SAMRU executives look back
Meghan Melnyk
President
What has been your greatest success so far?
“There’s the Alberta Student Summit, we were able to get the three different provincial lobby groups — ASEC, CAUS and Alberta Graduate Council — to get together twice this year to talk about issues we have in common, and that was really successful. It’s something that has never happened before.”
You previously said parking, textbooks and campus culture were areas for improvement at MRU. What has seen the most change?
“I remember two years ago people asked me, ‘so what’s it like going to Mount Royal now that it’s a university?’ At that time, I didn’t see any differences. But now, two years in, you can see the difference. It’s noticeable. Students are here more on campus, they’re involved, even the way the faculty is thinking and teaching.”
Has the job been what you expected?
“No. It’s a fantastic job, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. I mean, I’m doing absolutely everything. I’m dealing with staff, with executives, with council, I’m trying to manage relationships, I’m lobbying and advocating. It’s really made me stretch and I’m sure I’m better for it.”
Jennifer Langille
VP Academic
What has been your greatest success so far?
“The centralized grading scheme. That would probably be my biggest success, if for nothing else than the attention I’ve (drawn to) it. It’s supposed to be going through all the proper channels by the end of this year, and hopefully it will be passed and — knock on wood — be in place starting next fall.”
What’s one thing you’re still working on or would like to accomplish before you leave?
“How the student representation is done on the general faculties council. So, instead of people applying to be on the general faculties council, we would have a different way so they’re not just appointed by SAMRU. (It could be) some sort of appointment process by actual students.”
What will be the biggest challenge for the next person who takes on this role?
“Probably working with administration to get their goals accomplished, if it has to do with getting something academically changed within the institution. You’re lucky to get it done during your term. Usually you can start it, and it will be completed after you leave.”
Kaylene McTavish
VP Student Life
What’s one thing you’re still working on or would like to accomplish before you leave?
“The biggest one for me right now is paper recycling on campus. It is incredible that we don’t have it. So, my thought process is to do different pilots and just raise awareness and get students on board, and really start from the student level and push it through. That’s going to happen. I’m very confident about that.”
What will be the biggest challenge for the next person who takes on this role?
“Speaking from my own experiences, it would be understanding governance as a whole. Another challenge would be you really have to be on your A-game a lot. I sit on so many committees and the information often overlaps, but you have to just keep it all sorted. And, I miss being a student sometimes, so I think it’s important that whoever comes into this position always maintains their roots as a student.”
What’s next for you?
“People will be seeing a lot of me out and about and around. This week I’m running for another (SA) position, but next week I might not be. It changes every week.”
Michelle Dennis
VP External
What has been your greatest success so far?
“The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) has an annual lobby conference — you go to Ottawa and talk to different politicians on the hill. I had never been a part of any kind of lobbying before on a government level. So, I think my greatest success would be being a part of things that will impact Canadian students.”
Has the job been what you expected?
“As for the job description, yes. How I’ve changed in the past six or seven months, I would never have expected. This is kind of a situation where you’re working so closely with people who don’t think the same way or act the same way, so it was an entirely new experience and I’ve learned so much from it.”
What will be the biggest challenge for the next person who takes on this role?
“I think the difficulty is the steep learning curve. If they’re anything like me, it’s almost like you don’t want to go through that learning curve, you just want to know the things that are on the other end, but everybody has to go through that process.”
