Why you should pay more attention to SAMRU
How running for executive positions can change your academic career
By Amber McLinden, Staff Writer
It’s difficult to engage students when it comes to affecting change through university, according to two Student’s Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU) executives. It’s equally as difficult to fill all the executive positions, not because they aren’t interesting jobs, but because students seem to have little knowledge of them.
“These roles are not very well known amongst the general student population,” says Dexter Bruneau, the current Vice President External.
Currently SAMRU is recruiting for the position of Vice President External because the candidates who were running both dropped out of the race. Now the organization is looking for someone to fill that seat.
According to Bruneau, holding a position in SAMRU comes with its set of perks, “having always followed politics, getting to sit in a room and meet with politicians that I know of through news and through TV, actually sitting down right in front of them and having a conversation with them was really neat,” he says.
Both Bruneau and Robbie Nelson, current VP Academic agree the positions elevated their academic experience. Besides working at Mount Royal, they also seek to influence policy at a municipal, provincial and federal level that will affect the university.
“[I have] learned so much about how things work here and how decisions are made,” says Nelson. “It is really powerful to be that student voice at the table making sure that students all across campus are heard.”
Experience isn’t the only incentive for the job, the position of VP External currently pays a yearly salary of $38,000. Most of the VP positions do, including Nelson’s. The job is full-time and requires students to be a part-time student, with most taking only one or two classes while they take on the high-demand job.
Although many of the executives put in extra hours towards their roles, both Nelson and Bruneau agree on different levels that the pay is fair. “It’s about in the mid-range from what I’ve seen compared to what executives at other institutions are paid,” says Nelson.
“I think considering that it’s student’s money that is going towards our salaries, it’s fair,” adds Bruneau.
Both individuals encourage people to run for the positions, especially if you’re interested in policy, improving your public speaking skills, government, or any topic relating to politics.
SAMRU is always working on a number of issues at all levels, including mental health services, advocating for better transportation municipally, implementing a fall reading week, and more. If you are interested in these issues, you’re encouraged to apply to the available position or engage in student government any way you can.
For more information about the VP External position go to www.samru.ca.
