SEMIANNUAL REPORT
Fall 2025
Prepared by: Sunethma Munasinghe
TABLEOFCONTENTS
TABLEOFCONTENTS
WHATISVUSAC?
VUSAC refers to the Victoria College Students’ Administrative Council. We are a student body which advocates and supports students at Victoria College, at the University of Toronto. Our team consists of both elected and hired members. Commissions that are part of VUSAC advocate for causes like commuter rights, accessibility and mental health resources at Vic, to name a few. We also host events like our annual semi-formal and back-toschool pub night, and oversee all the clubs and levies at Victoria College. Some notable achievements made in the past include the implementation of reusable chopstick bins in Ned’s Cafe, our $5.50 meal program, and the Vic Pride Scholarship.
In this report, hear directlyfrom our team and see what projects they’ve been working on this semester and what things they hope to implement in thefuture.
20 25FALLEVENT CALENDAR
S&G:
EC:
VOCA:
A&C:
MWC:
20 25FALLEVENT CALENDAR
NOVEMBER
REOCCURINGEVENTS
EATAFTER8
every
THIRD THURSDAYS
FALLELECTIONS
Nominations Period: September 04 at 12 am to September 11, 11:59 am.
Elections Info and Q&A Session #1: September 04 at 6-7 pm at the VUSAC office
Elections Info and Q&A Session #2: September 10 from 6-7 pm at the VUSAC Office.
All Candidates Meeting: September 11th from 6 to 8 pm in the VUSAC Office.
Campaign Period: September 11 at 8 pm to September 23, 2025, at 11:59 pm.
Town Hall (Day 1): September 17 at 5:30 in the Wymilwood Lounge (Goldring Student Centre).
Town Hall (Day 2): September 18 at 5:30 in the Wymilwood Lounge (Goldring Student Centre).
Voting Period: September 19 at 12 am to September 23 at 11:59 pm.
Silent Period: September 24 at 12 am to September 26 at 5:30 pm.
Elections Ratification Meeting: September 26 at 5:30 pm in the Copper Room.
To view our elected members and for more information on the VUSAC Fall 2025 Elections, please visit vusac.ca/elections-info.
CONTACTUS
POSITION NAME EMAIL
President Rohini Patra president@vusac.ca
Vice-President Internal Aiden Kong vpi@vusac.ca
Vice-President External Isha Mathur vpe@vusac.ca
Vice-President Student Organizations Anya Ivantchenko vpso@vusac.ca
Academic Commissioner Isabelle Poisson academic@vusac.ca
Arts and Culture Commissioner Varun Kanabar artsandculture@vusac.ca
Commuter Commissioner Tyler Wong commuter@vusac.ca
Commuter Co-Chair Yu Wei Fu commutercochair@vusac.ca
Equity Commissioner Hana Greenberg equity@vusac.ca
Equity Co-Chair Kiara Moeskops equitycochair@vusac.ca
Mental Wellness Commissioner Caitlin Santos-Abobo mentalwellness@vusac.ca
Mental Wellness Co-Chair Ziad Nashed mentalwellnesscochair@vusac ca
Scarlet and Gold Commissioner Ruhi Chopra scarletandgold@vusac.ca
Sustainability Commissioner Elena Sun sustainability@vusac.ca
Chair Sijil Jindani chair@vusac.ca
Chief Returning Officer Alessandro Limanni cro@vusac.ca
POSITION
CONTACTUS NAME
Communications Coordinator Sunethma Munasinghe communications@vusac.ca
Finance Chair Chelsea Kim finance@vusac.ca
Office Manager Gianna Fu officemanager@vusac.ca
First-Year Councillor Andrea Yip andrea.yip@vusac.ca
First-Year Councillor Arjun Sharma arjun.sharma@vusac.ca
First-Year Councillor Evelyn George evelyn.george@vusac.ca
First-Year Councillor Grayson Graham grayson.graham@vusac.ca
Upper-Year Councillor Albert Huang albert.huang@vusac.ca
Upper-Year Councillor Joseph Duraisingh joseph.duraisingh@vusac.ca
Upper-Year Councillor Julianna Marcel julianna.marcel@vusac.ca
Upper-Year Councillor Julian Ong julian.ong@vusac.ca
International Councillor Uijin Lee international@vusac.ca
PRESIDENT ROHINIPATRA(SHE/HER)
Summer:
When I ran for VUSAC President, I made a clear promise: to advocate for student well-being in ways that truly matter My main priorities were addressing (i) food security, not as a buzzword, but as a lived reality for students, (ii) increasing community engagement, (iii) increasing the visibility of VUSAC Over the summer, I collaborated with the Bursar’s Office, the Dean’s Office, and the Food Services team to make this vision tangible I’m proud to share that together we launched a pilot initiative already making a meaningful impact on campus life
The $5.50 Meal Program provides students with accessible, high-quality, and affordable dining options through Ned’s Café:
$5.50 Packaged Entrées: Ready-to-heat meals available Monday to Friday in the Grab ’n Go fridges.
$5.50 Warm Snacks: Samosas, Jamaican patties, spring rolls, and chicken fingers, served hot daily from 11 a.m. until sold out.
Campus Comfort Combo ($6.50): A hearty sandwich paired with a small soup, available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or while supplies last).
This initiative is a small but powerful step toward ensuring that every Victoria College student has access to an affordable, nourishing meal on campus.
The other initiative I’ve been working on is “space.” This has been a key topic of discussion, and VUSAC has been developing an equitable space reallocation proposal for student organizations After the summer, this task was delegated to Anya, the Vice President of Student Organisation who has been in contact with clubs and levies to gain a better understanding of their specific space needs
We wanted to avoid a top-down approach and instead focus on a process that genuinely considers the needs of each levy I’m happy to share that Vic Pride will finally be moving out of the closet space into a dedicated office In addition, VicBlack has been allocated a physical space of its own, a change VUSAC believes will help strengthen student connections and support deeper community engagement.
At the beginning of the school year, VUSAC, in collaboration with the Orientation Team, hosted the “Back to School” Carnival. The working group consisted of myself, Anya, and Kate (the Orientation Co-Chair). This was the first time we organized a carnival-style event specifically for upper-year students to help them reintegrate into the Victoria College community. The event was designed to promote both physical and mental wellness. Featuring obstacle courses, interactive activities, and free treats like popsicles, the carnival set a positive, welcoming tone for the academic year and encouraged students to reconnect with campus life.
In the orientation team, spear heading traditional ceremonies, where I wrote some 350 alumni cards for the students with support from some team members ROM dance with the St. Mikes and Trinity, among others
Fall Semester:
As the VUSAC president, I am committed to expand the celebration of cultural identities on an equitable and not equal basis.t I was involved in planning of Diwali, which brought in students from diverse background to celebrate the “festival of lights” with administrators, students and the Consul General of India Currently, there is discussion about expanding LUNAR new year celebration in February and Eid in March nce planning so we are looking to start by the end of November
One of major future initiative is the VicPride student scholarship In collaboration with the Alumni Office, I have been working to establish an annual 2SLGBTQIA+ Student Award to recognize a student who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through advocacy, leadership, and service. We are currently in the process of raising $25,000 to endow the award and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Another project I’m working on focuses on increasing student access to Goldring on weekends, with a stronger emphasis on marketing and engagement. Past President Shane Joy had initiated this effort, and I hope to build on that foundation. A proposal is currently underway but my goal is not just to announce that the building is open. I want to highlight it as a vibrant “campus hub” for students, promoting it as a space for studying, socializing, maybe yoga or mediation in collaboration with wellness dons and mental wellness comission . I am still brainstorming about it.
VICE-PRESIDENTINTERNAL AIDENKONG(HE/HIM)
Hi everyone! Thanks for reading my Semi-Annual Report, here’s the recap of what I’ve been up to since I was elected as Vice-President Internal of VUSAC!
This summer, we had Staff + Co-Chair hiring as usual, although we had to extend applications for Sustainability Co-Chair We received 23 staff applications and 25 Co-Chair applications, respectively, so i was happy to see lots of people looking to get involved in VUSAC this year However, due to scheduling delays and difficulty balancing responsibilities, I did not hire an Academic or Sustainability Co-Chair over the summer, which was a huge oversight on my part and I apologize to anyone that this has inconvenienced.
At the start of the school year, we had a VUSAC booth during Orientation’s Dinner with VUSAC and Levies to publicise the role of VUSAC in the community for first years and promote elections and our upcoming Pub Night. Soon after we had Pub Night, which was a huge success thanks to Ruhi, the Scarlet & Gold Commissioner. A week later, the VUSAC Exec also ran a cotton candy stand at Back to School Carnival, and I would like to thank Anya, the VPSO, for putting on such an exciting event to welcome back students.
As the Fall semester continued, I supported the Elections process by being an Assistant CRO alongside the VPE. Once elections concluded, the newly elected Councillors and Commissioners were onboarded and councillors were assigned to their portfolios. This year, the VPSO and Office Manager have been assigned a councillor for the first time, so I’m excited to see what the councillors do on these portfolios
We then held VUSAC Retreat This was a two-day event where the council got to learn, bond, and integrate The first day had more informational sessions, such as VUSAC 101, event planning, and a mock meeting, while the second day had more bonding activities, including a Fun Fact Guess Who game and karaoke The feedback from this event was generally positive and it was awesome getting to see new and returning VUSAC members connect throughout the weekend
More recently, I led the VUSAC Exec booth at Home for the Holidays, where we had a ring toss and advertised Fall Caucus so students could share their questions and concerns for Victoria College Administration and student leaders. Huge shoutout to Tyler, Yuwei, and the rest of the Commuter Commission for planning another successful Home for the Holidays.
Throughout the semester, I have recruited and risk-assessed volunteers for larger events such as Casino Night and Diwali Dinner & Celebration, which both went super well thanks to planning by Ruhi and Rohini. I have also helped mitigate printing issues in the office by getting flashdrives, troubleshooting printer usage, and writing clear instructions for students. However, hopefully the printer and computer issues will be sorted out by next semester and students will be able to print as usual. Thanks to Gianna, the Office Manager, for working hard trying to coordinate with IT and resolve these issues.
I didn’t realize how much the workload of this position would be, and have definitely made mistakes along the way. However, seeing other students passionate about student leadership and VUSAC has kept me motivated to do right by Vic students and be a better VPI. This role has been challenging, but all the more rewarding, and I look forward to the rest of the year and continuing to support council in any way I can
VICE-PRESIDENTEXTERNAL ISHAMATHUR(SHE/HER)
Hello Victoria University! My name is Isha Mathur and I am the 2025-2026 Vice-President External on VUSAC!
While I am not new to VUSAC and have held previous positions as the Scarlet and Gold Commissioner and First Year Councillor, VPE is not like any other position! I will structure my report in two parts, starting with things I have worked on so far and things I am looking forward to for the rest of the semester and in the new year. This will be a bit of a chaotic report, but I promise to have more structure in the Winter!
Over the summer, I worked with Ruhi to plan the VUSAC Back to School Pub Night on August 31st. The turnout was great! We had about 140-150 students come and the feedback was all positive! Thank you to Ruhi and all the VUSAC volunteers who helped make this event a success. Throughout August, I also
conducted club check-ins with all twenty-five of our amazing Vic College clubs. I have been so impressed by the phenomenal programming our clubs have had thus far.
In September, I opened up and helped run the Fall 2025 elections It was my first time writing a nominations package and also editing the VUSAC website, and who knows, maybe not my last… Isha for CRO? Just joking, it’s not an elected position.. The Fall 2025 elections ran well and we now have 11 new council members on the team! Some of which I got to know better during VUSAC retreat and boy do we have some crazy hidden talents like black belts and also 3 sets of twins!
I also kickstarted Eat after 8 for another semester of eliminating food waste and feeding over 400 students and counting since October This year we have continued the frequency of having the program three times a week, settling on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays to allow for smoother logistical planning We are now Eat After 8 (starts at 7:45!). We’ve consistently had 40 students attending each night and have a full team of non-VUSAC volunteers supporting and running the program. We have started promoting reusable container incentives and I plan to continue this into the winter semester. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers and to the food services team at Vic for making this event the success that it is!
I also helped (very minimally) with Semi-Formal planning. After some stubbornness from me we tried online ticket sales for the very first time and I think we learned a lot about not reinventing the wheel and how old-fashioned in-person sales might be less stressful. Regardless, Semi was great fun and I could see that all the students who came enjoyed themselves thoroughly Shout out to Ruhi for all the hard work and planning that went into Semi, it was an amazing event and you should be very proud of yourself I look forward to Highball in March
I have been working on the Vic Pride scholarship with Rohini and the Alumni Affairs Office We are making headway into starting fundraising initiatives like selling Vic History Guides and finding creative ways to integrate fundraising into existing events by VUSAC We are always looking for fresh ideas so don’t hesitate to reach out
Also, special shoutout to my first year councillors, Uijin, Andrea, and Arjun! So so happy to have y’all on the team! And thank you to the entire exec team, Rohini, Aiden and Anya you guys are so gnarly!
Transitioning to things I look forward to! Fall Caucus is happening on November 21st! I am super excited to be chairing all the fruitful discussions and questions I am always delighted to see how engaged our students are at Victoria and how deeply we care about uplifting the university and our peers New this year is the raffle prize and prepublished reports which are meant to encourage Vic students (non-leadership) to attend and engage with admin, VUSAC, clubs, and levies!
Additionally, I am working on Crescam Service Awards with the Dean’s Office. Like all things at VUSAC this year, we are making it bigger at Burwash Dining Hall and will be inviting the recipients of the new Community Engagement and Leadership Certificate which recognizes engaged students atVic in their achievement in civic engagement and leadership.
I have many exciting events planned for the Winter semester with my first year councillors, so stay tuned for those One of which sounds a lot like an inter-collegiate dodgeball tournament! Overall, in the second half of my term, I would like to focus on deliverables from Fall Caucus and supporting the rest of the council where I can! The vibes are great at Vic and on VUSAC, and I look forward to all of our new and signature events upcoming in the winter
ORGANIZATIONS
ANYAIVANTCHENKO(THEY/SHE)
Hi everyone! I’m Anya Ivantchenko and I am so excited to be your Vice-President of Student Organizations for the 2025-2026 academic year When I was first elected in May, my top priority was to set up student groups and their incoming executive for success and having them feeling prepared as we began the new school year This was done by supporting levies in their transitions from previous executive teams, organizing the selection committees for levy hiring, and ratifying the majority of our clubs for the 25/26 academic year during the summer’s club ratification meeting.
During the summer, I also served as an Orientation Executive which allowed me to more smoothly connect our student groups to first year students through our Dinner with VUSAC and Levies, and Dinner with Clubs events. I also helped connect groups with certain identitybased events, and overall helped push the visibility of our student groups to our incoming student population. Over the summer I also supported our President, Rohini, with certain tasks, primarily with our proposed Levy Office Space Reallocation project, which I have since taken charge of, and also kept the office open during the President’s absence.
During the summer VUSAC alongside the Orientation team planned the Back-to-School Carnival. The goal for this event was to expand the classic clubs fair style event, and entice and engage with the broader Victoria College community. As a transfer student myself, and speaking with other upper year students, there was a sentiment that club fair events were more so targeted towards first year and didn’t feel they had the resources to know about the goings on of the Victoria College student groups Myself, the President, and the staff and student Orientation Co-Chairs worked over the summer to organize the event, and had inflatables, food, club tabling, and other programming, and overall had 400 students in attendance over the course of the five hour event
During the fall semester I have been working on a few projects, mainly the aforementioned Levy Office Space Reallocation project, helping revive two levies: VISA (Victoria International Student Association) and WUSC (World University Service of Canada), creating a student group focused equity training, and conducting club and levy check-ins.
Beginning with the Levy Office Space Reallocation project, which was something spearheaded by the previous council, aimed to reallocate the current levy office spaces, as some levies currently are operating with no office space at all. After discussing with the levies during the inaugural all-levy head meeting, we discussed what all the levies what they needed out of their space and came up with the following changes: Switching the VicPride office and the VicXposure office, placing VicPride! and the Vic Black Student Network in one office in the VUSAC Office, and switching the VCAA and VCDS office to accommodate VCDS’s inventory. However, it was then learned that the VCAA office was not a VUSAC space and so there has been a delay in this project. Through this project we also aim to create a bookable office space for club heads in the current Vice President’s office. This is something I am hoping to complete prior to the end of my term as VPSO.
The next projects that I have been focusing on is reviving the Victoria International Students Association (VISA) and the World University Service of Canada (WUSC). VISA has been essentially inactive, and myself along with the VPSO councillor are working on hiring a VISA levy head for the new year to have the levy active again WUSC has been a levy however, it has not been previously managed by VUSAC, but the current appointed levy head Adanna had reached out to me in interest in expanding WUSC as a levy and we are working on hiring an executive team and giving an identity to WUSC as a student group on campus Both of these processes are being supported through the Dean’s Office and the Campus Life Coordinator
Next, I’ve been working on getting student group focused equity training with Assistant Dean, Equity and Wellness, Shainiya, to create an equity training that focuses on accessibility and equity in event planning, hiring, and constitution making, so we can ensure all clubs and levies are equitable spaces. This training should be complete in the new semester.
Lastly, I have been conducting club and levy check-ins the past couple of weeks, aiming to complete them by the end of the fall semester. In my check-ins I aim to understand the status of every student group and also guide them to appropriate support for them to achieve their goals for the year. Overall, things have been going pretty well on my end, and I’m super proud of all the student groups and what they bring to the Vic community. Thank you.
ACADEMICCOMMISSIONER ISABELLEPOISSON(SHE/HER)
Throughout the first half of the 2025 fall semester, I have remained consistent in my responsibilities as academic commissioner and actively contributed to our student community! I have attended every AVC Executive Meeting so far, where I’ve aided in providing information relating to general student needs and also have contributed towards discussions on the updates on provided student housing and residency issues During this period, I also established myself as a of contact with Jennifer Ankrett regarding Victoria College student concerns related to student housing and general feedback This has allowed me to advocate for students more effectively and ensure their perspectives are communicated clearly and incorporated within Victoria College’s decision making.
Since October, I have collaborated closely with Kathy Mac on the Life After Vic initiative. I have had regular meetings with her to discuss the event’s location, organisation and operations. Furthermore, we have worked on outreach efforts, including contacting professors and gathering support to shape the program. My commission has also grown during this term: two councillors have expressed interest in joining, and they have since been appointed, which is great to have and will allow for the creation of events now that I have support. In addition, I’ve initiated the process of opening applications for the Academic Commission Co-Chair position to complete the commission’s membership. Beyond my own commission, I have volunteered with other VUSAC members to help set up and support events.
I’ve created and submitted a full budget to support my plans for the commission. I have attended all biweekly VUSAC Council Meetings, where I participated actively in discussions, and voted on a range of financial and bureaucratic issues I have spoken on council multiple times to provide insight from my commission’s perspective and to advocate for student needs
Outside of meetings, I’ve completed two hours of office hours every week, during which I directed students to useful campus and community resources, answered questions, and assisted with printing and other student needs
ARTS&CULTURE COMMISSIONER VARUNKANABAR(HE/HIM)
I was elected during the spring elections last year and officially onboarded into my role in June Stepping into the position over the summer gave me the opportunity to understand the commission’s work and begin shaping my priorities for the year One of my first responsibilities was hiring the Bob Sketch Comedy Revue directors, Soren Stancliff and Nica Fleming, who since then have been organizing and hiring their own team for the upcoming sketch comedy revue
Throughout the fall, I began preparing to open hiring for additional support roles connected to our larger initiatives, particularly the Gardiner Gala. These positions will be launching soon, allowing us to build a strong and effective team for the winter term.
This semester, I remained actively involved in VIC student life by volunteering at several major VUSAC events, including Casino Night, Pub Night, Diwali, and Home for the Holidays. In addition to supporting these campus-wide events, I organized two initiatives under Arts & Culture. The first was a Nuit Blanche meet-up, where around 20–25 students gathered to explore Toronto’s Nuit Blanche installations together. Students shared great feedback, noting that they enjoyed meeting new people, connecting with the VIC community, and experiencing the city’s contemporary art scene. The second event was a Halloween candy-bag craft night and movie screening hosted in collaboration with the Commuter Commission(VOCA), offering both commuter and resident students a relaxed and creative way to unwind during the semester.
Looking forward, the BOBcast comedy revue (happening very soon!) is the most immediate upcoming event I have been assisting with promotion, logistics, and ticketing for what will be one of the major Arts & Culture events of the semester Several additional initiatives are also in development, including a potential photography workshop with VicExposure and a collaborative art-wall project for the VOCA commuter lounge Expanding collaborations with other commissions and student groups remains a priority, as I aim to introduce more students to different forms of art actively enjoyed and discussed within the Vic community
A significant part of my work this term has also involved planning the Gardiner Gala. Alongside the Dean’s Office, I am currently finalizing the event’s theme, structure, and timeline as we prepare for the broader planning phase. This project is an exciting opportunity to continue one of VIC’s most beloved traditions, and I look forward to shaping it into a meaningful celebration of student creativity.
Additionally, I have been participating in the Performing Arts Endowment meetings, assessing and analyzing our budget with the goal of ensuring a healthy and thriving arts environment at VIC. I am proud of the strong event turnout we have seen so far this year and of the growing momentum behind Arts & Culture programming. Supporting VIC’s major artistic traditions including both the BOBcast and the Gardiner Gala has been a rewarding part of my role.
Overall, this term has been a period of active engagement, collaboration, and strategic planning. I am excited to continue expanding our initiatives, strengthening our artistic presence on campus, and connecting more students with the vibrant arts community at Victoria College
COMMUTERCOMMISSIONER TYLERWONG(HE/HIM)
The Commuter Commission, also known as the Victoria Off-Campus Association (VOCA), runs events and initiatives targeting the population of commuter students at Victoria College As the Commuter Commissioner, I also serve as the primary commuter representative on VUSAC With my role starting in the Summer, my first act was to hire Yuwei as the Commuter Co-Chair We then created a comprehensive plan for VOCA and as commuter representatives on VUSAC During the Summer, we participated in Commuter Orientation and Orientation Week For Commuter Orientation, we hosted a pancake brunch for the incoming students For Orientation Week, we had a booth at the Dinner with VUSAC and Levies, and we gave a presentation during transitional seminars targeting commuter students. These events during orientation were successful in generating interest in commuter student life at Victoria College, and I would like to thank the entire orientation team for inviting us to do these events.
Our largest events are our weekly pancake brunch events, and for the Fall, Home for the Holidays. Our pancake brunch events continue to see consistent success, with 100+ attendees each week throughout each event. From previous years, we have continued inviting student groups to collaborate with us during this event. We are also looking into ways to make these events more sustainable, such as through the use of metal utensils for toppings. Home for the Holidays was a success this year, continuing the format of a holiday market theme from previous years. We saw an attendance of 150 students throughout the event, 75% of which were commuter students. I would like to give a special thanks to everyone who volunteered with a student group during Home for the Holidays.
I have used my position on council to advocate for the interests of commuter students in all relevant discussions Notably, I serve on the Student Projects Fund Committee as a VUSAC appointee, ensuring that events and initiatives we fund consider commuter students in their planning and function One initiative that Yuwei and I have worked on is establishing an umbrella rental program in the VUSAC office I have also proactively reached out to other commuter groups on campus to explore ways we can better coordinate commuter student advocacy and better support the overwhelming majority of the student body that is commuter and off-campus students.
This year, the VOCA team consists of 10 upper-year executives, 4 first-year executives, and 2 VUSAC Councillors. Our upper-year executives are each divided into advocacy, events, collaborations, communications, and administrative duos. The rest of this report will be a summary of what each executive member has been working on:
Events (Hiba & Sharmin):
Study sessions with VOCA
Halloween crafts and movie night (in collaboration with the Arts & Culture Commissioner)
Advocacy (Mina & Zachary):
Collecting feedback on commuter student life
Communications (Mahtab & Nabneel):
Creating promotional materials for the commission
Maintaining the Instagram page and commission website
Collaborations (Mahta & Poornashree):
Helped organize student groups for Home for the Holidays, including an information session hosted by Mahta attended by nearly all participating student groups
Administrative (Raphaël & Rubab):
Planning improvement proposals for the Commuter Lounge and Student Kitchen
Keeping track of VOCA inventory
Writing meeting minutes
I look forward to working with the VOCA team and VUSAC next semester and to continue working on projects that empower commuter students to make the most of their university experience.
COMMUTERCO-CHAIR
YUWEIFU(SHE/HER)
VOCA started the year strong by hiring 10 upper year execs I primarily work with our 2 events directors and communications coordinators
This year on communications, we want to increase our posting frequency We started this through our promotions for Home for the Holidays, where we made reels and countdown posts We are also making updating the website a top priority, and finding ways we can use less traditional methods to reach commuter students
Events has hosted a study event and two crafts events as a way for commuter students to have fun and interact with other commuters. We wleo want to use our events to address other commuter issues such as finding housing and food insecurity, and we are looking for new formats that can better serve this purpose.
VOCA also hired 4 first-year execs, who will be rotating between the duos. We increased the number of positions in order to offer more new commuter students an opportunity to get involved in campus life. The first-years are also planning their independent project that can target first-year commuter students.
Finally, as co-chair I also assigned 75 free lockers to students at the beginning of the fall term, on a first-come-first-serve basis. We set a couple vacant lockers aside for short-term use, which we may further explore in the winter term.
VOCA has so much planned for the next term, and we’re hoping we can bring as many ideas as possible into fruition
EQUITYCOMMISSIONER HANAGREENBERG(SHE/HER)
Below is an overview of the initiatives/events, actions, and collaborations I have lead as the Equity Commissioner this semester:
Initiatives/events:
1 Boba social: We made boba from scratch, which we served to ~100 Vic students total During this event, we also facilitated an Equity Feedback Form, surveying students on specific equity issues or concerns they perceive on campus.
2.Orange Shirt Day: We created orange ribbon pins to distribute to students on campus, raising awareness on the oppression and systemic racism experienced by Indigenous peoples to this day.
3.Period drive: We aimed to destigmatize period products by placing small baskets of pads and tampons in public locations (e.g. Burwash Dining Hall, Wymilwood Lounge, Cat’s Eye, etc.) around Vic campus. We collaborated with Marlow to provide free non-toxic period products for Vic students to take as needed. All remaining products at the end of the day were collected for donation to a shelter.
Actions:
1.I received concerns from students regarding the scale of the Diwali celebration in relation to other cultural holidays on Vic campus. Unlike previous years, Diwali this year was supported and funded by the President’s Office, leading students from other cultures to inquire if their celebrations will be hosted in a similarly large fashion I proactively reached out to the VPI, and later sent an email to the President’s Office upon their advice President McEwen and I are in contact to find a time to meet and discuss this feedback
2 Based on the aforementioned Equity Feedback Form, I identified 3 main themes of student concerns:
a Food security: concerns include the lack of affordable grocery options, healthy food options, ingredient/macro labelling transparency at Ned’s and Burwash, and culturally authentic food in dining halls.
b.Financial literacy: students would like to have more opportunities to learn how to be financially independent, fund their schooling, and budget responsibly.
c.Physical accessibility: the lack of shower grab bars in certain buildings or ramps across Vic campus has posed accessibility challenges for physically disabled students. I have reached out to the Dean’s Office to discuss these concerns, and I met with Dean Castle, Shiny, Sean, and Jess on November 18th to have a preliminary conversation. I will follow up with an actionable proposal for the Dean’s Office to consider, which will be presented at Caucus.
Collaborations:
1.President: Based on the previous concerns around Diwali, I have encouraged the President to consider expanding Eid/Lunar New Year celebrations in the winter semester I will be involved in the planning and execution of these celebrations
2 VPSO: I collaborated with the VPSO (and Shiny) to facilitate equity training for clubs and levies in the winter semester, to be hosted in the first week of January
3 Misc: I reached out to VOCA about a shared food pantry initiative in the winter semester, the International Councillor about a language advocacy event, and UofT Students for Barrier-Free Access about increasing physical accessibility on campus (meeting set for December 2nd)
EQUITYCO-CHAIR KIARAMOESKOPS(SHE/HER)
After being hired in the summer, Hana and I focused on planning our fall budget and hiring our executive team for the commission
As the equity commission, we work on two main areas of ensuring equity at Vic: events and advocacy In September, with the help of our Director of Events, Rebecca, we hosted a Meet the Equity Commission with boba tea in the Cat’s Eye Our goal was to gauge what the general student body felt the commission should prioritize We received 50 responses to our Google Form, which highlighted three major concerns: financial instability, food insecurity and accessibility. We will continue to incorporate this feedback as we move forward through the year.
Next, we hosted an orange-pin making drop-in for National Reconciliation Day. I made and distributed Orange ribbon pins for students to wear in support of Indigenous peoples in Canada. We also collaborated with the Mahjong Society to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, where Vic students enjoyed Mahjong and an assortment of mooncakes. Lastly, we partnered with Menstruator to run a period scavenger hunt and drive aimed at increasing awareness and access to non-toxic menstrual products. I ordered Marlow pads and tampons, and we placed them in popular campus spaces such as Caffiends, the VUSAC office and the Cat’s Eye. Next semester, we plan to continue collaborating with clubs, levies and commissions, with a focus on addressing food and financial insecurity.
In terms of advocacy, Hana and I have taken steps to begin working with the Vic administration in response to equity concerns raised by students We are opening a clearer channel for VUSAC and the administration to work together on issues of accessibility, food insecurity and cultural events In the upcoming semester, we plan to continue advocating for student concerns by working with admin as well as uplifting and celebrating Vic’s diverse community
MENTALWELLNESS COMMISSIONER
CAITLINSANTOS-ABOBO(SHE/HER)
Hiring
Applications for the 2025-26 Mental Wellness Commission recently opened in early November We are currently hiring for Administrators (x2), Directors of Advocacy (x3), Events Coordinators (x2), Graphic Designers (x2), Social Media Manager (x1), and Tech Coordinators (x2)
Up Coming Events
Taste of Home Event
We will be hosting a pot-luck style event in which students are encouraged to bring their favourite holiday dish to share. The goal of this event will be to allow the students to share and reminisce on their favourite holiday memories. This will allow students to connect with the Victoria College community in a stress-free environment before the exam period. This will also allow for students to address any homesickness or feelings of loneliness during the holidays.
Comfort Cafe
We will be hosting a drop-in style event in the Goldring, aimed to connect students with our Mental Wellness don and answer any questions regarding Vic Mental Wellness resources Not only will this increase awareness on the mental wellness resources available before exam season, but it will also give students an opportunity to get to know both the commissioner and co-chair
Paws and Prep Therapy (Upcoming)
Next semester we hope to bring in puppy therapy through the Sunshine Therapy Dogs program. This will allow students a chance to interact with therapy dogs, providing them with the opportunity to destress before exams.
Up Coming Initiatives
Victoria College Neurodiversity Alliance
Next semester I hope to revitalize the Victoria College Neurodiversity Alliance. The VCNA has not been active since 2023, with no social media presence or events. I hope to create a small team that will work in collaboration with the Mental Wellness Commission. By creating a team specifically for neurodivergent students, I hope to not only increase representation for the neurodivergent student body but create more localized events and resources.
Mental Wellness Research Project
In the winter semester I hope to continue the Mental Wellness Research Project started last year This project will be led by the newly hired Advocacy Director Last year, great scholarly research was done to aid us in identifying problems and solutions at Victoria College This year, I hope to gather more student data to have a holistic and current understanding of the struggles the student body faces
Mental Wellness Website
In the winter semester, I hope to finalize the Mental Wellness website created last year This project will be led by the newly hired Tech Coordinator. This year I hope to update the website with new information on Mental Wellness services offered on campus. Additionally, I would like to create a link to the findings from the Mental Wellness Research Project.
Mental Wellness Zine
Students will be asked to submit a creative work related to Victoria College every month under a specific theme. This theme will be related to mental wellness in some way, allowing students to reflect on their mental wellness journey at Victoria College in a creative way.
MENTALWELLNESSCO-CHAIR
ZIADNASHED(HE/HIM)
The Mental Wellness Commission is focusing this semester on preparing community-centered activities for the Vic student body and establishing our team infrastructure Communication, hiring, and my attendance at VUSAC meetings were inevitably delayed because access to the MWC Co-Chair email arrived very late in the term, so I wasn't informed about the meetings Now that that has been resolved, we have started to finalize hiring for our executive team, which includes our graphic designers, event organizer, advocacy leaders, social media manager, administrator, and website designers
Despite the early setbacks, our commission has made strong progress in developing meaningful mental-wellness events for the fall and winter semesters:
1. Comfort Cafe (Nov 20th)
Students can enjoy snacks, drinks, and stress-relieving crafts like clay sculpting and bracelet creation at Comfort Café, a drop-in event. Additionally, it provides a venue for students to interact with our Mental Wellness Don, Mental Wellness Intern, and clubs on campus that are dedicated to mental health. The Wendy Cecil Atrium will host the event from 2-3 PM.
2. Taste of Home (Nov 27th)
A community potluck that celebrates the meals that bring back memories of students' own holiday customs. Vic students are welcome to visit, but in order for us to keep track of ingredients and allergens, those who want to contribute a dish must register via our Google Form All meals will have labels printed, and students are encouraged to wait to buy items until we have confirmed accommodations Setup will start at 2:30 PM, and the event will take place in the Cat's Eye Lounge from 3 to 5 PM
3. Therapy Dog Session (Winter Sem)
4. Journaling Workshop (Winter Sem)
As Co-Chair, I remain committed to strengthening the commission, supporting our team, and ensuring that Vic students have accessible, community-oriented mental-wellness support throughout the year.
SCARLET&GOLD COMMISSIONER
RUHICHOPRA(SHE/HER)
I’ve loved serving as VUSAC’s Scarlet and Gold Commissioner this semester! Our events have been incredibly successful and I’m grateful to all of council for their enthusiasm and effort
Preparations for Highball 2026 are currently underway, as I will begin venue visits in December and plan to hire the Highball committee after finals season! I have worked with VUSAC Execs and our finance chair to set two key goals:
1.Lower ticket prices
2.Allocate our budget appropriately based on what students value
We are working to make sure that Highball is an event for students to enjoy without worrying about financial pressures, which is why a considerable amount of our effort is going towards subsidizing ticket prices as much as possible.
Here’s a few highlights from the work I’ve done this past semester:
Back-to-School Pub Night @ Firkin on Bay Pub Night was the best kickstart to the year that I could’ve asked for! We saw an increase in turnout as well as retention, with the pub staying full all night long. Students had so much fun with our interactive photo wall and it was hilarious seeing all the silly selfies and memes shared. I also worked closely with the Firkin manager to customize the menu and was so glad to see how many students loved thefood. Towards the end ofthe event, I went around collecting feedback, and was thrilled with the extremely high levels of satisfaction reported, with a vast majority of students believing that the experience was well-worth the ticket price they paid.
Casino Night (Semi-Formal 2025)
After seeing the success ofthe Orientation Casino Night the past couple of years, I was inspired to transform our annual Semi-Formal dance to a night of games as well! We had roulette, blackjack, and poker and it was sofun to see everyone’s “poker-faces” from behind their cards. I’m so grateful for the support ofthe 30+ volunteers we had supporting the event, most of which were orientation leaders who were so enthusiastic about dealing the games! The event simply wouldn’t have been possible without them.
Diwali Dinner
It was so wonderful to see Old Vic all decorated for Vic’s veryfirst large-scale Diwali Celebration! We had great guest speakers and amazing food (a special shoutout to the Rose Lassi – it was so delicious and I couldn’t resist going back for seconds…and thirds). I worked on the sound system for our student DJ, Mehtab and had a lot offun seeing everyone’s dance moves!
Homeforthe Holidays
This year, the Scarlet and Gold Commission collaborated with the Arts and Culture Commission for VOCA’s annual H4TH! Our booth theme was making marshmallow snowmen with pretzel sticks, frosting, chocolate and of course: lots and lots of marshmallows! It was asfun as it was delicious and even resulted in a friendly competition to see whose snowman gathered the most number of votes congratulations to Councilor Joseph for winning the competition with his snowman that encapsulated how many of usfeel during midterm season.
SUSTAINABILITYCOMMISSIONER ELENASUN(SHE/HER)
I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the student body for electing me as your Sustainability Commissioner It is an honour to represent Vic and to help strengthen our campus’s commitment to environmental stewardship Your trust and support is the driving force behind the commission’s initiatives, and I am excited to share the progress we’ve made so far
One of the major focuses so far has been hiring for a CoChair and some executive members. Building a strong, motivated, and collaborative group is essential to ensuring that our projects are not only successful, but that they have long-lasting impact. With the help of the VPI, I have been interviewing passionate students who bring fresh perspectives, unique strengths, and deep enthusiasm for sustainability With a full team assembled, we are better equipped than ever to implement meaningful programs and engage the broader campus community
This semester, we were also thrilled to collaborate with the Mental Wellness Commission on Home for the Holidays This initiative allowed us to combine sustainability with community care, creating a space for students to enjoy a craft designed to promote both environmental awareness and emotional well-being. Our commissions worked closely to deliver something both festive and mindful, and we were proud to contribute to an event that brought so many students together during a stressful time of year. I’ve attached a picture of our booth!
Another key project currently underway is the development of a reusable container solution for the Eat After Eight program. Single-use waste remains a major concern on campus, especially during late-night dining hours. Our goal is to introduce a practical, convenient, and sanitary system that reduces waste without creating barriers to participation I have been researching container return infrastructure, and exploring the feasibility of partnering with organizations that offer this service While this project is still in progress, I am optimistic about implementing a pilot soon and look forward to updating students as more pieces fall into place
Looking ahead, we have an exciting line-up of initiatives planned for the winter semester. These initiatives will span education, engagement, and hands-on activities, giving students meaningful ways to learn, participate, and contribute to a greener campus. My goal is to create initiatives that highlight real pathways into sustainability-related careers, helping students see how their interests can translate intoformal roles and long-term opportunities. I hope to boost engagement by showing students what’s in it for them and building a truly symbiotic relationship Ultimately, I want students to see sustainability beyond raising awareness and start envisioning a future within it
As we close out thefirst half ofthe year, I want to once again express my appreciation for your continued support This semester has been filled with growth and learning, and none of it would be possible without the trust and energy ofthe student community The winter semester is shaping up to be our most engaging yet, and I hope you’re as excited as I am. Stay tuned big things are coming.
CHAIR
SIJILJINDANI(SHE/HER)
Hi everyone, my name is Sijil and I am VUSAC’s Chair for the 2025/26 school year I host the biweekly VUSAC meetings on Fridays at 5:30pm in the Copper Room I also facilitate email votes and communicate with VUSAC members and Vic student groups regarding meeting agendas and attendance
I have hosted 7 meetings so far, including one online meeting during the summer and the Fall Budget Ratification meeting, which I co-chaired with the Finance Chair This meeting lasted around 3 hours, and time limits were pre-determined for each group. I will continue working with other council members to make further improvements to this process before the Winter Budget Ratification meeting. Part of this will include better communication with clubs and levies about the timing of their budget discussion, in order to avoid taking up their time unnecessarily.
I helped support the transition of newly elected VUSAC members into Council during the Fall retreat, where I delivered a presentation on VUSAC meeting procedures/Robert’s Rules, how to submit items for meeting agendas, and policies on absences. I also led a mock meeting to further familiarize everyone with the process and ensure they were well prepared for actual meetings and felt comfortable speaking up.
One of my goals as Chair is to ensure all Vic students feel welcome at meetings. I created a VUSAC meeting guide tailored towards club and levy representatives, especially those that may be unfamiliar with Robert’s Rules and other meeting procedures This document may be helpful to anyone that has not attended meetings before I will continue to edit the guide as needed throughout my term and welcome any feedback
I have been supporting an initiative spearheaded by a Commuter Commission exec to include an online component to meetings, to accommodate students who may not be able to attend in person due to accessibility needs or long commutes VCU members who are not part of VUSAC are now able to attend through Zoom and can contribute to discussions So far, this has been running smoothly and I encourage Vic students to take advantage of this and drop in during meetings! I hope to take further steps to improve meeting accessibility next semester.
For the remainder of my term, I aim to better communicate with VUSAC members regarding meeting attendance and timely submission of regrets in case of absence. I also hope to help promote meetings to non-VUSAC members to increase VCU attendance. I am considering the possibility of hosting meetings in a different location (still within Goldring Student Centre) that would accommodate more people, be more easily visible/accessible to students, and be more conducive to inclusive and open discussions. This change will only be implemented if supported by the majority of council and would be on a trial basis.
Thank you to everyone who has made my first semester as Chair so great! If anyone has any questions about meetings or policies or suggestions for improvement, please reach out to me at chair@vusac.ca.
CHIEFRETURNINGOFFICER ALESSANDROLIMANNI(HE/HIM)
The main goal and task of the CRO this past semester was to successfully run the fall elections for the Victoria University Student Administrative Council (VUSAC) This election was meant to fulfill the remaining vacant positions from the previous semester as well as fill the eight councillor roles on the council
The election cycle began on September 2nd with the nominations period This timeline saw a total of twenty two students running for the following available positions: 1 Mental Wellness Commissioner, 1 Sustainability Commissioner, 8 councillors and 1 international councillor.
This election period ran until September 26th, when the results were publicly ratified. In between this time, the voting period ran from September 19th to September 23rd. This election saw a very strong election turnout, with 494 students voting of 4,361 eligible students, an 11.3% voter turnout, which I considered to be a massive success!
In general, the elections cycle ran extremely smoothly. The appeals process had no issues whatsoever and the candidates seemingly got along very well with each other.
The biggest issue faced during this election cycle was preparedness, but the turnout itself hit a historical high. With this information in mind, the biggest goal of next year is to continue to raise that number even more. Considering the gravity and significance of spring elections, I expect the elections to achieve over a 500 student voting turnout, something that has never happened previously
Outside of this, the final major goal I have moving into the winter semester is to work with our amazing executive team to discuss the changes to the elections referenda code This document has a lot of information that needs to be much clearer for the students and transparency is an utmost priority of mine
To conclude, the role has been amazing so far and I cannot wait to continue my work moving into the next semester.
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
SUNETHMAMUNASINGHE(SHE/HER)
Hey Vic! My name is Sunethma (pronounced Soo-ney-th-ma), and I was hired over the summer as the Communications Coordinator for the 25-26 Academic year
In the first half of the semester, I have been largely focused on promoting events Like advertising for Clubs Carnival, Pub Night, Semi-Formal, and promoting the fall elections I have also been able to collaborate with Principal Hernandez to create reels for his monthly office hours.
So far this semester, there have been 38 posts made and published on our Instagram, 27 of which were made by me. On the days between August 24 to Nov 21 , our Instagram has reached a total of over 400K views, a third of which being from non-followers. Our most viewed posts include: th st
“Meet the Candidates” post: published Sept. 12, reaching 17.3K views, 134 likes and 44 shares “Diwali Invitation” post: published Oct 6, reaching 16K views, 91 likes, 145 shares “Fall Semester Office hours” post: published Sept 8, reaching 16K views, 73 likes, 49 shares
rd
Another notable post, published on Aug 23 , is our “Pub Night” post, which garnered over 400 shares
In the future, I want to have more event coverage and begin creating event wrap-up posts so the Victoria College community can see all the amazing work we do. I am very excited to work with my councillors, Julian and Uijin, in the next year to make this happen. Outside VUSAC activities, I have been promoting other events and initiatives run by our clubs and levies through resharing their content each week on our Instagram.
Our Linktree, which is attached to our Instagram and has recently been added to our website, is frequently updated to have up-to-date links for students to access
Our website has also been renovated this year, including changes being made to our landing page, reorganization of elections pages, and creation of a “Meet the team” page and an events calendar Currently, the events calendar is less frequently updated, so it does not always contain the full list of activities happening at Vic, but I hope to make it a primary source of event information for the new year.
Speaking of the new year, here is full list of my upcoming projects:
Event coverage for wrap-up posts (Instagram)
Frequent updates to the events calendar (website)
Building a contact form for VUSAC groups that need posts to be made (Instagram)
Finish updating “Meet the Team” page with new members (website)
Overall, this term has been hectic, with a ton of amazing events and initiatives for students. I am very excited to be showcasing all the wonderful work we do for the Victoria College community in the upcoming year.
Thank you also for taking the time to read through this report. If you ever need to contact me, you can reach me at communications@vusac ca
FINANCECHAIR CHELSEAKIM(SHE/HER)
Accurate as of November 12, 2025
Fall 2025 Budget
This semester, I coordinated the budgeting process by sending out the budget request form to all Levies, Clubs, VUSAC Commissions, Executives, Staff, and Councillors After collecting the submissions, I compiled the master budget spreadsheet Prior to the Budget Ratification Meeting, I formed this semester’s Budget Steering Committee, which met twice on September 2 and 3 to review all budget lines and flag any items that required clarification or did not comply with the Budget Steering Policy. I then co-chaired the Budget Ratification Meeting on September 5, where the committee approved, tabled, or rejected proposed budget lines. Following ratification, I processed several budget amendment requests, which were discussed and approved at subsequent VUSAC meetings. A breakdown of the ratified budget lines can be found below.
Cheque Requisitions
I distributed a reimbursement request form to all Clubs, Commissions, Executives, Staff, and Councillors to streamline the process of requesting payments for approved budget lines So far, I have written approximately 60 cheques this semester To ensure accountability, I maintain a cheque pick-up log that is monitored by all team members during office hours.
The cheque requisition process involves verifying that each request aligns with the approved budget and includes the correct receipts, preparing the cheque, recording it in the internal bookkeeping system, contacting the recipient, and arranging for pickup. In addition to reimbursements, I also process cheques for printing services, levy funding distributions, and other invoices.
LevyAudits
From September 24 to October 24, I conducted ten auditsfor all levies (excluding VISA, which is currently not in operation) for the Summer 2025 period. I paid particular attention to levies that had previouslyfailed their Winter 2025 audits in the last academic year.
Each levy submitted financial documentation, which was reviewed jointly by myself and a representativefrom the Office ofthe Bursar After identifying issues or questions of concern, I scheduled a one-hour meeting with each levy’s Head(s), the Bursar, and myself During these meetings, we discussed the submitted documentation, addressed anyfinancial concerns, and reviewed how each levy plans to manage itsfinances to ensure continued accountability
Most levies had issues arise during the review process, which were discussed and resolved in their respective meetings. I am pleased to report that all levies successfully passed the Summer 2025 audit some conditionally, with a few action items and are now eligible to receive Fall funding.
Bank Reconciliations
I held several meetings with the Bursar to address stale-dated cheques and finalize thefinancial recordsfor the previous academic year and the Summer 2025 period. During the account reconciliation process, a few minor discrepancies were identified, which I am currently working to resolve with the bank.
Student LeaderWeekWorkshop
On October 3, I co-led the “How to Budget” workshop as part of Student Leader Week. The session covered key considerations and best practicesfor preparing budgets, with the goal of helping student leaders navigate the budgeting process effectively
Conclusion
Overall, my role as Finance Chair involves overseeing VUSAC’sfinancial operations The areas highlighted above budget ratification, cheque requisitions, levy audits, bank reconciliations, and financial training represent the main components of my work this semester. I continue to support thefinancial needs of VUSAC, its Commissions, Clubs, and Levies, while maintaining accurate records and upholding effectivefinancial practices.
OFFICEMANAGER GIANNAFU(SHE/HER)
This semester, I engaged in numerous projects, including tidying up the back storage room, arranging new space for club storage as soon as grad photos are completed, and supervising printing stations as well as participating in the IT-related tasks associated with fixing the office computers used for printing Additionally, I took meeting minutes for each VUSAC meeting that took place this semester, and ensured that every member of VUSAC had access to an accurate representation of the ideas conveyed during meetings to refer back to Some projects I’d like to work on going forward include cleaning up the front of the office and the board room, managing a way to reduce paper usage in the printing room without compromising our free printing services, either getting new computers or fixing the old ones, setting up a more thorough password system so that technical issues don’t happen again, and setting up a system to allow students to use VUSAC items such as USBs and office supplies without running the risk of having those things stolen.
FIRST-YEARCOUNCILLOR
ANDREAYIP(SHE/HER)
During this fall semester, I worked in office hours during Monday and Wednesday, assisting in office printing as well as answering student queries Additionally, I chose three portfolios to work on as first-year-councillor, which were the Arts and Culture commission, VPE portfolio and VPSO portfolio I had a meeting with Isha as the VPE councillor, and we discussed roles and responsibilities that I would have, including helping with Fall Caucus and creating innovative ideas for new events Me and Arjun suggested a few new ones, such as the renewal of puppy therapy, extended hours for Burwash and Goldring on the weekends for student study, bake sale fundraising for the Vic Pride Scholarship, and valentine’s day cards making events. I also met twice with Anya as the VPSO councilor. She handed the management of the future event “Club Fair Brunch” to me, and we filled out the booking form/ risk assessments for Wymilwood Lounge and the Wendy Cecil Atrium together, as well as discussing a possible timeline for the event and talking about how to contact international mentors and orientation leaders. Additionally, we are now working on bringing two “dead” levies back to action. Firstly, we are going to host a VISA election for the levy as there is no levy head and executive team right now, promoting the election to international mentors and Steven from the dean’s office. Secondly, I coordinated with the WUSC levy head to post hiring forms on their Instagram and also on viccollegelife Instagram, using email.
ARJUNSHARMA(HE/HIM)
I had the opportunity to join the Equity, Mental Wellness, and VPE commissions as a first-year councillor. Commission-specific work has recently begun. For example, the Mental Wellness commission is planning the Comfort Cafe and Taste of Home events over the next two weeks; in the VPE commission, two events we are interested in pursuing include a Vic blood drive and an inter-college dodgeball event. I’m also helping to organize Lunar New Year, Vic History Guide, and Eid projects led by Rohini. I’m interested in food services and expressed interest in attending a previous food services meeting I hope to continue to contribute to that front, especially with relation to allergy accommodation, in the future I’ve attended office hours at the VUSAC office on a weekly basis and contributed to meetings on a biweekly basis
FIRST-YEARCOUNCILLOR
EVELYNGEORGE(SHE/HER)
I’m having an amazing experience as a first year councillor on VUSAC with numerous opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to the Victoria College community As a councillor, I’m working on the President's portfolio, the Sustainability Commission, and the Scarlet and Gold Commission
Over the semester, I’ve played a role in executing the Victoria College Diwali Celebration which brought together students for a vibrant night of food, music, and community I’m also excited to contribute to the planning of the upcoming Victoria College Eid Celebration.
I volunteered at VOCA Home for the Holidays as a representative for the Sustainability Commission. We made eco-friendly Christmas trees by decorating pinecones.
I will address student concerns at CAUCUS by advocating for first-year needs and finding practical solutions. I’ve been involved in the VUSAC meetings, where I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to important discussions and make decisions that shape student life at Victoria College.
VUSAC has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m excited to continue contributing to a vibrant community at Victoria College.
GRAYSONGRAHAM(HE/HIM)
Hey Vic! The year is starting to pick up pace as VUSAC has elected and hired all of their staff for this school year. Councillors, quite literally, *just* received our commission assignments, so I have not been doing much work on them quite yet. But I am proud to announce that I will be serving on the Equity and Scarlet & Gold Committees, as well as assisting with the President’s Portfolio. This is an incredible opportunity to engage with different facets of the Vic community and assist in planning events, promoting key principles, and being a voice for first years (and everyone else, of course!).
There are also a couple of projects that I am working on aside from the commissions/portfolios, which include planning Lunar New Year celebrations and creating a Vic History Guide. As a Councillor, I am invested in learning more about Vic and the people within. If you have any messages you would like to share, please feel free to DM on Instagram @grayson4VUSAC or email me at grayson.graham@vusac.ca. Cheers to the upcoming semester and good luck to all as we head toward finals!
UPPER-YEARCOUNCILLOR
ALBERTHUANG(HE/HIM)
Hello! My name is Albert Huang, and I am an Upper-Year Councillor assigned to the Mental Wellness Commission, the Commuter Commission, and the Academic Commission This year, I helped to host Home for the Holidays on behalf of both the Commuter Commission and the Mental Wellness Commission I acted as a floater for the majority of the time with a first aid kit in the event someone needed medical attention, and then also helped to manage the Mental Wellness Commission’s booth for pinecone decorating
In addition to this, I have been regularly conducting my office hours and helping students out with printing as our office awaits repairs to the office computers. I look forward to attending the Fall Caucus to ensure that the needs and concerns of Victoria College are adequately represented. I am also excited to help host the Mental Wellness Commission’s Taste of Home and Comfort Cafe events over the next week.
As this semester draws to a close, I look forward to hosting even more events in the year to come to help strengthen the community that makes Victoria College special.
JOSEPHDURAISINGH(HE/HIM)
Hi, my name is Joseph Duraisingh and I am a fourth-year serving as councillor for the 20252026 year After a fun but stressful campaigning season in September, I was elected with a focus on making the community as lively as possible, mainly through improving student spaces at Vic, supporting events and maximizing free/cheap food
Since being elected I’ve been able to address these points in several ways I’ve made myself a familiar face around the office and at events, covering shifts and always being ready to assist students with any questions or printer troubles I’ve helped out with most VUSAC events so far, and have been a consistent volunteer for Eat After 8, which is an initiative that strongly aligns with my councilor goals
I’ve also begun working on my recently assigned portfolios For the finance portfolio, I’ve been trained to manage and write VUSAC’s cheques. For VOCA my main contribution was through helping at Home for the Holidays. For the office manager portfolio I have helped acquire necessary supplies for our space. Very very importantly this included designing and ordering a well-thought-out selection of office snacks!
Overall, I’ve tried to be as engaged and present as possible, and hope to continue to help whenever needed I look forward to more great memories as a VUSAC councilor and want to thank everyone who has helped make this a worthwhile position!
UPPER-YEARCOUNCILLOR
JULIANNAMARCEL(SHE/HER)
I joined VUSAC in October and have been attending meetings since then I was recently assigned to three commissions: Equity, Scarlett & Gold, and Arts & Culture I just had my first meeting with the Equity Commission, where we discussed our weekly meeting schedule and outlined our goals for the year I’m excited to contribute meaningfully to each commission and become more involved in the VUSAC community
JULIANONG(HE/HIM)
Hi! I’d like to start by thanking everyone who supported me in my journey to become an Upper Year Councillor. I’m truly grateful to have the opportunity to develop my leadership and planning skills.
Over the past few months, I have been attending the VUSAC meetings, which have raised my awareness on the issues and updates surrounding Victoria College Events-wise, I volunteered as a dealer in Blackjack last October during the Casino Night SemiFormal, and I helped promote the recent Home for the Holidays through taking photographs, which were then posted on VUSAC’s Instagram stories
I am excited to work with my portfolios - I have been assigned to work under the Mental Wellness Commission, the Academic Commission, and the Communications Coordinator.
Mental Wellness Commission: we are holding a Taste of Home event near the end of the term, where students can bring their own food that reminds them of home. I’m also thinking about hosting a drop-in session where people can relax or study, while music in the background.
Academic Commission: I plan on hosting study sessions where mentors from academic clubs can come and help students who need academic assistance. I’m also looking forward to assisting our commissioner, Isabelle, in hiring members for the commission.
Communications Coordinator: I plan to help update the VUSAC website and continue promoting VUSAC through Instagram reels, among other things
Cheers to a wonderful year ahead!
INTERNATIONALCOUNCILLOR UIJINLEE(HE/HIM)
I have ran 2025 Fall VUSAC election as an international councillor and got elected My general plan as a VUSAC international councillor was to encourage international students in Victoria be aware of the resources available and run international-themed events to get students more involved in Victoria community
I have volunteered to help setting up in Diwali event at Old Vic, which was ran by Rohini, our VUSAC president I have not ran any events as an international councillor However, I was working on couple projects with St. Mikes student union for “international students’ welcome mixer” where international students from both colleges gather at St. Mikes and socialize and ask questions regarding the international experiences and even PR at Canada.
I have talked with Hana about the “All Ears” where students whos’ their first language is nonEnglish to teach their languages to students who are interested. This event’s goal is to balance the cultures at U of T and provide a stage for people to publicly articulate what they would like to see changed or further supported within the school and in Victoria College. We are planning to run this late November.
For the last, all the councillors chose their 3 portfolios, I chose to be under VPE, communication, and sustainability. We are yet to run any events but eager to be involved in all portfolios I am in.
