Dear students,

The votes are in and the numbers have been counted! Your new Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) president is Siddharth Singh.

This campaign season was more heated than in previous years, with a heavy focus on religious equality and important debates about what the FSU should be for students. This, combined with the looming fears brought on by the impending international student cap, saw high levels of student interest and engagement with year’s candidates and their platforms.

In spite of this high level of interest, low voter turnout overall has led to another failed referendum by the FSU, this time seeking student support for a $2/semester ancillary fee increase to promote food security on campus. The referendum required at least 20 per cent of students to vote in order to pass, a threshold which was not met.

While voting numbers remain fairly low at Fanshawe, I sense a change in the tides. This year, Interrobang moderated a debate with the presidential candidates, moving away from the standard presidential speeches format from previous years. This allowed for more open conversations, both between candidates and student voters. The issues currently facing students are complex and many, and this year’s campaign did not shy away from any of them.

I think this is a huge step in the right direction, and a sign that students at Fanshawe want to be more engaged with student politics. And I hope they do, because as we look ahead to the future, the need for student political engagement will no doubt be more important than ever.

Congratulations to the new FSU team and thank you to all of you out there who made your voices heard this election.

Sincerely,

Hannah Theodore