In the SGPS election, two candidates face off for the position of vice-president (graduate), while the remaining positions of president, vice-president (campaigns and community affairs), vice-president (finance and services), and vice-president (professional) are uncontested, with a sole candidate in each race.
All six candidates spoke with The Journal to discuss their platforms and goals for the year.
President
If elected SGPS President, Emils Matiss, a PhD candidate in neuroscience, hopes to centralize communication, address the cost –of living crisis, and bolster mental health s.
Having held several governing positions in his time at Queen’s at the departmental and University Senate levels, Matiss believes he’s well-equipped to take on this role. He sees it as providing the perfect balance between taking on new challenges and continued student advocacy.
Matiss recognizes the toll financial pressures and academic stress can have on graduate students’ mental health.
“I will prioritize mental health resources and systems to ensure our graduate students’ well-being. This includes looking at how mental health currently works at Queen’s, and identifying new and more efficient strategies that offer better ,” Matiss said in a statement to The Journal.
Finding common ground and maintaining open channels of communication will be central for Matiss when maintaining a positive working relationship with the University and SGPS .
When it comes to larger issues, such as the cost of living, Matiss recognizes the need for complex solutions—including lobbying for change at the provincial government level.
“I will advocate for increased funding packages, explore partnerships with the City to address housing issues, and collaborate with the School of Graduate Studies to find solutions,” Matiss said.
“This is an exceptional challenge in the era of budget constraints. There’s no magic wand to increase the available funding for students, which is why it is necessary to look for solutions where change can be spurred.”
As president, Matiss hopes to create an environment that s other executive of SGPS in identifying and implementing solutions to their challenges.
Vice-President (Campaigns and Community Affairs)
Simran Sharma, a PhD candidate in global development studies, is hoping to foster community and push back against community housing rent hikes as SGPS vice-president (campaigns and community affairs).
As an international student, Sharma understands firsthand how difficult it can be for students from underrepresented communities to find community at Queen’s. Soon after moving to Kingston, she realized it’s left up to students to go out and find spaces where they feel represented and rejuvenated.
“This is the reason why I wanted to run for this specific platform, because trying to build these spaces for [equity-deserving] students is very important,” Sharma said in an interview with The Journal.
Sharma hopes to bring students together by hosting events such as speaker series, and celebrations for festivals and holidays, including Diwali and Eid.
The position would give Sharma the opportunity to raise awareness around the inequalities and marginalization faced by many of these student groups, in addition to advocating for graduate and professional students when it comes to housing costs and budget cuts.
A major concern for Sharma is the cost of Queen’s community housing—residents of the An Clachan Complex and John Orr Tower were informed in December of a 10.5 per cent rent increase. These units are primarily occupied by Queen’s graduate students and their families.
“[Graduate and professional] students are super underpaid. We’re all working three to four jobs alongside our coursework,” Sharma said. “It’s going to be difficult to get food on the table if these kinds of changes happen at the university housings.”
When advocating for students, Sharma’s primary goal is to make sure she is representing all graduate students, not just herself and her priorities.
Vice-President (Finance and Services)
Katie Zutautas, a PhD candidate in the department of biomedical and molecular sciences, has been the SGPS deputy speaker for two consecutive . Zutautas has previous experience on the finance and services committee as she works closely with the current SGPS Vice-President (Finance and Services) Gaby Fekete, Law ’24.
Her previous experience with the SGPS allows her to be up to date with financial issues and evaluate where funds can be directed to student bursaries. Zutautas emphasized her involvement in the food insecurity relief program, which she helped organize alongside Fekete.
“I want to continue working on the scaffolding [Fekete] built and continue that in the program moving forward. I look forward to seeing if there are other programs that we can add to students in major ways,” Zutautas said.
She wants to use her platform to advocate for students’ struggles and make sure Queen’s is directly listening to students’ concerns.
“If you’re putting your best foot forward, you’re trying something that doesn’t work, then you’re coming to with what happened and deciding how to move forward. I think I bring that skill set to this position,” Zutautas said.
Zutautas is looking forward to building her istrative skills if she is elected and believes she provides a good foundation for understanding what issues students are facing.
“Moving forward, it’s really important to reassure students that with the money we do have, we’re going to spend it with the students’ best interests at heart, and the decisions that are made by the SGPS are going to serve graduate professional students,” Zutautas said.
Vice-President (Graduate): Zaid Kasim
The key driving force behind Zaid Kasim’s, MASc ’25, candidacy for SGPS vice-president (graduate) is graduate student affordability and quality of life.
Kasim’s platform is ambitious—he wants to increase graduate student funding and funding opportunities, decrease their tuition, lower rental costs, increase the quantity and quality of food insecurity services, and ensure graduate students are treated both as Queen’s students and staff.
Kasim hopes to begin addressing these points by launching a research study to collect data. This will help him create awareness and develop proposals to tackle each problem. Kasim envisions strong collaboration between the SGPS and PSAC 901.
When it comes to food insecurity, Kasim plans to invoke a multi-pronged approach. This will centre on enhancing partnership with local organizations like the AMS Food Bank and include fundraising opportunities, marketing campaigns, and potentially increasing the SGPS student fee by a small percentage. He also hopes the SGPS will develop a backup plan for emergency food .
“At the end of the day, student government is about continuity and it’s about setting up the folks that are coming after you to succeed. If we can do that, if I can do that in my role, I will be extremely happy.”
Both successes and failures in his past executive positions—including EngSoc vice-president (student affairs) and AMS president—have prepared Kasim to take on this role. He has learned to stand up for what he believes is right and knows when to push back against resistance.
Vice-President (Graduate): Julia Tropak
The second candidate vying for the vice-president (graduate) position, Julia Tropak, MSc ’26, wants to make it easier to live as a graduate student and is advocating for students with disabilities.
“I really want to make sure that Queen’s is a place that you can get around and you can work, because having a physical disability doesn’t mean that you’re restricted,” Tropak said in an interview with The Journal.
Many graduate students are struggling to afford housing costs. If elected, Tropak wants to make sure she is speaking to the right people to address this issue. Consultations with landlords, tenants, the Landlord and Tenancy Board as well as istrative of Queen’s Community Housing are central.
Tropak said graduate students deserve the recognition, representation, and advocacy to encourage the longevity of graduate programs.
Past leadership roles have equipped Tropak with the skills necessary to be an advocate for students while maintaining positive relationships with the University.
Tropak hopes as vice-president (graduate), students across all departments and faculties will recognize her and be able to come up to chat. She hopes her work is appreciated and students will feel the positive impact of her actions.
Vice-President (Professional)
As the current vice-president (professional) for the SGPS, Maya Kawale, Law ’25 is running for re-election, pushing for a sense of community among SGPS and a streamlined transition process for her role.
“I want to make it easier for the following individuals who encom this role to understand what they need to do, the timelines, and who to reach out to,” Kawale said in a statement to The Journal.
Clear and open communication is a top priority for Kawale, both amongst peers and University istration. She doesn’t anticipate this to be a challenge, with past leadership roles giving her plenty of experience advocating for students.
“The University wants to and aid students the best that they can. We have open communication channels and established relationships with many stakeholders so raising these concerns is typically very easy,” said Kawale.
Kawale has found the sense of community among SGPS students has struggled since COVID-19. She hopes to continue working to bring back this sense of belonging and camaraderie, with an emphasis on social events.
“As students achieve a second or third degree, there needs to be time for fun and bonding on top of the rigors of their education.”
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