On January 30 and 31, the Mount Allison Student’s Union (MASU) 2025 Winter Election took place with four executive positions and three Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) councilors filled. 1,086 Mt. A students (44.4 percent of the student body) voted in the election, the highest voter turnout in a decade. Wilson Paluch was elected as President & CEO, Kassandra Vail as Vice-President of Academic & University Affairs, Oliver VanBuskirk as Vice-President of External Affairs, Anna Grear as Vice-President of Student Life, Guelord Mitima as Ethnic Diversity Representative, Baraka Hani as International Student Representative, and Kirk Jean-Baptiste elected as Student-at-Large Representative. Paluch, Vail, VanBuskirk, and Grear will assume their Executive positions on May 1, 2025 and serve until April 30, 2026. Meanwhile, Mitima, Hani, and Baptise will serve on the SAC beginning immediately until the end of the 2024–2025 term on April 30, 2025.
The MASU is a membership-based non-profit which is governed by a student executive, democratically elected by the student body. Mt. A has a rich history of student involvement in governance and activism, dating back to the 1800s. The formation of the Eurhetorian Society in 1841 marked the beginning of student political engagement, leading to debates and discussions on critical issues of the time, such as the U.S. Civil War. This early involvement laid the groundwork for the establishment of the MASU, which began in 1908–1909 with the election of a student president and was formally recognized in 1911. This made Mt. A the first university in Canada to allow students to govern their own affairs.
Over the decades, the MASU evolved to represent the entire student body and expanded its structure with various councils and committees. The Union addressed pressing issues such as financial contributions to the war effort during WWII, lobbying for student employment during the Great Depression, and improving campus facilities. By the mid-20th century, the MASU had established the Students’ Representative Council and initiated services like a second-hand bookstore and a Winter Carnival. Its advocacy efforts extended to removing textbook taxes and influencing university policies on the grading scheme, residence fees, and faculty tenure decisions.
In 1980, the MASU was incorporated as a non-profit organization under the New Brunswick Companies Act, formalizing its role as the official representative body for Mt. A students. Since then, it has continued to expand its services and advocacy efforts, focusing on student safety, health and dental insurance, and enhancing teaching quality through student evaluations. Today, the MASU remains dedicated to improving student life and fostering a strong sense of community at Mt. A, putting the students and their opinions first.
The winter 2025 MASU election was a momentous occasion, with the record-highest voter turnout in over a decade. To increase student participation, awareness, and engagement, the current MASU executive created an in-person voting component for the first time in years. Polling stations were set up in Jennings, the Student Centre, and the library. Computers were set up so that students did not have to log onto the voting portal. For several years, the online polling system has deterred students with a randomized login, different from their Microsoft login, which is used for everything from Moodle to accessing the internet on campus. This year, the email with login credentials was reformatted, with a clearer and more concise explanation containing each student’s individualized login. Additionally, in person polling gave students the option to avoid logging on entirely. Additionally, the MASU executive team made excellent use of social media, reposting clips from the pre-election campaign speeches and Q&A, as well as promotional videos and infographics that coincided with custom “I voted” stickers. Current President & CEO, Reid Delaney, explained that “With the changes we put in place, I am confident the MASU will see higher turnout even in elections with fewer candidates.”
Looking ahead, some of the elected candidates have shared words of excitement and anticipation in assuming their roles in the very near future. VanBuskirk, incoming vice president of external affairs, proclaimed that “I wanted to run for this position because I am very passionate about my time at Mt. A. I have had an amazing first two years here, and I want to be able to give back by helping foster the same experience I have had thus far.” He noted that he plans to focus on reducing food insecurity, and increasing access to housing and healthcare during his term. Vail, incoming vice president academic and university affairs, declared that “I have been aiming to run for a VP position within the MASU for quite some time. It was an absolute honor to be elected.” She is most looking forward to working with the other executive members and making a difference within the Mt. A community by advocating for students. Hani, incoming international student representative, shared that he has a history of leadership positions in high school, including serving as an environmental prefect, a senior prefect and regularly contributing to community service events. “When I came to Mt. A last semester I felt as though something was missing and was consequently compelled to run for a position on MASU.” A current first-year student from Nairobi, Kenya, Hani is looking forward to representing the international student body already on the SAC and in the next academic year alongside the MASU.
Delaney reflected on his time in office as the end of his term, and time at Mt. A, approaches. “Being the 2024–-2025 MASU President & CEO has been the greatest professional privilege of my life and I cannot thank the MASU membership enough for electing me to this office.” He shared that although “It’s been my whole life in fourth-year, I will have fond memories of the whole thing.” As Delaney turns over authority to a new group of student leaders, he recommends that they “listen and learn from [the student body], they will tell you what your priorities should be and how to address them.” One of Delaney’s highlights of the year was getting locks on the Edwards’ bathroom doors. “Some priorities will be small and only impact a select group of students,” he explained, “[…] but those small wins are what matter most.”
