SERENA BAINS for VP University and Academic Affairs

My name is Serena Bains and I am running to be the next Vice-President University and Academic Affairs with the SFSS Progressives to defend student power.

In my time at SFU, I have advocated for the needs of marginalized students through SFSS Council as the representative for SFU Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance (SFU DNA), in addition to my work as a member of SFU DNA, and as an accessibility liaison for the SFU Sustainability Office, SFU Facilities Services and SFU Ancillary Services.

My goal on the SFSS Executive Committee is to continue advocating for the needs of students, while increasing student engagement and activism on campus to build student power stronger!

TLDR; Students deserve a safe, accessible and affordable SFSS.

Tuition and Student Affordability
Reducing Student Costs
  • Keep pushing for a Tuition Freeze Now. Pressure SFU to lower tuition costs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, while fighting for the goal of tuition-free education by working alongside the SFSS to lobby the provincial government to prioritize post-secondary funding.
  • More accessible bursaries; increasing the number of low-barrier bursaries (no GPA requirement) and COVID-19 Relief Funds available to students.
  • Fight for affordable housing and student renter rights on campus, so student renters are covered under the Residential Tenancy Act and that the ~2% rent cap applies to them. While aiming towards pushing for projects that are 50% of the market rate.
  • Continue the work being done by the Student Affordability Working Group, to reduce costs associated with food security, textbooks and more.

Student Safety
Supporting BIPOC Students
  • Work with VP ES to reduce police recruitment and presentations on campus, creating a safer environment for Black and Indigenous students. While working towards the ultimate goal of community-based safety initiatives.
  • Pressure SFU to re-evaluate their relationship with public safety organizations, emphasizing the need for education and training regarding anti-Black racism and de-escalation.
  • Standing in solidarity with Black and Indigenous students, prioritizing their lived experience and the work already being done by the SFSS BIPOC Committee against SFU’s racist policies. 
Safer Transportation Options       
  • Ensuring student voices are represented in the final approval stages of the Burnaby Mountain Gondola project at Burnaby City Council and Translink’s Mayors’ Council, in addition to working with SFU and the Gondola Working group to advance this project.

Student Governance Power
Increasing Student Representation
  • Push SFU for more student representation on university decision-making bodies and formalize these processes through policy. Student’s only have ⅓ of the votes on the Senate and ⅛ of the votes on the Board of Governors, despite students being the largest financial contributors.
  • Encourage and support more students to run for Senate and Board of Governors, so student perspectives and needs are represented on University bodies.
  • Prioritize representation of students from marginalized communities, especially on bodies that directly affect them (SFU EDI Council, SFSS Accessibility Committee, SFU Aboriginal Reconciliation Council).

Email: sgbains@sfu.ca
​Website: bit.ly/Serena4VPUAA
Pledge to Vote: bit.ly/vote-Serena
FB: @Serena4VPUAA
IG:  @gabe4pres
Team Website: bit.ly/SFUProgressives