On 14 October 2014, the results of the semester-long SAC position selections for semester 1 were released. They are as follows:
Grade 9 Representative: Lisa Wang
Grade 10 Representative: Khalida Elsadati
Grade 11 Representative: Ejay Vidad
Grade 12 Representative: Qudrat Ullah
Junior Representative: Zaid Baig
Senior Representative: Shazde Mir
Secretary: Kabi Jaishankar
For the 2014-2015 school year, changes to the SAC semester-long position’s election process are being made. Rather than being voted on by class representatives, the selections for semestered positions are now made based on an application and interview process. The class representative system was removed this year.
In addition to these changes, the semester-long Advertising Coordinator position was also removed. Tasks previously associated with this position were reassigned to the Communications Coordinator, Mahad Khokar.
Numerous SAC members believe that this new system is more equitable and beneficial, both for the candidates, and for the school.
SAC Vice President, Arora Chen, gives insight to what the anonymous voting process was like. She stated that “the names were whited out on the applications and we were left to judge candidates solely based on their profiles.”
Current SAC Social Justice Convener, Jackie Ho, was also fond of the new system. She said that, she “like[s] the new process because it is not based on a popularity vote. The candidates were marked on their application and an interview. During the interviews, SAC was clearly able to see who had great ideas and ask the candidates questions directly.”
Many other SAC members thought that the new system serves to eliminate irrelevant social issues and change the process from a “popularity contest” into a legitimate means of selecting the right candidates.
Doesn’t it make little sense for a TOPS student to be gr 9 rep when they barely know most kids here especially as most kids here went to VP and know each other? Isn’t that not really representing the student bodies wants and needs?
If these positions always went to students who went to VP that wouldn’t be fair for those who didn’t attend VP.