Sahir Harike

Fourth-year sociology major Sahir Harike stated that he is passionate about serving the community and making a difference. Prior to launching his campaign, Harike said he was an active member of the Punjabi Students’ Association.

“During my time in university, I’ve faced so many struggles,” said Harike, listing tuition fees, inflation and health care as factors. He acknowledged that meeting other students who faced the same struggles motivated him to run for the position.

He said his advocacy for students during the last couple of years has positioned him to be the ideal candidate. Harike stated that the position requires a lot of negotiation and communications skills, as well as good relations with government. He also stated that this position requires someone who will prioritize students’ well-being and their demands over anything.

Harike said his main platform pillar is advocacy — something which he has been doing, and will continue to do, if elected.

Harike would like his potential term to be influential, impactful and defined by hard work. He described his vision for the UMSU board of directors as productive, visionary and compelling.

Manvir Kaur

Manvir Kaur is a third-year actuarial student who loves meeting new people and thrives on making meaningful connections. Kaur indicated that she is always up for a conversation and is passionate about working together to make things better.

“I’ve always believed in stepping up and takings risks and seeing just where life will take me,” said Kaur. “Growing up I was thrown into a lot of experiences that shaped me into someone who’s not afraid to try new things or take on challenges or push for more change.”

Kaur indicated that she loves being a part of something bigger than herself, such as fundraising for underprivileged families, developing a resource toolkit for allies of sexual violence survivors or leading conversations on mental health and social justice.

She stated that this role requires a strong communicator, proactive leader and an advocate for students. “For me, I believe advocacy isn’t just speaking up, it’s also about listening,” she said.

Kaur said that working with non-profits and student-led organizations has allowed her to realize the importance of making sure everyone is on the same page so that collective advocacy can occur through a united voice.

She stated that the vice-president university affairs “should be somebody who genuinely listens and understands for the student body and can fight for them,” she said. “It shouldn’t just be for personal gain, but rather what you can actually do for others.”

One of Kaur’s desires if elected is to speak to different communities on campus to see how she can assist them in reaching out to job employers to actually implement a curriculum that is related to the work they are going do.

Kaur also addressed concerns about expensive food costs on campus and lack of dietary accommodations, amongst other issues. She would like her term to be transparent, ethical and impactful, if elected.

Jared Ramos Murphy

Jared Ramos Murphy is a fourth-year criminology major student with a minor in political science who has been involved in a number of student groups — including UM Pre-Law, Arts Student Body Council and has served as the UMSU judicial board chairperson.

Ramos Murphy explained that they also have experience working as a constituency assistant to provide services to their community.

“This has all inspired me to put my name on the ballot for our student union as [vice-president external affairs] so that I can continue better serving our community,” Ramos Murphy said. “And I would say that’s what really motivates me and what my passion is, working for people, working for students and making sure that services and supports are the best they can be.”

Ramos Murphy stated that serving the community both on and off campus is not just a passion, “it’s a duty that I’ve given myself.”

Ramos Murphy noted that affordability is a huge issue for students, and if elected, they would advocate for tuition freezes to ensure that student voices are heard. “The last thing students need to worry about is tuition,” they stated.

Campus safety is another main focus for Ramos Murphy. “Working with our external safety providers would be my priority in getting more supports and services on our campuses to ensure that all students feel safer,” they said.

Transparency is also a priority. “Ensuring that students understand the breakdown of their fees and where our money is going toward and how we can utilize that money will be certainly key to making sure that UMSU is more transparent as a whole,” they said.

Ramos Murphy explained that they know what students need — and that students need to be at the table when decisions are being made about them.

“I want people to look back on my term and be able come up with all of these concrete things that I have done and that I’ve worked toward,” said Ramos Murphy.