Ivany Campus Student Association elections during COVID-19
Student Association is moving the elections virtual due to the pandemic
Laura Koshekova — WTV News
DARTMOUTH — The Ivany Campus Student Association is holding fall elections while its status remains unknown.
COVID-19 has had an impact on all educational institutions in the province.
NSCC continues to adapt to the new education system, which affects the upcoming Student Association elections.
The election system was put online before the pandemic and that has not changed, but the nomination system was moved online after NSCC transitioned to distance learning.
The number of students who want to run in these elections has increased as well.
But the Student Association is facing challenges, which impact the SA elections because they are still trying to figure out ways to run their services.
NSCC students are struggling to find a place to stay during the pandemic, and the Student Association tries to provide any help to students by looking for places to live for them and providing Sobeys gift cards for groceries.
“Student Association is helping to find a place to stay for students in need,” says Glycia Raposo, the VP Activities of Ivany Campus, “and just helping them to live in dignity.”
Raposo said that the Student Association is working on the project, and it creates difficulties to run the elections this year.
The project focuses on academic support through tutoring, which will help students to cope with a new school system.
“We have a partnership with TutorMe,” says Kerrin Duggan, the SA Coordinator, “and we’ll just be online and be trying out things this year, and see what works.”
Duggan said that the $85 fee that students pay to the SA goes to support of TutorMe and students have 3–8 hours of tutoring each month and 24/7 access to it through Brightspace for free.
She said that the fee goes to the students’ pantry.
“It’s more important than ever to have an active Student Association because they’re dedicated to building a college community,” says Duggan.
But the college decision to make the Student Association go virtual made their future unclear and made it harder to communicate with students.
Raposo and Duggan don’t know what to expect this year.
