HEY UBC BESTIES!
My name is Romina Hajizadeh (She/Her/Hers) and I am running to become one of your five Student Senators at large! 🥳 I am a second-year student in the Faculty of Arts hoping to major in International Relations and minor in Middle East Studies. A little more about me: I have a pretty bad red bull addiction (thank you midterms!), I adore pugs, I play the piano, and I LURV watching sunsets (let’s share viewpoints)!🌅🌶
I was born in Surrey and raised not too far away in Maple Ridge, BC! My parents are Iranian immigrants who instilled in me from a young age a deep value for education, considering that it was not a possibility for them given their circumstances. Stories like theirs drive me to take every opportunity possible to make education more accessible and equitable, especially for those from marginalized backgrounds.
MY EXPERIENCE
When I joined UBC as a first-year in 2020, I had an unwavering goal to get involved. I immediately joined UBC H.O.P.E. as a High School Correspondent, the UBC Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) as the ArtsOne representative, and UBC Unload as the Director of Communications. These three clubs, while focused on varying issues and topics (H.O.P.E. on prospective students applying to UBC, AUS on advocacy and fostering Arts spirit, and Unload on mental health) all came together to expose me to our wonderful UBC community and some of the issues we all care about.
Because of those experiences, I chose to run at the end of my first year in the AUS Elections. From that, I was elected Chief AMS Representative, which has been by far one of the best experiences I have had in University. In this role, I act as the primary liaison between the AUS and the AMS, attending and advocating for students at both Councils. I have taken on additional roles as the Chair of the AMS Human Resources Committee, as a Councillor on the AMS Governance and Operations Committees, and finally, as a Councillor on the AUS Governance Committee. These roles have enabled me to gain a proper understanding of how both the AMS and AUS run, as well as advocate for student needs, whether that be through hiring in HR Committee, amending code in both Governance Committees, or reviewing club applications in the Operations Committee.
The most personal project I have taken on in my time as Chief AMS Representative has been planning and hosting the first-ever AMS Townhall event. This event was an initiative spearheaded by various AMS Representatives from multiple constituencies, where we encouraged students to submit questions to their AMS Staff and Executives, helping our campus community gain a better understanding of what they do leading up to elections. It is this sort of student engagement and consultation that I hope to continue in every role I take on in the future.
MY PLATFORM
You might be wondering - Romina, why exactly do you want to be on the Senate? Well, let’s just jump into my platform and talk about it!
First and foremost, I aim to reduce student stress by advocating for more compassionate academic policies, including more long-term goals like an extended Cr/D/F period to match similar post-secondary institutions, as well as pushing for the implementations of recorded lectures beyond the pandemic through a streamlined process for students, staff, and faculty alike.
The Senate 2023 document has been a massive source of inspiration for me throughout my research on the Senate. This wonderful student initiative will certainly inform my advocacy if elected. I hope to particularly further initiatives regarding Climate Justice and Reconciliation. As we reach the end of this triennium, I will plan passionately for the next, and work with fellow student senators in creating a new Senate 2026 document if that is desired!
Finally, to increase transparency and accessibility of the Senate, I will build upon previous initiatives by student senators through posting regular Senate updates on platforms such as Reddit and the new Student Senate Caucus website. I hope to increase the presence of the Student Senate Caucus on social media and thus drive engagement with the student body, so that we can hold frequent consultations with students and make sure we are accurately advocating for student needs throughout the year.
My platform is entirely centred around students. As a result, I want to know from YOU – what are you looking for in your next student senators? Message me any time on Instagram (@romihajizadeh or @voteromi) or via email (@voterominaur@gmail.com) and let’s chat!
VOTE
FROM 7 MARCH 12:00AM TO 11 MARCH 4:00PM
