Martin Schoots-McAlpine (BOA Arts)

1. 1.What is your name, what position are you running for, and could you please sum up your platform in one sentence?
My name is Martin Schoots-McAlpine, I'm running for the BOA-Arts, and to sum up my platform in a short phrase (one better than a sentence!): student power.

2.Name one thing the University of Ottawa administration is doing right.
The administration is setting up a committee to try and improve the "student experience". Bare in mind that they hand-pick who will sit on said committee, the lack of a democratic process is appalling, and the administration's past connection to student issues is laughable at best. We'll see where this goes... I have my doubts that we'll see any improvement. But hope springs eternal, as they say.

3.What is the largest problem on campus?
The largest problem on campus is the lack of power students have. There are all kinds of "minor" problems (minor in that they should be easy to fix, not minor in that they don't matter) such as: poor quality cafeteria food, poor service in residence, not enough electrical outlets in class rooms, music students don't have enough stands, the library isn't open long enough, etc. . However, if students exercised power, we would see all of these problems evaporate: as it stands, not only is the administration not concerned with student issues, but even if they were the administration wouldn't be able to address these problems properly because they aren't students and therefore don't know what the "student experience" is.

4.What can you bring to the SFUO/BOA/BOG that no other candidate can (aka why should someone vote for you)?
I will bring my analysis of campus power-relations, as well as a genuine interest in what students need, and connecting with students to find out what students need. I don't think any other candidate, bar maybe a few, has a similar focus.

5.And to steal a question from my co-op workbook: if you came back from a meeting and there was an elephant in your office, what would you do?
Well, if it was a meeting of the Committee to Find the Missing Elephant, I'd run back to the meeting room and tell them that our problem had been solved. If it wasn't, I'd ask the elephant politely to get out of my office.