SCSU Elections 2025: What’s at Stake and What it Means for You
The existence of SCSU is constant at our time in UTSC, but the knowledge and effort that goes into it, is lost in translation within students: here’s a closer look at the recent 2025 SCSU elections!
If you’ve been on campus anytime in the past few weeks, it's certain that the hundreds of campaign posters scattered across hallways and the enthusiastic crowds of students collecting signatures have caught your eye at least once. Campaigning for the Scarborough Campus Students Union (SCSU) elections has been in full swing, coming to a high point with an energetic debate on March 3, 2025 at 1265 Bistro.
Candidates from the two contesting parties, RISE and INSPIRE brought forward their potential strategies and agenda post-election, further engaging in a demanding discussion about what should be prioritized in the student body. Here’s a breakdown on what you should know going into a fresh phase marked by new and exciting opportunities for students here at UTSC!
The SCSU, established in 1966, has since continued to represent student voices and advocate for their needs around countless critical issues like high tuition fees, dissatisfaction with transit facilities and amendment of academic policies while working towards fostering a safe and positive environment on campus, by prioritizing mental wellness and organizing new, creative, recreational events.
With control over a majority of policies and initiatives around the betterment of student life on campus, SCSU’s influence is undeniable.
The SCSU manages a budget of approximately 4.7 million dollars for the calendar year, funded by tuition fees collected from students at UTSC. This is allocated across various smaller campaigns, events and services. Hence, much of what makes up our lives as students at UTSC, even if not evidently visible, is shaped by decisions from these student leaders, who are trying to convince students of their worthiness to take up office post this annual election.
Here’s a look at the campaign agenda for both contesting slates, RISE and INSPIRE.
Art Illustration By: (Hannah Arabella Gabling // The Underground)
Team Inspire is led by Hunain Sindhu, contesting to be re-elected as the president for SCSU. Inspire’s agenda for this year is built on establishing a connection between the SCSU and students on campus.
“I believe I have identified shortcomings and learnt from my experiences as president last year, which puts me in a strong spot to hit the ground running this year,” said Sindhu in an interview with The Underground. He plans to implement a campus-wide student survey with immediate effect if elected which he believes will provide answers to what the students truly want.
“Identifying the demands of the students has consistently been a struggle for the SCSU which I plan to solve before taking subsequent action,” Sindhu added.
Ayesha Ashraf, running for VP External on team INSPIRE is set to graduate this year with a double major in psychology and sociology. She plans to make the most out of her role as VP of External, with the privilege of not juggling commitments as a full-time student and being part of the student body.
Ashraf’s main goals are advocating for U-passes (provides students the option to purchase an unlimited transit pass at an affordable price for those that commute), ensure affordability in transit purchases, help students who are in financial need, and hopes to create better living conditions for those who live on campus. She also wants to create more political education and awareness around campus.
“It's so important for students to be informed and educated about how governmental policies impact their academic life and the importance of voting. With the recent example of Ford winning the provincial elections, he has policies on cutting 10 per cent on post-secondary institutions. Where do you think the universities are gonna make up for that 10 percent?”
Team Rise is led by Lalise Shifara, current VP of Equity at SCSU, who is running for the presidential position this year. Team Rise has emphasized the goal to drive up standards of transparency and accountability the SCSU has practiced in the past while identifying the implementation of a strong communication line between students and the union as their utmost priority as well.
We aim to hold weekly office hours, giving students a chance to openly communicate their concerns in-person with any SCSU executive they wish,” said Shifara.
“An online, anonymous feedback form will consistently stay in place, giving on option to not disclose identity and eliminating the concern of holding back any issues” Shifara added.
Maya Khan is a candidate for VP academics and University affairs on the RISE slate, and the current President of Tamil Student Union (TSU). Khan stressed on putting dedicated effort into implementing long due change in academic policies that students themselves have consistently demanded.
Khan hopes to add program-required courses for Credit/Non-credit, allowing students to take off up to one credit from their transcript. She also hopes to enhance engagement by creating an academic hub for students, creating workshops like resume building, immigration seminars for international students etc. Khan prioritizes advocating for students that may face academic issues. In an interview with Khan, she discussed her plan if elected.
“I am running for this role just to be a better service to those who are genuinely unable to voice for themselves, especially for those students with academic concerns. I want to be a resource.” Khan explained.
With the election campaigns in action through February, there has been a massive distribution of candidate posters around campus. Even though this did catch the attention of students and raise awareness for the elections, some students were concerned about the amount of paper waste and money spent on them. On Reddit’s UTSC Subreddit, there are multiple threads criticizing the candidates for using an excessive amount of posters. The concern for sustainability and use of funds spent on posters could have gone to other places like microwaves, food, transport costs etc. some students argue.
Lalise Shifara and Maya Khan, both from Team RISE, spoke on the feedback given to them and explained their next steps.
“Many students on campus were complaining about the amount of paper being wasted and plastered all around campus. They were coming from a sustainability perspective, as a team we heard them and wanted to support this so we actually have half of the amount of posters hung around campus. After the elections we plan on taking the posters to the print hub and they will be able to make reclaimed paper books/ notebooks instead of recycling them. RISE UTSC is for the students so we’ve actually stayed away from handing out flyers during elections and approaching a more traditional way to campaign.“ Khan says.
The SCSU elections, however, don’t only focus on presidents and executives. The elections also consist of candidates for the individually elected board of directors, consisting of 19 programs and/or positions. Those running are under either team RISE or team INSPIRE.
Janice Soro is in her third year, majoring in human biology and minoring in both international development and health humanities. She reflects on her motivation for running as the director of biological sciences.
“I’ve realized this program has a lot of students within it, but their major concerns are not being dealt with. I am passionate about this and willing to make a difference,” said Soro.
There are some candidates who were unable to join either team, leading them to represent themselves independently. Kate Gallagher, is a second-year student, running for the role of Director of Political Science. In a conversation with Gallagher, she explained her experience as an independent and what she learned from representing herself.
“I will say it is a lot of extra work, as I don’t have the help of volunteers, so I created everything myself. But it also made me appreciate a lot more of the effort that goes into SCSU, and reminded me of why I am running and the motivation to help students within my department.” said Gallagher.
The process of elections and how the voting system works for SCSU elections is not fully known. Voting for your preferred candidate would require you to visit voting booths, spread across campus in the IC Atrium, BV, Student Centre and Sam Ibrahim. The system on how the ballots are collected and reviewed are similar to how government voting works. Jena Bah - current VP Operations is the chair of the elections and the chief returning officer (CRO) are both working on the voting process this election season. The CRO wishes to remain anonymous as they are currently holding a staff position and not registered as a student.
“In terms of ballot counting, it would be myself (the CRO), the deputy returning officers the polling clerks at the station, the ERC members, Jena Bah, the board of directors from critical development studies, and the CMS border director all contribute to the counting and finalizing,” said the CRO in an interview with her alongside Jena Bah.
The voting polls also included scrutineers (observers selected from teams to have eyes on the voting process and ensuring everything is running ethically) giving each team the option of surveilling the polls.
At the heart of the SCSU election is a symphony of ideas, leadership and representation, but most of all, it is a vision for a new chapter of student life at UTSC. As the posters come off and the debates quieten down, candidates have put day and night into their conquest to gain trust and support from the students. Both arguments and promises have been made, and the stage is set for students to express who their faith truly lies in.
Update: Lalise Shifara was elected as the next SCSU president after the commencement of the 2025 student elections.
