By Sutton Eaves
The atmosphere is getting “tense” around the office as Daren Cooney and Alex Lisman engage in a political duel for the throne of RyeSAC.
After sharing an office together for half a year, Cooney, v.p. student life, and Lisman, v.p. student life, and Lisman, v.p. education, are going head-to-head for the position of president of Ryerson Students’ Administrative Council.
“I think it’s going to be a fun and interesting competition and may the best man win,” said Cooney, who raced through the halls of Ryerson on Friday night, neck-in-neck with Lisman, in a race to plaster his florescent posters on the most coveted spots on campus.
While both say they will support the students in terms of budget cuts, deregulation, representation on the Board of Governors, and social/ religious conflicts, they have different approaches to that representation.
“There are two clear options here: you can either make a lot of compromises and be friends with the university’s administration and sell out the students, or you can actually stand in a principled position and consider all the factors.”
Lisman, shaking his head, rebutted by saying “I think that when an issue is as polarized as deregulation, when the university is looking to generate revenue off of students, we’re certainly not going to see eye-to-eye.”
Well-known around campus as an activist as well as a student politician, Lisman said he wants to see issues with serious consequences on the agenda, including another looming round of budget cuts and the Ryerson Muslim Students Association’s current battle for prayer space.
“I want to run because I want to politics and the future of Ryerson to be an issue in the election,” said Lisman.
Cooney, also a high-profile politician on campus, is better known for his interest in student social life and activities, taking a more moderate role as an activist.
“I’ve dreamed of becoming president for awhile. I’m not totally a party animal, I’m not totally an activist, I’m not totally community services. I’m a little bit of everything and I think that’s what you need to be president.”
Elections begin Feb. 4 and will run until Feb. 6. The customary question-and-answer period and debate between the two candidates is being held at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Ram in the Rye.
Leave a Reply