Candidate Bios - UBC Board of Governors

Hi, I’m Bryan! I’m a master’s student in Community Planning, and I hope to serve as your student representative on the Board of Governors. My passion to improve students’ material conditions drives my student advocacy work. 

I’m the only candidate in this election who has previously served on the Board of Governors of a university through my previous role as President of the Students’ Society of McGill University. If elected, my top priorities will be fighting for a tuition freeze, long-term food security funding, and tenant protections in student residences. 

My Student Advocacy Experience: 

• 2026 – Present: Chair of the Graduate Student Society’s AMS Caucus 
• 2025 – Present: Graduate Student Representative to AMS Council 
• 2021 – 2022: Organizer, Divest McGill 
• 2019 – 2020: Student Governor, McGill University Board of Governors 
• 2019 – 2020: President, Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) 
• 2018 – 2020: Student Senator, McGill University Senate 
• 2018 – 2020: Chair, SSMU Fall Reading Break Committee 

For more information on who I am and how I would fight for you, please visit https://linktr.ee/bryanburaga 

Coming from a small BC town whose claim to fame is a giant hockey stick, I saw UBC as a vibrant community filled with opportunity. That was until I found myself close to dropping out after struggling with undiagnosed ADHD for four years before I was able to register with the CFA. Unfortunately, my experience is not unique. From the alarming rate of student food insecurity to the relentless increase in rent and tuition costs despite student pleas, all we can do is shake our heads as one more administrator tells us “There’s nothing more they can do at this time.” Motivated by my experience, I got involved in advocacy at UBC, knowing that change needed to be driven by student voices.

As EUS VP Academic and AMS VP AUA I:

• Worked with the CfA Director to publish a list of types of accommodations
• Led the allocation of $300k to student groups
• Broke the AES survey response record to advocate for changes to Workday

As your BOG rep, I will continue this work by:

• Divesting UBC from companies complicit in Genocide
• Keeping tuition increases sub-inflationary
• Expanding funding to vital teaching and learning programs like the UDL Fellows

Much more at votedre.ca!

Hi, I’m Jacky, and I’m running to be part of your UBC Board of Governors over the coming year. A bit about my background: I’ve previously served as a part of your Senate, as a part of the CUS Board of Directors where I sat on a number of committees, including the Budget Oversight Committee, and as a director and treasurer for the Student Legal Fund Society. Through these experiences, I’ve gained significant experience in skills necessary for success on the Board of Governors such as budget analysis and asking hard questions about how money is actually being spent. 

I’m centering my campaign on three priorities: UBC Housing, food security, and financial accessibility. For housing, I want UBC to commit to RTA‑like protections in residence contracts, move faster on building new beds, and keep residence at least 15% below market. For food security, I’ll push to turn today’s short‑term envelopes into a permanent, scaled‑up budget line. And on financial aid, I’ll fight to ensure students get every available bursary dollar, simplify applications, and make it easier for students to actually get the support that already exists. Learn more at vote.jxue.ca 

Hi everyone! UBC does some things right, but fr- a lot wrong too. The answer to fixing what’s wrong almost always is- the Board of Governors (BoG). Climate action and divestment from companies linked to environmental degradation and human rights violations? Tuition freezes and financial aid for international students? Funding student-led food security initiatives? Freezing rents and building more on-campus housing? Advancing meaningful Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities? 

I’m not new to this work. As a Student Senator ‘23–24, I served on the Awards and Library Committees, advocating for increased scholarships, extended library hours, and improved access to academic resources. I’ve also worked closely with the AMS as the Senate Rep, representing student concerns across governance spaces. These roles taught me how policy actually moves and how often student voices are sidelined unless we fight for space. 

My agenda is simple – getting our voices heard at the BoG. If you want someone who understands the system and isn’t afraid to challenge it, I’d love to earn your trust and your vote. Learn more about my priorities and plans here @votesultana on IG. 

Hi! I’m Zarifa, and I’m running to be elected as your next Governor.

This past year, I served as your AMS VP Academic and University Affairs and Senator. Some of the things I accomplished are:

• Securing $2 million for undergraduate research opportunities
• Securing $800,000 for food security funding
• Doubling the International Community Achievement Award from $5,000 to $10,000
• Launching the largest Textbook Broke Campaign in AMS history and giving out $20,000+ in textbook affordability grants

Elected as your next Governor, I’ll focus on:

• Securing a multi-year commitment for food security funding for the AMS Food Bank, Acadia Food Hub and Sprouts
• Advocating for more low-cost, high-density student housing by leveraging donor opportunities
• Fighting tuition increases by presenting strong affordability arguments while articulating the harmful impacts of increases
• Establishing needs-based aid for international students
• Reviewing Policy LR7 (Disability Accommodations) and increasing funding for the Centre for Accessibility
• Establishing more career opportunities by increasing WorkLearn funding
• Increasing graduate student minimum stipends

More: votezarifa.com