March 2, 2011 + Over the Edge

Chow for Finance
Vote for Chow

ALDEN CHOW
CONTRIBUTOR

Experience:

| am in my third year
of the Bachelor of Arts
program majoring
in Political Science.
Next year, | plan to
do a double major in
Political Science and
Economics. | have a
CertificateinBusiness
Administration.

| served as the 2009-
2010 Chairperson
of Northwest
Community College
(NWCC) — Students’
Union and the student
representative on
the NWCC_ Board
of Governors _ for
2009-2010 and
on the NWCC
Education Council
for 2008-2009.
While Chairperson,
| negotiated dozens
of student discounts
across northwest BC, including a 10 per cent student discount at Macro
Properties, saving students $60 to $80 per month on rent at six apartment
buildings in Prince Rupert for 2009-2010, and 15 per cent off parts and
service at Rainbow Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ltd.

Last year, | successfully lobbied NWCC to implement the Project Hero
Scholarship, a financial assistance program that provides free tuition and
aid towards campus residence accommodations of up to $16,000 for four
years to children of Canadian Forces personnel killed in active duty.

Currently, | am the undergraduate student representative on the
UNBC Board of Governors. | also sit on the UNBC Board of Governors
Administration and Finance Committee.

Financial Situation:

According to UNBC’s financial statements, student fees, including tuition
fees, accounted for $9,334,000 in 2003. In 2010, student fees accounted
for $18,491,000 at UNBC. Statistics Canada reports that British Columbia
students graduate on average with a $27,000 debt. Even more concerning
is undergraduate tuition fees for some programs at UNBC, such as
the Bachelor of Arts program, are actually higher here than at UBC in
Vancouver - tuition fees for a three credit course at UNBC are $453.84
whereas it’s $451.80 at UBC. In regards to the financial status of NUGSS,
the student society has a debt of over 2-million dollars, which has been a
result of the loan for the new student centre, an employee stealing about
$5,000, and the NUGSS owned business not making any profits.

Platform:
« Expand student discounts in the region to save students money

« Work towards increased transit service, and late night transit to
campus

* Lobby the government to increase funding to universities and
colleges, and reduce tuition fees

* Promote social justice campaigns to highlight important issues
such as violence against women, poverty, and environmental
sustainability

« Work with the university to phase out the sale of bottled water on
campus, and increase the number of water fountains

* Improve NUGSS’s financial situation

NUGSS Elections 2011: Your Choice For President

Vote veteran NUGGS board member Nadia Nowak for President

NADIA NOWAK
CONTRIBUTOR

My name is Nadia; | am from a small
island called Pender. | came to UNBC
in 2007 to get a degree in Environmental
Planning---luckily, | will not be completing
my degree in four years and so have
the opportunity to run for the position of
NUGSS President. This excites me.

During my time at UNBC, | have had
many opportunities to gain leadership
skills. Most notably, | have been a
member of the NUGSS board of directors
for two terms.

| started as the Associate Director of

Campus Sustainability and am now
the Colleges Representative. This
experience has given me ample time to
learn how this organization works and
how it can be improved.

If elected, | will use my background
knowledge to inform the direction of the
society and continue the trend of positive
growth that NUGSS has experienced
this past year.

Along with acting as a liaison between students and administration, and overseeing the Board
of Directors, there are a few initiatives that | am particularly interested in working on. UNBC
has just developed an exciting new university plan with many potential benefits for students.

As this plan is implemented, | believe it is important for student voices to be heard. | will work
to find avenues for student voices to be recognized.

Though efforts have been made to improve communication between NUGSS and the student
body, deficiencies still remain.

| will work to make these lines of communication more transparent and accessible. | have
a particular passion for campus sustainability and youth empowerment in the solutions to
climate change.

| will work collaboratively with students, faculty and staff to more fully embrace our role as
Canada’s Green University. And of course, | am all ears to your ideas on how to make UNBC
more fun and meaningful for all students! Feel free to send me an e-mail nowak.nadia@
gmail.com

If you are interested, these are some of the things | like doing when | have spare time: riding

my bike; playing guitar; protesting things; learning as much as | can about climate change
and what the heck we are going to do about it; and eating good food with good friends.

Best of luck to all candidates in the NUGSS elections 20i!