EWB is officially heading back to referendum following concerns over budget transparency and financial oversight
The McMaster Students Union Student Representative Assembly voted unanimously on Nov. 17, 2024, to send Engineers Without Borders McMaster to referendum after citing significant concerns about the organization’s financial practices and operational oversight under Bylaw 9. The vote is set to coincide with the 2024-2025 presidential election.
A memorandum from the Associate Vice-President of Academic Planning and Finance Maheera Choudhury on Nov. 3, 2024, outlined concerns about EWB's operations.
Key issues included the lack of guaranteed benefits for McMaster students despite a $12,500 contribution to Engineers Without Borders Canada’s fellowship program, which selects fellows from universities across Canada. EWB also faced a four-month delay in accessing its bank accounts, raising questions about financial oversight.
Each McMaster undergraduate student currently pays $0.41 into the group.
Each McMaster undergraduate student currently pays $0.41 into the group.
The committee noted that the group did not provide accurate financial figures for 2022-2023 and failed to present a concrete plan for reallocating funds previously reserved for the now-paused fellowship program. EWB was also sent to referendum that year, facing similar concerns of financial oversights.
At an SRA meeting on Nov. 3, 2024, EWB Co-Presidents Elizabeth Yorke and Gopal Uppalapati presented their budget plans for 2024-2025 in compliance with Bylaw 9.
In the meeting, Yorke claimed that the fellowship program had been paused due to restructuring at EWB Canada. To address the gap, the co-presidents proposed alternative uses for the budget, including charity events, case competitions, local field trips and sustainability workshops. The presentation lacked a cohesive budget plan.
At the Nov. 17, 2024, SRA meeting, Declan Sweeney, McMaster Students Union vice-president (finance), emphasized the finance committee’s stance that EWB had failed to meet key criteria for financial transparency, responsibility, and adherence to its mandate. Sweeney reiterated concerns raised in a Nov. 8, 2024 letter and urged SRA members to prioritize accountability for student groups funded through Bylaw 9.
During the meeting, MSU President
“The biggest thing the SRA has to hold these Bylaw 9 groups accountable [for] is whether or not they’re sticking to the mandate, looking at financial transparency and financial responsibility,” said Popovic.
Finance Committee member Kevin Hu described EWB’s operations as a “misuse of student funding,” while SRA representative Zachary McKay voiced the group’s lack of a clear spending plan for the current or upcoming fiscal years.
The unanimous vote sends EWB to referendum during the MSU presidential campaign voting period. Students will vote on whether to maintain EWB’s student fee or cut funding in January 2025.
This is an ongoing story.
Do you think McMaster is haunted? 👻
McMaster University is a site rich in history and — according to some — paranormal activity. From eerie sounds in empty offices to strange presences in isolated corridors, staff and students alike have reported unsettling encounters over the years.
It does; however, make sense given that McMaster University opened in 1930, and has been home to hundreds of thousands of students, faculty and staff since it’s move from Toronto.
Over the last few years, a team of investigators from The Silhouette, McMaster Students Union, Beyond The Veil and The Ghost Walks, set out to explore these haunting tales, using tools like the Ghost Meter Pro and Ouija board to see if they could communicate with the campus’s spectral inhabitants. This article provides a short look at each stop on their ghost tour, along with the results of their chilling encounters.
The Tools Of The Trade: Ghost Meter Pro and Ouija Board
I always like to preface these ghost investigations with this: I’m honestly not entirely sure if these tools work. The ghost meter pro looks like a toy and the Ouija board was a board game made by Parker Bros.
With that being said, I also believe in respect for what we did. I feel that if you respect the tools, then maybe they work? There’s a lot of spiritual belief that the Ouija board opens up gateways to hell and invites the devil himself into your home. I feel like that has to come from SOMEWHERE. So, respect the tools and hopefully the devil doesn’t commit a break and enter.
Before diving into each location, it’s worth explaining the tools that served as the backbone of the investigation.
The Ghost Meter Pro is an EMF (electromagnetic field) detector that paranormal investigators often use to sense changes in the environment. Everything casts an electromagnetic field, which can sometimes be hard as your phone could set the sensor off. But, think about Ghostbusters’ PKE Meter. As Egon Spengler walks around, the arms raise when a ghost is near by. Similar idea, except it’s a meter, that will go off. Now, this particular model has a unique feature that allows users to ask yes-or-no questions. One tick for yes, or two ticks for no. Again, I’m not sure what the validity is, but I’ve seen multiple ghost meters sync up to the same question and have also seen them go off as soon as you finish answering. I’ve done some testing and with the belief that it works, HOLY SMOKES is it a cool tool.
The Ouija board, on the other hand, is a classic tool used to connect with spirits. Participants place their fingers on a planchette, which moves between letters, numbers, and “yes” or “no” to spell out messages supposedly from beyond. The idea here is that the ghost is able to use your energy to help guide you to the answer. Of course there is the thought that somebody is moving the planchette themselves, but again, just believe for a second that everybody is doing what they’re supposed to. When that planchette starts spelling our answers, boy is it spooky.
Another “tool” that we had at our disposal was a psychic. No, she didn’t have a crystal ball, but she did have a lot of feelings that night about who could have been in the space with us. She also felt that some of us were a little more “tuned in” to the spiritual than we thought we were.
I’m going to emphasize one more time, dear reader. The tools could 100% be baloney, like you’re thinking. However, consider for just a second, the possibility that these tools actually do work. Consider that our society is so rooted on the idea that ghosts don’t exist that we don’t even allow ourselves for a second to believe in this idea of something otherworldly being possible. Then what? Where do we go from there? You investigate campus with those tools and see what you come up!
The Silhouette Office (MUSC B110): A Lingering Presence
The Silhouette Office is the home to our team. Featuring a large space that acts as our news room, one small office used by our fearless Editor-in-Chief, a kitchen space and my office, it became our home in the early 2000s when the McMaster University Student Centre was opened.
Now you’d assume, “wow, a brand new office, that couldn’t be haunted at all!”. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Typically a lively and welcoming space during the day, takes on an unsettling stillness after hours. Staff members have reported feeling watched and often catch glimpses of shadowy figures out of the corner of their eyes. Some describe the sensation of never being truly alone, even when the office is empty. Honestly, it can be pretty freaky sometimes. I’ve called the SIL office a second-home since I started working at the paper in 2018 and LET ME TELL YOU, I’ve had some weird feelings in there, even when other people are with me. That’s why it made sense to start our investigation here.
During the investigation, the team used the Ghost Meter Pro to reach out to any entities that might be present. The device seemed to respond, indicating the presence of a spirit who, intriguingly, was not a former McMaster student but someone who had nevertheless died on campus. According to the psychic present, the energy felt like that of an older gentleman who had perhaps wandered the campus grounds before passing away. This figure, the psychic noted, seemed to roam the SIL Office, as if attached to the place in some inexplicable way.
The experiences in the SIL Office left the team with more questions than answers, but one thing was clear: something—or someone—was lingering there, watching from the shadows.
MSU Office (MUSC 201): The Footsteps Of A Trickster
The McMaster Students Union Office, located on the second floor of MUSC has a similar history to the SIL office. It was opened in the early 2000s when the MSU moved from Hamilton Hall to MUSC.
Again, why would there be any activity in a brand new building? While we couldn’t tell you that, what we can tell you is there is definitely something lurking around the cubicles of the McMaster Students Union.
Years of Board members and staff have told us about the strange noises heard. Footsteps echo through empty hallways, even sometimes heard on the ceiling. Doesn’t matter if it’s 10 p.m. at night or 11:30 a.m. in the afternoon.
If that doesn’t make it worse, I’ve even heard the strangest noise of my life in there. I was alone in one of the offices with a former vice-president (education). Everyone else had gone home for the night. It was about 11 p.m., two weeks after our initial ghost investigation and we both suddenly started feeling uneasy. The entire night, I kept hearing foot steps in the hallway and at one point out of the corner of my eye, saw what looked to be the shadowy face of a man staring into the window of the office.
Needless to say, we packed up our belongings but as a final farewell, we heard the loudest noise we possibly could have in the office. Keep in mind, the office is fully carpeted. So how could we hear what sounded like a 200 pound table, being dragged on a hard surface, coming from the far end of the office.
I bolted out of there, hearing from the distance “Andrew, don’t leave me behind!”. The voice? The VP I was with, who I forgot as I was running in fear.
The team decided to hold a Ouija board session in the MSU Office’s boardroom, hoping to contact the spirit responsible for these disturbances. What came through was something altogether unexpected—a trickster spirit. The trickster told us that it perished in a fire and was never a student. It also told us that it’s birth date pre-dated McMaster’s time in Hamilton. It wasn’t until the psychic told us that she felt like the spirit was trying to deceive us, that we realized it was a trickster.
To be frank, everything made sense after that though. The entity seemed to enjoy causing minor chaos, playing pranks on office members,and generally making its presence known in mischievous ways. This playful spirit wasn’t malicious but left the team with an eerie feeling, as though it were watching and waiting to cause its next bit of trouble.
As we left the MSU Office, the team couldn’t shake the sense that the trickster spirit was following us, perhaps enjoying their reactions to its antics.
University Hall: Secrets of the Basement
Perhaps one of our most anticipated buildings to investigate on campus, University Hall.
This was one of the original buildings that opened in 1930 when McMaster moved from the University of Toronto campus. Since then, it has been the iconic building that Mac uses on all of it’s imagery. It is truly a beautiful part of our campus.
But what happens when all the students go home for the night? On the evening of our investigation, it was particularly eerie out. There was a haze surrounding campus, which prompted me to say “why does this building look so daunting at night” *cue Ghostbusters theme*.
If you are familiar with the layout of the building, there is a pretty creepy basement with what looks to be a safe (B137). That’s where we wanted to investigate.
Legitimately, as soon as we got there, we started hearing knocking on the other side of the door. Naturally, we pull out the Ghost Meter Pro and start asking questions. We figure out that whomever this entity was, wanted to talk with us in more detail via the Ouija board, so we pull it out and separate into two teams. We assume that it is not being used as a custodial closet, but the mystery of who truly was on the other side still makes us wonder.
The team made contact with a spirit that claimed to have committed a murder—specifically, the spirit confessed to killing its own mother and expressed lingering guilt over the act. The heavy nature of the message left the investigators visibly shaken, and they sensed an unspoken pain from this lingering presence.
What was interesting was that through my own research, I had learned of a professor who was murdered in one of the campus buildings in the 70s. I would later find thanks to some old forum posts, that it wasn’t in University Hall, but it makes you wonder, could that still have been the spirit of the son, returning to campus to atone for his crimes?
While that team was doing the Ouija board, I felt the strong urge to walk down the hallway to where the tutorial rooms/offices are. The psychic and I caught a whiff of a strong floral-scented perfume wafting from an empty office. The faint, floral scent seemed entirely out of place, almost as though someone had passed by moments before. But upon closer inspection, they found the classroom completely vacant.
Was it the spirits of the prof and her son, trying to have their stories be told?
The Refectory: A Familial Connection
During our first investigation, we were walking in front of Bridges and got stopped when the Ghost Meter went off. It felt like there was a lot of spirits in that area that wanted to chat, but we didn’t have enough time that night. It was important for us to come back and further explore this.
Bridges was in the old Refectory building that opened up in 1930. For those who have been to the Phoenix, you would have noticed the arched ceilings, similar to that of a Viking longboat house. The Refectory was actually the original food hall for the “boys” and “girls” of McMaster when it opened.
Bridges; however, was a student-run campus bar called the Rathskeller, also known as the Rat, which closed when MUSC opened and was replaced by Quarters (now TwelvEighty).
While Bridges used to be a vegetarian restaurant, that too has now closed and is now a rentable space through MSU Clubs.
Given it’s one of the original buildings, we thought there was probably someone who wanted to talk to us in that building, but to our surprise, it was somebody far closer to our group.
We sat down on the main floor of Bridges (the sub-basement) and proceeded with a Ouija board session.
To our surprise, the spirit coming through told us that it was connected to the psychic, who was also on the board with us. After more questions, she unveiled herself as the psychic’s grandmother. The session lasted almost 45 minutes with the Ouija board spelling out intimate details about the psychic’s life, things only her grandmother could know.
Although this wasn’t the intended purpose of the investigation at the Old Refectory building, the deeply personal encounter left the psychic with a profound sense of comfort. It seemed that sometimes, the Ouija board reveals more than just spirits who are haunting a space; but can serve as a bridge between loved ones across realms.
This idea was actually the primary reason behind Victorian seances, so it was quite interesting that we were able to hearken back to an older time.
Cootes Paradise (Behind Bates) A Murder Mystery:
At some point or another, we’ve all ventured into Cootes Paradise. For some, it was to go on a short hike within the protected nature reserve. For others, maybe it was to partake in some partying during their year living on residence. But for us, Cootes is steeped in a dark past.
In 1994, Bates Residence was used a graduate student residence on campus. However, on one fateful evening, a Kinesiology graduate student was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend. The tragedy rocked the McMaster community.
With this history in mind, we knew we wanted to investigate Cootes to see if the spirit of student was still on-campus.
We first arrived to Cootes with a ghost meter pro. It immediately connected to a spirit who claimed to be the student. Heartbreak filled the air, I can’t really describe it beyond that. It geniuenly felt like we were talking to someone who tragically met their end.
After a little more conversation, she told us she wanted to talk through the Ouija board to tell us more in-depth answers.
So, we got a small team together and stood around the board. Immediately, we connected to something powerful. This did not feel like the student. No, this was something worse. It felt evil. The feeling was in the air and we felt like something was staring us down from the darkness of Cootes.
This spirit tried to scare us away both during the investigation and after. It even pulled the hair of one of the VPs who was with us (the same one who I left running from the MSU office). As we were leaving the area to walk back to MUSC, the ghost meter kept connecting to someone. When we pressed for questions, it kept saying it was the spirit in the forest and it was attached to the two of us. We believe it tried to follow us home. After the first ghost investigation, We were walking back to my house around 3 a.m. (the witching hour) and heard the crunching of leaves behind us. I stopped in my tracks at one point, only for the VP to say “yeah, I heard that too”.
This entity felt so evil, so negative . . . that we decided to return to Cootes during our second ghost investigation.
I won’t lie, I was pissed this time. I didn’t want anything trying to follow me home and I surely didn’t want anyone on our team to get hurt.
This time, we had some new tools to use. If you know anything about ghost hunting, you would have come across the spirit box at some point. This device is a small radio that quickly scans through channels on the AM/FM band. The theory is that the spirits can stop this scanning and land on specific words to answer questions. Now, obviously this could be tainted by contextual clues (hearing what you want to hear), so there is a way to ensure this doesn’t happen.
The Estes method allows one investigator to listen to the spirit box through noise-cancelling headphones with a blindfold, while others ask questions. The investigator with the blindfold cannot hear or see the others, thus not succumbing to any bias.
Well, we tried it.
One of the investigators heard what sounded like two voices talking over each other. A man and a woman. Were these the voices of the student and whomever tried to scare us off last time?
To end our session at Cootes, we used the Ouija board one final time. You can watch this in the final part of our ghost investigation, but the spirit literally told us to “run”.
Whatever is out there, it doesn’t like us that’s for sure. It seems to “dominate” Cootes Paradise and we hope that the others who have remained in the forest find peace away from this evil spirit.
Conclusion: An Unforgettable Night
The ghost investigation at McMaster University left the team with a mix of emotions. From playful spirits to lingering presences with dark pasts, the campus revealed itself as a complex tapestry of paranormal activity. Each location seemed to harbor its own unique energy, from the mischievous trickster in the MSU Office to the sorrowful spirits in University Hall.
The team’s experiences suggest that McMaster is more than just an academic institution — it’s a place where history and energy intertwine, with each location telling its own story through the spirits that may still walk its halls. As they packed up their equipment and prepared to leave, the investigators couldn’t help but wonder: how many more secrets does McMaster hold, just waiting to be uncovered?
Members of the Student Representative Assembly adopt a motion in response to the Middle East conflict amid rising campus tensions
On September 22, the McMaster University Student Representative Assembly passed a resolution aimed at addressing the impact of the ongoing violence in the Middle East on its student body. The resolution follows widespread grief among students, many of whom have lost family and friends in Palestine and Israel.
The SRA members adopted a motion supporting students' demands for transparency around McMaster University's investments and partnerships potentially linked to state of Israel. They also called for the University to divest from stakeholders partaking in human rights violations and urged adherence to its Social Responsibility and Investment Policy.
The SRA’s decision comes after consultations with various student groups and MSU clubs. In addition to the emotional toll of the conflict, students have reported a disturbing increase in incidents of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian racism on campus and globally.
Key points of the resolution include the SRA’s commitment to combating all forms of hate speech and racism, fostering a campus culture of inclusion and safety, and ensuring peaceful and lawful dialogue on campus.
The assembly's resolution emphasized the need for continued support of students affected by the crisis and urged the university to uphold its role as a safe space for diverse viewpoints, especially during these times of heightened tensions.
This resolution underscores the SRA’s dedication to protecting the rights of all students while actively promoting peaceful discourse and providing a platform for those impacted by the conflict to have their voices heard.
MSU president opened the Feb. 25 SRA meeting, detailing upcoming referendums, new event planning software and upcoming VP elections
The recent Student Representative Assembly meeting on Feb. 25 began with a report from the McMaster Students Union president, Jovan Popovic, on his his recent endeavours and future plans.
The report discussed the Feb. 7 opening of the Hub, the MSU's newest facility and on-campus social space. Popovic reflected positively on the large turnout to the opening event, where food and McMaster Student Union merch was given away to students. Popovic also stated that though the Hub is currently open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., new staff will be hired soon so that the hours can be extended in the near future.
Popovic then spoke on the upcoming MSU referendums regarding a new bike share program and for his own food accessibility initiative.
For the bike share program referendum, students will be asked if they would consider increasing their student fees by $24.50 annually for a bike share pass. The program would enable students to use the Hamilton Bike Share for 90 minutes a day throughout the year. Popovic noted that the proposed bike share pass is significantly cheaper than the normal $200 annual rate for a bike share pass from the city. Additionally, even if the referendum is successful, students would have the option to opt out of the program if they do not believe they would make use of it.
As part of his campaign for re-election, Popovic promised to implement a soup and bread program on campus to help address food insecurity. This referendum will ask students if they would agree to a $5 increase to the MSU fee to fund the program.
Popovic continued to announce to the assembly that the MSU has decided to adopt a new event planning software called Bounce to replace the current platform Eventbrite. Popovic stated in his report that the implementation of the new software is a work in progress and the goal is to have implemented the new software before the end of this academic year. Popovic elaborated that other university bodies have considered adopting this new events platform as well.
“I’ve begun speaking with the athletics and recreation department and they have shown some interest in seeing a demo to see if they would switch as well, meaning everything [regarding events planning] on campus would potentially be through one platform,” stated Popovic.
I’ve begun speaking with the athletics and recreation department and they have shown some interest in seeing a demo to see if they would switch as well, meaning everything [regarding events planning] on campus would potentially be through one platform.
Jovan Popovic, president, McMaster Students Union
Popovic was questioned on the cost of implementing the new software and he responded by clarifying that the new software has no additional cost as they make money by charging one dollar for every ticket purchased.
According to Popovic, the new software would also save the MSU money. Popovic stated that the student unions at the University of British Columbia and Western University are currently using the Bounce platform.
Popovic then went on to address the upcoming elections for the MSU's vice presidential positions. Popovic reflected that last academic year, very few individuals applied for the VP positions and so recruiting the rest of next year’s Board of Directors has been a top priority for the past few months. In his report, Popovic stated that he is currently aware of several potential candidates intending to apply.
“We have been working very hard to ensure that what happened last year does not happen again this year so that we have a full crop of candidates. . .I believe we have been successful, we are seeing much more interest than previous years,” stated Popovic.
We have been working very hard to ensure that what happened last year does not happen again this year so that we have a full crop of candidates. . .I believe we have been successful, we are seeing much more interest than previous years.
Jovan Popovic, president, McMaster Students Union
Popovic also provided an update on the return of an on-campus homecoming event next September, another promise from his re-election campaign platform. Popovic stated that progress has been made coordinating the event with the university and it is expected to occur next September.
Popovic stated that McMaster University's administration does not want to affiliate the title "homecoming" with the event due to the potentially negative connotations, which Popovic referred to as "ridiculous." Popovic stated he is currently working with MSU VP finance Sefa Otchere to ensure that an adequate budget is dedicated to the on-campus event for next September.
Popovic’s report concluded with a statement regarding the new international student cap. Popovic stated that he will be meeting with university administrators to ask questions and learn about the impacts of the new policy on international students at McMaster so that the MSU will be able to act to support students.
To read more about from Popovic's report, the report itself and the minutes of the Feb 25th meeting are available on the MSU's website.
Presidential candidate Jialiang (Kevin) Hu was disqualified from the 2024 election for ten campaign violations, but was reinstated following his appeal hearing on Feb. 8
The McMaster Students Union presidential election came to a close on Jan. 25 and Jovan Popovic was announced as the winning candidate with 3620 votes. In this announcement from MSU Elections, candidate Jialiang (Kevin) Hu was noted as being disqualified from the running as a result of seven standard violations and three severe violations, which totalled in fines greater than half of the election budget.
A comprehensive list of Hu's violations and an official statement are available on the MSU Elections website.
"Due to the amount of fines exceeding half the spending limit, Jialiang (Kevin) Hu has been automatically disqualified under 7.12," reads a quote from MSU Elections on their website.
Rule 7.12 of the MSU presidential election rules states, "the Elections Committee shall automatically disqualify a candidate if they have accumulated fines exceeding half of the spending limit, accumulated seven severe and/or 14 standard violations, or if it finds that a candidate has deliberately sabotaged another candidate’s campaign."
Hu's violations included, but were not limited to, misrepresentation of campaign expense sheet, campaigning in group chats, forcing individuals to vote and contracting a vendor outside of the Underground printing service.
In an interview with the Silhouette on Feb. 10, Hu expressed his distaste with the elections protocol for making his disqualification public without undergoing the hearing first.
"It's an unofficial result at that moment. They still post it on Instagram, on their official Instagram. It is made public. The result being made public without going through a proper trial, without going through full investigation, without hearing the side of the candidates. . . you can see why it is very unjust," said Hu.
It's an unofficial result at that moment. They still post it on Instagram, on their official Instagram. It is made public. The result being made public without going through a proper trial, without going through full investigation, without hearing the side of the candidates. . . you can see why it is very unjust.
Jialiang (Kevin) Hu, presidential candidate, McMaster Students Union
Upon being notified of his disqualification, Hu decided to appeal all of his violations. The appeal hearing took place on Thursday, Feb. 8 and resulted in two of Hu's violations being overturned. The two violations that were overturned were violations 4.2, forcing individuals to vote, and 7.11.4, misrepresentation of expense sheet.
His disqualification was then retracted and his voting ballot opened and counted. An update was posted on the MSU elections Instagram with Hu's results included, but the result of the election did not change with the addition of Hu's ballot and Popovic will continue to serve as MSU president in 2024/2025 term.
When asked about his 4.2 violation by forcing individuals to vote, Hu responded that this claim was entirely unfounded and the evidence provided for this claim was unsubstantiated.
"In the meeting minutes provided, certain members of the committee said that they also witnessed this act [of forcing an individual to vote], but they don't provide any testimony. . .This is also a conflict of interest because you cannot be the witness, the jury, the judge and the executioner. This is like North Korea style trial," said Hu.
Despite Hu expressing his satisfaction with the hearing outcome on his Instagram story, with the caption, "justice has won at last", Hu also said in the interview that he felt all of his violations were unfounded and not based in adequate evidence.
"Those [violations] were the only two overturned, but I did provide concrete evidence regarding other ones. I don't understand why the committee didn't overturn these other violations. I'm slightly disappointed," said Hu.
Those [violations] were the only two overturned, but I did provide concrete evidence regarding other ones. I don't understand why the committee didn't overturn these other violations. I'm slightly disappointed.
Jialiang (Kevin) Hu, presidential candidate, McMaster Students Union
When asked about his violation for contracting vendors outside of the Underground, Hu stated that although he did utilize a third party service to print his lawn signs, he had received explicit permission from the Chief Returning Officer to campaign with lawn signs.
"So you're you are allowing me to use lawn signs, but the Underground doesn't make them, so where should I make them?" said Hu.
Hu currently serves as one of the engineering representatives in the Student Representative Assembly. When asked he was if he was planning on applying to other MSU roles in the future, Hu stated that he has considered running for a vice-president position, however he also added that he had concerns about the current practices within the MSU.
"I'm hesitant after what happened this time. . .personal bias and pettiness could get in the way of clear judgment for some people. We are all students who do not have a good understanding of the justice system and how elections are supposed to be run, how appeal process and the whole system is supposed to run," said Hu.
Hu concluded his interview by sharing some closing sentiments about the MSU electoral process being flawed.
"[MSU] elections are more like high school elections. It's more about how many friends you have, how many people will like you, rather than if your policy will actually benefit the student population. Despite being in university, it is still like high school. Favouritism still overwhelms rationality," said Hu.
With Hu's appeal hearing coming to a close, the 2024 presidential election results are now official and Popovic will begin his second term on May 1.
Following re-election as MSU president, Jovan Popovic sat down with the Silhouette to discuss the election, plans for his second term and student voter turnout.
Current McMaster Students Union president Jovan Popovic won the 2024 election and will be serving a second term. Popovic’s platform this year touched on several diverse topics, with a focus on addressing some prominent struggles faced by students, including food and housing insecurity.
One highlight of his platform was his proposed soup and bread initiative. With the aim of helping to alleviate student food insecurity, this program would serve complimentary soup and bread on campus. Popovic stated that students will be served four days a week and the initiative will be funded by a five dollar increase of the MSU membership fee.
Popovic added that the soup and bread initiative is a major priority, as rates of food insecurity among students are rapidly rising.
“I’ve had way too many students tell me they’re regularly skipping meals just to save money and that’s completely unacceptable,” said Popvoic.
Another notable point in Popovic's platform was the promised return of an on-campus homecoming in 2024. In a previous interview with the Silhouette during the 2023 presidential race, Popovic noted that McMaster has not hosted an on-campus homecoming event since before the COVID-19 pandemic and he remains committed to bringing this event back for students.
On the housing crisis, Popovic stated that he intends push McMaster to commit to not increase enrollment numbers any further. He cited that presently there is not even enough room for all first-year students to be guaranteed the option to live in residence and as such, increasing enrollment numbers would only add to the issues.
Popovic noted that presently first year students need a high school average of at least 90 per cent to be guaranteed residence.
“I think all first years should be given residence. All of them should have a place to live and this is why putting a cap on enrollment is so important” stated Popovic.
Popovic also stated that he fears the construction of new residences on campus, such as Peter George Centre for Living and Learning and Lincoln Alexander Hall, are being built to plan for increasing enrollment numbers, though these residences will still collectively house a relatively small number students compared to the continuously rising student population.
Another key pillar of Popovic's platform is to help student athletes and sports teams. Popovic aims to allow teams to fundraise by hosting free events at MSU-operated venues. Popovic stated he will dedicate a budget line for sports teams to host fundraising events at venues such as the TwelvEighty Bar and Grill in the McMaster University Student Centre.
Finally, Popovic promised to continue advocating for more liberal guidelines on the use of generative AI in academic work, as compared to the current ones. Popovic also stated in the interview that he advocated and continues to advocate against the use of AI grading and assessment by professor’s and teaching staff.
Following his return to work after a leave of absence during the election, Popovic stated that both the soup and bread program and the return of homecoming will be his top priorities.
Before the election, Popovic stated that he plans to hold a referendum for the increased fee to fund the program to take place next year. Post-election, Popovic believed that holding a referendum this semester to have the program running for next fall is best way forward.
“There is potential to get [the soup and bread program] operational for September, if a referendum is run right now,” stated Popovic.
In contrast, if a referendum was held in the fall, the program likely wouldn't be operational until Fall 2025.
Popovic was also asked during the sit down, if there were any aspects of his opponents platforms that he sees merit in and would consider building into his plans for next year.
In response, Popovic stated that aspects of Luca Bernardini’s proposed MSU app were interesting and held merit. Though, Popovic stated he thought an app would be difficult to build and furthermore difficult to garner traction with the student body.
Popovic highlighted that he thought Bernardini’s idea of having a reward system for students who attend MSU and club events would be an excellent way to increase student engagement on campus. Popovic also stated he thinks students are hesitant to attend events for the first time, but once they do, they come out again more often.
Reflecting on the MSU presidential debate, Popovic noted that it was carried out professionally and respectfully. He stated that himself and his opponents did attack one another, but did so only in ways that pertained to their platform points, without making any personal attacks.
“There were also candidates going at each other, but I think that's positive. It’s called a debate for a reason,” stated Popovic.
However, Popovic noted the turnout to the debate was relatively low and disappointing. He stated that this low turnout may have been due to a problem with the audio system, resulting in only students actively watching the debate being able to hear it in the MUSC atrium.
Overall, Popovic stated he believed he performed well at the debate. He stated that the questions he was asked were valid and that he was not faced with any to which he could not adequately answer.
“I wish I knew each candidate's platform a little bit more in depth. I didn’t know a lot of the specifics of each person’s platform, which meant that I was very focused on myself,” said Popovic.
Popovic stated that in comparison to last year, voter turnout was 16.4 per cent, which is up 56 per cent compared to last year. However, Popovic stated that voter turnout is still very low.
“Years back we would consistently reach about 25 per cent," stated Popovic.
Despite the low turnout, though Popovic reflected positively on the increase in engagement. He stated that last year’s election saw the lowest historical turnout, at just 10.2 per cent. Popovic also stated this increase was more than he had hoped for and that it will take several years to achieve a voter turnout per cent in the high twenties again.
Concluding the interview, Popovic was asked if he would consider running for a third term next year.
Popovic responded that he does not intend to run again next year.
“While I think that continuity is good from time to time. . . I think that having an element of change is a really positive thing for the organization. Ultimately, we’ll see what I’m able to do in the year ahead," stated Popovic.
Though he stated that if he sees ways he could further improve the MSU by running for a third term he may consider it, he does not presently think he will.
"I think I will be able to accomplish all that is important this term, but you never know. It depends on what opportunities arise, if I think that I could really help the MSU a lot more, but I think I'll be able to leave my mark after two years of service,” stated Popovic.
After a twelve-day campaign period, Jovan Popovic was elected president of the MSU for the 2024-2025 academic year
On Jan. 25, Jovan Popovic was announced the president of the McMaster Students Union for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Popovic was elected with a total of 3620 votes. The minimum number of votes required to elect a president is 2149.
Approximately 16.4 per cent of the undergraduate student body voted in the election, or 4469 students out of a total 27, 690.
It should be noted that Popovic was ranked amongst two other candidates, Luca Bernardini and Muhammad Ammad Ahsan. Jialiang (Kevin) Hu was disqualified from the presidential race due to receiving 7 standard violations and 3 severe fines as per MSU Elections.
"Please note, due to severe election rules violations, Jialiang (Kevin) Hu was disqualified. The Elections Committee has determined that the candidate has received 7 standard violations and 3 severe fines, accumulating a fines amount that exceeds half of the spending limit, leading to an automatic disqualification (Rule 7.12)," written on the MSU Elections Department website.
Hu may appeal his fines and disqualification to be heard by the Elections Committee. He may further appeal to the Electoral Appeal Board which consists of the MSU Speaker, the Secretary of the University Senate and a McMaster community member who does not sit on the Student Representative Assembly.
Popovic's campaign prioritized alleviating food and housing insecurity, improve student events and transit, as well as advocate for changes to McMaster's policies on the use of generative artificial intelligence. More about Popovic's platform can be read here, as well as the Silhouette's critique on the president-elect.
This marks the first time since the 1980s that an MSU president has won re-election.
For more information, visit the MSU elections website.
This year's MSU presidential debate covered on-campus events, McMaster's AI policies and rising food insecurity in students
On Jan. 23, all four McMaster Students Union presidential candidates engaged in the annual all-candidates debate. The debate was moderated and all questions delivered by the MSU speaker.
Candidates were provided 90 seconds to answer each question and 30 seconds for rebuttal. After delivering opening statements, the candidates were asked how they will work to improve student engagement in their role in the MSU.
Candidate Luca Bernardini discussed his MSU app initaitve, candidate Kevin Hu discussed plans for new on-campus events, candidate Muhammad Ammad Ahsan proposed holding a regular public open office to increase student awareness and engagement, and candidate and current president Jovan Popovic discussed on-campus homecoming and prioritizing MSU clubs and services.
In response to other candidate's comments about current low student engagement, Popovic stated in rebuttal that student attendance to MSU events is being underestimated. In rebuttal, Bernardini disgareed with Popovic's sentiments to increase the quantity of events offered to students and instead work on improving promotion.
Candidates were asked if they feel the current average MSU club budget of $500 is fair.
Popovic stated that he believes clubs are severely underfunded and wishes to increase the budget, while Ahsan and Hu discussed potential for clubs to gain sponsorship or fundraise on their own. Bernardini stated that he believes before discussing funding the MSU must first focus on offering support to clubs.
When asked about current McMaster AI policy, Popovic discussed his advocacy work as a generative AI taskforce member and stated that policies being proposed by the university are too restrictive and put students at risk.
Hu, Ahsan and Bernardini echoed this sentiment in varying capacities, stating that the university should accept AI in the classroom and develop a method for students and professors to work synergistically with the technology.
Candidates were next asked to highlight key components of their own platform. Ahsan discussed his initiative to bridge the university with industrial partners and industrial standards, which will provide opportunity for students to learn hands-on industry skills.
Hu discussed his on-campus food and affordability initiative, stating that hospitality services have a monopoly on on-campus food, adding that current campus food "sucks" and getting more students to come to TwelvEighty bar and grill will force hospitality services to lower prices.
Popovic discussed his own food affordability initiative which would provide free soup and bread to students on-campus in exchange for a $5 increase in student fees. Bernardini again discussed his MSU app initiative, which will consolidate all relevant MSU information and will launch Sept. 2024, if he is elected.
When asked to discuss which points of another candidate's platform they are most critical of, both Bernardini and Popovic addressed Ahsan's platform as a whole, stating that it is vague, unclear and lacks consultations with the appropriate stakeholders.
Hu stated that all platforms have been impressive to him, however he has general financial feasibility concerns for the plans of others.
Ahsan first addressed Popovic's proposed on-campus homecoming initiative, stating "it isn't enough, you got to also make it bigger and better". Ahsan then offered an idea for Bernardini's app. Bernardini thanked Ahsan during his answer period.
Candidates were asked to comment on how they will engage with the Ontario provincial government and deal with student advocacy matters. Bernardini discussed mental health advocacy and proposed creating a peer support service.
Popovic discussed the university tuition cap instated by the provincial government and promised to continue advocating for the maintenance of this policy. Hu generally discussed the high cost of living for students. Ahsan discussed taking a student-centred approach to advocacy and pushed for student voter turnout.
In rebuttal, Bernardini corrected Ahsan in his statement that 22,000 students are in the MSU, stating there are actually 27,000. Ahsan subsequently thanked Bernardini for this correction.
Topics brought up in debate not discussed in this article include the Nuisance Party Bylaw, on-campus safety, increasing additional costs to post-secondary education and Greek life.
For more information, visit the livestreamed MSU presidential debate on the MSU elections Facebook.
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.
Bernardini's campaign succeeds in addressing a wide scope of student issues, but some platform points are reminiscent of current MSU initiatives and would benefit from further research
While McMaster Students Union presidential candidate Luca Bernardini’s platform succeeds in addressing a wide range of student issues and proposes innovative technological additions to student life, some platform points are reminiscent of current MSU initiatives and would benefit from further research. Additionally, many of Bernardini's claims are not proven to be reflective of the student body, while others are not differentiable from his fellow candidates.
TwelvEighty Renovations
Throughout his platform, Bernardini justifies the importance of an issue with his own opinion. An example of this is in his descriptions of TwelvEighty Bar and Grill and his justifications for it requiring renovation. Bernardini stated that students do not realize that TwelvEighty offers quality food items due to its “bleak” and “lacking” atmosphere.
Bernardini went on to state that TwelvEighty serves considerably higher quality dishes than any other place on campus “except for the Phoenix”. The metric Bernardini is using to decide these claims is unclear.
When asked to elaborate in an interview with the Silhouette, Bernardini did not mention performing any student-wide surveys or outreach initiatives to gauge the consensus of the student body on these claims. Bernardini also did not offer statistics of TwelvEighty sales or student interaction; however, he did state that the general claim that TwelvEighty is one of the least profitable MSU services can be corroborated by several of his consultations, including current MSU president and fellow 2024 presidential candidate, Jovan Popovic.
The Silhouette reached out to Popovic to confirm this statement. He replied that pre-pandemic, TwelvEighty was recorded as losing money in the MSU budget records; however, Popovic did not confirm the current financial state of TwelvEighty.
It should be noted that TwelvEighty has seen significant turnover with management in recent years, making it difficult to cast large blanket statements on the state of the service. It would have benefited Bernardini’s platform to have confirmed that his personal opinions are indeed echoed by the general student body.
Some of Bernardini’s platform points, including TwelvEighty renovations and the return of on-campus homecoming are reminiscent of initiatives by current MSU President Popovic. When asked about this, Bernardini shared that some of his ideas were sparked by consultations with Popovic and he was unaware that he would be running for re-election.
“A lot of the times that [Popovic and I] were discussing TwelvEighty, he brought it up to me and was like "Whoever is the president needs to do this,". . .Obviously, not knowing that he was going to run, we may have some overlap in ideas, but this was something we discussed together," said Bernardini.
A lot of the times that [Popovic and I] were discussing TwelvEighty, he brought it up to me and was like "Whoever is the president needs to do this,". . .Obviously, not knowing that he was going to run, we may have some overlap in ideas, but this was something we discussed together.
Luca Bernardini, MSU presidential candidate
Technological Feasibility
Bernardini’s most significant proposal is the implementation of a new MSU app. The app will perform many functions, one of which is utilizing artificial intelligence to create personalized feeds based on student profiles.
Bernardini consulted with several individuals on the feasibility of the MSU app, including MSU General Manager John McGowan and MSU Marketing and Communications Director Michael Wooder. Bernardini promises in his platform that if elected, the app will be ready by September 2024.
Bernardini was asked in his interview about who he consulted with that had knowledge of programming, AI and the technological side of app development. Bernardini confirmed that a colleague of his is well versed in this field and they have worked together in the past. He was unable to provide details of this individual, including their credentials or their last name.
“He’s a developer I worked with in the past, because I co-founded a software to provide mental health support for student athletes back in high school . . .this individual was the one who developed it for us, we paid him, so he’s someone I can trust . . . I don’t have his last name,” said Bernardini.
He’s a developer I worked with in the past, because I co-founded a software to provide mental health support for student athletes back in high school . . .this individual was the one who developed it for us, we paid him, so he’s someone I can trust . . . I don’t have his last name.
Luca Bernardini, MSU presidential candidate
Bernardini also made it clear that he won't be bringing his colleague in to develop the app. He instead will hand the responsibility over to the MSU's IT team; however, he did not have the capacity to consult with them directly.
EDIIA Review
Bernardini frequently referenced his experience as the President of the McMaster Science Society to support the feasibility of his proposed MSU initiatives. For example, Bernardini proposed an equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity and accessibility review in the MSU. Bernardini referenced a similar initiative he carried out in the MSS that was met with success.
Bernardini was asked in an interview if he consulted with representatives from marginalized or minority communities to better understand current EDIIA practices in the MSU. He spoke at length about his initiatives and the consultations with marginalized communities that he performed during his MSS presidency, but did not comment on any specific research done for his current MSU campaign.
When Bernardini was asked if he spoke with MSU Diversity + Equity Network, the Pride Community Centre, Maccess or any other individual or service that would be able to comment on the current state of EDIIA practices within the MSU, Bernardini stated "I didn't get a chance to chat with someone from there."
Overall, Bernardini's campaign spans a broad scope of student issues and introduces novel technological solutions. A lack of research into student perspective and repetition of past MSU initiatives weakens the validity of his platform points.
Overall, Bernardini's campaign spans a broad scope of student issues and introduces novel technological solutions. A lack of research into student perspective and repetition of past MSU initiatives weakens the validity of his platform points.
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.
