MAPS elects new president
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Marinelli_Anna.jpg” caption=”Anna Marinelli is the new president of MAPS. Photo courtesy of MAPS.”]The McMaster Association of Part-Time Students (MAPS) Board of Directors has elected Anna Marinelli as MAPS president for 2007-08. She has been a member of the MAPS Board since 2002.
A part-time student in English, Marinelli recently retired after serving 31 years with Dofasco. She is eager to spend more time pursuing her degree.
“I'm looking forward to continuing the important work MAPS does on behalf of its members,” says Marinelli. “Course availability, financial aid, and concluding the MAPS-MSU membership transferability agreement will be among the items on our agenda for the coming year.”
Marinelli has served on the MAPS Executive Committee for four years, including two years as vice-president (internal) and one year as each vice-president (external) and as treasurer.
The MAPS Board was initially elected at an historic meeting on March 6 that saw the number of nominees exceed the number of positions on the Board, forcing an election — an event MAPS has not seen in previous years.
Eight of the 17 students elected are new to the MAPS Board, but many are involved elsewhere on campus. Amongst them are Simon DeAbreu, president of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), Darlene Hayword, academic advisor for the Faculty of Humanities, Rabia Khan, former Inter-Residence Council (IRC) president, Kyra Machen, outgoing vice-president (education) of the McMaster Students Union (MSU), Joseph McGuire, staff member and union steward from McMaster Security & Parking Services and recipient of the 2006 MAPS Centennial Award, and Allan Wong, cook at Creation X for McMaster Hospitality Services.
Along with Marinelli, the Association's other officers who were elected for the 2007-08 year are:
“Anna will lead a strong executive positioned to build on the significant progress made over the last year in advocacy, membership communication, and internal capacity,” said MAPS executive director, Sam Minniti.
In addition to the six-member Executive Committee, the other members of the 2007-08 MAPS Board are Alex Alvarez, Carole Armstrong, Lynn Beyer, Simon DeAbreu, Min-Ju Evans, Darlene Hayward, Rabia Khan, Joseph McGuire, Rose O'Connor, and Eric Siu.
Minniti commended the contribution of the retiring Board of Directors and officers, all of whom serve as volunteers, and singled out Dave Moore, outgoing president of MAPS.
“This has been a very successful year for MAPS, and I wish to thank Dave Moore for his unwavering dedication towards improving the experience of part-time students,” said Minniti.
Established in 1979, and recognized by McMaster University as the representative of part-time students, MAPS represents more than 8,000 students enrolled in part-time degree studies and students taking courses through the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).
