regular option.
In an interview with the Silhouette, when Popovic was pressed on this question, he answered that himself and McMaster Students Union Kitchen Manager, Wesley Chaplin, have a vision of having two options of soup, with one being vegetarian, each day. Popovic did not make specific mentions of what the vegetarian option would be and if he had taken into consideration what the vegetarian options should be in order for them to be just as nutritionally fulfilling as the regular option.
It should be considered that many conventional and cheap plant-based options, such as purely vegetable based soups in this case, may not possess the same level of protein, vitamins and minerals as would the regular option, depending on the ingredients used. Popovic’s proposed soup and bread initiative could be improved by consulting with experts in plant-based cooking and nutrition, as well as vegetarian and vegan students who are better informed on what foods and ingredients are healthiest and most nutritious to consume.
Improving MSU transparency
On the point of improving the MSU’s social media and engagement with the student body, Popovic’s proposal to instate three student social media positions may very well improve the quality and frequency of content produced and posted. However, as admitted by Popovic in an interview, current engagement with students on social media platforms is quite unsatisfactory, as indicated by social media impressions such as likes, comments and views. If students presently do not engage with the MSU’s social media, improving its content will not regain and grow its audience.
Popovic’s aim to improve engagement and student awareness of the MSU and its projects and initiatives is by all means a great one, but his platform does not articulate how his current plan would regain the attention of students. Popovic should consider improving his plan to improve student awareness of the MSU by also engaging in more in-person engagement initiatives, as well as other avenues of interacting with students that beyond social media.
Improved transportation for commuter students
Regarding transportation for commuter students, half of his campaign promises are environmentally and sustainably sound. Expanding transit routes and their frequency is exactly what commuter students need and deserve. One could even expect that expanded routes would make commuting more attractive to more students, perhaps leading to more students opting to live at home and reducing the severity of the student housing crisis. However, Popovic's position on parking services for students are ill-informed in the context of sustainable civil development as well as the current financial situation of many students.
Regarding transportation for commuter students, half of his campaign promises are environmentally and sustainably sound. Expanding transit routes and their frequency is exactly what commuter students need and deserve. . .However, Popovic's position on parking services for students are ill-informed in the context of sustainable civil development as well as the current financial situation of many students.
Driving is expensive, especially for students who are typically young in age and hence are required to pay higher insurance rates than older individuals. With the cost of vehicles, gas, and insurance in mind, utilizing transit is almost always cheaper than driving, especially for students.
Popovic stated in his campaign that data from Metrolinx indicates that 10 percent of McMaster students utilize the GO bus, which amounts to about 3,700 students. Meanwhile, Popovic also states that 1,800 parking transponders have been distributed with an additional 1,000 students waitlisted. Hence, the ability and/or preference for commuter students to take transit as opposed to driving is demonstrated. Additionally, increasing the number of people that utilize public transportation is an impactful way to reduce carbon emissions. By the same token, increasing the number of cars making distant commutes achieves the opposite.
For both environmental reasons and considering for how few students driving is financially feasible, Popovic should not make a part of his platform the intention to further expand the already high volume of parking at McMaster. Popovic would be better to focus his efforts to improve the lives of commuter students by lobbying for expanded routes and increased frequencies of buses.
Overall, with the exception of his aim to make driving to campus more accessible for students, Popovic's campaign promises reflect and align with the important struggles that students presently face. However, Popovic could have improved his campaign by putting more thought into the details of both his proposed soup and bread program and his plan to better engage students with the MSU.
Overall, with the exception of his aim to make driving to campus more accessible for students, Popovic's campaign promises reflect and align with the important struggles that students presently face. However, Popovic could have improved his campaign by putting more thought into the details of both his proposed soup and bread program and his plan to better engage students with the MSU.
Voting for the MSU presidential election takes place from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25 using the Simply Voting platform. More information about the election can be found on the MSU Elections website.
Hu proposes many different ideas to enhance student life around campus but he falls short on the specific details relevant to carrying out his ideas
McMaster Students Union presidential candidate Jialiang (Kevin) Hu's campaign proposes ways to enhance student life and engagement. However, Hu did not account for the financial feasibility of these ideas and he did not consult with the services he directly referenced in his campaign about their ability to participate in his initiatives.
McMaster Students Union presidential candidate Jialiang (Kevin) Hu's campaign proposes ways to enhance student life and engagement. However, Hu did not account for the financial feasibility of these ideas and he did not consult with the services he directly referenced in his campaign about their ability to participate in his initiatives.
Hosting events before, during and after McMaster sports games
One of Hu's primary platforms proposes hosting events leading up to, during and after McMaster University sports games. Hu mentioned serving alcoholic beverages on-campus before the games and hosting a beer garden.
When asked about the feasibility and if this was permissible by current university standards, Hu shared that he consulted with McMaster Hospitality Services and he was informed that with proper staff training, alcohol could be served to students.
The Silhouette reached out to Chris Roberts, director of hospitality services, who shared that although Hu's idea for serving alcohol was discussed, the specific mention of the beer garden as stated on his campaign website was not.
Improvements to MSU food services
In his written platform, Hu discusses improvements to MSU food services. His goal is to amend menus to be more accommodating to dietary restrictions and for menus to serve more authentic cultural food. He also emphasized the importance of low price food options to be accessible to students.
However, Hu does not mention how he will lower food prices while still ensuring adequate pay for MSU food and beverage staff. Hu also does not discuss in his platform whether staff training for his cultural food menu implementation will be paid or unpaid.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Hu explained lowering menu prices would result in greater sales, which should maintain profit for the service. He did not present any research corroborating the likelihood of this outcome nor did he provide a contingency plan if sales do not increase.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Hu explained lowering menu prices would result in greater sales, which should maintain profit for the service. He did not present any research corroborating the likelihood of this outcome nor did he provide a contingency plan if sales do not increase.
Cultural fair
Hu noted in his written platform that he plans to host a cultural fair, which would involve cultural performances and food. Hu shared that La Piazza and Centro would serve cultural dishes and host some of the fair. Hu explained that this idea was suggested on the basis that La Piazza and Centro currently have a number of cultural dishes, with specific restaurants designed to serve them on a rotating basis.
Ultimately, there is a question of feasibility as the space cannot be rented by any other group on campus, including the MSU. This aspect of the event would only be feasible through collaboration with Hospitality Services. Additionally, despite Hu's focus elsewhere in his platform on promoting MSU owned food services, he doesn't seem interested in utilizing these spaces for the cultural fair.
Reorganizing university departments
In the advocacy section of his platform, he proposed moving both McMaster Hospitality Services and Housing and Conferences Services under the department of Student Affairs. Hu explained the reason for this change is in an attempt to save money for his food affordability initiative.
"That is quite a big issue because now [Hospitality Services] are treated by the university as a profit-generating unit. Meaning that the priority is no longer to serve good, healthy, and affordable food to our students. It's more to generate profits for the university," said Hu.
That is quite a big issue because now [Hospitality Services] are treated by the university as a profit-generating unit. Meaning that the priority is no longer to serve good, healthy, and affordable food to our students. It's more to generate profits for the university.
Jialiang (Kevin) Hu, MSU presidential candidate
However, in his interview with the Silhouette, Hu shared that he was unsure if the university would indeed be willing to relocate entire departments, rather specific sections. It is also worth nothing that the MSU is a separately incorporated entity from McMaster University and as such, an MSU President doesn't have the power to restructure the university. The President's portfolio does include lobbying the university to make changes; however, they cannot make the change themselves.
Further, in an email to the Silhouette, Roberts also reaffirmedae45 that such a large department transition is not in the hands of the MSU president.
“We discussed that Hospitality previously reported to student affairs and then shifted to financial affairs back in 2014. There is no plan for the university to move it back to student affairs. This would not be a decision for an MSU President to make. Kevin can raise the question with the university administration, but it is a decision that would not be made easily or one that would ever be done quickly,” said Roberts, in his email to the Silhouette.
When discussing how he plans to finance his proposed initiatives, including a gaming station with expensive equipment, Hu shared in his interview with the Silhouette that whatever does not fall within the MSU or university budget will be funded by sponsorships. Hu explained that other universities are sponsored by companies such as Dell or Apple to make these initiatives feasible. However, Hu fails to offer contingency plans for what would happen if such sponsorships were not secured. It is also worth noting that in 2021, the student representative assembly passed a motion that included the MSU continuing to refrain purchasing from Dell, among other companies, as part of equitable purchasing initiative.
Overall, Kevin Hu’s platform attempts to enrich student life through creative community events. Many of these ideas though have been proven infeasible and his platform would have benefited from further research, discussion with current MSU and McMaster staff as well as discussion of a more secure means of funding.
Voting for the MSU presidential election takes place from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25 using the Simply Voting platform. More information about the election can be found on the MSU Elections website.
