March 8, 2021
THE VARSITY The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
Vol. CXLI, No. 20
UTSU Elections 2021
Candidates for four of six executive positions run unopposed. Our coverage on p. 4–5
SCSU elections 2021 in review: MOTIVATE UTSC wins five of six executive positions Sarah Abdillahi re-elected as president after opponent’s controversial disqualificatioin
Lauren Alexander, Hannah Carty, Alexa DiFrancesco, News Team
On March 5, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) released the unofficial election results of its 2021–2022 elections, following a voting period from March 2–4. The MOTIVATE UTSC slate, led by Sarah Abdillahi vying for re-election as president, won five of six executive positions. Abdillahi won the position uncontested after her opponent, Eesha Chaudhry and current vice-president external, was controversially disqualified before the voting period started. The voter turnout for this year’s election was 11.67 per cent of a total of 13,452 eligible voters. This is slightly lower than last year, when the voter turnout was 13.85 per cent, based on a calculation out of 14,000 members of the SCSU. Results for executive positions Sarah Abdillahi was re-elected as president with an approval rating of 76 per cent
and a total of 1,201 votes. The other winners were also announced, with four out of the remaining five winners coming from the MOTIVATE UTSC slate. For vice-president academics & university affairs, the winner was Rimsha Rahman from MOTIVATE UTSC with 909 votes and 58 per cent of total votes. TJ Ho, with the MOTIVATE UTSC slate, won re-election as vice-president campus life with 1,075 votes and 68 per cent of total votes. For vice-president equity, the winner was Isaiah Murray from the MOTIVATE UTSC slate with 774 votes and 49 per cent of total votes. From the MOTIVATE UTSC slate, Andy Mai won for vice-president operations with 900 votes and 57 per cent of total votes. Farah Ahmad was the only candidate to win from the opposing slate, Connect UTSC — earning the vice-president external position with 805 votes and 51 per cent of total votes. Cont’d, p. 2
U of T planning for return to in-person activities in fall 2021
In-person learning anticipated to return; in-person access to libraries will increase Khatchig Anteblian Associate News Editor
On March 4, U of T announced plans to return to in-person learning and activities in September 2021. The letter reads, “We are looking forward, with optimism, to fall 2021 when people can once more gather on our campuses, as permitted by public health guidelines.” However, U of T also noted that “we can return to existing practices should they be required.” “We encourage everyone to continue planning towards this goal of in-person fall activities,” the letter reads. U of T plans to retain some of the technological innovations and work flexibility introduced during the 2020–2021 school year. The letter does not mention whether online options for courses will continue to be available for the fall semester if there is a widespread return to in-person learning. Over this past year, most courses have been of-
fered online, though the university initially intended to to pursue in-person and hybrid courses at the beginning of September 2020. Almost all courses will continue to be offered online for summer 2021. Besides in-person courses, the three campuses will be open for on-campus research “with measures in place to follow public health guidance.” Libraries will also increase in-person services, such as appointments to use the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Map & Data Library, and other archives for research, as guidelines permit. The university has updated its in-class instruction and general workplace guidelines to prepare for a safe gradual return to campus. Additionally, the university is hosting a vaccine clinic at UTM and has plans for hosting clinics at the other two campuses as well. The Varsity has reached out to U of T Media Relations for comment.
The story of insulin started at U of T 100 years ago — take a look back on page 17!