The race for the next Commerce Society (ComSoc) executive team picked up with a debate between the two contending teams.
With several candidates on exchange, the debate took place over Zoom on Jan. 30 at 6 p.m., with the audience of the Executive Election Town Hall watching from commerce headquarters—Goodes Hall.
Originally, three teams were set to run, but Team SRA dropped out for unknown reasons, leaving only Team PAC and Team ASK in the race. Those in attendance included Prem Mehta-Spooner, Amin Nazari, and Connor McCourt, all Comm ’26, from Team PAC and Aiza Mudassar, Steven Xiong, and Kieran Kimberley, all Comm ’26, from Team ASK.
READ MORE: Contested Team PAC talks advocacy for next year’s ComSoc
Team PAC was the first to speak, presenting their pillars and platform ideas. Presidential candidate Mehta-Spooner focused on continuity, stating his goal, if elected is to build on the work of previous leaders. Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Nazari emphasized credibility through building trust, transparency, resource management, and operational management. Vice-Presidential (Student Affairs) candidate McCourt highlighted his goal of fostering inclusivity and connection through his pillar, community.
Team ASK followed, with Presidential candidate Xiong speaking about their platform’s mission to bring change to the society and be a voice for underrepresented students. Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Mudassar spoke on efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability, wanting to provide clubs with more and resources, as well as streamlining processes, though the specifics were unclear. She also referenced her experience as the current marketing coordinator for the society.
Vice-Presidential (Student Affairs) candidate Kimberley itted he has limited experience with ComSoc, but has been involved with Orientation Week as a Boss, being an orientation leader, and later as a part of the Commerce Executive on Orientation (CEO). He wants to improve the orientation culture and create a tight-knit community within commerce’s broader student body.
Managing the finance portfolio and improving financial literacy
When asked about financials, Nazari spoke about financial transparency and his experience as the ComSoc representative to the AMS. He itted he wasn’t fully aware of the current state of ComSoc’s finances, emphasizing the need for greater transparency. If elected, Nazari will consult with co-chairs regarding the faculty’s finances.
Mudassar proposed a proactive approach to financial management, aiming to improve accessibility to financial and ensure co-chairs of ComSoc committees have the resources and to manage their budget. She wants to provide financial training and introduce a monthly financial check-in where co-chairs can share their concerns and seek guidance.
To improve financial literacy among ComSoc clubs and ensure co-chairs understand ComSoc’s financial policies, Mudassar emphasized the need for training, workshops and Q&As for co-chairs. She proposed standardizing financial reporting, enhancing resource management, and strengthening internal operations.
Nazari stated he wants to introduce several changes to the society, including making financial transactions more transparent. He proposed creating a new role, an ombudsperson, to co-chairs and address their concerns. He expressed his commitment to engaging directly with students and co-chairs through office hours and town halls.
Strengthening relationships
When asked what specific initiatives the teams plan to introduce to strengthen relationships within ComSoc, both Vice-Presidential (Student Affairs) candidates focused on mentorship and community-building.
McCourt discussed implementing various mentorship programs, assisting students with interview timelines, and organizing social events, including dual-year-based socials and larger gatherings. He expressed the need for constant mentorship to create a stronger sense of community.
Kimberley proposed building mentorship programs focusing on more stressful periods for students, such as internships and exchange. He highlighted the importance of building more personal connections that go beyond surface-level interactions.
Addressing student questions
An anonymous student in the audience submitted a question directed at Team PAC’s Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Nazari. The student questioned whether his ambitious extensive consultation plans were realistic and whether this might undo the work that previous teams have done. Nazari referenced his current role as the chief financial officer at the Residence Society where he manages an operational budget four times larger than ComSoc’s. He acknowledged both successes and failures in that role, stating that he has learned from his experiences.
Another anonymous question was directed at Team PAC’s Vice-Presidential (Student Affairs) candidate McCourt, asking him to name policies or initiatives he spearheaded to gauge his preparedness for the position that directly influences student well-being, engagement, and equity. McCourt referenced his current co-chair role of Smith Commerce’s High School Liaison program, where he helps run a mentorship program. He believes this experience taught him valuable lessons about student engagement.
Ending the town hall was one last anonymous question, asking how teams would work to decrease the stigma surrounding ComSoc. Kimberley acknowledged ComSoc is historically known as being “closed off” and plans on increasing transparency and communication as a solution, pointing out his belief that the society isn’t accessible on social media.
McCourt highlighted transparency, and stated he would provide regular updates to ensure students are informed about what’s happening within ComSoc. He noted “a lot happens behind closed doors,” and students should be aware, within reason, of the society’s operations.
ComSoc executive team voting takes place on Feb. 1 and 2 via Simply Voting for all commerce students.
Corrections
A previous version of this story listed Team ASK as Comm ’27 instead of Comm ’26.
The Journal regrets the error
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