The 2026/2027 undergraduate by-election is currently underway. Here is everything you need to know about the election process, the available positions, and the candidates running.
The nomination period began on October 1 and ended on October 16. This election cycle features five positions that are being contested.
Two director-at-large positions are up for grabs. This comprehensive role involves engaging with students, the board of directors, administration, and staff to ensure that campus life thrives.
Additionally, there are three Faculty Representative roles available. These representatives serve as advocates for their specific faculties. For this upcoming by-election, the faculties of Education, Management, and Applied Sciences are all seeking representatives.
To be eligible to campaign, candidates must have submitted an application to the board of directors stating their intentions. Furthermore, they are required to thoroughly understand and pledge to uphold the values outlined in the Student Union Okanagan (SUO) Bylaws, Regulations, Mission Statement, Value Statement, and Principles.
Moreover, candidates were required to collect signatures from 15 fellow students who support their nomination.
Attendance at the all-candidates meeting on October 16th was also mandatory for all prospective campaigners. At the meeting, the candidates received information about the election rules and procedures involving campaigning. They were also briefed on what the SUO and its functions are, as well as what is expected of them by the board.
As campaigning begins, there are a total of seven candidates: four are running for the director-at-large positions, two for the Faculty of Applied Sciences Representative, and one for the Faculty of Management Representative.
The first candidate interviewed by The Phoenix News was Jake Quinn, who is running for director-at-large.
Jake spent most of his life in Kitimat before moving to Kelowna for post-secondary education. He started at Okanagan College, where he spent two years working toward his Bachelor of Business Administration. He learned about the Bachelor of Commerce program at UBCO from friends and transferred, beginning his studies here this year.
During high school, Jake was the leader of business management on his school’s robotics team. He explained that his role involved fundraising for the club to attend provincial competitions and acquiring supplies. Through his engagement with both businesses and his community, he successfully raised $30,000 for the team.
Now at UBCO, he is the president of the Consulting Club in the Commerce Student Association and hopes to become involved in student politics.
Jake expressed his interest in the role of director-at-large due to its potential to create meaningful change on campus. His first advocacy focus is addressing financial concerns faced by students, particularly those related to textbooks and school materials. Additionally, he wants to advocate for marginalized groups who may not always have their voices heard.
He desires to serve as a “liaison between students and the student union” and aims to represent the diverse groups and student clubs on campus.
To address these concerns and foster a supportive environment, Jake plans to implement an “open-door policy,” allowing students to approach him with their concerns without fear of judgment. He emphasized that he wants any student to feel like they can come to him with any issue.
Furthermore, Jake intends to organize events focused on both community building and formal opportunities for career development and networking.
Also running for the position of director-at-large is Jiteesh Reddy.
As his campaign slogan indicates, Jiteesh is the youngest student to be running. He had planned to get involved with the SUO before even arriving on campus, dedicating his summer to researching and understanding the SUO’s elections, guidelines, and bylaws.
Originally from Vancouver, Jiteesh lived in India for eight years, where he served as the head of his school's student council. He also played a role in managing India’s biggest sports league, Varsity Sports, proudly noting that it attracts 15 million viewers each year.
Since the beginning of the school year, Jiteesh has worked to establish himself within the SUO. He mentioned that he committed an hour each day to meeting with executives to “learn everything [he] could.” Additionally, he has joined the campus life committee, distributed food at the back-to-school BBQ, and attended every board and general meeting this year.
Jiteesh particularly emphasizes his perspective as a first-year student, highlighting the need to address the concerns of first-year students, who make up 70-80% of on-campus residents. He pointed out that the current board is primarily composed of students in their final year and aims to change this dynamic by becoming the first freshman student elected as president. He believes this position would enable him to represent student concerns by building on them each year.
In addition to advocating for first-year students, Jiteesh also plans to focus on ways to help remedy rising tuition rates and student fees, such as making the mandatory U-pass fee optional.
He also expressed concern about the lack of campus life and wants to create a stronger sense of community within “our small campus.” One initiative he plans to implement is the “House Wars” project which he believes will create stronger bonds between those living on campus.
Another critical issue for Jiteesh is the low voter turnout in student elections. He pointed out that only about 20% of students voted in the general election last March, with even lower turnout for by-elections. “It is a right that not many people use,” he said, emphasizing the importance of increasing voter participation.
Lastly, Jiteesh acknowledged the recent decline in student trust in the SUO and pledged to address this issue as part of his campaign.
The third candidate The Phoenix News spoke to is Nabeel Ahmed. Nabeel moved to Kelowna in 2019 to attend Okanagan College, where he began working towards his computer science diploma before transferring to UBCO to pursue his bachelor’s degree.
At Okanagan College, Nabeel founded the school’s Muslim Student Association, a commitment he continues this year.
Originally from Pakistan, Nabeel spent most of his life in Saudi Arabia and understands firsthand the challenges faced by international students. He shared his initial struggles with making friends and feeling overwhelmed with adapting to both a new school and a new country.
Given his experience, Nabeel is particularly concerned about issues of diversity on campus and emphasized his commitment to combating discrimination faced by marginalized groups. “Every student deserves to be respected and given an equal opportunity to succeed” he remarked.
In addition to addressing issues surrounding entering university, Nabeel also aims to allocate more resources to prepare students for entering the workforce. To achieve this, he proposed more workshops and seminars to ensure students develop the skills and confidence needed upon graduation.
Nabeel also highlighted the lack of common spaces on campus, as well as the high cost and limited availability of student housing as other significant challenges to student well-being. He believes housing should be made more affordable for students who are already burdened with high tuition fees.
Encouraging open communication between students and the SUO, Nabeel emphasized his goal of being a “worker for students.” He further expressed his desire for students to feel comfortable approaching their representatives to “voice concerns and advocate for meaningful change.”
Lastly he stressed his priority to make sure every student feels “included, supported and represented.”
The only woman running for the position of director-at-large this election cycle is Sarina Pfaender. She is a fifth-year biochemistry student who hopes to attend pre-medical school and pursue a career in health care. Sarina has a strong desire to help others, which she has accomplished through her involvement with organizations like Girls in Tech and Let's Talk Science.
This quality has informed much of her campaigning. Sarina emphasized the importance of being not just a voice for students, but also a friend. She aims to make a positive impact by connecting students to resources and advocating for their needs.
Her motivation to seek the director-at-large position stems from her desire to be part of something meaningful that can positively affect students’ lives. She reflected on her struggles during her first four years of university and expressed a wish that she had someone to approach who would have addressed her needs.
Sarina plans to support new clubs and initiatives, encouraging students to feel comfortable getting involved on campus and connected to their peers. She believes that every student should feel they can approach the SUO with their concerns, regardless of their background.
Additionally, Sarina is passionate about making the campus more accessible, particularly for students who take the bus to school. She also aims to organize more public and inclusive events, such as outdoor sports and games during the day, as well as activities that do not revolve around drinking, so that all students can feel included.
“I want to be a voice for every student,” Sarina stated, restating her commitment to being accessible and accountable to them
The sole campaigner for the Faculty of Management Student Representative is Mansi Sharma. Mansi was unfortunately not able to conduct an interview with The Phoenix News due to scheduling conflicts, but provided her campaign points.
As a management student, she has had an ample amount of experience in her program. She served as Vice-President of Marketing for the Marketing Club, an Academics Committee Member with the Management Student Association, and also aided students with completing their tax returns through the on-campus tax clinic.
She is currently serving as the interim Faculty Representative for the Faculty of Management and hopes to continue in this role.
Her campaigning points include advocating for student wellbeing and mental health, promoting events and workshops that facilitate academic and career growth, and working to provide effective means of communication for students.
The Phoenix News was not able to obtain interviews with either of the Faculty of Applied Sciences Representative candidates also due to scheduling issues.
The voting period is set to open on October 26th at 8:00 am and runs until October 27th at 11:59pm. Students will have the ability to cast their vote online through UBC Simply Voting.
Ultimately, this byelection gives students a chance to have a say in who will represent their interests within the SUO for the remainder of the year. Students are encouraged to make the most of this opportunity and make their voices count.
