By Lana Hall
A new face will lead the Ryerson Commerce Society next year after presidential incumbent Abdullah Snobar took himself out of the running just days before the election.
His decision left candidates Cristina Jakimtschuk and Andy Gomes, both current business management directors with the RCS, to fight for the presidency.
“I never really had any intention to run [this year],” Snobar said on Sunday. “Last year, I was planning on being a two-term president. And that was my intention.”
However, Snobar plans on spending more time with the Ryerson Students’ Union, running for reelection as business faculty director in the coming RSU election.
“What I’ve done is good as it stands,” Snobar said. “I want to put my mark on the table and walk away.”
The RCS is an umbrella course union, representing all four schools in the faculty of business — business management, information technology management, hospitality and tourism management and retail management — providing social, professional and educational experience.
Under Snobar’s watch, the RCS organized a successful three-day frosh event exclusively for commerce students, including a 300-head gala honouring Ted Rogers.
Snobar is also the younger brother of Ibrahim (Abe) Snobar. He said he plans to help his older brother sort out the “RSU’s problems.”
Abe Snobar is currently running for RSU president, but is up against stiff competition from Muhammad Ali Jabbar, a past president of the union.
Snobar submitted his application for the RCS presidency the day before deadline, and ran independently. “I didn’t even campaign,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jakimtschuk’s glossy colour posters can be seen covering every flat surface in the Ted Rogers School of Management Building.
The Eyeopener could not find any campaign material for Gomes’ campaign.
“The competition is still at a really high level,” Jakimtschuk said. She said Snobar was a big influence in her decision to run for president and if elected, she wants to bring him back as an advisory councillor.
“He’s done an incredible job this year,” Jakimtschuk said. “And as a society, we want to progress not regress.”
As president, Jakimtschuk would unite business students and give the commuters a reason to spend more time in the business building, she said.
Snobar said he was worried about the other candidates paying too much attention to him.
“At first they were worrying about each other, like ‘why are you running against me,’” he said. “Now instead of worrying about me they can worry about the election.”
Thirty candidates ran for 13 positions in the RCS election this year, including 15 for the two director of business management slots alone.
“It’s good news”, said Jordan Becker, administrative secretary for the RCS and running for VP internal relations on a slate with Jakimtschuk.
Last year there were less than twenty hopefuls. “The more candidates, the better quality of candidates,” Becker said.
Common themes in the RCS’s vision , he said, are communication between the four business programs and representation of the Ted Roger’s School of Management in the community.
“We’re here, we’re on Bay Street,” Becker said. “And we really want to increase our branding.” Snobar, who will enter his final year in the hospitality program next year, is more concerned for his own career after university.
“The people who have been here for 7 years … what have they done to establish themselves? What are they going to do when they graduate?” he asked.
“I plan on doing as much as I can while I’m in university. This is why I’m moving on,” Snobar said. “I love the RCS but it’s time to move on. I love both candidates and I just want a fair election.”
Voting took place on Monday and Tuesday in the business building. Results had not been released at press time.
— With files from Eric Lam
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