ELECTIONS Results & statistics
2024 TCSA Fall By-Elections Results
Thursday, November 7, 2024
The results of the 2024 Fall by-elections are as follows. Results will be ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 1:00pm. All are welcome to join this meeting held on Zoom.
Environment & Sustainability Commissioner:
Ananaya Gupta (she/her): 327 (40%)
Sakshi Shrivastava (she/her): 327 (40%)
No Choice: 162 (20%)
TOTAL: 816
Gender Issues Commissioner:
Kenzi Noble (she/her)
Yes: 727 (90%)
No: 84 (10%)
TOTAL: 811
Off-Campus Commissioner:
Diamond Akinbaleye (she/her): 396 (49%)
Dhan Nagra (he/him): 301 (37%)
No Choice: 119 (15%)
TOTAL: 816
TCSA President:
Nav Chugh (she/her): 479 (58%)
Yugad Nagra (he/him): 234 (29%)
No Choice: 108 (13%)
TOTAL: 821
2024 TCSA Spring General Elections Results
The results of the 2024 Spring General Elections are as follows. Results were ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, March 24, 2024.
Friday, March 22, 2024
Voter turnout: 16.24%
Mature Students Commissioner:
Chase Kilbourne
Yes: 941 (89%)
No: 117 (11%)
TOTAL: 1058
Racialized Students Commissioner:
Sckyda Soviel Subay
Yes: 879 (83%)
No: 178 (17%)
TOTAL: 1057
Vice President Campaigns & Equity:
Anshika Gaur: 630 (50%)
Daelin Drexler: 487 (39%)
No Choice: 137 (11%)
TOTAL: 1254
Vice President University & College Affairs:
Frank Bouranakos: 307 (26%)
Iyiola Alade: 653 (55%)
No Choice: 218 (19%)
TOTAL: 1178
Vice President Student Health & Wellness:
Aman Mathew: 179 (16%)
Geneviève Anctil: 277 (25%)
Kyra Myderwyk: 287 (26%)
Taylor Tomasevic: 175 (16%)
No Choice: 172 (16%)
TOTAL: 1090
Referendum Question #1:
Electric City Hacks is no longer a functioning organization, as they have not completed financial reporting requirements for 2+ years, not collected their levy funding, and ceased activity on campus. The TCSA Board of Directors has moved to remove this fee and reallocate stale-dated levy funds ($109,604.13) to be used to serve Trent University undergraduate students (TCSA Members). Part of this funding ($11,500) would be allocated to Sadleir House for the creation of a new media lab. This initiative aligns with the original goals of Electric City Hacks in fostering innovation, practical experience, and collaborative problem-solving in the realm of technological solutions. The media lab will provide students of all experience levels with a space to work in fields of art, technology, and new media in a way that builds their skills before entering the workforce. The remainder of the stale-dated funds would be entrusted to the TCSA to support current and new direct assistance funding lines that support Trent students.
Question: Do you support entrusting the Trent Central Student Association with the Electric City Hack’s defunct levy funds to establish new and support current direct funding lines for students, including $11,500 to be allocated to Sadleir House for the creation of a new media lab?
Yes: 902 (85%)
No: 158 (15%)
TOTAL: 1060
Referendum Question #2:
The Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) charges fees to provide eligible students at Trent University with a Health and Dental Plan ($318.77) and a Peterborough universal transit pass ($324.26). These fees are currently increased by the TCSA's Board of Directors under their jurisdiction, with a maximum increase of 3% annually. To maintain consistency with all other fees collected by the TCSA, the Association has proposed that these fees be increased annually by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is a calculation of inflation by Statistics Canada. All other fees collected by the TCSA are currently increased by CPI. Aligning with CPI supports the TCSA’s continual offering and improvement of both services.
Question: Do you support the TCSA’s Health & Dental Plan fee and Transportation fee being increased by CPI annually?
Yes: 547 (52%)
No: 510 (48%)
TOTAL: 1057
Referendum Question #3:
The Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) is a democratically elected union that can hold referendums for its membership. These referendums can be held to determine student fees, amend bylaws, overturn board decisions, or determine the membership's stance on major issues. A referendum can be initiated either by the Board of Directors or through a petition signed by the membership. According to the TCSA's current bylaws, petitions must be signed by at least 10% of TCSA's membership to be binding and appear on the ballot for a vote. Trent’s student population has almost doubled since this minimum was first put into place, and it could be argued that reaching 10% has become more difficult, effectively limiting students’ ability to take part in the democratic process. It creates a significant requirement where students are now expected to collect over 1000 signatures just to ask for a referendum question to appear on a ballot. The Association proposes that the 10% minimum be reduced to 5%.
Question: Do you support changes regarding the initiation of referendum and petitions to Bylaw 4.6.2.1 and Bylaw 14.2.1?
Yes: 783 (76%)
No: 245 (24%)
TOTAL: 1028
Referendum Question #4:
As a not-for-profit, the TCSA is governed by a Board of Directors, elected by students to represent their interests. Representation at the board level includes college cabinets, Trent University Native Association (TUNA), Trent International Students Association (TISA) and equity commissioners from different student populations. As Trent's population changes, changes to board composition ensure proportional representation. The proposed changes provide inclusive and clear language regarding external organizations that have representation, like TUNA. The Association is proposing the removal of the Senate Liason position from the TCSA Board of Directors. The Association currently holds two Senate seats, one held by the Vice President University & College Affairs and the second selected by, and from, elected directors. Because these Directors already hold a seat and have voting power through their initial positions, the Senate Liason position is redundant. The Association is proposing changes to bylaws regarding the board Chair, also called a Speaker. The Chair is responsible for ensuring the proper procedure is followed during meetings and decorum is maintained by all members present. These changes clarify how a chair is selected, the interim chair when one is not in place, and the process for removing the speaker.
Question: Do you support changes regarding the Board of Director composition within Bylaw 5?
Yes: 850 (83%)
No: 175 (17%)
TOTAL: 1025
2023 TCSA Fall By-Elections Results
Friday, October 13, 2023
The results of the 2023 Fall by-elections are as follows. Results were ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, October 15, 2023.
Part-Time Students Commissioner:
Khidhr Alam (he/him)
Yes: 927 (79%)
No: 249 (21%)
TOTAL: 1,176
Mature Students Commissioner:
Chase Killbourne (he/him): 697 (59%)
Risit Savani (he/him): 303 (26%)
No Choice: 186 (16%)
TOTAL: 1,186
Off-Campus Commissioner:
Dustin Hannah (he/him): 681 (57%)
Yash Jain (he/him): 361 (30%)
No Choice: 148 (12%)
TOTAL: 1,190
Racialized Students Commissioner:
Ibifuro Ibisiki (she/her): 414 (35%)
Sanyam Grover (he/him): 223 (19%)
Sckyda Soviel Subay (she/they): 373 (31%)
No Choice: 181 (15%)
TOTAL: 1,191
Vice President University & College Affairs:
Moeez Khawar (he/him): 253 (21%) (**Disqualified)
Nylah Molyneux (she/they): 390 (33%)
Rovel Rehman (she/her): 425 (36%)
No Choice: 124 (10%)
TOTAL: 1,192
2023 TCSA Spring General Elections Results
The results of the 2023 Spring General Elections are as follows. Results were ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Voter turnout: 22.72%
Environment & Sustainability Commissioner:
Alyssa Scanga: 1281 (58.68%)
Noah Edwards: 587 (26.89%)
No Choice: 315 (14.43%)
TOTAL: 2183
Gender Issues Commissioner:
Dee Carter
Yes: 1838 (85.21%)
No: 319 (14.79%)
TOTAL: 2157
Queer Students Commissioner:
Elias Malcolm: 1048 (48.07%)
Logan Petersiel: 736 (33.76%)
No Choice: 396 (18.17%)
TOTAL: 2180
On-Campus Commissioner:
Moeez Khawar
Yes: 1904 (88.07%)
No: 258 (11.93%)
TOTAL: 2162
Vice President Campaigns & Equity:
Alexx Bodden: 997 (46.03%)
Emily Johnston: 930 (42.94%)
No Choice: 239 (11.03%)
TOTAL: 2166
Vice President University & College Affairs:
Chanel Bowen: 505 (23.03%)
Juman Zanzoul: 577 (26.31%)
Rukshani Adikari: 387 (17.65%)
Sophiat Olabimtan: 553 (25.22%)
No Choice: 171 (7.80%)
TOTAL: 2193
Vice President Student Health & Wellness:
Bri Policicchio
Yes: 1960 (92.06%)
No: 169 (7.94%)
TOTAL: 2129
TCSA President:
Aimée Anctil
Yes: 1889 (88.81%)
No: 238 (11.19%)
TOTAL: 2127
2022 TCSA Fall By-Elections Results
Friday, October 14, 2022
The results of the 2022 Fall by-elections are as follows. Results were ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, October 16, 2022.
Racialized Students Commissioner:
Juman Zanzoul
Yes: 1075 (92.35%)
No: 89 (7.65%)
TOTAL: 1164
Students with Disabilities Commissioner:
Emi Habel
Yes: 1086 (93.70%)
No: 73 (6.30%)
TOTAL: 1159
2022 TCSA Spring Elections Results
Friday, March 18, 2022
Voter turnout: 18.63%
The results of the 2022 Spring Elections are as follows:
President
Zoe Litow-Daye
Yes: 1292 (84.50%)
No: 237 (15.50%)
TOTAL: 1529
Vice President Campaigns & Equity
Aimee Anctil
Yes: 1305 (85.46%)
No: 222 (14.54%)
TOTAL: 1527
Vice President Student Health & Wellness
Holly Naraine
Yes: 1326 (86.78%)
No: 202 (13.22%)
TOTAL: 1528
Vice President University & College Affairs
Shay Surujnarain
Yes: 1294 (84.74%)
No: 233 (15.26%)
TOTAL: 1527
Off-Campus Students Commissioner
Harshit Jain
Yes: 1240 (81.26%)
No: 286 (18.74%)
TOTAL: 1526
On-Campus Students Commissioner
Craig Stoddart
Yes: 1258 (82.38%)
No: 269 (17.62%)
TOTAL: 1527
Student Integration Commissioner
Angela Slater-Meadows
Yes: 1340 (87.64%)
No: 189 (12.36%)
TOTAL: 1529
Referenda Question #1:
When TCSA members register in fewer than 1.5 credits for the first semester of the academic term they are not automatically enrolled on the Trent Student Health and Dental Benefits Plan. In some cases, this disadvantages students who are registered with Student Accessibility Services. SAS registered students are recognized as full-time students but are not automatically registered for the student benefits plan due to their lower credit threshold. To ensure ease of access to the benefits plan, the Association proposes lowering the automatic enrolment threshold for the benefits plan to 0.5 credits for TCSA members. This change will not impact anyone who wishes to opt-out of the benefits plan offered by the Association.
Question: Do you support changing the threshold for automatic enrolment on the Trent Health and Dental Benefits Plan to 0.5 credits for TCSA members?
Yes: 1387 (82.51%)
No: 294 (17.49%)
TOTAL: 1681
Referenda Question #2:
The Student Housing Cooperative is no longer a functioning organization. After formally concluding their operations and discontinuing their levy, the organization requested that the remaining levy funds ($61,924) be used to serve Trent University students in a manner that aligns with the Peterborough Student Housing Coop’s mandate and goals: “To provide students with an affordable, safe, and supportive housing community that blends academic and extra-curricular learning with resources, programming and support so that students can get the absolute most out of their experience living downtown. … We also run programming in the community such as workshops and panels and help students and community members find housing.”
Question: Do you support entrusting the Trent Central Student Association with the Student Housing Coop’s remaining levy funds to provide resources and programming, including direct rental assistance funding, for Trent’s undergraduate students until the funds are spent?
Yes: 1197 (71.33%)
No: 481 (28.67%)
TOTAL: 1678
Referenda Question #3:
The Warming Room is a former emergency shelter program in the Peterborough community. A sister organization, One Roof Community Centre, is currently in operation and provides regular meals, social, health and personal services to community members in need. After concluding their operations and discontinuing their levy fee, the Warming Room requested that the remaining levy funds ($19,869.87) be provided to One Roof Community Centre to support their operations.
Question: Do you support providing the Warming Room’s remaining funds to One Roof Community Centre as a one-time donation to support their operations?
Yes: 1427 (86.96%)
No: 214 (13.04%)
TOTAL: 1641
Referenda Question #4:
Arthur Newspaper is seeking a $1.52 increase to our levy fee (currently $11.37 per year) because we want to make sure we can continue to provide students with employment opportunities and deliver the hard-hitting hyperlocal journalism that our community needs. When students work at Arthur, they gain real tools they can use in their careers – whether in journalism, editing, communications, production, or design. Arthur Newspaper has been Trent’s independent student press since 1966, covering local arts and culture, the housing crisis, campus politics, the climate crisis, social justice issues and so much more. Our role involves holding the University administration to account, and investigating where your tuition money goes, because if we don’t, then who will?
Question: Do you support a $1.52 increase to Arthur Newspaper's non-refundable levy fee?
Yes: 967 (58.86%)
No: 676 (41.14%)
TOTAL: 1643
Referenda Question #5:
When the student fees for counselling, health services, and accessibility services were first established, these were all separate university departments. Over the past number of years, Trent has recognized that student needs, particularly with respect of mental health, are better met when these services are consolidated, so that students can be more seamlessly supported. To help ensure that service levels are balanced across these departments, we would like to merge the three separate fees into a single Wellness Services fee. The current fees vary considerably between the different services, which can result in unequal resource allocation. Any future budgets and fee increases would continue to be determined in consultation and with the approval of the TCSA and other student associations.
Current Model: Health - $69.26; Counselling $ 15.15; Accessibility Services $1.12 (Total annual fees = $85.53)
Proposed Model: Annual Wellness Services Fee - $85.53 (billed in halves for the Fall & Winter terms)
Question: Do you agree with consolidating the Counselling, Health Services and Accessibility Services fees into one Wellness Services fee?
Yes: 1284 (80.75%)
No: 306 (19.25%)
TOTAL: 1590
Referenda Question #6:
When student fees for Walkhome (currently $1.20 per year) and Trent University Emergency First Response Team (currently $8.46 per year) were first established, they were independently run programs. Over the past couple years, both groups requested that Trent help manage these services to ensure they could continue running and effectively support students. While TUEFRT continues to operate as an on-campus emergency first response service, Walkhome’s operations have been impacted by the pandemic and the service is currently being run on a limited basis through the University. To better align campus safety response services and properly recognize how these fees are administered, we propose combining the Walkhome levy and the TUEFRT levy and recategorizing them as a University Ancillary Fee. This change would create a Campus Safety Response Services Ancillary fee and be used by Trent’s Risk Management Department to ensure the continued operation of TUEFRT with an enhanced mandate to provide emergency & student safety response services on-Campus.
Question: Do you support combining the TUEFRT ($8.46 per year) and Walkhome ($1.20 per year) levies and re-establishing them as a Campus Safety Response Services Ancillary Fee?
Yes: 1259 (79.08%)
No: 333 (20.92%)
TOTAL: 1592
Referenda Question #7:
When the student fee to support Trent University's Nature Areas (currently $2.40 per year) was established in 1997 it was established as a refundable student levy. Annual funds collected for the Nature Areas have been used to ensure the preservation of Trent's natural beauty, which is an integral part of our campus. However, levy fees are usually only created on behalf of independent organizations that secure support through student referendum for annual funding. Due to the way in which this fee is administered directly by the University we recognize that it would be most appropriate to recategorize it as a University Ancillary Fee. This categorization better reflects the way the Nature Areas Stewardship Fee is collected and spent through the University. If successful, this administrative change will not impact the way these funds are managed or their it intended use to preserve Trent University's Nature Areas.
Question: Do you support recategorizing the refundable Trent Nature Area's Stewardship Levy as a University Ancillary Fee?
Yes: 1099 (69.25%)
No: 488 (30.75%)
TOTAL: 1587
Referenda Question #8:
When the student fee for the International Scholarship Fund was established in 1994 (currently $5.98 per year) it was created as a non-refundable student levy. This fee has been a continual source of academic and financial support for Trent’s international students. However, levy fees are meant to be collected by independent organizations. Because this fee is administered directly by the University through Trent International, it would be most appropriate to re-categorize it as a University Ancillary Fee. If successful, this administrative change will not impact the way these funds are currently managed or their intended use to provide scholarships and bursaries to undergraduate international students attending Trent University.
Question: Do you support recategorizing the non-refundable International Scholarship Fund Levy as a University Ancillary Fee?
Yes: 1006 (63.71%)
No: 573 (36.29%)
TOTAL: 1579
Referenda Question #9:
Over the past number of years, the City of Peterborough and Oshawa has seen a significant drop in the overall vacancy rate to below 1.5%, which has affected the student rental market. At the same time rental costs in Peterborough and Oshawa have increased between 27% and 35%. Due to these circumstances, Trent University has seen a significant rise in students seeking individualized support surrounding their off campus living arrangements. In responding to these increasing student support requests, Trent would like to create a dedicated staff position to provide direct support, programming, and education to all students around off campus housing. This would include resources and support around tenant rights, as well as providing support in navigating finding safe and affordable housing and the Residential Tenant Act. With the need for enhanced off campus housing support to students, the university is proposing a new student ancillary fee to help continue to enhance these services and ensure students are supported and safe.
The Fee: $5.25 per student per term for a full-time student and $1.40 per course for part time undergraduates & for graduate students. The fee will be governed by the University ancillary fee protocol and not increased by more than the cost of living/3% (whichever is less) each year without student approval.
Question: Do you support an annual non-refundable Off Campus Housing Support Fee of $5.25 per term for full time and $1.40 per course for part time undergraduate & graduate students?
Yes: 457 (28.78%)
No: 1131 (71.22%)
TOTAL: 1588
2021 TCSA Fall By-Elections Results
Friday, October 15, 2021
The results of the 2021 fall by-elections are as follows. Results were ratified at the TCSA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, October 17, 2021.
Mature & Transfer Students Commissioner:
Angela Slater-Meadows
Yes: 1153 (87.75%)
No: 46 (3.50%)
No choice: 115 (8.75%)
TOTAL: 1314
Off-Campus Students Commissioner:
Samantha Frost
Yes: 1138 (86.61%)
No: 60 (4.57%)
No choice: 116 (8.83%)
TOTAL: 1314
Racialized Students Commissioner:
Aimée-Marie Anctil: 557 (42.36%)
Jennifer Vervelde: 352 (26.77%)
Manar Elsayed Ayyad: 256 (19.47%)
No choice: 150 (11.41%)
TOTAL: 1315
Vice President University & College Affairs:
Ashish Tharoor: 503 (38.19%)
Alyssa Speed: 590 (44.80%)
Rai Isaac Tandang: 138 (10.48%)
No choice: 86 (6.53%)
TOTAL: 1317
2021 TCSA Spring Elections Results
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Referendum Question:
When TCSA members register in fewer than 1.5 credits for the first semester of their academic term they are not automatically enrolled on the Trent Student Health and Dental Benefits Plan. In some cases, this disadvantages students registered with Student Accessibility Services who retain full-time student status but do not become automatically registered for the student benefits plan. To ensure ease of access to the benefits plan, the Association is proposing lowering automatic enrolment for the benefits plan to a 0.5 credit threshold for TCSA members. This change will not impact anyone who wishes to opt-out of the benefits plan offered by the Association. Do you support changing the threshold for automatic enrolment on the Trent Health and Dental Benefits Plan to 0.5 of a credit for TCSA members?
Yes: 703 (76.41%)
No: 89 (9.67%)
No choice: 128 (13.91%)
TOTAL: 920
Environment & Sustainability Commissioner:
Jocelyn Whalen
Yes: 805 (88.56%)
No: 31 (3.41%)
No choice: 73 (8.03%)
TOTAL: 909
Mature & Transfer Students Commissioner:
Teisha Burley-Smith
Yes: 793 (87.24%)
No: 30 (3.30%)
No choice: 86 (9.46%)
TOTAL: 909
Part-Time Students Commissioner:
Meghan Darwin
Yes: 810 (89.11%)
No: 23 (2.53%)
No choice: 76 (8.36%)
TOTAL: 909
Queer Students Commissioner:
Stevie Lanigan
Yes: 787 (86.58%)
No: 43 (4.73%)
No choice: 79 (8.69%)
TOTAL: 909
Students with Disabilities Commissioner:
Alyssa Saunders
Yes: 809 (89.00%)
No: 33 (3.63%)
No choice: 67 (7.37%)
TOTAL: 909
Women’s Student Commissioner:
Chanel Bowen: 500 (54.95%)
Larissa Rizzo: 296 (32.53%)
No choice: 114 (12.53%)
TOTAL: 910
Vice President Campaigns & Equity:
Morgan Carl: 364 (39.96%)
Zoe Litow-Daye: 471 (51.70%)
No choice: 76 (8.34%)
TOTAL: 911
Vice President Student Health & Wellness:
Brook Bartlett: 300 (33.00%)
Carter Tongs: 392 (43.12%)
Teika Viducis: 145 (15.95%)
No choice: 72 (7.92%)
TOTAL: 909
President:
Wendy Walker
Yes: 783 (85.95%)
No: 50 (5.49%)
No choice: 78 (8.56%)
TOTAL: 911