Nick Day, ArtSci ’09, said his experience with both undergraduate and graduate student issues will make him the ideal candidate to run for Rector.
Day, who’s applying to graduate school at Queen’s, said his experiences from his undergraduate years make him well-poised to create meaningful activism on current issues for students.
“It’s a great time for a ionate student to get active in academic cuts and how we want the University to be academically in the future,” he said. “I’ve been here longer and I have a broader based involvement.”
The position of rector, Day said, is different than typical student government. It’s connected to the Principal’s office, the Board of Trustees and the Senate; the Rector also sits in on all the faculty societies and the AMS.
“I think it’s a great role in of taking on a project and creating meaningful change,” he said.
Day said a priority for his platform is dealing with budget cuts and making sure students’ voices are heard.
“The rector is one of three student representatives to the Board of Trustees so there’s a very limited student voice directly to the Board,” he said. “I want to make sure the Board knows what students need and the way their decisions affect the academic world and social world [for students].”
Day said another issue he wants to focus on concerns equity.
“In the Henry Report … it’s clear that we want to see an emphasis on hiring practices and employment standards,” he said.
Some equity projects Day said he wants to propose are creating more forums, discussion s and guest speakers on equity issues.
“The more attention you draw to them the more you create a palpable anti-discriminatory community.”
Another area Day said he’s ionate about is improving TA training.
“It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to grade a paper and teach a class,” he said. “To use it to help people to improve their skills requires a lot of training.”
He said he wants to improve grading practices, classroom environment and educate incoming graduate students to create an inclusive and safe environment in their classes.
“Unintentionally, people can make comments or behave in certain ways that they don’t realize alienates people,” he said, adding that he thinks equity training would help improve these issues.
Day said he recognizes the importance of teaching and research experience during graduate studies.
“It’s a central part of career development for graduate students. Being a teacher teaches you a lot. … Learning isn’t an isolated process.”
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