Editorial: Bring back last year’s TMSU election energy this year too

By Abeer Khan

Just over six months ago, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) student body made their voices heard and participated to create change on campus by voting for an independent president to head the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU). 

On campus, it was a buzzing topic as finally, there was an independent body coming onto the TMSU. There was finally hope to turn an organization heavily embedded in scandal and controversy into a beacon of hope and advocacy for TMU students. 

Just over six months ago, that fruitful wish seemed grounded in reality. Now, not so much. 

As we head into a new academic year, the TMSU has already been plagued with many ailments. Before the fall 2022 semester even started, two TMSU executives resigned. 

Vice-president operations Salar Syed resigned from his position on Aug. 26, in a letter sent to The Eyeopener. A month prior, vice-president education Umar Abdullah also resigned from his role for another opportunity in his field.

Aside from internal happenings, Marina Gerges, the president of the TMSU, also broke bylaws by sharing confidential student information—including full names, email addresses and home addresses—with student groups across campus. As reported by The Eyeopener’s news team, Gerges shared confidential information discussed on-camera without the permission of the Board of Directors (BoD). 

That being said, heading into this new year, I urge all students to be aware of what’s happening at your students’ union and be as proactive as you were last year. Let’s bring that same energy back this fall because as much as we all hoped things would be different this year, they are not. 

Go to TMSU meetings, regularly keep up with their programming and push for them to act on change you wish to see within the community. Remember that your students’ union works for you and your say does matter. 

Because we know what happens when we forget who really has the power. (Credit card scandals, broken bylaws, all your dime). 

So let’s head into the new academic year ready to participate, advocate and fight for ourselves.