The Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) elections are almost here. With online voting open from 9:00 am on October 21 until 11:30 am on October 23, the CCSS is encouraging Camosun students to exercise their right to choose their student representatives.
The CCSS is a collection of students who function similarly to a worker’s union. By coming together and choosing representatives, students are able to campaign and raise awareness to attempt to further our education and improve the quality of our lives during that education.
CCSS external executive Prince Solanki is working hard to get the word out.
“With the help of CCSS and doing all the events at the campus, I can see every day, we are meeting new students and letting them know, hey, this is the work we do for you guys, and if you need any help from us we are always there for you,” says Solanki.
The CCSS has pushed hard in the past year as far as getting their word out about who they are, and increasing student engagement. Solanki points to the increase in student votes—from 784 last year to 1,136 in this year’s spring elections—as proof of the CCSS gaining more visibility on campus.
“We are letting all the students know how important it is to have a representative in the college,” says Solanki.
Solanki hopes to see participation throughout the year, whenever Camosun students think of anything that would improve the college experience.
“Just more action work for students, helping students, and students come to us,” he says. “I want to see where I don’t have to go to students, I want to see students coming right to us… We’ll be able to help more students that way.”
The CCSS provides students with dental and health care and bus passes, but Solanki is very passionate about the fun side of the student society as well. The CCSS regularly puts on events and hosts parties that help students connect with each other—and one part of that process is highlighting the diverse celebration of cultures on campus.
“The [CCSS events] calendar is everywhere in the campus now, and they can see all the special events we have planned to do this year,” he says. “Diwali is one of the major parts, which we are doing on November 1. We’re also doing Halloween parties… We’re also doing some movies in Lansdowne campus. So we are trying our best to let students know, because some students, they aren’t aware of when and where these events are happening.”
And the social scene isn’t just for unwinding. Building friendships is an important part of post-secondary—especially for people who didn’t attend high school here in Victoria. Solanki’s involvement with the CCSS is partially motivated by how the society itself helped him connect with more people as an ESL student.
“As for me, it is somehow improving me as a person, who I was,” he says. “And it is also helping me to improve my English. When I just moved to this country I wasn’t so confident about myself… I didn’t have the courage to talk to anyone before. Now I can talk.”
The election will also have a referendum question asking if students support raising the Nexus levy by 30 cents per student per month.
Keep an eye on your email for a link to be sent out for voting.