Last night the Innis College Student Society (ICSS) held an Executive Forum with all candidates running for executive positions on next year’s council. The meeting was attended by a small crowd of first year students, current ICSS council members, and representatives from the Innis Residence Council.  The meeting was also broadcasted on Facebook Live. Moderated by former ICSS Vice President Finance and current election CRO, Troy Peschke, the meeting had a more professional tone than it has in the past.

As has become tradition over the past three years, all four executive positions are uncontested. Current Commuter Representative Brandon Liu is running for President. Current Equity and Outreach Director Sarah Chocano is running for Executive Vice President –a position which assists all portfolios with the planning and execution of their roles. Vice-President Internal candidate Nancy Zhao is the council’s current photographer and videographer. Janielle Palmer is a first year student in Rotman Commerce, and is running for the VP Finance position.

Executive VP candidate Sarah Chocano, current ICSS Equity and Outreach Chair, gave a passionate introduction which focused on diversifying events offered by the ICSS. She raised concerns that current council events fail to attract members from outside of a specific group of Innis College students. VP Internal candidate Nancy Zhao argued that this begins with a better online platform –something she’ll lead the charge on if elected to her desired role. Janielle focused on her financial literacy, something that would be pivotal to her role managing the council’s $100 000 budget.

The toughest questions of the night focused on Brandon’s personal opinions about the University’s mandatory leave policy and the St. George Round Table. The Round Table is a campus-wide social activity council that is staffed by the presidents of each college council, but its usefulness has come under question over the past year. On both accounts Brandon drew a blank, but promised to examine both items in more detail in the future.

A question about the council’s notorious bonding retreat, an event which came under attack earlier this year by the Equity and Outreach Directors, was met by laughs from presidential candidate Brandon Liu. All candidates discussed the importance of bonding but agreed that the trip had been frivolous in past. Brandon called the event ‘concerning’ and ensured the audience that the event would not be happening next year.

Candidates were also asked about how they plan to attract more contenders to executive positions in future elections. Sarah Chocano discussed how council is currently a closed-knit group, something she hopes to end by opening up the council and making it more approachable. Janielle discussed her own experience in this regard. As a first year student, she argued she barely heard from the council and wouldn’t have become involved if it wasn’t for the connection of her friends.

When asked about the ICSS’s ability to attract new students to the council, Nancy Zhao discussed her experience with the university’s social innovation hub and her study there of the student experience. She echoed the importance of an updated website and the continuation of this year’s ICSS Photo Series, an Instagram campaign which introduced students to various council members.

Another question was raised about the exorbitant amount of money dedicated to formal, an open bar event which costs over $50,000—approximately half of the council’s budget this year. Vice President Internal candidate Nancy began by discussing how improved planning on the part of the Social Portfolio could ensure the money is spent more broadly and on more students. Brandon and Sarah proposed that some of the luxury items from this year’s formal could be reduced, such as the $2000’s worth of floral arrangements, as well the choice of a less expensive venue to help reduce costs.

Final questions focused on the proposed renovation of Innis College, which were fielded by Brandon. He discussed that he wants to ensure commuter space is expanded and the bathrooms in the new building are accessible to all students.

Overall, the uncontested candidates did a very good job at responding to questions on diverse topics, all of which affect Innis College students. Given the fact that uncontested candidates are almost always elected into office at U of T, this was very likely the first meeting of the 2018-2019 ICSS executive team, and not a bad one at that.

Polls for the ICSS General Election open on March 21^st. All Innis College students can vote online until March 22 at 11:59 pm.