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The Rideau River Residence Affiliation’s all-candidates debate, held just about March 18, centered on problems with psychological well being, sustainability and the group’s price range.
The talk, hosted by the Charlatan information editor Mark Colley, was the primary in RRRA’s historical past to incorporate impartial candidates after the affiliation instituted temporary electoral reform earlier this yr.
Two slates—Renew and Advance—debated together with three impartial candidates for the positions of president, vice-president (administration) and vice-president (programming).
Presidential candidates
Unbiased Greg Dance, Mikaela Baumann of Renew and Sami Islam of Advance debated one another as presidential candidates.
The RRRA budget, which failed to pass on time for 2 years in a row previous to this yr, was a serious matter of debate.
Dance stated the rationale the price range had didn’t go on time prior to now was that there had not been sufficient RRRA councillors to fulfill a quorum to approve the price range.
He stated he would promote open positions on council with pamphlets offered to every pupil in residence to handle this downside.
“I’m going to make it possible for the price range will get performed in a well timed method,” Dance stated. “Inside the first one or two conferences, because the bylaws permit.”
Baumann stated Renew would supply college students bi-monthly price range studies and settle for pupil suggestions on spending. She additionally stated her slate would contribute a few of their govt pay to realize its objectives.
“What we’re going to do as a group is reallocate a few of our govt compensation to applications that matter to you,” Baumann stated. “We don’t need these to get left behind.”
Islam stated Advance was additionally comitted to contributing a mixed $10,000 from their summer season govt advantages to perform their objectives.
Psychological well being assist was one other necessary matter within the debate.
Whereas Dance stated he would institute coaching for all residence fellows in psychological well being first support, Islam stated it could be “too huge of a legal responsibility for [Housing and Residence Life Services] to have that onus on [residence fellows].”
Residence fellows are at the moment educated in safeTALK, a suicide prevention coaching that “prepares members to establish and have interaction folks with ideas of suicide,” in accordance with the Canadian Psychological Well being Affiliation.
Baumann stated psychological well being sources exist already on campus and she or he needs to make them extra accessible to college students.
“There are numerous sources on campus,” she stated. “They’re simply not made seen and in a central place.”
On selling protected drug coverage on residence, Baumann stated she would guarantee Naloxone kits—used to deal with opioid overdoses—are in each residence constructing, and Dance stated he would make Naloxone coaching accessible to all college students.
Islam stated he was dedicated to creating Naloxone coaching necessary for residence fellows, and to opening a residence supervision room for intoxicated college students to be supervised in a protected setting.
Vice-president (administration) candidates
Sama Russel of Renew and Mira Gillis of Advance debated impartial candidates Davin Caratao and Julienne Espiritu.
As a result of RRRA failed to form committees on time final yr and traditionally lacks sufficient councillors to fulfill quorum, candidates mentioned options to the issue, together with communication with councillors and residence pupil participation.
Russel stated she helps proportional voting representatives to “create a extra inclusive setting for residence college students” and eradicate the unfair benefit extra populated buildings maintain.
Caratao stated he would repair the quorum system and alter consultant allocation to be proportional to constructing inhabitants.
“Our quorum is eighteen members and we solely have 24 councillors on RRRA,” Caratao stated. “We’d like a three-quarters vote to get something handed.”
Caratao, a RRRA constructing consultant and chair of the structure and coverage assessment committee, introduced ahead a movement to vary the allocation of constructing representatives to a February RRRA council meeting. The movement didn’t go.
Espiritu stated she supported proportional voting representatives.
The candidates additionally mentioned electoral reform.
Caratao, Gillis and Esipritu all dedicated to altering RRRA’s marketing campaign coverage to completely permit impartial candidates.
“Whereas different Carleton pupil governments permit impartial candidates regularly, so ought to RRRA,” Espiritu stated. “I’ll be certain that there’ll all the time be a spot for college students to run independently.”
Caratao stated he needed to have an impartial hiring board rent the RRRA elections chief electoral officer and deputy electoral officers.
The candidates additionally spoke about encouraging sustainable practices on campus.
Espiritu stated she would add compost stations on each ground in residence.
“This compost could be contributed to a backyard that I feel needs to be established within the residence group,” Espiritu stated, including {that a} backyard might contribute produce to the Caf or donate surplus meals to native organizations.
Espiritu additionally stated she deliberate to advocate for a bike-sharing program on campus.
Caratao stated he was additionally dedicated to making sure correct compost and recycling receptacles can be found on each residence foor. He additionally stated he would implement a $12,000 plan for scholarships, bursaries, and monetary support for college students.
Russel stated she would companion with local weather teams at Carleton to advertise sustainability on campus. She additionally stated she would supply residence college students with psychological and sexual well being useful resource kits, in addition to security alarm keychains to offer college students a way of safety.
Gillis stated she needed to create focus teams so RRRA can act on suggestions from college students on residence. She added she is dedicated to creating menstrual merchandise accessible without spending a dime on campus.
“[Menstrual products] aren’t a luxurious,” Gillis stated. “They’re a necessity.”
Vice-president (programming) candidates
With the way forward for the COVID-19 pandemic unsure, Bijoy Arora of Renew debated Gialina Jiang of Advance on how they’d program occasions within the coming yr.
Jiang stated she has ready two separate plans, one for pandemic restrictions and one for a state of affairs with out restrictions, to make sure RRRA can provide programming in both scenario.
“If COVID restrictions had been lifted midway by way of the yr, we might have occasions rolling out instantly,” she stated.
Arora stated his expertise planning occasions each earlier than and after the pandemic as a residence fellow and small enterprise proprietor ready him to host occasions each in individual and just about, if elected as a RRRA govt.
He additionally stated he needs to advertise protected areas for marginalized teams on campus and launch a inventive hub for college students to develop their inventive expertise.
“[By] creating a inventive hub for entrepreneurs to develop expertise by way of workshops and networking alternatives with professionals, college students will actually acquire from residence,” Arora stated.
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Voting for RRRA govt positions will happen March 22 to 23. All college students residing in residence are eligible to vote through their Carleton e-mail.
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