CREDIT: CARLIE FORSYTHE
As outgoing FSU president, Carlie Forsythe has some tips she wants to give any student interested in running for FSU administrative council, president or the S.A.C. Board.

It is an honour to have been the President to shake up the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) and the Student Administrative Council (SAC) through the introduction of a new governance structure. I would not have had this opportunity if not for my previous experience as VP Finance or the constant coaching and mentoring (and maybe pestering) of the previous president, Alan Bushell.

This year is going to shape up to be an important year, with the college and the FSU turning the big five-O. With this momentous occasion comes an important election: FSU president and eight directors for the new and improved S.A.C. Board. That’s right, this means my days are now numbered; however, this also means that you will have a chance at sitting in the big office and calling all the shots.

This year’s elections are going to be important and are perfectly suited for the general student population. Why? Well, we have a new by-law, new job descriptions, new roles and a new attitude towards governance, advocacy and communication with the student population. This sounds like the perfect opportunity to bring in fresh faces with new ideas. I urge any student to visit the FSU main office in SC2001 and start a conversation about these new roles (and hopefully pick up a nomination package).

Here’s some food for thought: did you know the S.A.C. Board is now more powerful than ever or that we will be hiring co-ordinators instead of electing vice presidents? Well, now you do.

Today is the best time to take a leap of faith and get involved. I get that it can be scary. Elections are terrifying; I ran in the largest presidential race the FSU has ever seen and I’m a huge introvert, yet here I am. I’ve had some pretty incredible experiences, made some fantastic connections and learned so much about myself in this role. You could be the president or a director on the S.A.C. Board. You could be the future of the FSU and foster real change. Feeling inspired yet?

If you’re feeling inspired, the nomination period is from Jan. 23 until Feb. 10. All that is required during this time is to collect signatures from full-time students around the college and engage students in a conversation about who you are and what you want to accomplish. Students remember this come voting time. Campaigning lasts about a week, with voting happening on FanshaweOnline from March 6 to 9.

For those voting, I urge you to make a well-informed decision: these elections are more important than you may think. The FSU has a healthy relationship with the college and the City of London as partners and advocates for Fanshawe students. You should expect your new president to be the voice of the students and the new directors to set the FSU’s strategic direction, ensure stewardship of resources and keep the president accountable for their actions.

I hope to have inspired some of you to consider the role of president or as director in the upcoming elections.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.