Race Profile: International Student Seat

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UBC Insiders Analysis

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The non-voting international student seat was created by AMS Council in November 2008 at the request of representatives from the International Student Association (ISA). They were looking to increase communication between the AMS and the ISA, International House, and the international student population in general. They also wanted the ability to better advocate on issues from the international student perspective, and gain recognition and formal status within the AMS.

The first person to assume this position, Nazanin Moghadami, was elected alongside last year’s AMS elections in January 2009. Councilors and council observers tend to agree that over the past year, the International Student Rep has had very limited visibility in and around council, and the expected benefits of the position have largely failed to materialize.

The optimistic view of the situation is that after only a year, more time is needed for the position to fully develop, and that there should not be a rush to judgment. A new person in the position may take a different approach to it and be very effective. Having the position causes no harm and takes nothing away from the AMS, but contains the potential for great benefit.

The pessimistic view is that having the seat has brought no actual value to the society and therefore the position is unnecessary. The brouhaha in November 2009 over council’s refusal to create a non-voting seat for students with disabilities caused some councilors to have second thoughts about the International Student Seat. In December 2009, a motion was put on the council agenda proposing to abolish the seat, but the motion was ultimately taken off the agenda before the meeting and has not been discussed further.

If you are an optimist, and hope the seat can evolve into a valued and integral part of council, the most important qualities to look for in a candidate are quite basic: thoughtfulness and commitment to the job. It will be very important in this position to contribute constructively to the AMS in everything it does, not only the things that are of special concern to international students.

Visibility, both within the AMS and within the international student community is also key. One of the reasons behind the creation of the seat was as a way for the AMS to make better connections with groups of students they might ordinarily have trouble reaching. If the person elected to this seat can successfully forge those connections, it is something that would reflect very well on them.

On the other hand, someone with a lot of bold new ideas, looking for immediate change in the AMS may have that work against them. The AMS certainly recognizes that they have problems, and can be open to new ideas. But new ideas have to be based upon a solid understanding of how the AMS currently functions, something that unfortunately takes a bit of time to figure out. Coming in too quickly with a bunch of ideas that expose a knowledge gaps of AMS structure will only alienate others and ultimately reduce the effectiveness of their voice on council.

See Candidate Profiles after the jump.

Candidate Profiles

Name: Brittany Perna
Age: 19
Year: 2
Faculty and program: Arts/ History major, English minor focus in Literature
Years on campus: 2
Past campus involvement: UBC Varsity Cheerleading, Thunderbird Athletic Committee sports representative, Work-Learn program participant, Shinerama volunteer.

1) What do you hope to accomplish in the role of International Student Rep that cannot be accomplished as a student-at-large?

I hope to renew the excitement about university with which international students originally come to UBC with. As a student at large one can talk and talk, but only as a member on an active student council can one really begin to effect change and excitement on a larger scale.

2) What are the biggest issues within the AMS that disproportionately affect international students and what is your role in addressing these issues?

One of the biggest issues within the AMS which disproportionately affects international students has been the lack of international student representation thus far. As a university which touts its high international enrolment as one of its greatest strengths and international accolades, the low involvement of the international student body is very surprising. I hope to address the issue of low international student involvement by collaborating more closely with the I-house and to make the AMS council more accessible and less intimidating to students who wish to voice their concerns but have previously been at a loss for an appropriate outlet by taking a personal approach to receiving and communicating these issues directly from the students to the board.

3) International students come from all over the world. How would you describe the UBC experience that is common to all of these students?

I would describe the UBC experience as uniquely defining and undeniably momentous for all students, but specifically international students. The learning at UBC goes far beyond the purely academic. The degrees, but more importantly the knowledge that we take home affect not only our future career pursuits but also the way we will view the world and ultimately live out our lives.

Name: Ding Kun
Age: 20
Year: First year
Faculty and program: Sauder school of Business, Commerce.
Years on campus: 1 year

Past campus involvement: It is my first year in UBC so I do not have much past campus involvement and that is why I am so excited and serious about taking this chance. I have tried to join the debate club, but failed(because I have some trouble with speaking and listening,I can not quiet catch other native speakers).And I tried a lot of times to apply for an on-campus job, even though I failed every time, I will keep going. Where there is a will, there is a way. I will never ever give up and this is my promise to all the International Students.

Past non-campus involvement: At the same time, it is my first year in Canada. If there is any non-campus involvement, I think it is that I succeeded in settling down in Canada. Also I tried trading clothing from China. It is my first try but failed. However I learned much about why I failed from this experience, and I am going to restart this April. I believe this process is called progress

1) What do you hope to accomplish in the role of International Student Rep that cannot be accomplished as a student-at-large?

I am an international student and i have gone through a lot since i came here. There are some big issues remain unsolved as well as some more detailed issues. Fisrt of all, I want to address the issue of high tuition fees for international students. Maybe this is not a big issue for all the students because a large propotion of domestic students have relatively low tuition fees and as a student-at-large it is not worthwhile to care only about a minority of students, he should care about all the students as a whole. However, this is the main issue that I can address as an International Student Rep. Also another relatively big issue for international students is the LPI which may look like a really small issue for a student-at-large. This year the Arts school used ASTU instead of LPI to help international student improve their writing level. Thus Arts school students don’t have to suffer from not passing the LPI for dozens of times and they have less burdens for the first year. However why it is only in Arts. I believe that we can use it in Science, Sauder and other faculties. As an International Student Rep I can promote this idea and help to put it into reality. Also there are some other relatively same issues that i am concerned about and want to accomplish, such as free language assistance, course guidance, scholarship, tax and insurance issues and some other issue. And i will listen to them and discover something new that troubles international studnets and try to fix it.

2) What are the biggest issues within the AMS that disproportionately affect international students and what is your role in addressing these issues?

As i have addressed above that high tuition fees and the LPI test as well as a lack of opportunities disproportionately affect the international students.I believe that I will be a facilitator in these issues. I want to help international student improve their situations and help them solve the conflicts instead of causing conflicts.

3) International students come from all over the world. How would you describe the UBC experience that is common to all of these students?

I think the UBC experience is kind of tough at the very beginning and need participation otherwise it will become pale. Also it is a great opportunity to fail, to struggle, to learn and to succeed.

Name: Charlott Johansen
Age: 20
Year: 2nd
Faculty and program: Arts, Undeclared
Years on campus: 1.5
Past campus involvement: UBC Ski and Board, Norwegian Student Association, Totem One Act Plays
Past non-campus involvement: MUN, Habitat for Humanity (at High School level)

1) What do you hope to accomplish in the role of International Student Rep that cannot be accomplished as a student-at-large?
I hope to be able to represent the International community and to voice some of the main concerns which international students have at UBC

2) What are the biggest issues within the AMS that disproportionately affect international students and what is your role in addressing these issues?
Definitely the school tuition and housing issues, and the fact that many international students dont know many of their rights and possibilities within the university. I wish to better inform them of these issues and to invovle international students more on the UBC campus.

3) International students come from all over the world. How would you describe the UBC experience that is common to all of these students?
New, large, foregin and a place to make a name for yourself

Name: Se Won An
Age: 18 but turning 19 next month
Year: 1st year
Faculty and program: Science, Major undecided
Years on campus: 1st year
Past campus involvement: None; I wasn’t really involved in campus activities last term since I spent most of time familize myself to a new environment.
Past non-campus involvement: High school might not count, but I was a vice president and activities director at International School in Japan. Back in Japan, I had volunteered at Special Educational School for two years, Children’s hospital and another Special Educational School in Korea during the summer.

1) What do you hope to accomplish in the role of International Student Rep that cannot be accomplished as a student-at-large?

Since UBC is such a huge school, it is very difficult to give a special attention to each student. Although it is not possible to know each individual, my role is to get to know many students as possible and try to help and resolve issues that they face in UBC. I heard many international students struggle throughout their school year due to VISA, cultural difference, different education system, language problems, and difficulty in adjusting themselves into a new environment, etc. Indeed, some of them were a part of my problem as a first year international student last term, but now I am well aware that there are many resources available on campus to seek help. Unfortunately, many of them still do not know how to access to those resources and struggle alone. I hope to accomplish creating more opportunities for international students to learn about them so that they can have a successful, smooth transitions and school life. I am hoping to become a bridge between all international students and AMS.

2) What are the biggest issues within the AMS that disproportionately affect international students and what is your role in addressing these issues?

To be honest, I am not quiet sure about how to answer this question since I am not that familar with issues in the AMS. However, I will not be shy to address any issues or concerns associated with students to bring about change, improve their school life and become a voice of international student body.

3) International students come from all over the world. How would you describe the UBC experience that is common to all of these students?

Getting homesick and cultural shock are the most common experiences among international students. Those who came outside of Canada, everything is new and fresh that all the international students are very stoked about a new experience in foriegn country. You get to meet new people, make new friends, and share your culture with others, which are very exiciting, but challenging at the same time due to the difference and cutural gap. It is common to miss their home country, home, their friends, and families. Depending on the person, they overcome these over different time period, and again I believe this part is where many students need support. As I mention breifly, some students, who did not come from the country that their offical language isn’t English, will have a language problem, such as communicating, listening to lectures, etc. It always takes time to familarize them into the environment.

Editor’s Note

Candidates Xena Hinson, Guessy Wang and Star all withdrew from the race prior to the start of campaigning.